The Weald of Kent, Surrey and Sussex

The Ashdown Forest Dispute 1876-1882
by Professor Brian Short
published by Sussex Record Society in 1997
Excerpts from this work have been reproduced on this site with the kind permission of Professor Brian Short

Related document
William Augustus Raper
Henry Scott

Scott, Henry. 73. Born close to Duddleswell, 10 July 1806. Baptised at Maresfield and now living near Duddleswell in his own cottage taken in from the Forest by my Father for which I pay Lord De La Warr 2s. a year. I have had no grant of it. My Father (dead) used at times to cut litter for various people and when I was big enough I used to go out with him to rake it up. My Father worked regularly for Mr. Trill (dead) at Hendall Farm and as soon as I was 10 or 11 years old I went to work there with him. I can well remember Trill used to come up to my Father and say "Scott, I want you to go out and cut me 5 or 6 carriages of litter". By carriages was meant about a load and a half and my Father used to take me off to rake it up after him. I began at this when I was 10 or 11, not more. His carter Elphick (dead) used to come out after it with our ox team. It was cut principally outside Barns Gate.

I remember on one occasion, when I was about 11, my father cut some litter for Thomas Pollington (dead) who used Hole Farm on the Forest near Fords Green belonging to Lady Shelley. My Father had bought some pens from Pollington for our pig and Pollington set him to cut litter to out set it. Pollington sent out his wagon with 3 horses to fetch it in.

I worked for Mr. Trill about 8 or 9 years till he broke. He was succeeded by William Wheatley (dead) and I went on working for him off and on for about 7 or 8 years, cutting litter for various people in the winter. Then I went to work for Lord Liverpool at Buxted 17 years, living the latter part of the time at Duddleswell. After Lord Liverpool's death I have worked about and generally cut turf every summer and litter every winter till about 10 years ago. Every year while I was with Mr. Trill my Father cut litter for him and I helped. Wheatley used to have litter every [year]. I did not cut it, but it was cut by Charles and James Tester of Duddleswell who are both dead. I used to see it carried in by Wheatley's team. He used to go up with 3 horses to fetch it. After Wheatley, Hendall was used by Sydney Warnford (he broke and went away), Lord Liverpool, Henry Gardner and Wood who now uses it. They have had litter but I cannot speak to it.

I know Oldlands. I have seen Squire Holford's team out carrying in litter, also young Minn's team when he had the farm.

I know Lampool Farm. When I was a boy Edward Gasson was the tenant. He used to buy timber on the Forest and my Father used to flaw the bark for him at times and I helped. As long as I can remember anything I remember seeing his teams coming on the Forest after litter and seeing it being unloaded in the yards. He did this every year till his death which I think occurred while I was working for Wheatley. Gasson was succeeded by William Barnes who had previously the Nutley Inn. He was a mighty man for litter; I used to see his team carrying it. His carter's name was Henry Ridley (now near Nutley). The Testers used to cut it for him. Barnes died there and the Shelleys used it for a while and then Mr. James Turner took it and has it now. I have frequently seen Mr. Turner's team carrying home litter from the High Forest beyond Duddleswell.

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