Tag Archives: Verderers

Pilgrimage to the New Forest Show 2014

Last week I made my annual pilgrimage to the New Forest & Hampshire County Show, a three-day celebration of local and countryside related activities. I always attend on the Wednesday, which is traditionally the day that features the New Forest … Continue reading

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New Forest: William the Conqueror and divine retribution

I was inspired to read more about William the Conqueror, after attending an event at the Chalke Valley History Festival (2014). Apparently after the Norman invasion, which followed the Battle of Hastings in 1066, he attempted to integrate with the … Continue reading

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Stallions on the New Forest

There has been a lot of excitement on the New Forest recently due to the stallions being released onto the Open Forest. This is an annual event and, this year (2014), ten male ponies have been turned out to run … Continue reading

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New Forest: traffic, animals and road accidents

For me, one of the biggest attractions in commoning is learning about and practicing an ancient pastoral activity that involves keeping commonable livestock (ponies, cattle, donkeys, or pigs during Pannage), which are so important to the ecology of New Forest.  There is … Continue reading

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Forest Law, Courts and Officials

Before becoming a practising commoner I first had to apply to the Verderers of the New Forest to confirm my Rights of Pasture, request permission to run ponies on the Open Forest and gain approval for my commoner’s mark, which … Continue reading

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Animal road casualty reports make grim statistics

The Verderers weekly reports of animal casualties on the Forest roads always make such grim reading. Each entry states the day, date, time, the animal involved – pony, cow, sheep, pig or donkey – and what happen to that animal. … Continue reading

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New Forest: when wildlife and road traffic meet

The New Forest is a landscape of scenic beauty where the wildlife is diverse and the iconic New Forest pony, cattle, donkeys (and pigs during Pannage) are turned out to roam freely. It is a working landscape that has been … Continue reading

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