Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 29.djvu/268

•21^ THE HISTORY OF THE SOUTH-WESTEKN Gate, and :St. Mary's Church of Kcw Hampton standing with- out the gate." He speaks of " the gloiy of the castle having a donjon or dungeon, which was both large, fair, and very strong ; and lurtlicr, that there be three principal streets in Hampton, whereof that which goeth from the Bar Gate to the Water Gate is one of the fairest that is in any town of all England. It is well builded for timber building. There be many fnir merchants' houses in Hampton. There cometh fresh water into Hampton by a conduit of lead, and there be certain coslelets into this conduit within the town." Such was Southampton when Leland wrote of it in the reign of Henry VHI. Now it may claim a high position as one of our great .seajiorts and principal towns ; and none will dispute, tliat, seen from the west, its appearance is most picturesque, with its ancient walls, old houses, and glittering spires. The termination of the »Saxon period in our history, and the rise of the domination of the Normans, turn our thoughts to that portion of this county ^Yith which their race and line of kings is more inimediatel}' associated — 1 mean the New Forest, perhaps the most beautiful monument they liave left us of their time. However avo may question tiio manner in which it was established, and condemn the severe and inliuiiian laws made for the protection " of the king's beastes," we owe now a debt of gratitude to the lirst Norman sovereigns and to their successors who have preserved to us this national treasure. In these days, when acre after acre is beimr built upon in our land, when it is often hard to say where the town ends and the country begins, it is no small boon to pos.sess such a grand oj)en space available for health, recreation, and tlio study of natural b( auly. that great gilt of God which man alone can mar, but which, when beheld in its wild native garb, soften.s, civilises, and soothes man's heart, and is a medicine to heal the sickness of the toil and turmoil of life. Accessible as the New Forest is to our lellow-counti-y- meii who have not the means or the power to resort to foreign climes, it is a special boon to our working classes, and as such we nuist all feel bound to preserve; it from (Microaelmient and (•nclosui'C. Having said this much in praise of this lovely feature of our county, with which I .im myself so well ac(piainted, I will entleavour to give you a slight skelcli ol' tlic iiistorical a.s.sociations connected with it. 'i'hat the ancient Urilons held this country amlniadi' a gallant riL;ht for