Author Archives: newforestcommoner

About newforestcommoner

Keeping the history, ecology and cultural traditions of the New Forest alive through practice of 'commoning'. Sharing information about #NewForest & #commoning.

New Forest: autumn leaves and falling temperatures

Posted on October 23, 2016 by newforestcommoner

If you have walked out onto the Forest recently, you will no doubt have been impressed by the variety of colours across the heathland and woods. Some of the higher elevations of the Forest provide spectacular views over the landscape … Continue reading →

Posted in New Forest, New Forest pony | Tagged autumn, colour, drift, end-of-season, fall, galloping, leaves, New forest, ponies, pony, round-up, Saxon, summer, winter | Comments Off

New Forest: the story of the pig that pointed!

Posted on October 9, 2016 by newforestcommoner

During pannage season pigs undoubtedly become the favourite animal to see in the New Forest. There is nothing quite like the sight of happy porkers that have been set free to root about through the fallen leaves and undergrowth, in … Continue reading →

Posted in New Forest, Pannage season | Tagged acorns, Auction, bird, Bog, cattle, dog, gallop, game, grouse, hare, hunting, New forest, Pannage, partridge, pig, pointer, ponies, porcine, puppies, rabbit, setter, snipe, sporting, trot | Comments Off

New Forest: fallow deer and the rut

Posted on October 2, 2016 by newforestcommoner

The autumn months in the New Forest herald the breeding activity of fallow deer (Dama dama). The rutting season begins in September and peaks in late October. As the foliage changes colour into the russets, oranges and yellows of late … Continue reading →

Posted in New Forest flora & fauna | Tagged buck, Dama dame, deer, doe, Fallow, New forest, rut, rutting | Comments Off

New Forest: pannage, pigs and wild boar

Posted on September 25, 2016 by newforestcommoner

Autumn has got to be one of my favourite seasons of the year. The annual drifts are underway, the heaths and woodlands are changing colour, adding variety to the hues of the already breath-taking scenery, and pannage season has begun. … Continue reading →

Posted in New Forest, New Forest customs, Pannage season | Tagged acorns, Beech, Charles I, chestnuts, Common of Mast, commoners, English Civil War, hunting, New forest, Pannage, pigs, Rights of Common, wild boar | Comments Off

New Forest: signs of the times

Posted on September 11, 2016 by newforestcommoner

As my regular readers will know, the drift season has started. The season runs from August until November and entails rounding up the ponies across the New Forest in a series of drifts that take place in approximately 40 locations. … Continue reading →

Posted in New Forest | Tagged Agister, car park, Commoner, drift, gate, New forest, parking, pony, round-up, season, signs, times, track | Comments Off

New Forest: Alice Lisle – traitor or martyr?

Posted on September 4, 2016 by newforestcommoner

The 2nd September marked the anniversary of the death of Dame Alice Lisle. She was the last woman to be executed by a judicial sentence of beheading in England, and died in early September 1685, at the age of 68. … Continue reading →

Posted in New Forest | Tagged Alice Lisle, Battle of Sedgemoor, Bloody Assizes, Dame, Duke of Monmouth, Hanging Judge, James II, Judge Jeffreys, Lady, martyr, Monmouth Rebellion, Moyles Court, New forest, traitor, Verwood | Comments Off

The Curious Tale of Timothy Tight

Posted on August 26, 2016 by newforestcommoner

This is the curious tale of Timothy Tight, as written for the Hampshire Advertiser in September 1845, as part of the ‘Sketches in the New Forest’ series. The hero of the story was described as a young-looking person of rather … Continue reading →

Posted in New Forest | Tagged alcohol, beer, Earl, Hampshire Advertiser, Horse & Jockey, Lady Mary, New forest, piano, Sketches in the New Forest, Timothy Tight, tipsy | Comments Off

New Forest & Hampshire County Show 2016

Posted on July 31, 2016 by newforestcommoner

One of the highlights in the calendar of any New Forest commoner has got to be the New Forest & Hampshire County Show. The show was originally conceived just after WW1, as a way to support farmers and develop agricultural … Continue reading →

Posted in New Forest | Tagged Carriage driving, cattle, Common Rights, commoning, cows, events, judges, New Forest & Hampshire County Show, news, NFCDA, NFNPA, Pannage, pig, private driving, showing, smallholding, training, Verderer | Comments Off

New Forest: the sweet smell of a job well done

Posted on July 24, 2016 by newforestcommoner

This week has been one of hectic hay making activity. The hay was cut on Friday morning last week and tedded (spread for drying) several times during the weekend and rowed-up ready for baling during Monday morning. The smell from … Continue reading →

Posted in New Forest Commoner | Tagged Agrostis capillaris, Anthoxanthum odoratum, aroma, bales, Buzzard, Common Bent, countryside, Crested Dog's-tail, Cynosurus cristatus, field mice, fox, grasses, hay, meadow, Phleum pratense, Sweet Vernal-grass, Tawny Owl, Timothy, voles | Comments Off

New Forest: C19th daring marauder or domestic cottager?

Posted on July 17, 2016 by newforestcommoner

Every so often I am passed little gems of information that shine a light into the recesses of time and illuminate the characters of those Forest dwellers long since past. One such item is from a newspaper article printed in … Continue reading →

Posted in New Forest | Tagged brandy, C18th, carter, cottager, deer stealer, Forester, furze, keg, marauder, New forest, peasant, pig, Queen Victoria, Royal Agricultural Society, smuggler, swine, turf, vegetable, Westminster Abbey, wood-cutter | Comments Off