Commoners

Commoners are those that own land in and around the forest that has rights attached to it. About 350 families exercise these privileges today and in total the forest has some 1,800 head of cattle, over 3,000 ponies and a smaller number of donkeys, pigs and sheep.

Only a small number of commoners actually still make a living from keeping stock. Most are part-time farmers with income from other businesses. Some simply keep one or two animals on the forest purely to maintain the old tradition.

The rights of Commoners:

• Common of Pasture - the right to graze cattle, ponies, donkeys, sheep
   

• Common of Mast - the right to turn pigs out on the forest during the pannage season (in autumn when acorns and beech mast have fallen - acorns are particularly poisonous to ponies)
   

• Common of Fuelwood - an allowance of wood for burning to be used in a dwelling (know also as Estovers)
   

• Common of Sheep - the right to allow sheep onto the forest 
   

• Common of *Marl - the right to take limey clay to spread on the land as a form of soil improvement 
   

• Common of *Turbary - the right to cut turf for burning in a dwelling.