The New Forest

The new forest is an area in the south of England which includes the remaining tracts of unclosed pasture land and a old growth forest. The new forest covers south west Hampshire and some of south Wiltshire. The National park part of the new forest is mostly in Hampshire.
Like much of England, the New Forest was originally forested, but parts were cleared for cultivation from the Stone Age and into the Bronze Age. However, the poor quality of the soil in the new forest meant that the cleared areas turned into heath land "waste". There are around 250 round barrows within its boundaries, and scattered boiling mounds, and it also includes about 150 scheduled ancient monuments.
The new forest was created as a royal forest in 1079, by William the conqueror for hunting and there is a famous stone in the forest called Rufus Stone where williams's successor, William Rufus was killed.
Around 90% of the New forest is still owned by the monarchy, up to 2005, and around half of the monarchy's land is inside the new National Park.
In the 16th century, formal commons rights were established. The new forest is an important source for wood for the Royal Navy, and plantations have been created to replace the used wood. The naval plantations encroached on the rights of the Commoners, but the Forest gained new protection under an Act of Parliament in 1877. The New Forest Act 1877 confirmed the historic rights of the Commoners and prohibited the enclosure of more than 16,000 acres at any time. It also reconstituted the Court of Verderers as representatives of the Commoners (rather than the Monarchy).
During the first world war and also in the second world war, felling of broadleaf trees and replacing them with conifers began to meet the high increase of need for wood. This process is now being reversed in some areas of the new forest, with broadleaf woodland being reinstated.
The new forest became a site of special scientific interest in 1971, a UNESCO world heritage site, and it became a National park in 2005.
The New Forest Heritage Area covers about 143321 acres, and the New Forest SSSI covers almost 74131 acres, making it the largest contiguous area of un-sown vegetation in lowland Britain.
There are many towns and villages in and around the New Forest, these include Lyndhurst (the self proclaimed capitol of the new forest), Hythe, Brockenhurst, Ringwood, Totton, Fordingbridge, Beauliue, Bransgore and Lymington.
The forest gives its name to the new forest district of Hampshire.
Ormonde house is a New Forest Hotel. Set back from the main road on the edge of Lyndhurst village in the heart of the New Forest, the hotel provides guests with every comfort to ensure a memorable stay in this unique corner of England.