Hainault Forest, Essex
Hainault Forest, an ancient forest which formerly existed in Essex, averagely 3 ½ miles NW of Romford. Here, at its south end, near Aldborough Hatch, stood the famous Fairlop oak, 36 feet in girth, and 300 in circumference of head. A great annual assemblage or fair was held under that tree on the first Friday of July. The tree was partly destroyed by fire in 1805, and was finally overwhelmed by a storm in 1820. The tract was, unhappily, disafforested in 1851, and thus a valuable outlet for recreation was for .ever lost to the inhabitants of London.