Wednesday,
24 July, 2002 11:00 BST
Commoners' Rights |
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| Comoners
at one of the New Forest's horse fairs |
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The system of Commoners' Rights is one of the unique features of New
Forest life. Introduced almost nine centuries ago, many of these rights
for residents still exist today. |
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Commoning
dates back to the creation of the Forest -it was recognised that the
restrictive Forest laws set out by William the Conqueror and his son,
Rufus, were too harsh. A system of rights was established to enable
Forest people to survive. These rights remain today.
A Commoner is a person occupying land to which common rights are attached.
Around 800 houses and smallholdings in the forest have such rights,
though only about half of the occupants exercise their rights.
There are several distinct Commoners rights. Commoners may have any
combination of these, depending on where in the Forest they live.
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| Ponies
near Brockenhurst |
Common
of Pasture
This is the right to graze animals on the open forest. About 5000
animals are depastured in this way, of which some 3000 are ponies.
There is no limit to the number of animals which may be depastured
by a Commoner.
Common of Turbary
The right to cut peat or turf to burn as fuel. It is required that
for every turf cut two are left so that the grass can regrow to
cover the gap.
Common of Estovers
The right to take wood as fuel. As part of the ongoing forest maintenance
Foresters cut branchwood into lengths known as cords. According
to their rights Commoners may take a number of cords each year as
fuel for their fires.
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| Pigs
are turned out during Pannage |
Common
of Mast.
The right to turn out pigs during a season known as Pannage.
The start date of Pannage is decided by the Verderers but it always
lasts for 60 days.
The Verderers announce the start of pannage when the acorns begin
to fall in autumn.
Pigs
eat green acorns and beech nuts, which would otherwise be poisonous
to ponies.
Common
of Marl
Marl is a clay which can be used as a dressing for soil. It is alkaline
and acts to neutralise the otherwise acidic forest topsoil. Some
Commoners have the right to dig marl for this purpose.
Common of Pasture for sheep
Mainly exercised in the past by the monks at Beaulieu Abbey and
at Godshill, this is the specific right to allow sheep to graze
on forest land.
There are very few areas where this is allowed and it is unusual
to see sheep on the open forest.
Animals depastured in the Forest are supervised by the Agisters,
who are the "officers on the beat" for the Court of Verderers.
The Agisters check the condition of the animals and brand them for
identification. They also attend road accidents involving Commoner's
stock.
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