Although Ashdown Forest is seen as a wild and natural place the way it looks has been directly influenced by the activities of man over the course of millennia.
A leaflet is available at the Forest Centre (free) on the Archaeology of Ashdown Forest. It can be downloaded here for a small charge of £0.50p.
The Forest has a strong manufacturing as well as agricultural element to its history. It was used extensively for grazing, fuel production for hearths and smelting, iron working, timber production and, of course, hunting by the elite. You can download a copy of the Forest Pale report here. The Ashdown Forest Research Group carries out research into the historical geography of the Forest. To read more about its work and download its publications, click here.