FORDIXGBRTDGE TO BEAMSHAW. 123 



Foxglove and Nettle, with Bryony, Honeysuckle 

 and Bramble. Looking towards the east over the 

 hedgebanks we can see the dark edge of the open 

 uplands of the forest whose empurpled surface 

 rises above and contrasts with the lighter and 

 brighter hue of the meadows and hedges which lie 

 between it and our point of view green meadows 

 and hedges brightened by crimson haws and the 

 glossy berries of the Dogrose. 



Slightly ascending, our road now leads us 

 through the little village of Godshill ; and here, as 

 elsewhere, the change is marked between the forest 

 of to-day and the forest of the past. From the end 

 of the village, opposite to that we have entered 

 on the way from Fordingbridge, we can see the 

 brown border of the open forest. But there is 

 evidence extant that little more than a hundred 

 years ago Godshill was densely covered by Oaks 

 and Hollies. These have now mostly gone and their 

 place is occupied by farmstead, meadow and corn- 

 field enclosures. Leaving the village at its further 

 end we keep straight on into the forest our road 

 leading in an easterly direction. The ground 

 now rises and presently we reach a point from 





