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:

Constable, Sophia. 50. (Has had a paralytic stroke but has got over it. Has a little difficulty in pronunciation. She says she could travel very well.) Living at Ruttingham Farm, Fletching. Spinster. I was born at Ruttingham in 1828 and baptised at Fletching and have lived here all my life. Howards Down and Hurstland have always gone with it. My Father Thomas Constable (dead) used the whole from my earliest recollection till his death about 16 years ago and my Mother continued to use it afterwards till about 4 years ago. Sir Spencer Wilson has since then used Ruttingham and Mr. John Fleet now uses Howards Down and Hurstland with Malling Down Farm. One field on Howards Down is called Frankwell. From my earliest childhood, say when I was 6 or 7, my Father told me he came to the farm in 1817 and he used to say that he had had litter and turf from the Forest all the time he was here.

...............