These hold special meaning to the local communities: being on the edge of the Forest, they were and continue to be highly populated and enjoyed by a diverse range of user groups.
The northern commons also hold special rights over the crown lands, for example, they are one of the only places you will see sheep grazing.
To learn more about the history of the New Forest visit the New Forest Knowledge portal.
The National Trust has looked after New Forest commons since 1928. Take a look at our timeline to find out more:
The history of our commons (PDF / 0.1MB) download