During The Ashdown Forest Dispute 1876-1882 commoners and land owners were interviewed by the solicitor William Raper. Their comments were recorded in a series of notebooks:

Jenner, John. Good health and full possession of faculties living at Chuck Hatch, Hartfield. 86. Born at the Gallipot in Hartfield, 5th February 1793. Baptised at Hartfield. My Father was a laborer. When I was 7 or 8 years old I just recollect my Father moving up to Chuck Hatch to the house I now live in which he had built on the Forest. My father when he first came here was working for Mr. Everest, tenant at Cotchford Farm. His team brought our things up from Gallipot here. My Father continued in regular work for Mr. Everest for over 40 years till the latter gave up farming and then he went to work for Mr. Hartipole of Stairs Farm, Hartfield, till he was worn out. He died the year of the Queen's accession at the age of 90.

Before I was 11 years old I went to service to Mr. Streatfield at Possingford for 3 years, then I went to Mr. Everest at Cotchford for 2 years, then I went to Mr. Garretts at Fisher's Gate 2 years, then to Mr. Bishop at Pensrooks, Withyham, 3 years. Then I married about 22 years old and jobbed about for a year or two and then went to work at Fisher's Gate Farm for Lord Whitworth who had it in hand and I worked from that time for 50 years on the Buckhurst Estate. I worked a short time for the late Earl but have never worked for the present Earl. After I was married I lived at Withyham till my Father died and then I moved up to this house where I have remained ever since.

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During The Ashdown Forest Dispute 1876-1882 commoners and land owners were interviewed by the solicitor William Raper. Their comments were recorded in a series of notebooks:

Young, James. Chuck Hatch, Hartfield. Born 8 May 1837. Baptised at Hartfield. Is son of Henry Young. Was born at Fincham and lived there till June 1862 when I went away to Kent for 4 years then I returned and was 11 years bailiff for Mr. Harvey at Cowden and then came here 1 1/2 [years] ago.

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During The Ashdown Forest Dispute 1876-1882 commoners and land owners were interviewed by the solicitor William Raper. Their comments were recorded in a series of notebooks:

16.10.79

Dival, Thomas. This witness cannot fix dates at all and will probably not be worth calling. He works at present for Lord De La Warr. [Lives at] Chuck Hatch, Hartfield. Born at the brickyard close by and baptised at Hartfield 24 July 1814. My father was foreman at the Chuck Hatch brickyard belonging to the Buckhurst Estate. As soon as I was old enough I helped my Father and cut litter on the Forest for anyone who wanted it from the time I was a nipper, 12 or 13, and I have cut every year till the last 10 or 12 years when I had other work to do.

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Between Withyham and Hartfield in the north, and Crowborough Beacon and Wytch Cross in the south, is some of the finest open country in Sussex, where one may walk for hours and meet no human creature. Here are silent desolate woods - the Five Hundred Acre Wood, under Crowborough, chief of them - and vast wastes of undulating heath, rising here and there to great heights crowned with fir trees, as at Gill's Lap. A few enclosed estates interrupt the forest's open freedom, but nothing can tame it. Sombre dark heather gives the prevailing note, but between Old Lodge and Pippinford Park I once came upon a green and luxuriant valley that would not have been out of place in Tyrol; while there is a field near Chuck Hatch where in April one may see more dancing daffodils than ever Wordsworth did.