The New Forest
- Lee John
- Apr 21, 2015
- 3 min read
The New Forest is one of the largest areas of unenclosed pasture land and woodland in populace south-east England. It is contained within the National Park of the same name and though wild is some respects, man has long tamed, controlled and shaped it. It is a popular holiday destination and many people visit or stay in the New Forest each year.
History:
As is the case with much of the rest of England, the site of the New Forest was once entirely covered with deciduous woodland. The area was recolonised after the last Ice Age around 12,000 years ago by birch and later also beech and oak.
During the Bronze Age and following eras, some areas were cleared for farming and due to the poor nature of the soil in the New Forest, areas cleared of trees became heath that was likely used even then for grazing horses. Barrows, burial mounds and other historic monuments can be found within the National Park.
The New Forest was formed as a royal hunting ground (mostly for hunting deer) in about 1079 by King William I. Before then it is thought that the area was called Ytene. The King made this open area for his hunting at the expense of more than 20 small hamlets and small farm settlements. The New Forest was not a lucky place for the King – two of his sons died there and local folklore as it that this was because of the King's wrongdoings when he formed the Forest.
Forests were eroded significantly over most of the south east of England over the years, in particular during the 12th and 13th Centuries. This has left the New Forest as one of the few remaining areas of ancient forestry in the country. The Great Storm of 1703 resulted in the further loss of around 4000 oak trees.
Common rights to the forest were confirmed by statute in 1698 and the forest and commoners gained more protection under the New Forest Act of 1877. Roughly 90% of the New Forest is still owned by the Crown and are managed by the Forestry Commission.
The New Forest became a National Park in 2005.
Wildlife:
The lowland habitats of the New Forest have added ecological interest because such landscapes have not survived elsewhere in the country. They are home to rare wildlife, including the New Forest cicada which is the only cicada native to the UK. There are also unusual insect species, for example the southern damselfly and the mole cricket, which are rare in the UK. Specialist heath and woodland birds are also found here in abundance.
Throughout the forest you can see the well-known New Forest ponies, as well as commoners cattle and donkeys roaming freely. You are likely also to see several different types of deer as well as a variety of other animals.
Visiting the New Forest:
There are a large number of visitor attractions in and near the forest including in the New Forest's several towns and villages. You can camp or find indoors accommodation, and there are also a variety of cycle tracks and walking trails allowing you to explore.
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