STONEY CROSS, CASTLE MALWOOD, CANTERTON GLEN. One of the highest points of the forest Stoney Cross provides magnificent views of the forest. The whole area is closely connected with the death of William Rufus, for near at hand is Castle Malwood where the ill-fated King banqueted before his death. In Canterton Glen is the Rufus Stone which marks the spot where during a stag hunt Sir Walter Tyrrell's arrow ricocheted from an oak tree and struck down the King. BROCKENHURST. One of the two main villages of the New Forest area, the immediate surroundings of Brockenhurst are of the nature of moorland although close at hand are some of the finest sections of the forest proper, among them Queen's Bower Wood, Whitley Wood and Boldre Wood. The old church of St. Nicholas, one of the oldest in the Forest, is mentioned in the Domesday Book and its churchyard contains a magnificent yew tree reputed to be over 1,000 years old. MINSTEAD. This delightful village in the heart of the forest has a charming old church that looks more like a cottage with gabled windows breaking through the line of its roof. Its quaint interior contains some fine old timber work, an old time Squire's pew with a fireplace and a three-decker pulpit. Nearby is an Inn named 'The Trusty Servant' which has on its sign a copy of the famous picture in Winchester College depicting a man with a pig's snout, the ears of an ass and stag's feet. SWAY. Towering above the village and a landmark for miles around is the gaunt edifice known as Petersons Folly which was originally built as a tomb. St. Luke's Church in the village has a fine window by Burne-Jones and in the sanctuary there stands a pottery urn discovered in Egypt which contains the ashes of a Christian Convert of about the second century. The moors north of Sway are a wonderful sight in summer sunshine when the gorse is in full bloom. BURLEY & PICKETT POST. The picturesque village of Burley is situated in the wild beauty of the Holmsley Valley which is said to have reminded Sir Walter Scott of his native lowland moors. At Burley Lodge are some fine oaks known as the Twelve Apostles, whilst at Burley Beacon some old entrenchments can be seen. In fact there are many barrows throughout this neighbourhood. Some three miles north is Picket Post, a well-known vantage point from which fine views over three counties can be obtained. BEAULIEU ABBEY & BUCKLERS HARD. Near the quiet village of Beaulieu are the remains of the old Cistercian Abbey founded in 1206. Several of its buildings are still in use today and the Gate House, now known as the Palace House is the home of the Montagu family. About two miles away is the quaint hamlet of Bucklers Hard, famed in Nelson's day as a shipyard and which still contains the original picturesque cottages and master builder's house. BOLDRE. Standing by the stream which has given the village its name, Boldre is altogether an enchanting place. Its interesting old Village Church contains a mural monument to the memory of William Gilpin, author of 'Forest Scenery' and many other works on the beauty of our native land. Gilpin, who died in 1855, was Vicar of St. John's for thirty years. The Parish Register which goes back to the year 1596 records the Poet Southey's marriage to Caroline Bowles in 1839. SWAN GREEN & EMERY DOWN. A well-known beauty spot near Lyndhurst, Swan Green lies on the junction of the Lyndhurst-Christchurch-Ringwood road. Its old thatched cottages against a background of trees make a truly delightful picture. Nearby is Northerwood House, a well-known Educational Centre for Forestry. Emery Down, a little farther on, is noted for its picturesque alms houses, its old church and its village Inn which still has the original façade although now its frontage is greatly increased in size. LYNDHURST. In the heart of the forest, where several roads meet, stands Lyndhurst, the capital and administrative centre of the area, where since the 14th century forty verderers have met five times a year in the ancient Verderers Hall to discuss the government of the Forest. A mile or two westward in the forest itself is the Knightwood Enclosure with its mighty oak 21 feet around the trunk, while in Mark Ash Wood nearby are to be found some of the finest and largest beeches in Europe. FRITHAM. The village of Fritham issituated in what is probably the wildest part of the forest and it is possible to walk miles hereabouts without meeting a single person. A number of attractive little streams add variety to the woods and of special interest nearby is Eyeworth with its once famous Well and the entrenchments of the Romano British settlement at Sloden.