A visitor's guide to New Milton, Hampshire, UK

A visitor's guide to New Milton, Hampshire, UK

New Milton is a market town situated on the edge of the New Forest and close to the sea. The market is held every Wednesday and offers a rich mixture of local produce varying from fruit, vegetables, dairy and meats to everyday consumables. It is located between Bournemouth (12 miles west) and Lymington (8 miles east).

The parish of Milton was recorded as a settlement in the Doomsday Book (1086). There are traces of many eras of history around the area including evidence of hunting and fishing activities and Roman artefacts from the army of General Vespasian in 43AD. The village remained relatively small until the arrival of the railway which led to a significant growth in population and industry.

The name Milton is derived from Middletune meaning middle farm. New Milton represents the merging of the villages of Ashley, Barton and Milton. It was so-named following the arrival of the railway in 1888 and the opening of another post office. The sign erected declared this to be New Milton Post Office to differentiate from the existing post office and the prefix caught on. Old Milton lies between New Milton and Barton on Sea.

New Milton is an idyllic setting from which to explore the southern English coastline and has easy access to the New Forest, Britain's newest National Park.

Britain's south coast has been referred to as the Jurassic Coast as the movement in the shoreline has unveiled many fossilised creatures that existed in prehistoric times. Many of the best preserved aquatic fossil specimens have been uncovered on the Dorset coastline and the sea continues to wash up new and interesting finds.

The New Forest is Britain's newest National Park and the largest expanse of woods and heath in the south of Britain. Formerly a royal hunting ground the New Forest is now a popular tourist destination. Grass and gravel tracks criss-cross the 65,000 acres of national parkland and reveal several other villages to explore. It is an ideal destination to enjoy Britain's native wildlife and in particular the deer that Britain's royalty was so fond of.

Due to Commoner's Grazing Rights granted in William I's time, cattle, ponies, horses, pigs and donkeys are allowed to roam freely throughout the park. It's a beautiful destination for anyone who enjoys walking, cycling or simply watching nature in action.

New Milton is easy to get to by road (A35 or A337) and there is a train station that connects solely to Brockenhurst (which is on the main London Waterloo to Poole line). There are many places to stay around New Milton, ranging from five star opulence at Chewton Glen to simple self-catering at numerous holiday parks close to the sea.

A number of guest houses provide bed and breakfast accommodation in the area, either by the sea or in a more rural setting. Prices can vary so check before booking. Most include a hearty full English breakfast comprising locally sourced sausages, bacon and black pudding.

In addition to B&B, New Milton cottages are available to hire for those more interested in self catering. New Milton camping can be found at Acorn Caravan Holidays, Hoburne Bashley, Holmsley, Setthorns and Sopley Farm all offering further self catering accommodation.

POST COMMENT

Some Preferable New Born Baby Gifts and Presents For Fathers Day Maintain Your New Home with a Home Alarm System A visitor's guide to Ringwood, New Forest, UK A visitor's guide to the New Forest, Hampshire, UK Cannon Introduces two new classy multifunction printers - MF9150c and MF9170c Public Library in New York Using Home Solar Power Systems For Everyday Energy Needs Designer Glasses – Pursuing New Possibilities Making a drug from Shrimp Waste, Chitosan, health, blood, fat Open IP to launch new hardware webstore Rikers Island New York Residential Solar Power - The Great Plan of Using Alternative Power What's new with the cell phone GPS tracking technology