During The Ashdown Forest Dispute 1876-1882 commoners and land owners were interviewed by the solicitor William Raper. Their comments were recorded in a series of notebooks:

Manners, William. 76. Living at Sheffield Lodge, Fletching. Born at Furners Green, Fletching, 12 May 1803 and baptised at Fletching. When I was about 10 I went to service with Mr. Everest at Sliders Farm (Lord Sheffield) for 6 1/2 (years) as carter boy and carter. He had 13 or 14 loads of litter regularly every winter from the Forest. I used to go for it, also for turf for fuel. He drove stock on the Forest every summer. I used to have to go up every week to look after them. I then went to service for 6 months with Mr. Kenward, carrier at Furners Green, where he had two little farms - the Grouts (now Lord Sheffield) and another. During that time I fetched litter from the Forest for him. I then went away to Lindfield for 6 months and after that I came to Northlands (Lord Sheffield) occupied by George Holford for a year and worked as carter and carried 13 or 14 loads of litter for him from the Forest. I then went for 6 months to North Wales and then came back to Lindfield and got married at Michaelmas and remained there 6 months. Then I went to Latchets Farm (Wyatt of [?]) in Horsted Keynes under Mr. Sam Coppard for 6 months. Then I returned to Lindfield 6 months. Then I returned to Latchetts for a short time again. Mr. Coppard had litter and turf off the Forest. I then married again and continued to work for him for a few months. Then I went to a farm near Freshfield Wharf for 3 years and then I went to Mr. Mabbott at Forest Farm near Chelwood Gate for about 3 months. Mr. Mabbott had litter from off the Forest.

Then I came to Colonel Davis at Heaven Farm about 4 months. He had litter off the Forest, and then a fortnight before Christmas 1829 I came to work under the 1st Lord Sheffield and have worked for his family ever since. I lived at Sheffield Green for the last 43 years.

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