New Forest
| Site of Special Scientific Interest | |
|---|---|
| Beaulieu Mill Pond | |
| Interest | Biological Geological |
| Area | 28,924.5 hectares (71,474 acres) |
| Notification | 1996 |
Who discovered the New Forest?
William the Conqueror
William the Conqueror. There can be few other places in England where the ancient landscape has remained so unchanged. In 1079 when William The Conqueror named the area his ‘new hunting forest’, little could he imagine that nearly 1,000 years later his ‘Nova Foresta’ would still retain its mystery and romance.
Where did the new forest come from?
The area we know as the New Forest would have spread originally from Southampton Water in the East to the River Avon in the West, with the coastline at its southern extremity and its northern boundary very much the same as the present day.
What is the oldest part of the New Forest?
The huge Knightwood Oak is unquestionably the New Forest’s most famous tree and is thought to be one of the oldest, with age estimates ranging from 450 to 600 years old. The girth of the trunk close to ground level is just over seven metres, indeed a size only achieved after several centuries growth!
Why is New Forest called new?
Why is the New Forest called the New Forest? William the Conqueror created it as his ‘new hunting forest’ naming it ‘Nova Foresta’, which evolved into its English name meaning ‘New Forest’.
Where is the oldest forest in the UK?
Among the oldest hunting woodlands in Europe, Hatfield Forest is home to spectacular ancient trees and wildlife. There are a range of tracks that meander past the lake and through the leafy forest, with Iron Age settlements, grassy meadows and ancient habitats to explore.
What’s the biggest forest in England?
Wyre Forest National Nature Reserve (NNR) extended by almost 900 hectares (60 percent) to now cover over 1,455 hectares. Wyre Forest has today become the largest woodland National Nature Reserve (NNR) in England.
Who owns the land in the New Forest?
Managing the land: Forestry England manages the Crown lands in the New Forest National Park – nearly half of the total area. Others who manage land include the National Trust, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust, Hampshire County Council and private landowners/estates.
What was the pig in the New Forest called before?
The building’s original name was Whitley Ridge Lodge, with its first occupant being a certain George Bright. The property has survived through the ages as a private residence, becoming a hotel in the 1950s.
Which is the nicest village in The New Forest?
Burley – best village of the New Forest
Burley is the quintessential New Forest village. Found within Burley are traditional cottages and characterful thatched houses, while wild ponies wander freely about the village.
What famous people live in The New Forest?
Famous People
- Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Sherlock Holmes creator and author, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is buried in All Saints’ Church, Minstead, near to Lyndhurst.
- Florence Nightingale. Arguably the most famous nurse in history, Florence Nightingale lived in Embley Park, Wellow, from 1825 until her death in 1910.
- Chris Packham.
Why are there no trees in The New Forest?
Felling of broadleaved trees, and their replacement by conifers, began during the First World War to meet the wartime demand for wood. Further encroachments were made during the Second World War. This process is today being reversed in places, with some plantations being returned to heathland or broadleaved woodland.
What does brockenhurst mean?
badgers home
Brockenhurst, meaning “badgers home” in Celtic, is one of the largest villages in the New Forest, whilst retaining an air of old world charm.
Why are there no sheep in the New Forest?
Sheep are not generally seen roaming on the open Forest because the right to turn them out (known as common of pasture for sheep) is attached to only a few properties and is rarely exercised.
What is the main town in the New Forest?
Below are the New Forest’s major towns and villages: Beaulieu. Lymington. Brockenhurst.
What is the most beautiful forest in the UK?
Best forests in the UK
- Gwydir Forest. Full of lakes, mountains and enchanting scenery, Gwydir (which circles the pretty village of Betws-y-Coed in the heart of Snowdonia) is a landscape suffused with fairytale feels.
- Grizedale Forest.
- New Forest.
- Ashdown Forest.
- Forest of Dean.
- Sherwood Forest.
- Loch Ard Forest.
- Epping Forest.
When did Britain lose its forests?
As England’s navy grew, the need for timber began to seriously pick away at the woodland: from an estimated land coverage of 15% in 1086, England’s forests and woods had dwindled to just 5.2% by 1905.
Which is the most wooded county in the UK?
Surrey
Surrey is England’s most wooded county, with woodland covering over a fifth of the county, approximately 24%. A quarter of these are recorded as ancient woodland, areas rich in wildlife that have been part of our landscape for centuries.
Where is the oldest tree in the UK?
Perthshire
Here in the UK, the Fortingall Yew in Perthshire is believed to be our oldest tree, with an estimated age between 2,000 and 3,000 years. Like many yews, this tree is located within a churchyard and is so large that funeral processions are said to have passed through the arch formed by its splint trunk in years gone by.
Was Britain once covered in forest?
By the 1000 it has been estimated that about 20 per cent of Great Britain and Ireland were covered with forest, though in England at this time it was probably less.
What is the most famous tree in the UK?
The Major Oak, Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire
Possibly the most famous tree in the whole of the UK, The Major Oak’s hollow trunk was supposedly used as a hideout by Robin Hood’s merry men.