Exploring Harewood Forest

Hidden away in the heart of Harewood Forest, at an eerie place called Deadman’s Plack, is a solitary pink granite cross. Despite standing over 70ft (21m) tall, it’s shrouded by trees and can be difficult to find. The reasons for its construction will send shivers down your spine.

Colonel Iremonger, owner of Wherwell Priory, erected the monument in 1825 to commemorate the spot where Edgar, grandson of Alfred the Great and King of England, is supposed to have murdered his friend Athelwold in ad 963. The events leading to this bloody deed make a classic tale of love, jealousy and hate. Eager to marry again following the death of his first wife, Edgar sent one of his trusted courtiers, Earl Athelwold, to visit Elfrida, daughter of Ordgar, Earl of Devon, to see if the reports of her beauty were true. But Althelwold fell in love with her and, before wooing and marrying her, sent back a message that she was ugly and would be unsuitable as a queen. Edgar soon found out he had been deceived and Elfrida, having realised that she had lost her chance at becoming queen, turned her charms towards Edgar. The king too was smitten and fell in love. He could not forgive Athelwold and it is said that Edgar and Elfrida plotted together to murder him. Edgar invited the earl on a hunting trip in Harewood Forest and at Deadman’s Plack stabbed him to death. He promptly married Elfrida and they had a son, Ethelred. Following the King’s death in ad 975, his son Edward from his first marriage succeeded him to the throne. Jealous of her stepson and anxious for her own son Ethelred to be king, Elfrida stabbed Edward to death at Corfe Castle in ad 978. However, stricken with remorse, she founded a nunnery on the banks of the River Test at Wherwell, 3 miles (4.8km) south of Deadman’s Plack. Haunted by her own conscience she lived a life of penitence until her death in 1002.

Leaving the Deadman’s Plack copse behind you, the walk soon merges with the Test Way. This well waymarked trail leads you back into the Test Valley and Longparish. Stretching for 3 miles (4.8km) along the River Test, the village was originally known as Middleton before its name was superseded by its nickname ‘Longparish’.

Walk through the churchyard, exit via the gate opposite the main door and turn right to follow the Test Way (TW) across the water meadow. Go through two gates and bear left along the lane into the village of Forton. Go round the sharp right-hand bend by a barn at Forton Farmhouse to a T-junction. Pass through the gate opposite to a path running diagonally across the field, then bear right along a rough track.

Cross the course of the old Hurstbourne-to-Fullerton branch line, then keep ahead beside a low hedge on your right. Go through a gap in the top corner of the field, then bear right at a marker post, still following the hedge on your right. Continue into the next field and follow the waymarked path to the left of a small wood, ignoring the main track forking to the right. Shortly, cross a track to follow the path along the left-hand edge of a large field at the base of a shallow valley. On reaching the field corner, keep ahead through trees to a lane and left turn.

To visit Deadman’s Plack follow the lane for 500yds (457m). Turn left over a stile and cross the meadow into woods. Keep ahead over a concrete track, then drop gently to another concrete track and turn left along the signed ‘Permissive footpath to the monument’. After 110yds (100m) turn left to reach the monument hidden in the trees.

Retrace your steps back to just before Point 3. Turn left, then cross the stile in the hedge on the left and follow a path between fields and then alongside woodland. Bear left by a marker post to join the main track through Harewood Forest. Keep ahead at a crossing of paths by a large conifer tree and then eventually join a gravel drive to the B3400.

Turn right, then almost immediately left up the drive to Andover Down Farm. Keep to the right of the farm and a small industrial site. Bear off the drive, left at gates to a house and follow the track right. Head downhill towards Faulkners Down Farm.

At the farm, bear right along its drive, in front of the house. Proceed downhill, turning right off the road at the ‘Private Road, No Thoroughfare’ sign on to the TW, a track between fields. Go through a gap in the hedge (TW), and then follow the left-hand field edge to a gap near cottages. Bear left on the drive to the B3400.

Cross the road and go through the gap in the hedge opposite to follow the grassy track (TW) beside rolling arable land. Gently climb, then descend, to join a stony track, coming from the right, beneath the beech canopy. Shortly, bear left (TW) along a track to a metalled track.

Bear left along the track, cross over the old railway on a bridge and then continue onto a metalled driveway. Keep left at a fork and continue ahead when the metalled surface becomes a gravel track. Follow this left and out of the woods to shortly reach a junction of tracks. Turn right (TW) to Longparish. At the village lane, turn right, back to the church or village hall.