New Forest History

The history of the forest may be divided into four broad periods:

• The early years when the area was used for both hunting and timber extraction, as well as some pottery.
• The medieval period when the area officially became a forest and the emphasis was firmly on preserving the deer stocks for the royal hunt.
• The 15th to 19th centuries when the emphasis moved to timber production for the Royal Navy.
• The modern period when the amenity value of the Forest has increasingly been recognised.

HISTORIC MILESTONES

Graphic	Period	Date	Event
	Early	c. 3000BC	Bronze Age settlers build Round Barrows
		c. 500BC	Iron Age hill forts built
		c. AD100	Roman potteries in production
		c. AD500-1000	Anglo-Saxons settlers found all of the forest villages, with the exception of Beaulieu.
		980	First mention of a Royal Manor in the area
	Deer	1079	The traditional date on which New Forest created by William I. Actually we donʼt know the exact year, but it was certainly before 1086.
		1100	As commemorated by the Rufus Stone, William II (Rufus) is killed while hunting in the forest.
		1204	Cistercian abbey at Beaulieu founded.
	Timber	1483??	New Forest Act allows inclosures for growing timber.
		1544	Post of Surveyor General for Crown Woods created.
		1584	Pollarding of oaks made illegal.
		1601	First recorded felling of 200 trees for the Royal Navy.
		1673	Estimated 3000 trees a year being felled.
		1698	New Forest Act outlaws coppicing attempts to restrict charcoal burning, but recognises the rights of the commoners
		1776	Scots pine introduced at Ocknell and Bolderwood.
		1851	Deer Removal Act. An attempt to destroy all deer in the forest. Deer population reduced from around 9,000 to about 200. Also introduces 'rolling powers of enclosure' and leads to increasing attempts to restrict commonersʼ rights.
	Amenity	1877	New Forest Act (sometimes known as the Commonersʼ Charter). Verderersʼ powers changed to protect commonersʼ interests. Right of Crown to enclose new areas reduced. Ancient and Ornamental woodlands protected.
		1924	Forestry Commission takes over management of New Forestʼs Crown land from the Office of Crown Woods.
		1939-1945	Ten airfields built in and around the forest including Beaulieu, Holmsley, Ibsley and Stoney Cross.
		1949	New Forest Act reduces powers of the Verderers. 2,000 acres of 'Verderers' Inclosures are created.
		1964	The 'adjoining commons' are brought within the forest bounds and under the control of the Verderers.
		1971	New Forest declared a Site of Special Scientific Interest.
		1979	The Queen plants the Queens Oak as part of the 900 years celebrations.
		1992	Government agrees special status equivalent to a national park.
		2005	On the 1st March the New Forest became Englandʼs first new national park for 15 years, with increased funding and a single overall authority.