REPORTS ON THE YEAR 1990

THE FIELD CLUB Woolgar has succeeded him as Hon Librarian. Mr Ken Qualmann, who has served on Edito­ rial Board as Chairman and in a variety of Secretary's Report other roles, also resigned. He will remain a 1990 was a year of stability. There was an member of the Society and indeed agreed to attractive programme of events, some very well edit the final monograph on the M3 exca­ attended, and a good Proceedings. A surplus was vations. once again achieved on the year and the Field Several times postings were delayed, caus­ Club is now financially secure. There is no ing considerable inconvenience and even the need for an increase in subscriptions, last cancellation of an event. At the root of the raised in 1984. Minor problems over the qual­ problem was the failure of Section Newsletter ity of the Newsletter and the vetting of historic Editors and Programme Secretaries to supply buildings were resolved without difficulty. copy earlier enough to Mr Stagg for typing and Another way of viewing the situation, however, to Mrs Hughes as Programme Secretary for is to say that the Field Club made no progress. posting. Mrs Hughes and Mrs Turnbull, Although such a bargain, subscriptions Membership Secretary, complained to Council remained static, some events had to be about the increasing burden of office and Mrs cancelled, there was an obvious need to relieve Hughes subsequently resigned due to pressure some longstanding officers, and some age-old of work. Suggestions included the restriction problems cropped up, which will need resol­ of copy for the postings, a reduction in pos­ ving in 1991. tings, a change in posting dates, the distribu­ There were four meetings of Council. No­ tion of Proceedings by the printers, and the body was nominated for one of the vacancies imposition of rigorous deadlines. Sections for Ordinary Members and attendance was were consulted and agreed to the final propo­ generally poor. This reflected both the relative sal. The others need more careful investiga­ lack of interest of members in Council when tion:- they could radically change the there are no fireworks or • crises and also the organisation of the Society and it is doubtful greater relevance naturally perceived in the whether the Society's programme should be sections that organise events. This attitude is shaped by the administrative convenience of a regrettable nevertheless, because Council is few officers. Mrs Hughes had served in this the governing body of the whole Society, and it onerous role for five years and her departure risks leaving the Officers unsupervised. While was much regretted. Several others have held section representatives report to Council on subsidiary offices just as long and cannot be section news, it seems likely they may not be expected to remain indefinitely. They will all reporting back to the sections what happens in be difficult to replace. Council. The Annual Conference was to be held on Two longstanding servants of the Field Club Saturday 29 September on board SS Shieldhall resigned during the year. Mr Hampson ini­ at Ocean Village, Southampton on the theme tiated the first Newsletter and was Hon Libra­ 'The Future of Hampshire's Past', but regret­ rian for twenty years, relinquished office on his tably it had to be cancelled. Whilst the retirement from Southampton University immediate cause was the withdrawal of a Library. Council thanked him for his long speaker, bookings were again disappointing service and, as he expects to leave Hampshire, and Council will need to consider whether to awarded him a book token rather than continue the event. The Annual Conference Honorary Life Membership. Dr Christopher originated before the reorganisation of the 260 HAMPSHIRE FIELD CLUB AND ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIETY Society into sections in 1979 and was pre­ A tribute was paid to Mr Kenneth Qual- served as a central event thereafter. It has a mann, who had served since 1979 as Business, distinctive role, in that it brings together the Archaeology and Monographs Editor and as specialist interests of the sections and it has Chairman of the Editorial Board. The meeting been used to promote innovative topics/ re-elected Dr Michael Hicks as Hon Secretary approaches to the past, but it evidently has and the Hon Auditors and elected for the first less appeal than the sections' own conferences, time Mr Mark Wingate as Treasurer and Dr which cater for particular specialisms and are John Hare and Miss Sarah Lewin as Ordinary often held in more attractive venues. Members of Council. At the end of the year a problem arose The President took as the theme 'Jane concerning the New Forest Section grant from Austen's Southampton'. Southampton was her the Field Club. The sections organize the home for several years before she removed to Society's programme and a prime call on the Chawton. Not then the industrial or commer­ Field Club's funds is the financing of the cial conurbation that it has since become, sections. When the production and financing Southampton was then a spa town, the home of the Newsletter and New Forest Annual Report of many military and naval officers, the focus was transferred to the central Field Club, it for provincial high society, and the hub of a became possible for the sections to finance circle of elegant country seats that have now themselves from events and all sections ceased largely disappeared. After a brief period in a to require grants every year, except the New boarding house, Jane and her mother moved Forest Section. The issue in 1990 was an with their brother Captain Austen into a large application for a grant by the New Forest house in Castle Square adjoining the Marquis Section that it did not strictly need. Was an of Lansdowne's castellated mansion. This annual grant a right? The issue raised the house was itself imposing, if scarcely fur­ nature of the relationship of the Field Club to nished, commanded a splendid view over the the sections, which has not changed in spite of city walls, and had a large garden in which the considerable evolution of the Society in Jane took considerable interest. Apart from recent years. This is a problem for Council in mingling with the elite and taking tea, the 1991. Austen's took surprisingly athletic walks and boat-trips to what are now Southampton's Annual General Meeting at King Alfred's College, outer suburbs. Winchester, Wednesday 30 May 1990 Jane Austen's day-to-day activities are recorded by the letters and diaries of herself Forty-five members attending a successful and her circle. They were further illuminated evening that began with the business meeting, by Mr Ranee both from his encyclopaedic proceeded with a wine and splendid buffet, knowledge of Southampton and especially by and culminated in the President's illustrated reference to the remarkable range of paintings, Address. prints, and caricatures that he depicted in his The reports all revealed another successful slides. Taken together, the Austens' idle chit­ year. The Editorial Board had produced Pro­ chat and catty comments and the illustrations ceedings volume 45, volume 46 was in the press, brought to light a singularly obscure phase in and volume 47, the index to volumes 20—40, Southampton's history and clothed with flesh and a monograph were all in preparation. real people who feature otherwise only as Events had generally gone well and the So­ names in Southampton's ratebooks and direc­ ciety, the sections, and Editorial Board had all tories. The audience learnt as much about added to their reserves. There was new blood Southampton as Jane Austen's neglected so­ on each section committee. The Treasurer journ there. could announce that subscriptions would Time, not lack of enlivening material, remain in 1991 at their 1984 level. brought the Presidential Address to an end, REPORTS ON THE YEAR 1990 261 and the evening terminated with thanks to the actually under the city walls and ditches, speaker for his address and to Mrs Turnbull beyond the official bounds of the medieval and Mrs Moore for the refreshments. town. Late Saxon occupation was found also beneath Broad Lane, beneath French Street, and at two points beneath High Street - the 0 G S Crawford Memorial Lecture 1990 latest by courtesy of modern workmen mend­ In 1990 the lecture was held at King John's ing a burst sewer! Clearly Saxon Hamtun House, Romsey on Saturday 1 December. The extended far beyond the ditches discovered so President was in the chair and the speaker was far and its circumference was far greater than Dr Andrew Russel, who spoke about his 'Exca­ the 108 yards of the Burghal Hidage. It shared vations at the Lower High Street, South­ neither the boundaries nor the street plan of ampton'. The talk was followed by the later medieval town. How could this be? refreshments. How could a new grid of streets be imposed on Dr Russel began with Crawford himself, a densely settled city? Surely it follows, Dr who photographed many medieval remains Russel answered, that Crawford was right in exposed during the Blitz and produced the his guess that there must have been a break in only account of its development that stands up occupation to allow replanning to take place. to modern research. He could not yet say when. It is well known that the Romans settled east Ironically, Dr Russel's conclusion was that of the Itchen at Clausentum, the Saxons at the more we have learnt about Late Saxon Hamwih west of the Itchen near Old St Mary's Southampton, the less certain we are of its church until about 850, and that medieval development. Every new find, however, adds to Southampton occupied the site of Old South­ the jigsaw and illuminates a history that seems ampton west of the walls facing the drained ever more complex and, as his audience con­ Millbrook Bay. But where was late Saxon sidered, ever more fascinating too. Southampton and when was Old Southampton MAH first settled? These were the questions to which Dr Russel addressed himself. Only a few coins, potsherds, pits and ditches ARCHAEOLOGY SECTION remain for Late Saxon Southampton, much of which has been destroyed by the construction At our first meeting of 1990, in February, of deep cellars. Long ago Philip Holdsworth Grahame Soffe battled heroically with an un­ used this material to argue that the rectilinear cooperative projector to bring us up to date on street plan of Old Southampton was laid down the remarkable new discoveries at Shedfield. by the Late Saxons. Since then, many other Shedfield House has extensive grounds in excavations have uncovered evidence of the which over many years a picture has emerged same vestigial nature. Thus excavations in the of Roman settlement close to the Roman road, floor of Quilters Vault found the bottoms of and in particular a thriving Romano-British Saxon pits and ditches and similar results pottery industry. In 1990 the creation of a new emerged from digging in the medieval vaults golf course prompted the rescue excavation of at Lower High Street, where a forest of stake a group of prehistoric boiling-mounds in the holes was also found. Thousands of sea-shells, valley, and a number of pottery kilns with slag from iron working, a patch of Saxon road associated features on the slope above. The surface, and more, as yet inexplicable, ditches biggest surprise was that the Roman potters were uncovered. Evidently there was dense had plundered the burnt flints to crush as Late Saxon occupation throughout Old South­ temper for their pottery. ampton and beyond. The lecture programme ended successfully That, indeed, was the most important find in March with Dick Whinney's account of the to date. Late Saxon occupation was found Peninsular Barracks excavations, which in 262 HAMPSHIRE FIELD CLUB AND ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIETY spite of an unavoidable clash with a meeting of the evidence of medieval documents. We were the Hampshire Archaeological Committee especially honoured by a paper from Dr Mar­ attracted a substantial audience. This was garet Gelling on place-name evidence. For accompanied by a visit to the excavations, also many of us this was our first view of the Plaza led by Dick Whinney, in collaboration with the Cinema in its restored form, ably 'run by a Winchester Archaeological Rescue Group. volunteer organisation. We thank them, too, The fine weather provided a sunny start to for making us feel so welcome. our Summer Programme on 26 May with a As part of the Field Club's Policy towards visit to the Iron Age hillfort of Whitsbury Development, in which the initial evaluation of Rings and the Roman villa at Rockbourne, threats is to be devolved to Sections, we have both led by David Johnston. For many of us been in touch with RPS Clouston, the Environ­ this was a first visit to a surprisingly little- mental Consultants undertaking an Environ­ known but excellently preserved monument, mental Impact Assessment for Southampton of which the owners kindly allowed us to University of the proposed new Campus site in explore the privately owned parts. After a the Lordswood—Totton area north of South­ sunny picnic on the ramparts we travelled on ampton. We have offered our support to Mr to the villa, whose new museum display was a David Freke, who is responsible for the surprise to many; some admired the new pro­ archaeological evaluation. fessionalism, while others regretted the pass­ Jonathan Drake has resigned from the Sec­ ing of the old', familiar treasure-house. We tion Committee, and we welcome Kevin White chose a fine evening five days later for a who has taken his place. We also lose Steve popular and enjoyable Guided Tour of Rom- Cooper, who has been one of our most ener­ sey expertly led by Steve Cooper. By contrast, getic members for many years. Our links with our final outing, in August, took place in a the North-East Hampshire Archaeological So­ thunder-storm on Professor Cunliffe's exca­ ciety, however, are strengthened by the ad­ vations at Bury Hill. Some sixty, drenched dition of Tess HarfTey from that Society. And members in relays listened attentively as our to bring our numbers up to strength, we wel­ guide refused to be upstaged by the elements come Don Bryan, of the Winchester Archaeo­ and gave us an eloquent and memorable tour logical Rescue Group. Finally, we congratulate of the site. our Hon Secretary Sue Gordon who has started We began the Winter programme with one an important new job at the Science Museum of our rare disasters - the cancellation of the in London, while continuing to live in the area. annual Wine and Cheese social gathering in I would like as Chairman to record our sincere September, for which we had booked the gratitude to her for her hard work and effici­ attractive surroundings of Southsea Castle. ency as Hon Secretary of the Section in the last The last-minute cancellation was due to cir­ year, and hope that her new commitments will cumstances entirely beyond our control. We still leave her time to lead us in the coming shall have another try, however, on 13 Septem­ year. ber this year, and invite our members to make DEJ a note of it. Our Annual Conference in November, how­ ever, was a runaway success, thanks to the HISTORIC BUILDINGS SECTION energetic organisation of our hosts, the Test Valley Archaeological Trust, and the talents of This year the section continued with its series a panel of seven speakers. The theme was of winter lectures at King Alfred's College, 'Country, Town and Church: Romsey through Winchester, but due to low attendances last the ages' and the wide scope of the papers year we reduced their number to two, and ranged from the landscape and settlement introduced an informal evening of shorter through successive archaeological periods to members' contributions, with refreshments. REPORTS ON THE YEAR 1990 263 The formal lectures were given by John day also included a study of the nearby Reynolds on 'Windmills and Watermills in Otterbourne parish church (1837-9), a Hampshire', and by Dr Martin Doughty on remarkable building to replace the medieval 'Arts and Crafts Mannerism: Garden Cities church on a new site. Interesting contributions and Town Planners'. Our work has also been were made by the vicar, the Revd Philip illustrated by regular notices and articles in Barrett, David Lloyd and Rodney Hubbuck. the Newsletter. We ventured into Wiltshire on 8 September Two of our summer excursions were for a tour of medieval buildings in Salisbury attempts at recreating visits made by the Field led by Nigel Fradgley (RCHME) and Edward Club in 1948. All were oversubscribed and Roberts, following in the steps of RCHME's blessed with fine weather. thorough survey of the city. The Bishop's On 5 May we visited East Meon. The Palace (now the Cathedral School) was exam­ Romanesque parish church of All Saints, 'one ined in detail by kind permission of the Head­ of the most thrilling churches in Hampshire', master and Bursar and we were grateful for Mr was examined in detail with the vicar. The Waddington's company and permission to see Tournai font was discussed by Grahame SofTe the Old Deanery Great Hall with its remarka­ who later took the group to the ruined medie­ ble timber roof. Also in the Close, another val chapel at Westbury. Edward Roberts led medieval roof was seen at the King's House, the tour of the Court House, the great medie­ now the Salisbury and South Wilts Museum. val manor house of the Winchester bishopric, Lunch was taken at the mainly 14th-century and told of his recent researches into the George Inn, High Street (RCHME I 173) documentary accounts of its original construc­ where the manager showed the corbelled tion. His tour continued to include hammer-beam roof and other roof spaces. We Glenthorne, a fine late 17th-century house, then visited No 9 Queen Street: William Rus- Tudor House - a timber-framed lobby- sel's house of 1306 (I 129), now Watson's entrance house, - and the 14th-century hall China Shop and a remarkable piece of timber- houses of Forge Sound and Riverside. Thanks framing, and then the hall of John Hall's are due to Mr and Mrs Bartlett, Mrs Bailey, 15th-century house in New Canal (I 185), now and Mr and Mrs Blakstaat, the owners who the vestibule of an Odeon cinema. The latter allowed us into their homes. has a fine false hammer-beam roof with four A great Hampshire county house, Cranbury tiers of cusped windbraces, some original win­ Park was visited on 20 May by permission of dow glass and decorated stonework. We hope Mrs P Chamberlayne-Macdonald. A very large to repeat this visit in 1991. group of members and guests toured the ex­ Our conference and AGM on 13 October terior of the house and outbuildings with John was held at King Alfred's College with the Brushe of English Heritage, who discussed its theme 'The Changing Landscape of Hamp­ complicated architectural development and shire Towns' - a discussion of the evolution of particularly the remodelling by George Dance the built townscape through the medium of the Younger in the late 18th century. The photography. The meeting, chaired by John house and park are rarely open to the public, Crook, had a distinguished group of speakers. but the group was disappointed that a view of Francis Green spoke on Romsey, Philippa Dance's great state rooms, open in 1948, was Stevens on Winchester, Freddie Emery-Wallis not permitted. In the gardens and park the on Portsmouth, Adrian Ranee on South­ tour included Dance's Diary, Sir Isaac New­ ampton, and David Lee of the Wessex Film ton's Sundial, Wordsworth's Grotto, and the and Stroud Archive gave a video presentation Castle - a folly lodge incorporating fragments of archive films. At the AGM, Dilys Hall and of the fabric of Netley Abbey. The visit has Ann Jones were elected new committee mem­ resulted in a study of Cranbury's development bers. Re-elected members were John Crook which we hope will be published shortly. The (chairman), Martin Doughty (editor), Karen 264 HAMPSHIRE FIELD CLUB AND ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIETY Parker, Grahame Soffe (programme secretary), area of competing needs of sheep-rearing and Peter Davies (treasurer), Francis Green (publi­ arable farming. He stressed the importance of city), Edward Roberts (Newsletter editor), the introduction of agricultural fertilisers and Audrey Sutton and Maureen Gale. Jude James the decline of the water-meadows as the land­ resigned earlier in the year. scape economy changed. GS Mike Broderick led the next field trip to Sherborne St John on Saturday 7 July. The aim was to reconstruct the appearance of the vil­ LANDSCAPE SECTION lage in the 1850s, principally from the 1851 Census and 1840 Tithe Map. The morning was The Landscape Section's year began in Al- spent visiting places easily identifiable from resford. On a beautiful April day, the 28th, the Census and Tithe Map, such as the Swan, Arthur Stowell led a study of the town. The the old Post Office, the former brickworks, of morning was spent on a brief wander round which there is now no visible sign, the old New Alresford, the medieval Novum Forum of baker's and tailor's shops, the village pound, Bishop De Lucy, with its Broad Street market and finally the site of the former mill. After site, its burgage plots, the George Inn formerly lunch the gravestones in the churchyard were the Angel, a 14th-century base-cruck house on studied to locate people in the 1851 Census. Mill Hill, and finally the Great Pond, now The church was opened to permit an examin­ much reduced from its original 200 acres. In ation of the interior. Particularly noteworthy the afternoon the section followed the ancient were the brasses of the Brocas family and what unmetalled road, with its hazel hedges, from appears to be the original font of c 1150. Old Alresford to Abbotstone. By 1589, when This year's conference, held at King Alfred's Abbotstone had became part of Itchen Stoke, College on 17 November, was entitled 'Science it had dwindled to a few cottages and its and the Landscape'. The attendance, though church was 'decayed'. The party wandered reasonable, was less than in previous years, around Chapel Close, noted the outline of the perhaps due to the proximity of the Archaeo­ walls of the church and the mounds that logy Section conference at Romsey, but the probably indicated sites of houses. The quality of the talks was as high as ever. The Candover stream lies not far away in the valley morning featured talks by Islwyn Thomas from to the west. Why then was on a hilltop rather the National Centre for Remote Sensing at than by the water? (See Proceedings xxvii (1971) Farnborough, the Chairman Mike Broderick, for the late Isobel Sanderson's study of this and Bob Gibbons. After the section AGM and former village). lunch, there were further talks by John Sheail, The next field trip, on Saturday 16 June, was from the Institute of Terrestrial Ecology in around Warnford. In the morning Stan Waight Huntingdon, and Stephen Gray, the section's of Fareham Landscape Archaeology Group led Newsletter Editor. the section around the Bere Farm Estate and The first speaker outlined the variety of discussed the evidence of the records at ways in which information was collected about Corpus Christi College, Oxford. In support of the surface of the earth from a distance. Data this thesis that Bere Farm was a deer park, he was used from a range of satellites at different cited the field evidence of banks, lynchets, and levels of detail, some showing Winchester, and field names. Later the section counted the its applications were explored, eg for moni­ shrub species along a portion of the parish toring pollution and the building of roads in boundary that coincided with the estate remote areas. Next, starting from the nature of boundary: a hedge of considerable antiquity rocks and moving to slides of particular land­ was recorded. After lunch Gavin Bowie led us scapes, Mike Broderick's talk on Geology up Old Winchester Hill, where he gave an demonstrated the influence of lithology and alfresco lecture on the consequences for the structure on the relief of the county. Thirdly, REPORTS ON THE YEAR 1990 265 again in complete contrast, Bob Gibbons out­ its attenuated role today. Mrs Sue Woolgar's lined the development of Hampshire's vege­ illustrated talk on the civilian experience in tation as the climate warmed up after the last Southampton, where officially high morale Ice Age and Hampshire became a completely contrasted markedly with the reality of great wooded region. His slides showed the range of strains and hardships, brought out what had plant communities today, most of which owe been the latent theme throughout - the re­ their present characteristics to man. lationship of Hampshire communities, urban John Sheail's focus was narrower. He and rural, to the war effort and the armed described how research in Hampshire early forces themselves. this century first demonstrated the pollution of Sadly, the summer outing to Emsworth, inland fisheries arising from tarring of roads Warblington, and Havant was undersub- and then helped to combat it. Alresford was scribed and was cancelled. the test site for isolating the harmful pollu­ The autumn conference, as enjoyable as tants. Government action, or inaction, did not ever, was held this year at Wickham Com­ seem any speedier then than now! There foll­ munity Centre. There were lectures, slides, owed Stephen Gray's application of computer and a guided tour on Wickham and Bishops models to extract patterns from the landscape. Waltham. The meeting opened with Mr He showed how phosphate analysis of soil at Whinney on the archaeology, which is ill- different levels could be used to locate preserved by the sandy terrain, and continued different historic gardens, how English sur­ with Dr Hare's analysis of the development in names were being lost, and at the possible Bishop Waltham's Palace. Miss Lewin's help­ influence of relief in siting the DMV at Lomer. ful and well-illustrated account of relevant MB records at Hampshire Record office immedi­ ately preceded Miss Lewis' tour in which, regrettably, her local and professional LOCAL HISTORY SECTION knowledge was submerged in torrential rain! The day ended fittingly with Dr Haydon's The Local History Section's year began with a entertaining talk on the Waltham Black Act conference in April at King Alfred's College, and its background, which related local history Winchester on the Second World War in to national affairs and showed how legislation Hampshire. The morning session featured against poaching was both the product of talks by Colonel Michael Hickey of the long-term trends in English society and of Museum of Army Flying on the contribution of immediate social and political exigencies. Middle Wallop airfield; by Lt-Col John Dar- The Annual General Meeting at Wickham roch on the distinguished service of the Hamp­ witnessed the re-election of all the officers, shire Regiment; and by Mr Henry Wills on the Mrs McLellan having succeeded as Secretary historic importance of military buildings and during the year, and of the whole committee. the need for them to be preserved. Many AMcL structures had deteriorated because their significance was not realized. His unusual expertise, particularly on pill-boxes, was much NEW FOREST SECTION appreciated. After lunch Mr Campbell McMurray, Director of the Royal Naval Museum at Portsmouth, assessed the contri­ New Forest Affairs bution of Hampshire's ports to the war effort. The Government response to the New Forest This led naturally into David Lee's Review published last year has been disap­ government propaganda film, 'Port of pointing in that many proposals have been Destiny', which presented Southampton watered down. However it confirmed the Docks in a heroic mould in marked contrast to establishment of the 'Heritage Area' (subject 266 HAMPSHIRE FIELD CLUB AND ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIETY to review) of land immediately adjacent to the acrobatic scrambling over and under tree perambulation, and the setting up of the New trunks) an area in the north of the Forest. Forest Heritage Committee (now the New Many of the 'root plates' of fallen trees yielded Forest Committee), comprising the statutory pottery fragments, a short length of wall poss­ bodies responsible for Forest and district po­ ibly of Roman origin was exposed, and several licies, which will liaise and promote the pro­ hitherto unknown kiln sites revealed. tection of the Forest. The Government agreed A letter was sent to the Forestry Commis­ with the Review Group that designation as a sion suggesting that some areas of fallen coni­ national park would be 'overbureaucratic' and fers where broad-leaved trees had previously unnecessary. The Section welcomes this as stood might be replanted with broadleaves. supporting its own conclusions that the New The Deputy Surveyor replied favourably, Forest is better protected under present legis­ where soils were suitable. lation. The display stand has been completely re­ The New Forest Consultative Panel has been designed and enlarged, thanks to Mr A D reorganised and enlarged to include the adja­ Taylor and Mr G Ogilvie and a grant from the cent (Wiltshire) county council, together with Field Club. The new stand was shown for the district and parish councils whose boundaries first time at the New Forest Show, and some of include the heritage area. Its chairman will now the new photographs were displayed on the be appointed by the New Forest Committee original Marler Haley stand at the Archaeo­ and its terms of reference will provide a forum logy Section's conference in Romsey in for all organisations and bodies within the November. heritage area to debate in public matters of For its annual excavation the Section re­ concern to the heritage area, and to discuss turned to its 1989 site, plans to dig in Broomy with the New Forest Committee policies and Inclosure having had to be postponed owing to management strategies for the conservation of storm damage. the area's traditional character. At its Annual General Meeting the Section Some of the measures proposed in the High­ noted with regret the resignation from the way Strategy, also published in 1989, have committee of Mrs Jean Cobb, and the com­ been implemented in the north of the Forest. mittee showed its appreciation of all the ser­ They include a 40 mph speed limit and several vice she had given since its foundation by experimental physical restrictions. A tragic presenting her with a copy of 'Buckland Rings' accident has been a setback to the programme by Dr Close-Brooks. but most drivers are observing the speed limit, After the Annual General Meeting Mr R C with the exception mainly of rush hour Coles gave a talk on 'Wartime Sites in the New commuters. Taken against a five year period, Forest', with valuable photographs of much deaths among commoners' animals have been that has since disappeared. reduced by 37% and personal injuries by 48%. A joint meeting on butterflies was held in Further damage was caused to woodland in Brockhill Inclosure in July with the Hampshire January but this time mainly in coniferous branch of the British Butterfly Conservation plantations, some areas of which were Society, and in August the Section invited completely flattened. The Forestry Commis­ Field Club members to its excavation in sion has suspended its annual felling and Sloden. A most enjoyable exercise in Septem­ thinning programme until the damage has ber was the experimental 'boiling trough', been dealt with. which resulted in the water reaching that point in just under three hours. The summer pro­ gramme concluded with a fungus foray in Section affairs and programme Denny Wood led by Mr Gordon Dickson of the After the above mentioned storm, the Section British Mycological Society. surveyed (a word which does no justice to the The winter programme opened in November REPORTS ON THE YEAR 1990 267 with a joint meeting with Lyndhurst Historical trated the evidence of the development of the Society, at which Mr John Chapman gave a building, and showed many interesting fascinating talk on Christchurch Priory, at features not open to view by the general which he is an official guide. His slides illus­ public. JI