Neiv Forest. 
337 
able and charitable ; but it was habitually and regularly sold 
in the way of trade. It was no longer a Crown bounty to the 
poor forester, but a matter of speculation and profit in the hands 
of the rich. To crown all, fuel was claimed and assigned, in 
spite not only of forest law, but also of statutory enactments 
(y and 10 Will. 111.), for houses which did n'>t exist. 
The history of all the other rights is the same. The Crown 
began, 800 years ago, by encroaching on the subject, who, in 
his turn, has encroached on the Crown. The tables have been 
completely turned, so that the value of the rights claimed by 
private persons over the Forest would (as is asserted) absorb its 
whole value, leaving nothing to its original, but now nominal, 
proprietor. 
Some order has been recently introduced. Commissioners 
were appointed under the 17th and 18th Victoria, cap. 49 — an 
Act for the settlement of these claims, which have been ascer- 
tained, decided, and registered. 1311 claims are allowed — some 
very extensive, some very minute. Right of common pasture 
may be exercised throughout the year, except during the fence- 
month (20th June to 20th July), and the time of winter-hayning 
(22nd Nov. to 4th May). Sheep are allowed only where ex- 
pressly mentioned. The right of mast can be exercised in the 
pannage-time only (25th Sept. to 22nd Nov.) on payment of Ad. 
for every pig above one year okl, and 2d. if under that age. 
Every exercise of turbary-right must be under the view of the 
foresters, and the fuel must be burnt in the messuages mentioned 
in the register. . The right of wood must be similarly exercised. 
The payments to the Crown for the use of these rights vary from 
one penny to a few shillings. 
There are no statistics as to the number of animals turned out, 
as only a portion of them go through the hands of the agistors. 
It is proposed to remedy this defect by legislation. 
The statistics of the Forest in its present state are these : * free- 
hold estates, within the external perambulation of the Forest, 
belonging to private persons, 27,140 acres; copyhold, or cus- 
tomary lands, belonging to Her Majesty's manor of Lyndhurst, 
125; leasehold under the Crown, granted for certain terms of 
years, 600; enclosures held with the lodges, 500; freeholds of 
the Crown planted, 1000 : total of permanent enclosures 29,365 ; 
remainder, being woods and wastes of the Forest, 63,000. 
The Crown forest property is divided into two districts, the 
* Tliese figures have been supplied to me by the Deputy Surveyor. The 
statistics usually published show the state of the Forest iu '1789, and are taken 
from the Parliamentary Eeport of that date. 
