Commissioners of Woods and Forests

The Commissioners of Woods, Forests, and Land Revenues were established in the United Kingdom in 1810 by merging the former offices of Surveyor General of Woods, Forests, Parks, and Chases and Surveyor General of the Land Revenues of the Crown into a three-man commission. The name of the commission was changed in 1832 to the Commissioners of Woods, Forests, Land Revenues, Works, and Buildings. In 1851 under the Acts of Parliament 14 and 15 Vict Cap 42 it was replaced by the Commissioners of Works and Public Buildings and the Commissioners of Woods, Forests and Land Revenues dividing between them the public and the commercial functions of the Crown lands.

The hereditary land revenues of the Crown in Scotland, formerly under the management of the Barons of the Exchequer, were transferred to the Commissioners of Woods, Forests, Land Revenues, Works and Buildings and their Successors under the Crown Lands (Scotland) Acts of 1832, 1833 and 1835.

Commissioners of Woods and Forests, 1810-1851

First Commissioners are followed by the names of their co-commissioners

References

• R. B. Pugh, The Crown Estate – an Historical Essay, London, The Crown Estate, 1960
• Annual Report of Commissioners of Woods & Forests 1811
• The Crown Estate publication scheme: website consulted January 2007