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:

Gibbons, William. Steward to Sir Spencer Maryon Wilson for past 21 1/2 years, previous to which he lived in Kent. During the whole 21 1/2 years has taken from the Forest gravel and stone which right he used for buildings, for the repair of the roads and once or twice for foundations of buildings [and] also sand for repairs on Sir Spencer's estate. Has never asked anyone's leave and has never made any payment or given any acknowledgement for same and none has objected to his taking the same.

The stone in respect of which Lord De La Warr claims was taken for building Searles. In 1870 Sir S. M. Wilson commenced building Searles House and in that year took about 574 waggon loads of stone from the Forest and in 1871 36 loads, and in 1872 120 loads and about 4 or 5 since.

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