Memories of the New Forest
Do you have any stories, anecdotes or memories about your visits to the New Forest? This page is dedicated to people who would like to express their thoughts about the area. Please send your comments to the following e-mail address memories@forestry.gsi.gov.uk Memories of a local Gritnam girl Pamela Clapp, nee Wollaston 23k Rod Newborough - Lincolnshire
In 1971 whilst working at the Forestry Commission I was posted to the New Forest and joined the 'Harvesting Team'. My first home was Bolderwood Cottage which in those days had no electricity or mains water. Gas lights and pumping water from the well was a daily chore. Fallow deer ate the apples in the orchard and squirrels came down the chimney. When the winter storms blew down a massive Douglas fir nearby, the cottage shuddered under the impact of it hitting the ground. A wonderful home for my bride a year later. The 12th April 1979 Maundy Thursday was a special day. Her Majesty the Queen visited the forest as part of the 900th Anniversary celebrations and I and colleagues duly lined up at Bolderwood to be formally introduced, me as the 'tree inspector'. She then travelled with the Duke in an open horse drawn carriage to Brockenhurst via Bolderwood Drive. Just after passing Mark Ash grid a small boy jumped from behind a tree waving his flag. This spooked the lead mounted escort horse which threw the rider, as he hit the ground he drew his pistol and shouted 'carry on Maam' thinking it was an ambush. I bet that made the boy's day! It was early summer, and my colleague Terry and me were walking through Mark Ash wood. As we stood talking, we noticed a small group of fallow does walking nervously some 100 yards away. Every so often they would stop and look back, it was then we saw a group of hikers following in the same direction. We then saw that the deer had very young fawns with them, no more than a few days old. We could almost read the body language of one of the mothers who was telling her offspring to go and hide. The youngster left the group and walked in our direction. We were motionless as the fawn approached us, unaware of our presence. It nuzzled down under some bracken fronds right at our feet. It was so close we could see its heart pounding. The group of deer and hikers passed by out of site leaving us frozen to the spot wondering what to do next. After a while, I said " hello little fellow", with that the fawn looked at us and bolted.
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