Forest of Bere

The Queen's Inclosure between the joined suburban settlements of Waterlooville and Cowplain
Bushy Coppice at the eastern end of the area

The Forest of Bere is a mixed-use partially forested area immediately north of Fareham, Portsmouth and Roman Road, Havant and includes a small part of the South Downs National Park.[1] [2] The former uninterrupted forest is today a mix of woodland, open space, ponds, streams, heathland, farmland and downland interspersed by minor villages and the major settlements of Waterlooville (with Cowplain) and Eastleigh (with Chandlers Ford).[3] It provides countryside access to the residents of South-East Hampshire having a number of paths and bridleways for walking and cycling. In particular in the southern portion, towards the area south of the Queen Elizabeth Country Park in the 20th century conifer plantations have been planted.

History

Centuries before the late 17th century, this royal forest was heavily wooded with agricultural clearings and covered an area stretching from the River Test at King's Somborne in the west through Hursley, Eastleigh (including Chandler's Ford), Bishop's Waltham, Denmead, Waterlooville to Rowland's Castle and the River Ems, Emsworth by the Sussex Border Path in the east. The forest was used a source of oak for the navy to use in shipbuilding.[3]

Woodland habitats and contiguous Country Parks

Listed from east to west, excluding small copses and coppices

References

  1. Map from the Ordnance survey
  2. http://www3.hants.gov.uk/ltp06-forest-bere-map.pdf Forest of Bere Map Archived December 2, 2008, at the Wayback Machine.
  3. 1 2 Fareham Visitor Information Archived January 8, 2009, at the Wayback Machine.

Coordinates: 50°54′N 1°02′W / 50.900°N 1.033°W / 50.900; -1.033

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