the new forest was once the stomping ground of william the conqueror, who claimed it as his ownin 1079. he restricted use of the forest so that only he and the aristocracy could use it – to hunt wild boar and deer. in 1100, one of william’s sons was killed by an arrow while hunting there; another son suffered a similar death some years earlier the exact year is unknown. many think this was revenge on william for claiming the forest as his own and forcing the locals out.