Slasher Magazine Summary: Publication No. 215 - November 1965
The digitisation of the Slasher was undertaken by, and images courtesy of, the Forest Research Knowledge and Information Management staff based at both the Northern Research Station in Roslin, Scotland and Alice Holt in Surrey, where the original copies are currently located.
The content summary below was very kindly compiled by Diane Birkett, Bedfordshire. See PDF attachment link below the text to view the full document. A total of over 400 issues were produced between 1948 and the final issue in 2010.
Treasure Trove
While bulldozing in a Carmarthenshire forest, Commission employees Mr Islwyn Jones and Mr David Samuel uncovered a green metallic mass about 6 inches in diameter, thought by the two men at first to be nothing more than a block of corroded washers. On re-examination however it became clear that the find comprised of Roman coins. The coins were not of gold, so the monetary value was relatively small, but the archaeological value was great.
At the subsequent inquest, the Assistant Keeper of Archaeology at the National Museum of Wales stated there are 682 coins in all, every one of "antoninian" denomination. The silver content varies from about 5% to 35%. They cover a period from 249 A.D. to 291 A.D., depicting 17 different Roman Emperors of Rome, Gaul and Britain, the latest being Carausius. The hoard was probably buried not long after 291 A.D., well over 16 centuries ago.
The coroner returned a verdict that the coins constituted Treasure Trove and thus they belong to the Crown.
Killing Stone
A recent strange, if not macabre, find in New Forest may have been a killing stone, its age is not known, but a correspondent, writing to the Deputy Surveyor, says the sign on it may be that of Satan, " symbol of death and malediction". The practice, says the writer, was to cut the head shape of the victim in the earth near a cypress tree and throw the stone upon it repeatedly, with appropriate cursings, until the image was pounded all over. This was supposed to result in the death of the person imaged. In a P.S. the correspondent advises the Deputy Surveyor to get rid of the object! This, it is believed, is being done by presenting it to Christchurch museum.
Trained Adders Wanted
Forester George Small of Morangie Forest, North Scotland, recalls seeing a small tent sited on a slope in the forest. He advised the three youths occupying the tent that they were not allowed to camp in the plantation. Their impolite reply was followed by their gathering of twigs with the intention to light a fire for a "brew-up". They ignored Forester Small's advice that the underlying peat might smoulder unnoticed until the heather was ignited and a forest fire would erupt.
Knowing three youths and two sheath knives would not be a good match with an unarmed Forester, he advised them he would call the police to remove them. Knowing it would take nearly an hour for him to return to his car and for the police to arrive, suddenly, a "miracle" occurred. He alerted the youths to a movement in the heather. When he told them about the adder, one of the deadliest snakes in Britain, the youths dismantled their tent and ran down the ploughed hillside to their car, which was driven at high speed away down the forest road.
Perhaps trained adders should be supplied to help foresters.
Satisfied Customer
The popularity of the picnic site at Savernake prompted forest staff to lay out a forest walk, which was formally opened in a simple ceremony by Mr G.E.H. Palmer.
Descriptive leaflets are available on the "trust principle" and the following note was recently found in an envelope with a 3s 6d postal order in the cash box: "Many thanks for a lovely site and interesting book which we shall treasure. In a 2,000 mile trip we have found nothing like this. Please accept this small donation towards upkeep".
Drumsheugh in History
Mr G. Pringle formerly C.O. in the Commission's Edinburgh office has researched the history of Drumsheugh, originally the name of the ancient forest which once covered the whole area now occupied by Edinburgh.
According to historians it consisted mainly of oak and birch and was the home of "hartis, hinds, toddis (foxes) and similar beasts". By the year 1400 most of it had been cleared; many hamlets had sprung up and among these was one called "Drumsheugh", situated approximately where stands the present Belford Bridge.
There were four houses named Drumsheugh. The original, first mentioned in records of 1506, stood on the site of Randolph Cliff. The second stood at the southern end of the present Dean Bridge, approximately where Lynedoch Place is today. The third, built in 1755, occupied a site where Alva Street now runs.
The last house to be called Drumsheugh stood in the Barony of Coates, approximately where St. Mary's Cathedral now stands. The Barony belonged originally to the House of Kincaid, sold by them in 1702 to Lord Roseberry, who resold it in 1705 to Heriots Hospital. The first record to mention the house is dated 1740, when William Keir let the house to Lady Jane or Jean Douglas, only sister of Archibald, 1st and only Duke of Douglas. There in 1746 she concealed the Chevalier Johnstone or De Johnstone, an A.D.C. of Bonnie Prince Charles, after the battle of Culloden and until he made his escape to France.
In the year 1748 when she was 50 years of age, she gave birth to twin boys. The youngest died in 1753 and the eldest, Archibald, on the death of his uncle assumed the name of Douglas and claimed to be the heir. This was the beginning of the Douglas cause which split Scotland into two camps.
In 1763 James Kerr bought the house and on his death in 1769 his widow sold it to Alex, 7th Lord Colville of Culross, Vice Admiral of the White. It is recorded that he paid 11,000 guineas for the house and grounds and spent a further £4,000 on them.
According to the records it must have been a beautiful estate with magnificent gardens, a fruit orchard, tree bordered walks and a large fish pond.
The house was sold again in 1801 to William Walker of Coates, Attorney in Exchequer. When he died in 1817, the house went to his daughter Mary Walker, who was the last member of the family. She died in 1870 and the house was demolished and the ground feued out to form Drumsheugh Gardens, Walker Street, Chester Street, Manor Place, Palmerston Place and so on. The very large feus resulting from these, together with other money left for the purpose, were used to build St. Mary's Cathedral. The capitalised value of the estate was said to be in the region of £400,000 and the cost of building the cathedral £140,000.
The earliest records of the houses occupied by the Commission (Nos. 25 and 28) were in the Edinburgh Street Directory for 1875-76, wherein it is recorded that George Dalziel, W.S. occupied No. 25, and in the directory for 1879 Ralph Dundas, W.S. occupied No. 28.
It is interesting to note that in those days of rising costs, the charge for a sedan chair from Drumsheugh to Moultries Hill (Waverley) was 1s 6d.
Retirements
Mr W.V. Jackson, North West England Conservancy has retired after nearly 41 years with the Commission, mostly served in Sherwood Forest.
Mr H.H. Link (Bert Link), Forester, Wareham, South West England has retired after 31 years' service.
Mr A.T. Halls, Ganger, Hockham, East England has retired. He has served under six Foresters over a period of 35 years.
Presentation
Mr W.V. Jackson retirement presentation at Sherwood Forest.
Obituary
Mr Tom Cutler, former Head Keeper, New Forest has died aged 75.
An Unusual Ash
Mr J.P. Davys, Assistant Forester at Chiddingfold, South East England reports on a 20 year old ash tree, 30 feet tall which bears single leaves instead of the usual type.
Postings from the Forester Training Schools for Assistant Foresters
To North East England
J.A. Curry, Wark
D.J. Furness, Redesdale
P. Green, Allerston
H. Pannett, Allerston
W.P.G. Pikkin, Allerston
B. Jones, Kielder
To East England
M.J.R. Ingoldby, Aldewood
J.E. Pratt, Thetford Chase
J.J. Pruden, Ampthill
M. Tinsley, Kesteven
South West England
P.E. Cliffe, Dartmoor
R.J. Hodge, Wyre
New Forest
M.W.K. Willingham (Isle of Wight)
Dean
M. Bell-Scott
North Scotland
H.W. Bowers, Fiunary
G.R. Dunbar, Torrachilty
J.H. Fisher, Ardross
A. Herd, Black Isle
L.D. MacRae, Inchnacardoch
East Scotland
M. Cruickshanks, Drumtochty
W.R. Taylor, Blackhall
C. Walker, Glenlivet
South Scotland
W. Brown, Ae
R.S. McInnes, Kirroughtree
W.W.S.R. Morgan, Greskine
J.G. Povall, Fleet
D.I. Robson, Glentrool
West Scotland
D.W. Durrant, Fearnoch
A.B. Fox, Loch Ard
W. McB Freeman, Glenrickard
A.T. Littlewood, Inverinan
R. Muhl, Knapdale
North Wales
R.A. Baldwin, Ceiriog
P.J. Thompson, Dovey
South Wales
D.J. Corner, Coed Morgannwyg
D. Ellis, Coed Morgannwyg
D.H. Jones, Coed Morgannwyg
D.G. Davies, Ebbw
P.J.D. Williams, Ebbw
B.S. Hicks Brechfa
R.A. Liddell, Brechfa
Northerwood Social Club Committee
A Ballot paper for the election of Northerwood Social Club Committee Members is included.
Golf in The North West
Following the donation of a cup by Mr John Walker, H.E.O., Chester, an annual golf outing will be held in the North West England Conservancy. The trophy is to be called "The Forestry Commission N.W. England Challenge Cup".
The opening competition, held at Delamere initially resulted in a tie over 18 holes in the morning by Mr David Grant, Assistant Conservator and Mr John Keyte, Executive Officer. They played a further round in the afternoon with Mr Keyte winning by five strokes.
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