MOSHRS Summer Outing – 11th July 2024

This year we will be visiting two sites of historic interest albeit different centuries.

The first stop will be to explore the Rockbourne Roman Villa – a unique archaeological site and museum, situated in a peaceful part of Hampshire near the historic town of Fordingbridge, on the edge of the New Forest.
You can walk amongst the remains of the largest known villa complex in the area, which once stood in the centre of a large farming estate. Its history spans the period from the Iron Age to
the 5th century AD.
The villa site includes the remains of bath houses, living quarters, farm buildings and workshops. You can also see the best preserved of the mosaics discovered here, as well as part of the underfloor heating system and the outline of the villa’s forty rooms. Many of the finds from the site are displayed thematically in the museum and tell the story of what life was like in this fascinating place.
We will be given a short summary of the history before exploring the area and the museum.

After lunch we will be visiting Breamore House and museum.
The history of Breamore dates back to 508 AD where an important battle was fought between the British King Natanleaga and the Anglo Saxon king Cerdic, who founded Wessex. The battle took place at Cerdeford, which today is called Charford and lies on the outskirts of Breamore village. The outcome of this battle may well have determined the boundary of the New Forest as this boundary is also the border of Breamore Estate.
Prior to the Saxon occupiers, Brumore was home to Neolithic communities, which can be seen at Giants Grave. The Natural Heritage Long Barrow site is a Bronze age burial ground.
In 980 AD the Anglo Saxons build a church a couple of miles from Cerdeford battle ground in the village of Brumore which today is Breamore.
In 1580, William Dodington, Auditor to the Tower Mint, purchased the village and in 1583 completed the manor house which was erected next to the church. The village remained medieval until the great ‘Tudor Rebuild’ at the end of the 16th century.
Edward Hulse M.D. the Court Physician to William III in England purchased Breamore Estate from the Dodingtons in 1748, where it remains their family home over two and a half centuries later.

The Outing is for Members and their guests only. Of course, we always welcome new members

If you would like to join us, please complete the booking form which may be downloaded here.