We are a group of enthusiastic volunteers who research the historical geography of Ashdown Forest, focusing particularly on the people who have lived and worked there, and their impact on it, and the impact that the forest has, in turn, had on them. Articles by members of the group have appeared in Ashdown Forest News and other publications. We also hold periodic exhibitions of our work and give talks on Forest history.

Publications

The following articles are available for downloading:

• Ashdown Forest in a Time of Change (Ashdown Forest Life, 2014)
• Occupations in a 19^th Century Forest-edge Rural Community
• Who were the Census Enumerators?
• Family Names on the Forest
• Forest Row Men who Died in the Great War
• New Insight into the Origins of the Forest Centre Barns
• Fire on the Forest - A Commoner’s Response
• The Development of Railways around Ashdown Forest before the First World War
• The Turnpike Roads of Ashdown Forest - A Forgotten History?
• Ashdown Forest in a Time of Change: 1850-1914 (Ashdown Forest News, 2017)
• Researching the Men of Ashdown Forest who fell in the First World War.

 

A number of illustrated booklets, drawn from the group's two recent exhibitions, are also available for download:

• Houses on the Forest Edge
• Traditional Forest Occupations
• The Barns at the Ashdown Forest Centre
• Ashdown Forest at a Time of Change, 1850-1914: A Timeline
• Aspects of Change in Forest Occupations 1850-1914
• The Development of Railways around Ashdown Forest 1850-1914
• Life and Leisure on the Forest 1850-1914
• Changing Architectural Styles on the Forest Edge 1850-1914

 

World War One – Case Studies

The group is currently engaged on a major project to write case studies on all those men who fell in the First World War that are commemorated on the war memorials at Forest Row, Hartfield and Coleman's Hatch – 116 in total. Work on those who died from the outbreak of war in August 1914 through to the end of 1917 has now largely been completed. We are aiming to finish all the case studies by Armistice Day, Sunday 11 November 2018.

A dedicated website has been created for this project, and you may find this the easiest way of viewing the case studies. Alternatively, the studies have also been compiled into two documents (PDF) which are available for download:

• WWI Case Studies 1914-1916
• WWI Case Studies 1917-1921

 

We would welcome any corrections or additional information or images relating to any of these studies. Please contact us at the group’s email address below.

Interested in joining the group?

The research group meets eight times a year, usually on Tuesday mornings, at the Ashdown Forest Centre. We welcome enthusiastic new researchers who may be interested in contributing to our projects as well as carrying out their own research. If you are interested please contact us at the email address below.

Contacting the group

The group may be contacted by email at [email protected]

Copyright

All the above publications are copyright © Ashdown Forest Research Group.