From the text: The oldest existing perambulation of the New Forest, made in 1280, shows the bounds to be east and west, the Southampton river and the Avon; south, the sea-coast; north, the line running east and west from Owerbridge to North Charford. This detail is preserved in the Chapter House of Westminster.

The officers of the Forest ranged from the Lord Warden and his lieutenant to a verminer and sub-verminer, between whom came a riding forester, a bow-bearer, two rangers, two woodwards, four verderers, two stewards, twelve regarders, nine foresters or master-keepers, and thirteen (originally fifteen) under-foresters or groomkeepers.

William Gilpin (1724 to 1804).

During summer months, Gilpin travelled around the country, making watercolours and keeping journals in which he crystallised his personal theories about picturesque landscapes. 

Editor's Preface: In illustrating the present edition of the Forelt Sceneery, it has been our endeavour to interfere as little as possible with the arrangement originally adopted by Mr Gilpin. We have therefore considered it best to introduce each respective portion of our observations immediately after the original matter to which it refers and to distinguish our remarka the more perfectly. The reader will observe that they are printed in a smaller type than those of Mr Gilpin.

Whilst we have retained the most essential of Mr Gilpin's delineations, we have deemed it advisable to change, or to improve, several of them. A number of illustrations have been added from original sketches, by Mr Kidd and Mr For bes, both of them celebrated artists in their respective departments, whose labours, we trust, will be found to have considerably improved the value of Mr Gilpin's book.

William Gilpin (1724 to 1804).

During summer months, Gilpin travelled around the country, making watercolours and keeping journals in which he crystallised his personal theories about picturesque landscapes. 

Editor's Preface: In illustrating the present edition of the Forelt Sceneery, it has been our endeavour to interfere as little as possible with the arrangement originally adopted by Mr Gilpin. We have therefore considered it best to introduce each respective portion of our observations immediately after the original matter to which it refers and to distinguish our remarka the more perfectly. The reader will observe that they are printed in a smaller type than those of Mr Gilpin.

Whilst we have retained the most essential of Mr Gilpin's delineations, we have deemed it advisable to change, or to improve, several of them. A number of illustrations have been added from original sketches, by Mr Kidd and Mr For bes, both of them celebrated artists in their respective departments, whose labours, we trust, will be found to have considerably improved the value of Mr Gilpin's book.

Book Introduction: Reference is made to arrangements proposed by the British Government in 1870 for the preparation and publication of a compilation of information in regard to the past history and management of English Forests and to circumstances which have led meanwhile to arrangements for the publication of this compilation.

In the absence of any previous work for the Commissioners of Woods and Forests, I prepared for myself a rough sketch of the history of British forests, and the treatment of them from the earliest times to the present ; and this having served my purpose, I have filled up the outline and revised the compilation for the press, hoping that in the lack of something better it may be acceptable to others desiring such information.

Hermann Lea (1869-1952)

From the author: The object of this book, as its title indicates, is to depict the Wessex country of Thomas Hardy, with a view to discovering the real places which served as bases for the descriptions of scenery and backgrounds given us in the novels and poems. The Wessex of the novels and poems is practically identical with the Wessex of history, and includes the counties of Berkshire, Wilts, Somerset, Hampshire, Dorset and Devon.

It is believed that Moyles Court near Ringwood was the setting for Bramhurst Court in Tess of the D'Urbervilles. On the edge of Hardy's 'Great Forest'.