AN IMPORTANT collection of New Forest records has been gifted to the national park's records hub.

The Crosthwaite-Eyre archive contains an extensive collection of deeds and estate records,

including the hugely significant correspondence of George Briscoe Eyre, a key figure in the

struggle to save the New Forest from enclosure.

Mr Briscoe Eyre fought for the 1877 Act or ‘Commoners’ Charter’, which protected Commoners’ rights and reconstituted the court of Verderers. Mr Briscoe Eyre topped the poll in the first ever Verderers election, whilst his daughter, Dorothy, became the first female member of the Court.

Other material in the archive includes the cash books of George Eyre who purchased

Warrens estate in 1789 and had a new house built there in 1800-1802. The books detail

various aspects of his life including travelling, dress and housekeeping. There are also papers

and photographs relating to cattle breeding and archives from Eyre and Spottiswood, Her

Majesty’s printers, which was the family business for over 200 years.

Ecademy Project Officer Dr Katharine Walker, who is based in the Christopher Tower

Reference Library at the New Forest Centre, will be cataloguing the archive with help

from volunteers. "We are seeking grants to help with this process and are grateful for the

initial contribution by the Crosthwaite Eyre family," she said. "Comprising over 50 boxes of material, this will be a large job in terms of conservation, cataloguing and ultimately digitising where possible, to make it publicly available."

Oliver Crosthwaite-Eyre, who served as Official Verderer for nine years and is Chairman of

the New Forest National Park Authority said: “I’m so pleased that this archive is now in safe keeping at the Christopher Tower Reference Library at the New Forest Centre and is being expertly cared for. The collection will be accessible to the public in perpetuity, as a valuable historical resource, rather than being locked away at home.”