🎬British Pathé – Beaulieu Road Station pony sales. Nice footage of a horse and pony fair in the New Forest. "Down in the New Forest, they hold an annual pony fair, where from far and wide buyers collect together." M/S of a man selling buggy whips. People stand around and listen to his patter (silent film) C/U of a man slicing bread - this is probably an open air sandwich stall. C/U of a stall laden with bottles of wine and pies! The pies are stacked one on top of the other - no unnecessary packaging here! M/S of a large horse pulling a cart with people sitting inside it. M/S of lots of ponies standing in a pen. "Ponies and horses of the New Forest, all sorts and sizes - smooth and shaggy." M/S of the horses in their pens, crowded together. M/S of three ponies standing together - cute. M/S of man running across the paddock with horse on a rope - showing him off. Frisky young pony bucks at the end of a rope. His owner slaps him on the rump. "All to pass under the hammer and find homes, perhaps many miles away." Various shots of ponies being pulled around by ropes. High angle shots of the crowds standing beside pens. "For the buyers - a willing servant - for the sold, alas, separation from Mother and their beloved New Forest home." Low angle shot of some ponies in the wild. Was an item in Eve's Film Review issue number 633

🎬British Pathé – A look at the three lighthouse keepers on the Needles lighthouse off the Isle of Wight. Needles lighthouse. Three lighthouse keepers keep watch. Solent, off Isle of Wight. Various shots as the boat with one relief lighthouse keeper and more food arrives at the Needles. L/S of the keeper who is going home, he waves from the top of the lighthouse. M/S as new keeper climbs the steps to the lantern and unscrews the bulb to polish it, another is cleaning the glass outside. M/S as one walks out with a mat and sits down. M/S of another writing a letter home. M/S man stitching mat. The other one rolls up his letter and puts it in a bottle. M/S as he throws it out to sea where it may drift home.

🎬British Pathé – Footage of New Forest ponies being rounded up and branded. L/S Pan foresters move away on their horses. M/S Notice "Caution animal roundup". L/S Pan Ponies galloping across moors. L/S Pan forester chasing ponies. L/S Pan another forester chasing more ponies. L/S Pan. As the ponies are herded towards farm enclosure. L/S Pan as one stray pony is chased around to the enclosure. L/S Group of ponies in enclosure. M/S Forester grabs ponies tail to cut it. C/U As he cuts pony's tail. C/U One of the ponies. M/S Another forester cuts pony's tail. L/S Pan the pens and sales ring. M/S Ponies coming into sale ring. L/S Group of ponies in ring. M/S Auctioneer. M/S Pony in the ring. C/U Man watching. L/S Pony and foal in ring. M/S Auctioneer makes sale. L/S The pens and sale ring

🎬British Movietone - We're going to great pains to make sure the Great Bustard doesn't escape again. Europe's largest bird hasn't bred here since 1806. Now preservationists hope to install six of the birds, from Portugal, in ideally protected conditions on Salisbury Plain.

British Movietone News ran in the United Kingdom from 1929 to 1986.

🎬 Peter Owen-Jones looks at four seasons in the year of the New Forest. Originally screened on BBC Four in January 2019.

‘The New Forest is a timeless place - there are no fences and the animals roam free. I’ve always wondered how the forest and the commoning way of life have survived in the middle of southern England for so long. It’s been an incredible experience finding out.’ - Peter Owen-Jones.

Over the year, with its dramatic seasonal changes, Owen-Jones ventures out into the forest and immerses himself in the lives of the Commoners, a group of around 700 people who have retained grazing rights for their animals, which date back to medieval times. From the first foals born in spring to the release of the stallions and the annual herding of the ponies, he discovers a hardy people who, despite the urban development around them, and the pressures on the landscape of 13 million visitors a year, retain a deep love of the land and a determination to see their way of life survive.

Presented by Peter Owen-Jones
Photography Paul Williams
Additional Photography Max Williams
Natural History Photography Aaron Cook
Produced by Mark Woodward
Executive Producer (Big Wave) Sarah Cunliffe
Executive Producers (BBC) Mandy Chang & Jo Lapping
Directed and Edited by Nick Stringer

A Big Wave production for BBC (2018)

🎬British Pathé – Fox hunters in the New Forest gather around memorial stone to William Rufus. Full title reads: "'A living Christmas card' historical and beautiful! New Forest Hunt hold annual Xmastide Meet at the Rufus Stone - where William Rufus was killed in a hunting accident (?) - 831 years ago!" New Forest, Hampshire. Various shots of fox hunters out on their horses and riding with their hounds. The hunt gathers around a memorial stone. The hunt sets off once more in to the Forest. Cu inscription on memorial stone to King William II who apparently died there