Advent Day 21

This morning we collected our chair from Brockenhurst’s Andrew Sharp Antique Restoration, who had done an exemplary job on our chair, and left him another. We also carried out a little shopping.

New Milton is a market town and civil parish in the New Forest district, in southwest Hampshire, England. To the north is in the New Forest and to the south the coast at Barton-on-Sea. The town is equidistant between Lymington and Christchurch, 6 miles (9.7 km) away. In 2011 it had a population of 19,969.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Milton

Station Road, being the main road through New Milton, dates from “March 1888 [when] New Milton railway station, still in operation today, was opened, and a new town developed, which expanded rapidly with the coming of the railway and the name New Milton was used for the first time and can originally be traced back to the Post Office that stood opposite the railway station….”(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Milton) It is this street that now forms the main shopping centre on which we focussed today.

“New Milton dates back to Anglo-Saxon times, and encompasses Old Milton, Barton on SeaAshleyBashley, and Wootton. It is recorded as having a population of 25,717 in the 2011 census.[1]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Milton

The history of both Old and New Milton is headed Milton by Wikipedia:

“The manor of (“Mildeltune”) is listed in the Domesday Book of 1086 and literally means “Middle farm.” It was part of the lands belonging to Hugh de Port, and the estate was held from him by William Chernet.[3] The Chernet family maintained possession of Milton into the 13th century, although lesser families were managing the estate on their behalf.[3] The most important of these were the Chaucombe (or Chalcombe) family, who were probably the first people to build a church in Milton in the mid 13th century.[4] In 1303, Thomas de Chaucombe was given permission to hold a weekly market on Tuesdays at Milton, as well as an annual fair on the feast day of Mary Magdalene, but this attempt to create a market town seems to have failed.[4]

“From 1365 to 1565, the manor was in the possession of the Tyrrell family.[3] The manor passed through various hands in subsequent centuries. The last significant owners were the Bursey family in the 19th century, and in the 1890s the remaining lands of the estate were subdivided and sold.[3] In close proximity to Milton was the manor of Fernhill. In the Domesday book, it was held by Nigel from Roger de Montgomerie, 1st Earl of Shrewsbury.[3] In the 15th century, John Fromond, the owner of this scattered estate, willed the lands to Winchester College, in whose hands the estate remained down to the 19th century.[3] Another estate called “Gore” appeared by the 15th century,[3] and still survives (partially) as a farm to the west of the town. (Jackie’s mother lived in Gore Road).

“The traditional village centre of Milton was just south of the church. Up to the 1960s, moated earthworks were still visible next to the road known as Moat Lane. Excavations of these earthworks in 1956 revealed a series of peasant enclosures and hut remains dating from the 9th to the 12th century, but no evidence of a manorial farmstead was found.[5] The parish church of Milton is dedicated to Mary Magdalene and consists of a chancel with vestry, a nave and a western tower. The medieval church was pulled down and replaced around 1830, although the tower is of an earlier 17th century date.[3] In 1835, a Church of England National Schoolwas founded on an island of land near the village green,[6] where children were taught until just after World War I.[7] In 1881, the population of the entire Milton parish was only 1489 people, and Milton was still a small village.[8] The location of the village on the main Christchurch to Lymington road (now the A337) meant that there were two coaching inns – The Wheatsheaf and The George – the former of which is still operating. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Milton

Clicking on any image will access the gallery.

We undertook more shopping in the town.

Later we dined on smoked haddock melt in the middle fish cakes; piquant cheddar cheese and mustard white sauce; boiled potatoes; crunchy carrots; firm cauliflower; and moist spinach, with which I drank more of the Côtes du Rhône Villages.

Advent Day 19

“The historic market town of Ringwood occupies a strategic position on the western edge of the New Forest with the renowned Avon Valley long-distance walking path passing through it.  Vital ancient trading links once provided by the River Avon and the Victorian railway have been replaced by excellent road systems with the town at the crossroads of the A31 and A338 offering fast journeys to and from Southampton, Poole, Salisbury and Bournemouth.

The Wednesday street market has been held in the Market Place since a charter was awarded in 1226, this charter has been held by the family of Lord Morant for hundreds of years.  Animals and agricultural goods were still bought and sold into the 1980s, but now a wide variety of merchandise can be found, complimented at the weekends by farmers and speciality markets held in The Furlong and Gateway Square.

The exact history of the town remains unknown however in 955 AD, documents suggest that ‘Rimucwude’ is mentioned which translates into the ‘rim of the forest’. A church and a mill were also mentioned in the Domesday Book in 1086.

In 1725, brewing took off in Ringwood as breweries made use of the waters of the River Avon giving rise to great beers.” https://www.thenewforest.co.uk/explore/towns-and-villages/ringwood/

“After the [Civil War] Battle of Sedgemoor on 6 July 1685, [James Scott] the 1st Duke of Monmouth was arrested near Horton, just outside Ringwood. Monmouth is believed to have hid in a ditch under an ash tree disguised as a shepherd, but was betrayed by a local woman who (according to legend) later killed herself in remorse. Monmouth was then taken to the house now named Monmouth House in West Street (between the Market Place and the Fish Inn) where he wrote a letter (in vain) to James II begging forgiveness. He was brought to trial in the Tower of London by the infamous “Hanging Judge Jefferies” and subsequently beheaded. Legend relates that it was realised after the execution that there was no official portrait of the Duke; so his body was exhumed, the head stitched back on the body, and it was sat for its portrait to be painted.”( https://www.newforest-online.co.uk/ringwood.asp )

Late this afternoon we photographed the town’s main street.

Here is my gallery;

and here, Jackie’s.

As usual clicking on any picture will access its gallery. I have chosen the header mainly for its apt choice of paintings on display.

This evening we dined on chicken Kiev with garlic and parsley centres; oven chips; cauliflower, carrots, runner beans, and spinach, with which I finished the Malbec.

Chaucombe Green

This afternoon Jackie drove me to the pharmacy at Milford on Sea to collect a repeat prescription, and then on to Ringwood to buy printer inks from Wessex Photo.

On the way we passed Old Milton’s Chaucombe Green, which is becoming something of a memorial ground.

One of the ‘Lest We Forget’ outlined soldiers, sponsored by Councillor Geoff Beck, stands among autumn leaves fronting a bed planted with winter pansies.

A Flanders poppy decorates a lamppost beside the bordering pavement.

In ‘120 Animal Casualties’ I reported on the tally towards the end of last year posted on Roger Penny Way. I had been under the impression that this was the number of deaths.

Graphic standing silhouettes of those killed total 56. It would appear that the others were injured. As can be seen, no group of those animals who have the right of way on forest roads, went unscathed.

As I am trying to get my head around the new editing facility I cannot tell whether it will be possible for viewers to enlarge these images. I am therefore copying out the text of the Brief History of Milton Village. 

‘The manor of Milton (‘Mildeltune’) is listed in the Domesday Book of 1086 and literally means ‘Middle Farm’. It was part of the lands belonging to Hugh de Port, and the estate was held for him by William Chernet. The Chernet family maintained possession of Milton into the 13th century, although lesser families were managing the estate on their behalf. The most important of these were the Chaucombe (or Chalcombe) family, who were probably the first people to build a church in Milton in the mid 13th century. In 1303 Thomas de Chaucombe was given permission to hold a weekly market on Tuesdays at Milton, as well as an annual fair on the feast day of Mary Magdalene. From 1365 to 1565, the manor was in the possession of the Tyrrell family. The manor passed through various hands in subsequent centuries. The last significant owners were the Bursey family in the 19th century, and in the 1890s the remaining lands of the estate were subdivided and sold.’

I’m sure one or more of my blogging friends will let me know if this has been an unnecessary effort. 

The market mentioned above continues to this day, although at some stage it has moved to Wednesday.

This evening we dined on breaded chicken steaks from Tesco, which Jackie spiced up with very hot ratatouille, served with crisp sautéed potatoes and tender green beans. I finished the Merlot.