PREFACE. 



Under the title of the New Forest I have thought it best to 

 include the whole district lying between the Southampton "Water 

 and the Avon, which, in the beginning of Edward I.'s reign, 

 formed its boundaries. To have restricted myself to its present 

 limits would have deprived the reader of all the scenery along 

 the coast, and that contrast which a Forest requires to bring 

 out all its beauties. 



The maps are drawn from those of the Ordnance Survey, 

 reduced to the scale of half an inch to the mile, with the 

 additions of the names of the woods taken from the Government 

 Map of the Forest, and my own notes. 



The illustrations have been made upon the principle that 

 they shall represent the scene as it looked at the time it was 

 taken. Nothing has since been added, nothing left out. The 

 views appear as they were on the day they were drawn. Two 

 exceptions occur. The ugly modern windows of Calshot Castle, 

 and the clock-face on the tower of the Priory Church of Christ- 

 church, have been omitted. 



Further, the views have been chosen rather to show the 

 less-known beauties of the Forest than the more-known scenes. 

 For this reason the avenue between Brockenhurst and Lynd- 

 hurst — the village of Minestead, nestling half amongst the 

 Forest oaks and half in its own orchards — the view from Stoney 

 Cross, stretching over wood and vale to the Wiltshire downs,, 

 have been omitted. Every one who comes to the Forest must 



ivii) 



