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William I was shot by an arrow which bounced off a nearby Oak
Tree. Charles II is said to have constructed a paling around the tree and
the locals reported that the tree defied nature by budding every year on
Christmas Day at least 15 days earlier than it should. This was not the
last of the legend as locals took cuttings from the original tree and planted
them at Copythorne where a tree called The Cadnam Oak still stands today and is
said to have grown with the same miraculous properties.
Parties were held beneath the branches of the Cadnam Oak on
Christmas Eve and people took cuttings from the tree. There is a grave of
a young man in Landford who died climbing the Cadnam Oak one Christmas when he
was getting a piece of budding twig for his fiance as a gift. The
gravestone of this unfortunate young lad refers to the Cadnam Oak.
King
William
II was out hunting in `his` forest one day when an arrow struck the old oak
tree, bounced and hit King William and killed him. King William was known as
Rufus because of his shock of red hair.
Sir Walter Tyrrel was accused of killing the King but whether
his actions were deliberate or the result of a freak accident nobody knows.
In the 18th Century the old Oak finally passed away Walter
Delaware erected in its place a monument called `The Rufus Stone`. (Between
Brook and Minstead)
Still today the public house that stands just North of the Rufus
Stone is called the Sir Walter Tyrrel - was that in support of the archer?
King William lies in the Cathedral of Winchester, after he was
slain he was laid on a cart belonging to a Mr Purkess and was transported, horse
drawn, to Winchester.
Our last white tailed Eagle was shot at this oak tree in 1810.
The White Hart is situated on the Cadnam to Copythorne
road. If you pass through the doors and become aware of an overpowering
aroma of expensive perfume it is the Lady of The White Hart, the fragrance is
followed by a sensual swish of silk then you will experience a drop in
temperature. No clues to who she is have been found yet but a previous
landlord did suggest that a dormant clock started ticking once again when the
lady approached.......
Remotely set in some of the most beautiful scenery the High
Corner Inn rests at Linwood. In the 1970's 2 sisters were staying at one
of the chalets in the grounds. During the early morning one awoke to
witness a middle aged lady in period costume standing, staring through a glass
panel with her arms folded gazing towards the stables. Was she a long gone
mistress of the establishment checking her grooms progress??
The Angel is an 18th Century coaching Inn that stands on the
site of an old shipyard. Adorned in an old fashioned mariners coat compete
with large brass buttons the grey bearded spectre appeared - but only the
once. The most often visitor is the ghost of an old coachman - he pushes
his nose against the window and is still waiting for his passengers, enjoying
the delights of the Inn [once called the George Inn], he is either eager to
depart or waiting for some morsels to be thrust in his direction. If it is
music you wish for then how about this; in 1966 the Landlords sister-in-law
heard the tinkling of ivory from a downstairs drawing room, unnerved she
summoned the Landlord who searched every part of the building - the haunting was
never discovered - they didn't even have a piano during the sister-in-laws visit
as it had been thrown out the previous day due to it's poor state of repair!
If you walk from The Sir Walter Tyrrel towards Brook/Bramshaw,
after passing Canterton Manor Farm take a right down a narrow track [by a letter
box] as you progress you will feel chilled and spooky - is this where Sir Walter
Tyrrel fled before his arrest after King William was slain, is this the area
where they caught up with him?
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