HAMPSHIRE

2 miles north-west of Lyndhurst

An odd-looking church and an unusual inn sign catch the eye at Minstead, a village of thatched cottages, green lawns and holly hedges set in a maze of lanes in the New Forest.

What was once the village main street is now a cul-de-sac leading to All Saints’ Church. A series of wooden galleries in the church are ‘parlour pews’, each the property of one of the big houses in the neighbourhood and possessing an outside entrance. Under a transept roof is the Gipsies’ Gallery, which provided seats for the poor of the parish.

The Trusty Servant Inn at the village crossroads has a satirical sign. It depicts the ideal servant -a creature with a pig’s head, standing for unfus

siness in diet, with its snout locked for secrecy. The ears are of an ass, for patience, and it has a stag’s feet for swiftness. The left hand holds a brush, shovel and two-pronged fork. North-west of the inn are the 8 acres of Furzey Gardens which are open to the public.

The Rufus Stone, 1 mile north-west, marks the spot where William II, called ‘Rufus’ because of his red hair, was killed by an arrow while hunting in the forest. The king’s death, on August 2, 1100, was said to be an accident, but the only witness was Walter Tirel with whom William had quarrelled the night before. Tirel, who immediately fled to France, was believed to have shot the arrow, but this he always denied.

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