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:

Maynard, Michael. Memory beginning to fail a little. Living at Coldharbour adjoining Plaw Hatch Gate in the parish of East Grinstead. Born 20th May 1809 expects he was baptised in East Grinstead.

My Mother's name was Mary Comber. She was entitled to the property I now live on. My Father and she lived on it till her death. Then I was admitted tenant to it in 1840 and my Father moved to West Hoathly where he died. I was born on the property and lived there till about 14 when I went to service on Cansiron Farm for about 1 year, then to Holtye with a Mr. Gasson who had Courtlands Farm for 1 year. Then went brickmaking in the summer and hoopshaving in the winter for 3 or 4 years. During this time I went backwards and forwards to home. Then I had my leg off at Brighton hospital from a cold caught brickmaking. Then went turnpike gate keeping and other occupations till I came home about 30 years ago.

As far back as I can remember, till I went gate keeping, my Father had litter from the Forest every year and sometimes brakes by themselves. He always burnt turf and scrub from the Forest. He always turned [out] cows and sometimes a horse, but not pigs.

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