Cadnam is a village in the New Forest in Hampshire within the boundaries of the New Forest National Park. The village has existed since the medieval period. It was and still is an important crossroads between Southampton and the towns of Dorset.

Understand

Cadnam is first recorded in the 1270s as Cadenham. The name apparently means the farmstead ("ham") of a man named Cadda.

Surrounding villages are Copythorne to the northeast, and Bartley to the southeast.

Get in

The village sits at the crossroads between the Romsey to Ringwood road (the A31 road) and the Southampton to Fordingbridge B3079.

The A337 road links Cadnam with the small port at Lymington. The western end (Junction 1) of the M27 motorway is at Cadnam.

See

• The Cadnam Oak, at the south-east corner of a crossroads in Cadnam, is thought to be a "boundary tree" of the New Forest. Legend has it that the Cadnam Oak puts forth green leaves on Christmas Day, being leafless immediately before and after the day. The current tree is actually a descendant of the first Cadnam Oak, but its fame continues. Popular tradition even has it that the tree only buds on Old Christmas Day on 6 January, refusing to acknowledge the Gregorian calendar change of 1752.

The Rufus Stone

• 1 Rufus Stone, SO43 7HN (in an attractive glade just north of the A31 towards the eastern boundary of the forest; it is clearly signposted from the dual-carriageway). Open daylight hours. The stone marks the spot where popular myth has it that King William II was assassinated. The son of the Conqueror, often called William Rufus, was unpopular at court and in the church, not least because of rumours that he was gay. What's clear is, while hunting on 2 August 1100, he was fatally wounded by an arrow shot by Walter Tirel. Officially, this was deemed an accident — Tirel was shooting a deer and the king got in the way — but the fact that William's body was left to rot where he fell by his hunting "companions" does make one wonder, as does the reaction of his brother Henry I in immediately riding to Winchester to secure the Treasury and claim his crown. The actual location of William's death was probably a fair bit to the south, but no one really knows for sure. Free. (updated Dec 2020)

Do

• 1 Paulton's Park (just off junction 2 of the M27). Fully open Apr–Oct, generally 10AM–5:30PM. Christmas at Paultons: weekends and certain other days in Nov–Dec: 10:00–16:30. Closed 24 December–31 March. A popular family theme park with over 40 rides, as well as a small zoo, gardens and 'park within a park' Peppa Pig World Advance tickets: adult £31.75, child taller than 1 m £27.25 children under 1 m: free. (updated Apr 2017)
• 2 Furzey Gardens. A beautiful country garden with adventure playgrounds, tree houses and mini fairy houses for kids to discover. There's also a museum and tea rooms. Furzey Gardens won a gold medal at the 2011 Chelsea Flower Show. (updated Dec 2020)
• The Cadnam Cricket Club (established in 1880) play on the Lambs Corner ground (adjacent to the road to Lyndhurst).

Drink

There are a number of pubs in Cadnam, including the White Hart, the Sir John Barleycorn and the Coach and Horses located halfway through Cadnam on Southampton Road.

• 1 The White Hart, Old Romsey Road, ☏ +44 2380 812 277. A traditional New Forest pub featuring a Sunday Roast. (updated Apr 2024)

Sleep

• The Bartley Lodge Hotel.
• 1 Twin Oaks Guest House, Southampton Road, ☏ +44 23 8081-2305, enquiries@twinoaks-guesthouse.co.uk. Bed and breakfast accommodation. Offers driving service to the cruise ship terminal in Southampton (20 min). From £60 single, £100 double. (updated Apr 2024)

Camping

These Forestry Commission Sites are run to a very high standard. They all offer wash huts with hot showers and flushing toilets, drinking water, and some have campsite shops offering gas and food.

• 2 Longbeach, Fritham, SO43 7HH. (updated Dec 2020)
• 3 Ocknell, Fritham, SO43 7HH, ☏ +44 8451 308224. (updated Dec 2020)