The Turbary or waste, comprising a tract of about six thousand eight hundred acres, is situated two miles east of Thorne church, and is bounded on the south by the Stainforth and Keadby canal, from which it extends northward 4½ miles, and its width in some parts is 1½miles.

A century ago the space covered by the morass was much greater than it is at present, a portion on every side having been cut yearly, and carried off for fuel.

Under the whole of this extensive morass, lie buried, oak, ash, fir, beech, yew, and willow trees, the remains of an immense forest, which appears to have covered at one period a large proportion of this part of the country. Abraham de la Pryme, appears to be the first writer, who ascertained, by personal observation, that a forest atone time grew where these morasses are now formed and posterity have borne testimony to the accuracy of his observations.

Every one, who is acquainted with the Roman or early British history, will perceive, with what obstinacy the native tribes disputed every inch of ground with their Roman conquerors. Inaccessible hills, impassible morasses, and impenetrable woods, were generally their places of retreat; into these the Romans durst not attempt to follow them.

PLACE OF RETREAT

It was the practice of foraging parties to attack and immediately retire into their fastnesses; which so enraged the emperor Severus during his reign in this country, that he determined upon the destruction of their places of retreat, as far as was practicable; to accomplish which, he commenced with fire, and followed with sword and axe, and in this and the like undertakings, he had the mortification to find his ranks thinned of 50,000 of his men.

To this cause may be attributed the fall of the wood in question. The trees when uncovered from the peat seem to have stood near to the places where they now lie, as the remaining stump and adjoining tree, where the axe has been employed, exactly correspond. Those trees, which owe their fall to the agency of fire, are not so easily identified, but otherwise there are many remaining, especially of oak, fir, birch, yew, wirethorn, willow, and ash, the roots of all or most of which stand in the soil, in their natural postures, as close together as they could possibly grow.

These roots, when dug up, are now used, either for fuel or for fencing; when employed for the latter purpose, they have a truly rustic appearance, presenting various fantastic shapes, and they would, on that account, in some situations be highly prized. The oak roots are very durable.

GIANT OAKS

Pryme says, in his paper before alluded to, "Oaks have been found 20, 30, and 35, yards long, yet wanting many yards at the small end; some of which have been sold for £4, £8, £10 and £15 a piece which are as black as ebony and very lasting and durable.

The ash trees are as soft as earth, and are commonly cut in pieces by the work men’s' spades, which as soon as flung up into the open air, fall away into dust; but all the rest, even the willows themselves, which are softer than the ash wood, preserve their substance and texture to this day;" and it may be added, to the present time, although it is now a century and a half later than when the above remark was written.

40 YARDS LONG

He further adds, that Mr. Edwards Canby told him, he found an oak tree within his moors, 40 yards long, 4 yards in diameter at the great end, 3 yards and a foot in the middle, and two yards over at the small end; so that the tree seems to have been as long again; for which he was offered £20. At another time, he found a fir tree 36 yards long, besides the computed length thereof, which well might be 15 yards more." The largest trees have no doubt been picked out for different purposes by the inhabitants for several generations past, yet there are men now living, who state, that they have split up more than a thousand pales, four feet in length, fit for park fencing, from a single tree, and that they have seen trees a yard in diameter, for a very considerable length, and as sound as if just cut down. Some of the firs too are so fresh and sound as to bear splitting into ceiling laths, for which purpose they have been not unfrequently used.

FLOODING

This extensive forest being thrown down, in nearly a level country, subject to floods, we may naturally suppose, would impede the little drainage that had before relieved it of the superabundant waters; that being once stopped, the accumulation of vegetable matter would be very rapid, the branches and leaves of trees and other wreck, with aquatic plants, and moss, that gather on the stumps and branches of trees in moist situations, not covered by water, would soon shelter the main body of the trees from the action of the sun and air, the vegetation of one summer would be destroyed by the frost in winter; the next spring produces a succeeding crop of morassy vegetation; this is again destroyed; until returning seasons have formed peat, to the height and consistency we present find it. The production of peat is at first rapid, but decreases in proportion as it advances above the level of the country, and the change in its solidity and vegetable production.

That the principal part of the wood had been thrown down at one time, appears evident, from the sound state in which the trees are generally found; if they had fallen from natural decay, they would have been more decomposed; if part only had been thrown down, those left standing, could never, after the peat began to accumulate, gain the horizontal position in which they now lie. And another proof of the correctness of the assertion may yet be adduced, if the trees were sound when thrown down, and afterwards exposed to the sun, wind, and air (as scarcely any are completely buried in the subsoil) they would have exhibited more evident signs of decay; especially the less durable kinds; but when we see the silvery bark of the birch, as bright as when just stripped from a living tree, firs quite enveloped in bark, acorns, hazel nuts, fir cones, hips, oak, and other leaves, we are led to suppose, that as soon almost as the forest was overthrown, the site must have been covered with water and by this means the wood, etc, preserved from decomposition and decay.

PEAT

The peat is a substance composed of heath, moss, and various morassy plants, which have undergone but little disorganization, and are mixed with but a very small quantity of earthy matter. It is very combustible, and when submitted to the action of fire is an iron retort, produces gas capable of supporting a clear white flame, tar, and an ammonical liquor; the pipes through which turf gas has been passed, acquire a very peculiar smell, quite different from that emitted from coal gas, but not less pungent and offensive.

ANTISEPTIC

Peat possesses two very peculiar properties, besides its imflammability, viz, its antiseptic quality, and power of resisting water. So great its antiseptic quality, that animal as well as vegetable substances may remain for years in it, without undergoing putrefaction. Anecdotes of the discovery of the remains of animals are related in almost every place where peat abounds; and there are a few instances of human subjects having bin thus preserved from decomposition. "About 50 years ago," says Pryme, "at the bottom of a turf pit, was found a man laying at his length, with his head upon his arm, as in a common posture of sleep, whose skin being as it were tanned by the moor water, preserved his shape entire, but within, his flesh, and most of his bones, were consumed and gone; an arm of whom is now in the possession of Dr. Nat. Johnson."

SOFT SKIN

In June 1747, the body of a woman was discovered six feet deep in a peat moor; the antique sandals on her feet, shewed she had been buried for many ages. Her hair and nails were as fresh as any person's living; her skin was soft, of a tawn colour and stretched like a piece of doe leather, and was as strong. Even the water found in the peat moors possesses antiseptic quality. The existence of putrid water (however stagnant) is unknown in the peat districts; and the men who dig the turf, suppose that it is never injurious to them, ever. If they drink it cold, when they are heated with labour and covered with perspiration.

• The Canby family, according to a rental of 1712
held land both in Nun and Tweenbridge Moors;
their residence was at the top of Jacob-Lane.

Extracted from the History and Antiquities of Thorne, published in 1829.