The Gallery
Learning about and practising commoning on the New Forest.
In medieval times a forest meant an area preserved for royal hunting, and not a wooded area as it does today.
The Agisiter ensures welfare standards of the free-roaming animals are maintained.
The ‘architects’ of the New Forest.
The New Forest landscape supports many species of plants, insects, birds and mammals. It should be valued as a reserve for nature.
One of many gatherings where Commoners can exchange news, information and knowledge.
Pannage season is part of the ancient commoning rights and a popular tradition.
Traditional management practices, particularly commoning, have conserved the ecological diversity of the Forest.
Tag Archives: New forest
New Forest: smugglers and rogues
In 1747 a gang of smugglers decided to go over to Guernsey to buy quantities of tea, which on their return to England they could sell for a profit. In their number was one John Diamond, otherwise known as Dymar, … Continue reading
Posted in New Forest
Tagged Daniel Chater, free trader, Guernsey, Hawkhurst Gang, honest rogue, John Diamond, murder, New forest, Poole Customs House, smugglers, smuggling, William Galley
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New Forest: learning, knowing and passing it on.
For me the natural world is a place of wonder and exploration. Being in the New Forest no matter what time of day, what time of year or in what kind of weather is such a fulfilling experience. The sound … Continue reading
Posted in New Forest
Tagged Commoner, countryside, directions, fauna, flora, hire, history, knowing, knowledge, learning, natural history, New forest, passing it on, ponies, Rufus Stone, Satnav, tourism, Victorian, visitor, wildlife, woodfidley
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New Forest: timber stealers and plunderers
The New Forest is often described as a mosaic of habitats, which include heathland, valley mires and ancient pasture woodland. Within these varied environments grow all manner of plant life, from the tiny bog orchid (Hammarbya paludosa) up to the … Continue reading
Posted in New Forest, New Forest flora & fauna
Tagged 1849, bog orchid, Bow Bearer, Cuffnalls, Deputy Warden, Deputy Woodward, Forester, Hammarbya paludosa, High Steward, Lady Poore, Lord Duncan, Lord Warden, New forest, plunder, Purveyor of the Navy, Ranger, Regarder, sequoia, Sequoiadendron giganteum, Surveyor General, sylvan, theft, timber stealing, Under Forester, Verderer, Woodward
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New Forest: self medication and creature comforts
The free-roaming ponies, cows, donkeys and, during pannage, pigs on the New Forest are usually able to take care of themselves and do not require the constant attention required by their intensively farmed or field-kept counterparts. Even the process of giving … Continue reading
Posted in New Forest cattle, New Forest flora & fauna, New Forest pony
Tagged adder, Agister, animals, cattle, commoners, commoning, cows, donkeys, Forestry Commission, healthy, heifer, injured, lame, New forest, pharmacy, pigs, ponies, self medication, sick, snake bite, unwell, venom, Verderer, welfare standards
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New Forest: lost a pony and found a stallion
This week (May 2016) I found one of my mares that I hadn’t seen in a while. The Agister had seen her. Other commoners had seen her. Possibly many visitors –walkers, cyclists, horse riders, bird watchers etc. – had seen … Continue reading
Posted in New Forest, New Forest pony
Tagged dam, foals, Forestry, Lynx effect, mare, mating, New forest, sire, stallions
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New Forest: stallion-silly-season
I was pleased to see that British astronaut, Major Tim Peake, had posted images of the south coast from the International Space Station, circling 404km (251miles) above the Earth. It clearly showed the area of the New Forest and the … Continue reading
Posted in New Forest, New Forest pony
Tagged bluebells, foals, fox cubs, mares, New forest, silly season, stallions, trees
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New Forest: dog-days and mad dogs
In July 1826 it was reported in the newspapers that a six-year old child had died of hydrophobia, the dread disease otherwise known as rabies. The child and his mother were walking alone in the New Forest when a rabid … Continue reading
Posted in New Forest
Tagged attack, bite, dog-day, Dogs Act 1871, hydrophobia, Louis Pasteur, mad dog, New forest, rabies, saliva, Shirley, Southampton, strays, W C Spooner
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New Forest: lapwings reward the early riser
I’m really enjoying my walks on the New Forest at the moment. I start very early in the morning, when there are few people about, and often arrive just in time to see the sun appearing over the horizon. As … Continue reading
Posted in New Forest, New Forest flora & fauna
Tagged bewitched, bird, breeding season, dotterel, habitat, lapwing, New forest, peewit, plover, superstition, Vanellus vanellus, wetland, wildlife, Wuthering Heights
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New Forest: jingling matches and donkey races
The New Forest has always enjoyed a close association with the monarchy. During the eighteenth century it was a favourite destination for George III, who would often stay with his family before moving on to the seaside town of Weymouth. … Continue reading
Posted in New Forest, New Forest customs
Tagged Blindman's Buff, Crown Inn, donkey race, eighteenth century, Fair, George III, Golf Club, Jingle Match, London, Lord Warden, Lyndhurst, Lyndhurst Racecourse, New forest, newspaper, pony sales, Southampton, sports day, women jockeys
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New Forest: annual colt and stallion inspections
I attended the annual Stallion Inspections at Beaulieu Road last weekend, to watch the selection process for the colts and stallions that will sire future generations of New Forest pony. The weather was forecast for sunny intervals and, when the … Continue reading
Posted in New Forest, New Forest pony
Tagged breed, breeding, colt, Commoner, foal, inspection, mare, New forest, NFCDA, NFPB&CS, Open Forest, pony, sire, stallion, stud, Verderer
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