The Buddlesgate Chronicle
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Old Hampshire (UK) and it's • nature • history • landscape
The Atlantic Salmon found in Hampshire’s Test and Itchen are part of a genetically distinct population, that occurs in only a few southern English chalk streams.
Sadly, salmon numbers in the Test and Itchen have seen a dramatic decline in recent years, placing this population at risk.
Sadly, salmon numbers in the Test and Itchen have seen a dramatic decline in recent years, placing this population at risk.
August 19, 2025 at 12:48 PM
The Atlantic Salmon found in Hampshire’s Test and Itchen are part of a genetically distinct population, that occurs in only a few southern English chalk streams.
Sadly, salmon numbers in the Test and Itchen have seen a dramatic decline in recent years, placing this population at risk.
Sadly, salmon numbers in the Test and Itchen have seen a dramatic decline in recent years, placing this population at risk.
“Avington Pond” is a traditional Hampshire folk song, collected by George Gardiner in 1905.
Gardiner collected over 1,200 songs in Hampshire. He began in the Winchester area, where he learnt “Avington Pond” from Richard Hall, head sawyer on the Avington Estate.
Gardiner collected over 1,200 songs in Hampshire. He began in the Winchester area, where he learnt “Avington Pond” from Richard Hall, head sawyer on the Avington Estate.
August 19, 2025 at 10:50 AM
“Avington Pond” is a traditional Hampshire folk song, collected by George Gardiner in 1905.
Gardiner collected over 1,200 songs in Hampshire. He began in the Winchester area, where he learnt “Avington Pond” from Richard Hall, head sawyer on the Avington Estate.
Gardiner collected over 1,200 songs in Hampshire. He began in the Winchester area, where he learnt “Avington Pond” from Richard Hall, head sawyer on the Avington Estate.
“Hat” appears in a number of place names in the New Forest, such as King’s Hat, Standing Hat and Little Stubby Hat.
“Hat” referred to a rounded clump of trees, often on a hill.
“Hat” referred to a rounded clump of trees, often on a hill.
August 18, 2025 at 2:29 PM
“Hat” appears in a number of place names in the New Forest, such as King’s Hat, Standing Hat and Little Stubby Hat.
“Hat” referred to a rounded clump of trees, often on a hill.
“Hat” referred to a rounded clump of trees, often on a hill.
In 19th-century Hampshire, Yew berries were sometimes called “Snoder-gills”.
August 17, 2025 at 3:38 PM
In 19th-century Hampshire, Yew berries were sometimes called “Snoder-gills”.
The Loddon lily (Leucojum aestivum subsp. aestivum) is named after the River Loddon, a tributary of the Thames which rises at Basingstoke in Hampshire.
It’s British heartland is along the tributaries of the Thames, where it can form extensive beds in wet meadows and Willow / Alder scrub.
It’s British heartland is along the tributaries of the Thames, where it can form extensive beds in wet meadows and Willow / Alder scrub.
June 14, 2025 at 2:18 PM
The Loddon lily (Leucojum aestivum subsp. aestivum) is named after the River Loddon, a tributary of the Thames which rises at Basingstoke in Hampshire.
It’s British heartland is along the tributaries of the Thames, where it can form extensive beds in wet meadows and Willow / Alder scrub.
It’s British heartland is along the tributaries of the Thames, where it can form extensive beds in wet meadows and Willow / Alder scrub.
‘Pincher-bob’ was an old Hampshire name for the Stag Beetle (Lucanus cervus)
Illustration: Joris Hoefnagel, 16th Century
Illustration: Joris Hoefnagel, 16th Century
June 13, 2025 at 1:58 PM
‘Pincher-bob’ was an old Hampshire name for the Stag Beetle (Lucanus cervus)
Illustration: Joris Hoefnagel, 16th Century
Illustration: Joris Hoefnagel, 16th Century
Lucy Kemp-Welch became one of Britain's best-known female artists for her paintings of horses, particularly military horses and New Forest ponies.
She was only 28 when this painting, ‘Colt-Hunting in the New Forest', was shown at the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition in 1897.
She was only 28 when this painting, ‘Colt-Hunting in the New Forest', was shown at the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition in 1897.
June 8, 2025 at 3:25 PM
Lucy Kemp-Welch became one of Britain's best-known female artists for her paintings of horses, particularly military horses and New Forest ponies.
She was only 28 when this painting, ‘Colt-Hunting in the New Forest', was shown at the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition in 1897.
She was only 28 when this painting, ‘Colt-Hunting in the New Forest', was shown at the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition in 1897.
A traditional name for the Wood Anemone (Anemonoides nemorosa) is ‘smell fox’, due to the musky smell of it’s leaves.
March 12, 2025 at 6:20 PM
A traditional name for the Wood Anemone (Anemonoides nemorosa) is ‘smell fox’, due to the musky smell of it’s leaves.
Traditionally, water meadows were managed so that river water was allowed to flow over the meadow at specific times of the year. By depositing nutrient-rich sediment and raising the ground temperature in winter, this promoted a richer hay crop or grazing.
Painting by David Murray
Painting by David Murray
March 7, 2025 at 12:03 PM
Traditionally, water meadows were managed so that river water was allowed to flow over the meadow at specific times of the year. By depositing nutrient-rich sediment and raising the ground temperature in winter, this promoted a richer hay crop or grazing.
Painting by David Murray
Painting by David Murray
‘The Chace’ tapestry by Heywood Sumner, woven at Morris & Co, 1908.
Hampshire-born artist Sumner was closely associated with the Arts and Crafts movement of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. From his forties he lived on the western edge of the New Forest, a clear inspiration for this work.
Hampshire-born artist Sumner was closely associated with the Arts and Crafts movement of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. From his forties he lived on the western edge of the New Forest, a clear inspiration for this work.
March 3, 2025 at 4:29 PM
‘The Chace’ tapestry by Heywood Sumner, woven at Morris & Co, 1908.
Hampshire-born artist Sumner was closely associated with the Arts and Crafts movement of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. From his forties he lived on the western edge of the New Forest, a clear inspiration for this work.
Hampshire-born artist Sumner was closely associated with the Arts and Crafts movement of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. From his forties he lived on the western edge of the New Forest, a clear inspiration for this work.
Beginning in 1913, the artist Alfred Munnings painted a series of works near Alton in Hampshire that showed the lives of Romani travellers who worked in the area’s hop fields.
Romani people formed a large proportion of the seasonal workers who travelled to Hampshire to pick hops at harvest time.
Romani people formed a large proportion of the seasonal workers who travelled to Hampshire to pick hops at harvest time.
March 2, 2025 at 3:29 PM
Beginning in 1913, the artist Alfred Munnings painted a series of works near Alton in Hampshire that showed the lives of Romani travellers who worked in the area’s hop fields.
Romani people formed a large proportion of the seasonal workers who travelled to Hampshire to pick hops at harvest time.
Romani people formed a large proportion of the seasonal workers who travelled to Hampshire to pick hops at harvest time.
In the medieval period, Buckholt Forest was a royal hunting forest in Hampshire, which together with Clarendon and Melchet forests in Wiltshire formed the ‘Forest of Clarendon’.
Buckholt Forest's name derived from Old English: ‘bōc’ meaning beech tree, and ‘holt’ a single-species wood.
Buckholt Forest's name derived from Old English: ‘bōc’ meaning beech tree, and ‘holt’ a single-species wood.
February 25, 2025 at 5:20 PM
In the medieval period, Buckholt Forest was a royal hunting forest in Hampshire, which together with Clarendon and Melchet forests in Wiltshire formed the ‘Forest of Clarendon’.
Buckholt Forest's name derived from Old English: ‘bōc’ meaning beech tree, and ‘holt’ a single-species wood.
Buckholt Forest's name derived from Old English: ‘bōc’ meaning beech tree, and ‘holt’ a single-species wood.
'Molly washdish', 'Dish washer': old Hampshire names for the Pied Wagtail
Image: Pied wagtail (Motacilla alba yarrelli) by William MacGillivray
Image: Pied wagtail (Motacilla alba yarrelli) by William MacGillivray
February 19, 2025 at 11:07 AM
'Molly washdish', 'Dish washer': old Hampshire names for the Pied Wagtail
Image: Pied wagtail (Motacilla alba yarrelli) by William MacGillivray
Image: Pied wagtail (Motacilla alba yarrelli) by William MacGillivray
The Basingstoke Canal is one of the most botanically species rich aquatic sites in Britain.
Because the water quality transitions from alkaline at it’s western end to mildly acidic at it’s east, the canal is able to support an exceptional range of plant species along it’s 32 mile length.
Because the water quality transitions from alkaline at it’s western end to mildly acidic at it’s east, the canal is able to support an exceptional range of plant species along it’s 32 mile length.
February 15, 2025 at 7:27 PM
The Basingstoke Canal is one of the most botanically species rich aquatic sites in Britain.
Because the water quality transitions from alkaline at it’s western end to mildly acidic at it’s east, the canal is able to support an exceptional range of plant species along it’s 32 mile length.
Because the water quality transitions from alkaline at it’s western end to mildly acidic at it’s east, the canal is able to support an exceptional range of plant species along it’s 32 mile length.
This 19th-century painting, by D A McKewan, shows eel traps or ‘bucks’ mounted over a river. Willow traps like these were once a common sight on Hampshire’s chalk streams.
The lowered traps faced upstream, as they were used to catch adult eels as they migrated downstream to the sea, in the autumn.
The lowered traps faced upstream, as they were used to catch adult eels as they migrated downstream to the sea, in the autumn.
February 14, 2025 at 2:17 PM
This 19th-century painting, by D A McKewan, shows eel traps or ‘bucks’ mounted over a river. Willow traps like these were once a common sight on Hampshire’s chalk streams.
The lowered traps faced upstream, as they were used to catch adult eels as they migrated downstream to the sea, in the autumn.
The lowered traps faced upstream, as they were used to catch adult eels as they migrated downstream to the sea, in the autumn.
“...and any evening you may hear them round the village, for they make a clamour which may be heard a mile”.
18th-century naturalist Gilbert White, writing about the Stone Curlews that lived around the village of Selborne in Hampshire (1768).
Image: John Gould (1873)
18th-century naturalist Gilbert White, writing about the Stone Curlews that lived around the village of Selborne in Hampshire (1768).
Image: John Gould (1873)
February 13, 2025 at 2:10 PM
“...and any evening you may hear them round the village, for they make a clamour which may be heard a mile”.
18th-century naturalist Gilbert White, writing about the Stone Curlews that lived around the village of Selborne in Hampshire (1768).
Image: John Gould (1873)
18th-century naturalist Gilbert White, writing about the Stone Curlews that lived around the village of Selborne in Hampshire (1768).
Image: John Gould (1873)
The brilliant yellow Lesser Celandine flowers from January to April.
It’s tubers are known to have been cooked and eaten throughout history. Archaeologists have found charred tubers in cooking pits and hearths at Neolithic, Bronze Age and Iron Age sites across Britain and Northern Europe.
It’s tubers are known to have been cooked and eaten throughout history. Archaeologists have found charred tubers in cooking pits and hearths at Neolithic, Bronze Age and Iron Age sites across Britain and Northern Europe.
February 13, 2025 at 12:08 PM
The brilliant yellow Lesser Celandine flowers from January to April.
It’s tubers are known to have been cooked and eaten throughout history. Archaeologists have found charred tubers in cooking pits and hearths at Neolithic, Bronze Age and Iron Age sites across Britain and Northern Europe.
It’s tubers are known to have been cooked and eaten throughout history. Archaeologists have found charred tubers in cooking pits and hearths at Neolithic, Bronze Age and Iron Age sites across Britain and Northern Europe.
The New Forest National Park has around 1000 ancient trees - the highest concentration in Western Europe.
They provide a specialist habitat for many rare species of fungi, lichen, invertebrates and bats, and help make the New Forest one of the most important places for wildlife in Britain.
They provide a specialist habitat for many rare species of fungi, lichen, invertebrates and bats, and help make the New Forest one of the most important places for wildlife in Britain.
February 3, 2025 at 3:43 PM
The New Forest National Park has around 1000 ancient trees - the highest concentration in Western Europe.
They provide a specialist habitat for many rare species of fungi, lichen, invertebrates and bats, and help make the New Forest one of the most important places for wildlife in Britain.
They provide a specialist habitat for many rare species of fungi, lichen, invertebrates and bats, and help make the New Forest one of the most important places for wildlife in Britain.
Bog Myrtle is a small shrub that grows on wet heaths and bogs. Although scarce in England, it is common in the New Forest.
The plant’s aromatic foliage imparts a sweet, resinous, slightly bitter taste that once made Bog Myrtle a popular flavouring for beer.
The plant’s aromatic foliage imparts a sweet, resinous, slightly bitter taste that once made Bog Myrtle a popular flavouring for beer.
January 29, 2025 at 11:21 AM
Bog Myrtle is a small shrub that grows on wet heaths and bogs. Although scarce in England, it is common in the New Forest.
The plant’s aromatic foliage imparts a sweet, resinous, slightly bitter taste that once made Bog Myrtle a popular flavouring for beer.
The plant’s aromatic foliage imparts a sweet, resinous, slightly bitter taste that once made Bog Myrtle a popular flavouring for beer.
The Field Cricket is one of Hampshire’s rarest insects. Habitat loss led to major population declines in the 20th century - in the 1980s, the Field Cricket survived on just one site in West Sussex. Reintroduction projects mean there are now 6 populations on heathlands in Surrey, Sussex and Hampshire
January 26, 2025 at 4:26 PM
The Field Cricket is one of Hampshire’s rarest insects. Habitat loss led to major population declines in the 20th century - in the 1980s, the Field Cricket survived on just one site in West Sussex. Reintroduction projects mean there are now 6 populations on heathlands in Surrey, Sussex and Hampshire
The word ‘down‘ - a chalk hill in southern England – is derived from the Old English word dūn meaning ‘hill’.
Image: Eric Ravilious, ‘The Vale of the White Horse’, 1939
Image: Eric Ravilious, ‘The Vale of the White Horse’, 1939
January 24, 2025 at 4:22 PM
The word ‘down‘ - a chalk hill in southern England – is derived from the Old English word dūn meaning ‘hill’.
Image: Eric Ravilious, ‘The Vale of the White Horse’, 1939
Image: Eric Ravilious, ‘The Vale of the White Horse’, 1939
The village of Emsworth on Chichester Harbour was once home to a major oyster fishery. In 1760, it was reported that 24,000 oysters were dredged on a single tide at Emsworth.
January 19, 2025 at 5:10 PM
The village of Emsworth on Chichester Harbour was once home to a major oyster fishery. In 1760, it was reported that 24,000 oysters were dredged on a single tide at Emsworth.
These are some names that the Green Woodpecker was known by in 19th-century Hampshire: yaffle, yaffingale, yuckel, woodnacker.
January 17, 2025 at 12:15 PM
These are some names that the Green Woodpecker was known by in 19th-century Hampshire: yaffle, yaffingale, yuckel, woodnacker.
This picture, from 1813, shows a boy fishing on a stream running down the centre of Middlebrook Street, Winchester. The channel was diverted into the underground sewer system in 1875, as a response to poor sanitation and chronic pollution. Artist: Samuel Prout
January 11, 2025 at 4:26 PM
This picture, from 1813, shows a boy fishing on a stream running down the centre of Middlebrook Street, Winchester. The channel was diverted into the underground sewer system in 1875, as a response to poor sanitation and chronic pollution. Artist: Samuel Prout
Woolmer Forest’s name can be traced back to the medieval Wulfamere, meaning wolves’ pool. By the time this map was made in 1575, it had evolved to Wulmere. Image: Saxton's map of Hampshire
January 9, 2025 at 4:14 PM
Woolmer Forest’s name can be traced back to the medieval Wulfamere, meaning wolves’ pool. By the time this map was made in 1575, it had evolved to Wulmere. Image: Saxton's map of Hampshire