History of land and local area, a walking tour
Rockford Farm is nestled in the New Forest, adjacent to The Alice Lisle and Blashford Lakes. The house dates back to medieval times and is mentioned in the Doomsday book as part of the dairy farm of Somerley Estate.
Walk from the front gate right or left and follow the direction of the FOOTPATH sign over a style or through a gate and continue up the hill into THE NEW FOREST. This landscape is essentially unchanged since 1066 when William the Conqueror invaded England and was victorious over the Anglo Saxons at the Battle of Hastings. The New Forest was established as the King’s hunting ground and Winchester as the capital.
Today it is about 200 square miles and is a unique combination of open woodland, lowland heath and boggy mire. The ethereal ponies, horses, roaming cattle, fallow and roe deer maintain the open woodland and the mire is home to a distinctive diverse world of insects.
This ancient land has documented a ROMAN presence identified at an archeological site near Fordingbridge and discovery of tiny pottery fragments near Burley and Brockenhurst.
From the Farm wander down the road to the Rockford signs and cross the road to a gate with the Avon Valley Path green sign. Surprisingly it’s hard to see. Open the gate and follow the bridle path alongside the Spinnaker Sailing Club and then the footpath between the lakes. This beautiful stretch of the Path leads to Ringwood. The Avon Valley Path links Christchurch to the south and Salisbury to the north over a distance of 34 miles.
Bird hides, fishermen and wooden seats allow time to stop and savour the beauty.
The story of DAME ALICE LISLE is detailed at THE ALICE LISLE. Her offence was giving a night’s shelter to two fugitives from the Battle of Sedgemoor in the summer of 1685. One was a Presbyterian minister and the other a lawyer and outlaw.
The Battle was victorious to the English Army of King James 11 with defeat of the Protestant Duke of Monmouth’s rebel Army.
Despite Alice Lisle pleading innocence to knowledge that the men had been in the Army and the jury hesitating in their verdict, the cruel and callous Judge Jeffreys made a mockery of justice. He threatened the jury with treason if the verdict was further delayed, She was sentenced to be burnt at the stake but this was commuted to beheading by the King. Her remains are buried at Ellingham Church near Moyles Court her home.
Moyles Court today is an independent school in Hampshire. In yesteryear it was the home to Dame Alice Lisle in the 1600s inherited form her father’s estate. In 1818 the property was sold to Somerley. In the 1870s Mr Frederick Fane undertook to restore it with permission from 3rd Earl of Normanton of Somerley. Moyles Court was built back to its original plan as far as possible with a tribute to Alice Lisle within the current school buildings.
A VERY OLD OAK tree, called Moyles Court Oak, can be seen at the intersection of Rockford sand dune, Gorley Road and the road into the New Forest. Aged between 600 and possibly 800 years old, as reported by a forester, it is home to squirrels, birds and from its massive furrowed trunk arise other trees
Follow Dockens Waterway from the Ford and then go through a gate with a yellow Footpath sign to Blashford Lakes. The path is home to many birds and bird watchers. Robins are at their peak in winter, many having migrated from Scandinavia and Russia to escape their harsh winters. Insects and butterflies are abuzz in spring. At the Education centre at Blashford lakes friendly volunteers answer all questions. Local fungi and lichen are displayed and bird sightings are recorded.
Half way down Ellingham Drove there is a gate leading to a gravel path to Goosander and Lapwing Bird Hides. The lapwing numbers have decreased dramatically over the years. Reassuringly the cacophony of bird sound at the Hides in the evenings with the lapwings and others on the water is magical.
Also of interest on this walk is seeing the concrete shell remains of the RAF Control Tower. At the beginning of WW2 Blashford Lakes did not exist and the level ground was ideal for war time airfields. RAF Ibsley opened in 1941. The Alice Lisle was formerly the village school and was situated at the end of the main runway.
It was a busy airfield and was home to Hurricanes, Spitfires, Mustangs, Typhoons. and 19 different RAF fighter squadrons. It passed briefly to USRAF and then reverted to RAF.
Details can be seen at the monument on Ellingham Drove and the commemorative memorial at Mockbeggar has an etched plate of the airfields and local air force sites.
Interestingly after the war the land was handed back to Lord Normanton of Somerley. Ibsley then became a motor racing circuit in the 1950s. The circuit was closed and in the 1960s the entire site became an aggregate quarry and over time the area was eventually transformed to Blashford Lakes.
Today It is unrecognisable as an airfield or motor racing circuit.
Turning back try the path between the lakes .. . it will be Rockford Lake and Ivy Lake. Take a moment to stop at the viewing screens. Then turn left at the end, you can’t miss it and then join the bridle path making your way back to Rockford Farm.