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Postcards from the New Forest

From 1079 when William the Conqueror established the area as a royal hunting ground, kings and queens and their courts came regularly to stay at the Royal Manor and Lyndhurst took its place naturally as the 'capital' of the New Forest.

Dominating the Lyndhurst skyline stands St Michael and All Angels Church, pictured bottom right, where the influence of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood is everywhere. In the churchyard is the grave of Alice Liddell, Lewis Carroll's inspiration for Alice in Wonderland. Alice lived all her married life in Lyndhurst, taking a great interest in local affairs.

Next to the Church is the Queen's House, once a royal hunting lodge visited by kings and queens. Now the headquarters of the Forestry Commission, it is also home to the Verderers Court which dates from Norman times and deals with matters concerning the Forest's ancient commoning system.

For anyone wanting a taste of the New Forest, Lyndhurst is a great place to start. With miles of cycle tracks and walks around the town there is plenty to explore. And on your return you'll find the numerous coffee shops, with delightful cakes, a great way to replace that burnt-off energy!

A good starting point for walkers is Bolton's Bench. The distinctive yew tree and bench at the top of the hill, pictured top right, commemorate the Duke of Bolton as the New Forest Master Keeper in the 18th century.

In this century Lyndhurst combines Forest traditions - the New Forest museum is a great place to find out more about them - with modern shops and restaurants, creating a lively town to be found bustling with visitors on sunny weekends

3:32pm Thursday 5th June 2008

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