11 FASCINATING FACTS ABOUT THE NEW FOREST NATIONAL PARK!
OUR 11 FACTS ABOUT THE NEW FOREST:
1. THE NEW FOREST PONIES RULE THE ROADS.
The New Forest is home to over 5,000 free roaming ponies, the shining symbol of the New Forest. A native British Isles breed, they even have right of way over cars in the National Park!
2. IT IS ALSO FULL OF FREE ROAMING FARM ANIMALS & LIVESTOCK.
But it’s not just the New Forest ponies that you need to look out for! You will also encounter anything from cows, sheep, pigs, goats and even donkeys just freely roaming around the land and roads.
Each animal plays a crucial part in up-keeping the richness of the land through their movements and grazing habits. For example, the pigs specifically eat loose acorns, which would otherwise make other animals sick!
While they live semi-wild lives, they do all in fact belong to local people who keep tabs and look after them. These people are infamously known as “New Forest commoners”, who still to this day practise ancient rights to utilise the open forest for their livestock to graze, a strong centuries old traditional law.
3. ALICE IN WONDERLAND LIVED HERE!
Well… kind of! Alice Liddell was young girl when Lewis Carroll, author of the infamous ‘Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland’ stories, became a close family friend.
It is said he created his now infamous whimsical stories, which went onto become one of the World’s most popular children’s books, to entertain Alice and her young sisters.
Alice, born in 1852, married her husband Reginald Hargreaves in 1880 and lived with him at his inherited country estate near Lyndhurst in the New Forest, becoming a society heiress.
Alice, listed under her married name of Alice Hargreaves, and her husband are buried together in St.Michaels & All Angels churchyard in the middle of Lyndhurst town in the New Forest.
4. IT IS HOME TO ALL NATIVE UK REPTILE SPECIES.
Incredibly, the New Forest National Park is one of very few places where you can find all 6 native reptiles of the UK:
- Adder Snake
- Grass Snake
- Smooth Snake – very rare to spot*
- Common Lizards
- Sand Lizards
- Slow Worms
5. 75% OF THE WORLD’S DRAGONFLIES CAN BE FOUND ACROSS THE NEW FOREST.
In the same way, the New Forest provides an optimal habitat for many insect species, including an astounding 75% of the World’s species of dragonfly!
6. IT HAS TREES THAT ARE OVER 1000 YEARS OLD!
The New Forest National Park is home to some of the oldest trees in the country. For example, there is a Common Yew tree, located in Brockenhurst graveyard, that is over 1,000 years old!
7. IT WAS CREATED AS A KING’S HUNTING GROUND.
In 1079, the New Forest was created by William the Conqueror to use as his own personal hunting ground, where he would hunt mainly wild deer and pigs.
In order to make this so, many surrounding occupied hamlets (over 20 of them) and farmland had to be demolished.
8. IT’S ALSO WHERE THE SAME KING WAS KILLED!
Call it irony or a cruel twist of fate, but it was an arrow intended for a stag during a routine hunt that ricocheted and fatally killed William the Conquerer instantly back in 1100.
The story is that the arrow was accidentally shot by a knight called Sir Walter Tyrrell, who was hunting in the area at the time. However, this mystery is thought to be a cover up of an intentional murder by the King’s brother, Henry, who notoriously hated the King.
To this day, you can still visit the Rufus Stone memorial which is said to mark the alleged spot where the King died.
9. THE NEW FOREST IS A HOTSPOT FOR HAUNTINGS.
There are multiple New Forest areas and establishments that are said to be overrun with ghosts and unexplained ghoulish activity! Hotspots for these infamous hauntings include:
- The Rufus Stone memorial – William the Conquerer’s ghost is said to linger around the memorial spot where he was fatally shot by a hunting arrow back in 1100. His ghost is described as a short, thickset man with vibrant red hair.
- Beaulieu Abbey and Palace House – Ominous singing of monks have been heard in the Abbey, as well as reports of a “blue lady” passing through walls of the Palace House.
- Breamore House – An esteemed Manor House said to be haunted by two women of the Doddington family, previous residents of Breamore. First is Christine Doddington, who on her deathbed, cursed a hung portrait painting of herself, exclaiming anyone to move it would come to harm. After a cleaner broke their leg after they moved the painting in the 1950’s, the painting has not been touched since!
The other ghost is thought to be that of Christine Doddington’s younger sister, who specifically haunts the “blue bedroom” where she was murdered by her son.
- In the market town of Lymington you will find the “Angel and Blue Pig” pub on the high street, said to be one of the most haunted places in the New Forest! At least four ghosts are said to live here, including an elusive piano player and a sailor of all things! Feeling brave? Why not book a stay here!
10. THE NEW FOREST HAS FEATURED IN MANY TV SERIES & MOVIES!
The delightful countryside and quaint villages of the New Forest have been too irresistible for many TV and film producers to refuse a feature! This includes much loved films such as (but not limited to):
- Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation (2015)
- Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018)
- Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991)
- The Infiltrator (2016)
11. SPOT FAMOUS CARS FROM FILMS & TV SERIES.
On that note, you can also see over 250 infamous vehicles on display at The National Motor Museum in Beaulieu village! In the Motor Museum itself, you’ll find all the car models you can possibly think of throughout the ages. You’ll also find one of the ‘Chitty Chitty Bang Bang’ cars used in the film – Jordie literally went mad when she saw this!
Our favourite part, located just outside in a small tented dome, is the “On Screen Cars” area. In here was some epic cars from past TV and film series, including Mr Beans car and – our favourite – the blue Flying Ford Anglia from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets!
OUR OTHER UK NATIONAL PARKS BLOGS:
CONCLUSION: FACTS ABOUT THE NEW FOREST
And there you have it! 11 fascinating facts about the New Forest National Park that have made us EVEN MORE excited to explore this idyllic region of the UK.
Of course, we will keep our ears on the ground for any more captivating nuggets of historical information or fun facts that we can add to this New Forest facts list!
Do you know anymore cool New Forest facts? If so, drop us an e-mail at hello (at) theflainstravel.com and let us know!
This blog post was written by Jordie Flain!
Founder of TheFlainsTravel.com
A travel-obsessed Sagittarius creating honest, easy-to-follow guides. Powered by tea, chocolate and a slightly concerning amount of tomato ketchup.
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