The New Forest: Its History and Its SceneryWise, John R. (John Richard)
History
The New Forest: Its History and Its Scenery
Wise, John R. (John Richard)
New Forest (England : Forest)
The old hospital, dedicated to St. John, was dissolved by Henry VI., and
its revenues annexed to St. Cross, near Winchester.[146] The church
stands on the extreme south-west side of the town, with its avenue of
limes, and its yews, now spoilt by being clipt. The windows of the nave
are Early Decorated, whilst those of the clerestory are Perpendicular.
Against the north pillar of the south chancel arch is fixed a late
brass. The upper part of the east window is spoilt by its ugly Tudor
headings, and the lower portion by the Commandment tables. The
high-pitched open Perpendicular roof of the north chancel, however,
possesses some real interest, both on account of its height and its
richness of detail,—the tie-beams faced with mouldings, and the spaces
above ornamented with tracery, and the braces below also carved, and the
purlins enriched with bosses, whilst carved projecting figures bear up
the whole.
Before, however, the traveller leaves Fordingbridge he should go to
Sandyballs and Castle Hill, where are still the remains of a camp, and
traces of habitations, probably used in turn by Kelts, Romans, and
West-Saxons, and where, perhaps, Ambrosius entrenched himself before the
battle of Charford. From here is one of the best views of the Valley.
Behind us stands Godshill inclosure, and the Forest with its dark moors
and woods. Below winds the Avon, with its orchards nestling on the hill
side, stretching its silver coil of waters along the green meadows, the
sunlight gleaming on each bend and turn.
Looking up the stream, the village of Wood Green, and the woods of Hale,
and the two Charfords, one by one appear. Charford is especially
noticeable, formerly Cerdeford, without doubt the Cerdices-ford of _The
Chronicle_ and of Florence. Here it was for the last time that the
gallant Ambrosius Aurelianus, Prince Natan-Leod, father of the great
Arthur of Mediæval legends, after his many defeats, rallied the forlorn
hope of the Romanized Kelts. Here, too, he fell on the greensward by the
side of the Avon, with five thousand of his men, and was buried at
Amesbury, which still preserves his name. Of the battle we know
nothing—know only this, that the Keltic power in Wessex was broken, and
that from henceforth the land from Winchester to Charford was called
Natan-lea.[147]
Close to Charford lies Breamore,—the last of the Forest manors to the
north-west mentioned in _Domesday_[148]—with the ruins of its fine
Elizabethan hall, burnt down only a few years since, and its church
standing in a graveyard full of old yews and laurels. The church has
been most shamefully disfigured—stuccoed outside, and whitewashed
within. Still it is worth seeing. A Norman doorway, another proof that
the Conqueror did not destroy every church in the district, stands
inside the south porch. A piscina, and brackets for images, still remain
in the chancel.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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