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:

Hills, Edmund. Living at Newbridge, Hartfield. Labourer aged 70, 29 April last. Born at Coleman's Hatch, Hartfield. My father William Hills was bailiff of the Holly Hill Estate for Squire Breton and afterwards Colonel Young. When he sold to Mr. Jackson my Father resigned the place on account of age and continued to live at the Hatch till his death about 1843. From the earliest recollection my Father was Bailiff. As soon as I could run about I was about with my Father. When I was 9 years old I milked and looked after the cows and I worked there till I was 14 or 15. I then went to Ashurst Wood 2 years, then to Mr. Henry Isted at Charmers Farm, Hartfield, 2 years, then to Broadstone Farm under Mr. Brooks 2 years, then back to Charmers for a year. Then I returned to Holly Hill for about 10 years, then I went to Pippingford under Mr. Mortimer 26 years and Mr. Gray 1 year, then back to Holly Hill 6 years ago.

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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:

Gurr, Caesar. Rents a cottage and about an acre of land of Mr. Melville at New Bridge. Aged 60. Born in Maresfield in a house built by my grandfather Bennett on the edge of the Forest. Lived there till I married when I was over 30. I used to do job work till I was 20 and then went to work daily at Pippingford out in the Forest where I still work. For the first 30 years I was always about in the Forest on the Maresfield side. I used to cut a little litter for my father's pigs but I cut for no one else. I saw most of what went on in the Forest.

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