Efford. About two or three miles farther along the coast, stands Hurst Castle, built at the extremity of a remarkable natural causeway, which runs two miles into the sea, forming, between the castle and the Isle of Wight, a narrow channel, which, at high water, scarcely exceeds 200 yards in breadth. The castle was erected in the time of Henry VIII. Here Charles I., after being removed from the Isle of Wight, was confined for some time previous to his trial and execution. Between Hurst Castle and Lymington is the small village of Millord, which commands fine views of Alum Bay and the neighbouring part of Wight. Three miles farther on is the town of Lymington, agreeably situated on the right bank of the river of the same name. It is 9 miles from Lyndhurst, 19 from the Southampton station, and about 90 south-west from London in a straight line. Lymington is a neat well built town, and pleasantly situated. It is a corporate town and Parliamentary borough, and has returned two members to Parliament since the reign of Elizabeth. The parish church, dedicated to Thomas à Becket, contains many handsome monuments. The population of the town and parish in 1851 was 4182, and of parliamentary borough 5282. Lymington is subordinate to the port of Southampton. Its foreign trade is unimportant, and the coasting trade is on the decline. Considerable improvements have, of late years, been made in the town with the view of affording accommodation to visitors during the bathing season. The chief manufacture in the neighbourhood is salt. Near Lymington is Cadlands, the seat of A. R. Drummond, Esq., and Wallhampton, the seat of Sir G. Burrard, Bart. About two miles from Lymington is the village of Boldre, for above twenty years the scene of the pastoral labours of the Rev. William Gilpin, author of "Forest Scenery," and various other works on the picturesque. He built and endowed two schools here out of the profits of the sale of his drawings, and lies buried in Boldre churchyard. The church, which is an ancient and primitive looking structure, stands on the summit of a thickly wooded eminence, and commands a variety of interesting views. Midway between Lymington and Lyndhurst is Brockenhurst, a pleasant forest village, of Saxon origin, and recorded in the Doomsday Book by the name of Broceste. Part of the church was erected before the Conquest, and the font is a very antique and curious piece of workmanship. Near the village are Brockenhurst Park and Watcombe House. The latter was, for three years, the residence of the philanthropic Howard. To the south-west of Brockenhurst there is a heath called Sway Common, over which various tumuli are scattered. The road from Brockenhurst to Lyndhurst passes through a very interesting part of the forest. Near Lyndhurst stands Cuffnells (Sir Edward Poore, Bart.) on a rising ground embosomed in trees, and most delightfully situated in the very heart of the forest. It was the property of the late Sir Thomas Tancred, of whose heirs it was purchased by the late Sir George Rose, who made very considerable additions to the mansion. The situation of Lyndhurst is very beautiful. It has been considered as the capital of the New Forest ever since the era of its forma. 64 LYMINGTON-BEAULIEU ABBEY. tion, and the forestal courts are still held here. An ancient stirrup is pre in the hall of the King's House, the official residence of the Lord Warden, is said to have been that used by William Rufus at the time he was shot Walter Tyrrel. Opposite to the King's House stands a large square bu called the King's Stables. A fine prospect of the forest may be obtained the tower of the church. Lord Lyndhurst derives his title from this place. pulation of parish 1851, 1527. From Lyndhurst to Southampton is a distance of between 9 and 10 The road joins that which leads to Stoney Cross at the village of Rumbrid Before closing our description of the forest we may direct the attention tourist to an interesting excursion which may be made to Beaulieu Abbey. spot may be reached by crossing Southampton water to Hythe, and proce from thence to Beaulieu, a distance of 5 miles. The river Beaulieu is a forest stream till near the abbey, when it expands into a lake covering acres. The Abbey of Beaulieu was founded by King John in 1204 for m of the Cistertian order. The wall which surrounded the precincts of the a is nearly entire in several parts, and is finely mantled with ivy. Of the b ings of the abbey considerable parts remain. The abbot's lodge was conve after the dissolution, into a family seat. The ancient kitchen and the refec and a long building supposed to have been the dormitory, are still standing. refectory is now turned into a parish church, and was repaired some years ag the expense of the late Lord Montagu, uncle of the Duke of Buccleuch. B lieu Abbey possessed the privilege of sanctuary, and it afforded a temporary tection to Margaret of Anjou, Queen of Henry VI., and her son Prince Edw on her return from the continent, at the time of the Battle of Barnet. It afforded shelter to Perkin Warbeck after the failure of his attempts in the of England. At the dissolution, the manor of Beaulieu was granted to Tho Wriothesley, afterwards Earl of Southampton. In the reign of William III. estate became the property of Ralph, Lord, afterwards Duke of, Montagu, by marriage with the heiress of the Wriothesleys. His son John, second Duke Montagu, transmitted it to his daughters, Isabella and Mary, from whom, intermarriages, the manor has descended to the Duke of Buccleuch. At Beaulieu was also an Hospital of Knights Templars. The ruins of hospital, which are now converted into farm buildings, stand about half a r distant from the water, on a rising ground which commands extensive views The tourist may vary his route back to Southampton by sailing down Beaulieu or Exe river to Exbury,-a distance of rather more than 3 miles, proceeding from thence across the country to Calshot Castle, about 4 m "And still in merry Lyndhurst hall Red William's stirrup decks the wall, The memorable tree."-Red King from Exbury. From Calshot he may proceed by Fawley to Hythe, and cross the water at that spot, or proceed to Dibden and Eling, and there cross to Southampton. ISLE OF WIGHT. Southampton is a most convenient spot from which to make an excursion to the Isle of Wight. The passage from Southampton to Cowes, the usual landing-place in Wight, is performed by regular steam-boats in little more than an hour. The passage from Portsmouth seldom exceeds half that time. The Isle of Wight (the Vecta or Vectis of the Romans) is separated from Hampshire by a beautiful channel, called the Solent Sea, the breadth of which varies from four to six miles, but at one point, near Hurst Castle, its breadth is only one mile. In this channel, though it contains no harbour of importance, there are many places of perfect security, where ships may ride at anchor. The best of these is Spithead, the great rendezvous of the British fleet in time of war. The form of the island is an irregular ellipsis, measuring 23 miles from east to west, and 13 miles from north to south. Its circumference is about 60 miles, and its superficial contents have been variously estimated at from 105,000 to 130,000 acres, of which a great portion is highly productive. It is said to have been formerly covered with woods, but to have been in a great measure denuded by its vicinity to Portsmouth, and the great demand of that naval arsenal for timber. "The face of the country may be rather described as undulating than as hilly, though there is a range of hills, or rather downs, running from east to west through the island, with a few points of considerable elevation. There is a great variety of rural scenery, adorned with a great diversity of foliage; and though there are few or no woods, yet, as the fields are enclosed within hedgerows, among which fine trees, and especially stately elms, grow most luxuriantly, these, added to the beauty of the verdant fields, present to the eye of the traveller a succession of most pleasing prospects. The two sides of the island present each a peculiar character. The northern side is marked by every thing that is rich, lovely, and picturesque; the southern, or the part called the Back of the Island, abounds in bold wild rocks, precipitous projections, ravines, fearful chasms, and other features of the imposing, and a few even of the sublime. In some parts, these opposite characters are greatly mingled. There is a peculiar scenery on the south side of the island, which is so striking to all strangers, as to require a special notice. It is a continued sinking of a tract of land, about seven miles in length, and from a-half to a-quarter of a mile in breadth. This singular district consists of a series of terraces, formed by fragments of rocks chalk, and sandstone, which have been detached from the cliffs and hills above and deposited upon a substratum of white marl This whole undercliff, for such is its common name, is completely sheltered from the north, north-west, and west winds, by the range of lofty downs or hills of chalk or sandstone, which rise boldly from the upper termination of these terraces, on elevations varying F |