Contributor: NFNPA Archaeology

Tank recovery and repair operations by 33rd Army Tank Brigade at Burley. 1942

A series of photos showing a standard day of operations for the 33rd Army Tank Brigade carrying out ordnance, tank recovery and repair operations at Burley. The call comes into base about a broken tank on the New Forest and the men jump into action.

They successfully recover the tank using a Diamond T prime tank transporter from the open heath and bring it back to their woodland base for repair and an overhaul. Once work is completed and records are updated everybody’s thoughts and action turn to food and personal appearance. The final photo shows some of the men failing to remember not to pet or feed the locals or potentially adopting a local mascot. 

At the end of this series of photograph was IWM H 23425. A photograph showing a Vickers Light Tank AA Mk 1, a stop-gap anti-aircraft tank armed with four 7.92mm Besa machine guns.

There is also:

Tank Brigade manoeuvre en masse: Churchill tanks of 33rd Army Tank Brigade manoeuvre en masse.

Colour Photos of the 43rd Battalion: Colour Photos of the 43rd Battalion, Royal Tank Regiment, 33rd Brigade on exercise in the New Forest.

All Photos are credit: Imperial War Museum for Non-Commercial Use (Licence)

The Challenge of Refreshments and Toilets at Hurst Castle

File WORK 14/1551 held by the National Archives is concerned with the provision of toilets at Hurst Castle and contains some rather interesting more material and information than the title at first suggests.

The file starts in 1936 with correspondence between a Mrs Barnes and the Ministry of Works about the annual renting and then conversion of the Governor’s House (Marked with an X in the plan) into a refreshment room and toilets. At this point the Governor’s House is being used as a store. Discussion goes back and forth on whether the Ministy would be responsible for making the building fit for purpose and then Mrs Barnes for decorating and paying back some of the conversion costs into her annual rent, which was recommended to be £10 a year for 2 years as venture was unlikely to make any profit in the first year.

Correspondence suggests that this arrangement for refreshment facilities would be advantageous for both sides and would lead to a large increase in the number of visitors to the Castle. It turns out that Mrs. Barnes was also the tenant of the Corporation’s Tea Rooms in Milford and offered to prominent display there about the castle along with photos and as the Corporation’s Tea Rooms are in the most prominent part of the Sea Front and Bathing Beach and are visited by hundreds of visitors, most of whom have never heard of the castle, much less visited it, it would doubtless have the effect of attracting more to the Castle.

A plan of the suggested 1936 conversion are included in the file. There is a hiatus in the files between 29 April 1936 and 2 November 1954, but later correspondence suggests that the works did go ahead and a café and toilets were in operation from the Governor’s House until the outbreak of the Second World War when the castle was re-armed and occupied by soldiers by the military.

The correspondence picks up again discussing the need to provide new toilets at Hurst for visitors, with a cost of between £400 and £750 being discussed to bring the Governor’s house back to useable condition. One of the letters dated 9 June 1955 states there is no money in the years budget to do the work though and also that the governor’s House still forms part of the Castle which is still occupied by the War Department and appears in the Schedule of Buildings of Historic Interest occupied for military purposes.

As a little side note one of the documents details the number of Castle visitors, which shows increasing numbers from 1951 onwards really pushing the need for toilet provision:

  • 1951 – 4,200 visitors
  • 1952 – 5,121 visitors
  • 1953 – 6,289 visitors
  • 1954 – 9,200 visitors

A letter dated 30 September 1955 from the Ministry of Works relinquishing the East Wing of Hurst Castle from the military schedule, which starts a whole new bunch of correspondence on whether toilets can be refurbished within that wing. This is still going back and forth when the Castle Custodian; R. Nobby receives a letter of complaint from a Mr Trevor Hughes about his wife’s inconvenience during a visit to the Castle

‘I consider it my duty to draw attention to the fact that there being no public convenience on the land near Hurst Castle, my wife was caused some inconvenience and distress. when we enquired of its whereabouts we were informed that the usual thing was to commit public nuisance behind a bush or in a corner.’

A visit by A. F. Church the Superintendent of Works from the Ancient Monuments Branch brings the issue into further focus.

‘It would appear that the sanitary conditions have now reached a disgusting condition. Apparently the boatmen etc., tell visitors there are no conveniences “so just go along the walls2, males and females, which is precisely what they are doing in large numbers with at times. disgraceful exposure. I feel that it is my duty to draw your attention to the last paragraph for without doubt there will soon be a public outcry”

At this point correspondence back and forth between the council and the ministry is now focused on provisions of toilets inside the castle for paying visitors and what might be done for other visitors to the spit, that doesn’t require the time or attention of the Castle custodian.

‘we have for a long time been aware of this need, but while the War Department remained in occupation after the war it was not possible to find suitable accommodation. since the military left, we have been preparing a programme of work which will include the provision of lavatories for visitors to the castle. the programme is not finally decided, but it is clear that the only available place for the lavatories will be in one of the 18th century wings of the castle.

Unfortunately it is not possible to provide separate access from outside and therefore the lavatories would not cater for the people who visit the point for fishing or other activities and who would not be willing to pay the admission fee to the castle. This category is believed to be quite large, and although we do not regards it as the ministry’s responsibility, we have been considering whether a suitable site can be found near the castle for a lavatory to service these visitors.

from the archaeological point of view, the castle ought to stand on the point in isolation, with the later buildings cleared away. However, the lighthouse has to stay, and we would therefore willing to provide at a minimal cost a site to the rear of it which your council could erect a lavatory. Attendance is likely to be a major difficulty as our custodian will be fully occupied in looking after the increased area of the castle which will be on view to visitors, and will not be able to clean and attend to an outside lavatory.

A hand written amendment in a different hand at the end of this letter observes:

This is an odd situation, our land (ex WO) seems to be a ‘holiday centre’ for all and sundry. There is a need for public lavatories and we should welcome it for the obvious reasons. We can only cater (by provision of lavatories in one of the wings) for visitors, fee-paying, to the castle. therefore, the suggestion that we lease some land to the council for the purpose seems a good idea.

By summer of 1958 when the file comes to a close facilities were provided within the West Wing under one of the lighthouses for paying visitors; the ones that are in use today, whilst the general visitors to the spit still have no official provision!

The Governor’s house photographed in 1954 has now been demolished.

You can discover more articles about Hurst Castle on New Forest Knowledge by visiting: Hurst Castle – Overview

The Chronicles of the Belgians

At the start of the First World War, Eleanor Ruth Dent was still a school girl at 15 years old. Along with her mother Mary Violet Dent and neighbour Mrs Clough, she helped at Blackmoor convalescent House; looking after Belgian soldiers and refugees evacuated to the village. While her mother looked after the housekeeping Eleanor Ruth assisted with occupational therapy. She ran the small industries making toys and pictures with the men which they could sell.

She wrote an extraordinary account of the Belgians’ experience in the New Forest entitled the ‘“The Chronicles of the Belgians” dedicated ‘To mother and Mrs Clough as a souvenir of the Belgians who were the cause of much laughter during the sad years 1914-1915’. In the Chronicles she describes the various Belgians who arrived at Blackmoor, their daily routine and activities and events. She also included some illustrations. Looking after the Belgians for a bright young person (who later become a prominent illustrator of children’s books) proved to be a mixed and sometimes frustrating if important life experience. Whilst writing The Chronicles of The Belgians, she also edited and illustrated a children’s magazine called “The Pierrot” which was circulated all over the UK.

With the support of the Our Past, Our Future a National Lottery Heritage Funded Landscape Partnership Scheme the collections of Eleanor Ruth Dent have been digitised and preserved with the permission and support of her daughter Dionis McNair. The low resolution images of this digitisation can found above all images and are free to be used with the following credit: These files were photographed as part of the Our Past Our Future Project. Courtesy of Dionis M Macnair. (C) (Year of publication) New Forest National Park Authority.

As well as the digitising one of our volunteers also transcribed the Chronicle of the Belgians which can be read in full here: Chronicles of the Belgians Transcription

At the end of the First World War, at just 18 years old, Eleanor Ruth married a young submariner, John MacNair. She went on to have a long and adventure-filled life until her death on 24th July 1984. She is buried with her husband at the same church in Burley in which they were married.

Hampshire Cultural Trust created a small film about the diaries and the Chronicles of the Begians

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLdwlgA-5VU

Further articles on New Forest Knowledge relating to Dionis McNair and her mother

Shappen Bottom Rifle Range at Burley – Eleanor Ruth Dent

Memories of growing up in WWII – Dionis MacNair

 

The East Beaulieu Heath Barrow Mystery

To the east of Beaulieu on Beaulieu Heath can be found a large number of Bronze Age Barrows over 20 of these are protected as scheduled Monuments by Historic England.

One group of 5 is scheduled as a round barrow cemetery (List entry Number: 1013123) and includes two bowl barrows, two bell barrows and a fancy barrow situated on lowland heath overlooking Holbury village. The scheduling also notes: Although some of the barrow mounds have been reduced in size or partially disturbed, all of the barrows retain undisturbed remains and the cemetery as a whole has considerable archaeological potential.

Only three of these barrows are visible as extant features today (Note that the Barrow visible further to the east on all the images attached is scheduled as an individual under listing number: 1013118).

When looking at the cemetery in more detail including detailed ground survey, aerial imagery and Lidar the fancy barrow really stands out as rather funny looking; only half of its ring ditch survives, it has two parallel protruding from the south edge, it is much higher than any other barrows in the area and has more of an isosceles trapezoid form than circular form.

Looking at the historic maps starts revealing a rather interesting story for the fancy barrow; the 1st Edition Ordnance Survey map (1868) shows four prehistoric barrows grouped in this location.

The 2nd Edition Ordnance Survey map (1897) helps explain some of what is going on and where some of the barrows have disappeared or changed shape. The map records a rifle range has been created with a target and mantlets (shields for stopping projectiles) at some point between 1868 and 1897.

Further research has helped reveal a strongly worded letter from the Deputy Surveyor at the time, Gerald Lascelles, in a correspondent to the rifle unit that created the range by destroying two barrows in the process.

Sir,

I have to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 6th inst. Although I was well acquainted with the circumstances under which leave was given to craft a rifle range on Beaulieu Heath, I was not aware that advantage had been taken of this permission to destroy the two barrows spoken of. Being in a very remote corner of the Forest, to which I am hardly ever called by my business, I had not inspected the site of the butts since the line was first laid out. I have been these to-day, and deeply regret to find that the statement in your resolution is perfectly correct, and that the barrows are destroyed beyond the possibility of re-instalment. I can only say that permission which was given did not in the slightest degree warrant this wanton and unnecessary act of vandalism, and would never have been given at all had it been conceived possible that such an advantage would have been taken of it. For myself ~I can only say that had the circumstances come to my knowledge in time, not a single spadesful of soil would have been allowed to be taken from the barrow, and I am exceedingly distressed that so wanton a piece of mischief should have been done on land under my charge.

I am, yours truly.

Gerald Lascelles

On the Lidar image you might also be able to pick out a series of small linear ditches extending south from one of the mantlets, these were added at the beginning of the second world war when the heath was covered in anti-glider obstacles to prevent potential airbourne landings by the Germans. The criss-crossing of the heath with small mounds and ditches made use of the surviving barrows as part of the obstacles.

The John Durden Collection – Roman Pottery

In August 2018, archaeologists and volunteers form the New Forest National Park Authority visited British Museum stores, in London, to breathe life back into forgotten New Forest treasures. By taking high resolution photographs of the artefacts, the team have been able to recreate 3D models of the Roman pots using a technique called photogrammetry.

The John Durden collection consists of 13 artefacts held by the British Museum. Originally excavated by Reverend J Pemberton Bartlett in 1852 from a Roman pottery kiln at Crock Hill, New Forest, the pots were sold to Durden, before being acquired by the British Museum in 1892. The pots themselves date to between AD260-370 and are wasters that warped and broke during the firing process and were then thrown away by the Roman potter.

The collection consists of nine pinched beakers, varying in size from 10 to 30 cm, and four jugs. At present only eight of the beakers have been uploaded. However, more of the collection will be added as they are processed.

Having been tucked away in the British Museum stores for 126 years, a number of these artefacts can now be explored by the general public and researchers online, as part of a virtual museum. It is hoped that we will continue to add to the online museum with other collections held by the British Museum including further collections from Bartlett’s investigation, as well as work by John Wise in the 1860s and Heywood Sumner in the 1920s as well as collections from other museums and galleries.

Thanks go to Richard Potter, David Wheeler and Hannah Makin for their work toward delivering this project as well and Bournemouth University and the University of Gothenburg for the provision of software, equipment and expertise.

 

John Durden Collection

John Durden Collection
by newforestarch
on Sketchfab

The New Forest and the Great War 1917 – Abstract & Video

The following paper was presented at the New Forest Knowledge Conference 2017 entitled: New Forest Historical Research and Archaeology: who’s doing it? Below you will find the abstract of the paper and a video of the paper given if permission to film it was given by the speaker.

Speaker:

Richard Williams, New Forest War Memorial Books

Abstract:

To date we have published 17 village-based books, three generic New Forest books and we are shortly to publish

The New Forest and the Great War 1917

The project began in 1998 with Brockenhurst and the Two World Wars as a millennium project for the village. Of a print run of 1.200 copies, 900 were sold in 2000.  Five researchers are involved and one proof-reader.

The aim of the research and the books is to discover the impact of war on this small rural area and build a social profile of those men and women who lost their lives through war.  By so doing they are therefore remembered as people, not just unknown names on a War Memorial.

The talk will focus on the years 1914-1918 and will cover those 1,009 local men who died in the four years and four months (52 months) of war.  The talk will cover three main areas; it will discuss the challenges of who to include, occupations, social mobility, emigration, size of families, class distinction, military service, gratuities and pensions. It will also consider the role of Church, working parties, National Savings, food control and local politics.

Though this is not typical archaeology, it is original research and does help to enhance understanding of the New Forest in what is arguably its most turbulent period since the Black Death.  The effects of the loss of an average 20 working-age men per month can still be felt today.

The Talk

The New Forest Historical Landscape – Wessex Archaeology 1997

In 1996 the New Forest Committee, a non-statutory co-ordinating body with representatives of organisations and authorities which have responsibilities and interests in the management of the New Forest commissioned Wessex Archaeology to undertake a New Forest History Landscape Study. The physical scope was defined as the boundaries of the New Forest Heritage Area, which encompasses some 58,000 hectares. Its boundaries (Figure 1), agreed in February 1996 after a landscape study commissioned from LUC, were identified on the basis of two criteria: (i) the incorporation of land of outstanding national importance for its natural beauty and elements arising from human influences, and (ii) the incorporation of essential grazing land for backup to enable the continuing functioning of the dispersed pastoral regime of commoning. The original work was carried out by Wessex Archaeology between October and December 1996, and a technical report produced, with full methodologies, gazetteers and other supporting appendices (Wessex Archaeology 1996). This abridged version was compiled in December 1998.

Project Background

The New Forest has a unique traditional character. Its sense of place and character are a function of its history combined with its natural physical characteristics, which together form its cultural landscape. ‘Traditional character’ is a phrase frequently used in management and policy documents relating to the New Forest, but a definition of that character and the archaeological and historical elements which constitute it are less well stated.

One issue in such a study is that there is no generally agreed definition of ‘historic landscape’, and the word ‘landscape’ has different meanings to different people. It can, for example, mean a generalised or composite visual scene, an actual scenic view or a tract of owned and inhabited land. It can also be used to describe past landscapes interpreted by archaeologists or historians from incomplete datasets — all archaeology is about understanding the way in which people have interacted with and inhabited their own particular landscapes. But generally landscape is taken to relate to appearance and is highly experiential and personal.

There is little in the New Forest which could strictly be said to be natural, though nature has modified man’s impact. Most of its visible characteristics are the result of human activity, whether heathland developing as a result of prehistoric clearance, the settlement pattern or relics of past industry. An assessment of the New Forest’s archaeological and historical landscapes is therefore critical in understanding and managing the area. Therefore the principal purpose of this study was to attempt to examine what social and economic processes in the past have impacted on the area to produce its current unique traditional working landscape, and- to assist in the clearer articulation of the historical and archaeological elements that combine to characterise the present New Forest cultural landscape.

Specific aims and objectives defined for the study were:
• to identify the key archaeological and historic landscape elements that characterise the historic and cultural development of the New Forest, and
• to develop a methodology against which areas within or close to the New Forest could
be evaluated for their archaeological/historical associations with the New Forest.

In order to meet the aims set out above, a series of specific objectives were defined:
• to collate and examine the known archaeological resource and to collate information on geology, landform and hydrology in relation to the archaeology
• to describe the component elements, recurring components and recurring activities, in particular those which affect the physical nature of the land and which result in the landscape as it is seen today
• to examine the distribution of the components through time and spatially
• to assess the reliability of the present information for defining character
• to evaluate the nature of the archaeological and historical components in the New Forest and Avon Valley, and to compare or contrast the evidence in order to establish whether there are demonstrable links.

The New Forest Historic Landscape Study 

This pdf has figures removed, but they can be seen in this article or retrieved by clicking on the following

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1: The study area, showing the boundary of the New Forest as agreed by the New Forest Committee on 6 February 1996, the perambulation and major settlements, topography and simplified geology

Figure 2: Archaeological sites and findspots (all periods)

Figure 3: Domesday (1086) holdings in the New Forest and surrounds, showing those with forest rights

Figure 4: General landscape types

Figure 5: Landscape types set against time-depth

Figure 6: Themes and distribution of dated sites and finds

Figure 7: Earliest recorded dates for selected settlements in the New Forest

Figure 8: Character Area – correlation of landscape types, time-depth and themes

 

The New Forest Training Area Map, 1943

The New Forest Training Area Map, 1943 held in the New Forest Heritage Centre’s Special Collections is an amazing resource helping to pick apart some of the Second World War activity in the New Forest.

The map created by the Geographical Section, General Staff No.3907 and published at the War Office is produced to show specific shaded training areas within the New Forest alongside protected areas for local residents and the commoners animals.

The Key at the bottom of the map reveals that the map includes

  • Blue (Line) – Boundary of Training Area, note that this encloses more area than the New Forest Boundary
  • Red (line) – Boundary of the New Forest
  • Block Red (area) – Forest Enclosures and Nurseries as areas to be avoided entirely, except by special arrangement through A.D. Claims, Sn. Comd.
  • Diagonal red lines (area) – Cattle Shading and Drinking Places as areas not to be traversed by vehicles or large bodies of troops, but available for limited use by small bodies of men.
  • Dashed Red (Line) – Forest tracks reserved for timber hauling and not to be used by War Department vehicles
  • Blue dot dash (line) – Encloses RAF areas not to be used
  • Block Yellow (area) – Field Firing Areas, Mortar, Grenade and Small Arms Ranges

The map also notes that Buildings, Gardens, Allotments and cropped lands are excluded from the Training Area.

Points of Interest for the large firing areas:

Points of Interest for the small firing areas:

Points of Interest for the RAF areas:

Search terms:

  • New Forest Training Area Map, 1943
  • Training Area
  • WWII Training Areas

These people are ‘tree worshippers’ – The high priests in this area are known as “Verderers”.

Buried within the war diaries of the Hampshire Division from February to November 1941 is a little gem of a passage borrowed from the 1st Canadian Army Tank Brigade war diary.

WO 166/774 details The Hampshire Division from Feb to Nov 1941. It contains General Staff Memoranda No. 18, which covers a few subjects including road blocks and damage to property.

In section 4 ‘Damage to Property’ is the following text

‘At Appx ‘B’ is published an Exercise Instruction issued by the 1 Cdn Army Tank Bde in connection with a scheme in the NEW FOREST.

Attention is drawn to this as being a first class example of the use of the lighter vein in putting across instructions which are apt to be treated as routine and therefore somewhat perfunctory’

The Appendix it refers to can be seen in the main picture linked to this article, but the transcript in full follows below.

Appendix ‘B’ to Hampshire Division General Staff Memoranda No.18

Exercise Instruction No. 3

Political

The area will take places is inhabited by a hardy and independent people. they are generally peaceful, but in the past they have been known as fierce fighters when aroused. They have entertained an attitude of strict neutrality but with general leanings toward the British cause by reason of their love of freedom.

It is most necessary that all ranks are imbued with the idea of not disturbing the susceptibilities of these people. the most likely cause for any dissension or ill feeling, is by upsetting their religious beliefs. These people are “tree worshippers’ and in this regard, the following brief description is given.

  • They consider trees of all kinds as a personification of their God, they have been known to take a poor view of those who ruthlessly destroy them. Therefore, every effort must be made NOT to crush down or destroy any trees in harbour areas.
  • The God that they worship is regarded as being blind, but he is provided with eyes through the medium of wildlife in the woods such as pheasants, partridges, rabbits, deer, etc. These creatures are everywhere and see everything, and are believed to convey information to the blind God. Therefor, the wanton killing for food or otherwise of any of the creatures mentioned, is regarded as a sacrilege, and it is very difficult to control the people if they learn of this, and they surely will, if many acts of killing take place.
  • The high priests in this area are known as “verderers”. those persons exercise great power and must be accorded every possible courtesy.

Unit commanders will ensure that the above information reaches all ranks, through the medium of their subordinates.

(sgd) ????

 

 

Three sites on the coastal zone: Roman, Saxon and Medieval – Abstract & Video

The following paper was presented at the New Forest Knowledge Conference 2017 entitled: New Forest Historical Research and Archaeology: who’s doing it? Below you will find the abstract of the paper and a video of the paper given if permission to film it was given by the speaker.

Speaker:

Dr Andy Russel, Southampton Archaeology Unit

Abstract

The Southampton Archaeology Unit has worked on three interesting coastal sites in the last few years. All produced unexpected results, from different periods. At Lepe we found round-houses and kilns. Was there a New Forest pottery industry that wasn’t the ‘New Forest Pottery Industry’ and why were they importing stone from Dorset?  In Buckland work is ongoing on a site that had round-house like features on the geophysics but produced what appears to be the Forest’s first Saxon rectangular hall, and at Lymington instead of salt pans we found medieval ‘sleeching’. All three sites reinforce the importance of the coast in the story of the New Forest.

The Talk