Minstead

Minstead is a small village and civil parish in the New Forest, Hampshire, about 2mi north of Lyndhurst. There is a shop and a pub, the Trusty Servant. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's grave is under a large tree at the back of the 13th century All Saints' church.OverviewMinstead is a small village and civil parish in the New Forest. The majority of the parish area is a complex of woodland, heathland, acid grassland, scrub and valley bog, supporting a great richness and diversity of wildlife. One mile north of the village at Lower Canterton lies the Rufus Stone, said to mark the place where in 1100 King William II ("William Rufus") was killed by an arrow whilst out hunting.Nearby Furzey Gardens contain of landscaped gardens containing many interesting and rare plants. There is also a gallery, open to the public from March to October, as well as a tree house and play area for children.HistoryPeople have lived in the area of Minstead since prehistoric times. Paleolithic tools have been found here, and there are several Bronze Age barrows within the parish. There is an Iron Age hillfort at Malwood covering 1.8 hectares. It was on or near this hillfort that a medieval beacon was situated, receiving signals from Marchwood and from Freshwater on the Isle of Wight. There is a modern house in the middle of the hillfort which is privately owned.