The Children of the New Forest by Frederick Marryat

Children of the New Forest by Frederick Marryat

First published in 1847. This book has been reprinted by Yesterday’s Classics and is also available on Kindle, at Project Gutenberg, and Librivox. Some claim it to have been the first historical fiction book for children/young people, and it has endured. The book has also been made into a series for television four times by the BBC.

Frederick Marryat, born in 1792 and died in 1848, was a British naval officer, and gained promotions for his bravery for the British in the War of 1812. He was also a novelist and an acquaintance of Charles Dickens. Marryat wrote an autobiographical novel in 1836 entitled Mr. Midshipman Easy which was admired by Mark Twain and others, and was said to be the prototype for many other authors who wrote naval stories such as Forester. For his own children he wrote Children of the New Forest.

The book begins in England in 1647 when King Charles I was defeated in the Civil War and fled into the New Forest region, on the south shore of England, near Southampton, about 100 miles SW of London.  Soldiers are sent to find him and decide to burn Arnwood, the home of a Charles sympathizer. Four children of Arnwood are rescued from this disaster and taken to live in the New Forest with a man who had been a worker on the estate. Most thought these orphaned children had died in the flames. Under their caretaker, these children of nobility learn self-sufficiency in the forest and on his farm. The rest of the story tells of their growing up there, eventual involvement in the political affairs of the times, and how they gained back their estate.

I found most interesting the descriptions of all that they learned of the forest and farm, how to raise animals and crops. Their growing wisdom and confidence, their in-bred training of grace and courage, and their plans to do right no matter the cost are very inspiring. The book moves along slowly with sudden spurts of action and adventure. There is bloodshed at the cost of self-defense. And there is romance, but all done properly, according to the customs of the times.

The writer’s knowledge of the political chaos of the times is well-evident and clearly explained. This provides a good value to the book for any studies of this time period. Interestingly, the main characters, the four children, are against the Cromwell side of the Civil War, which is different from most of the books of this time period that I have read. In that sense, it does provide a good balanced view.

The independent reading level of this book is upper elementary through jr high. Because the plot moves so slowly most of the time though, I would expect older students to enjoy it better. The book could also be read aloud and enjoyed as a family. There are many exemplary lessons of character and the defense of right to be discussed, as well as the political events surrounding the story line.

Recommended additional books to aid your studies:

Cromwell’s Boy by Erik Christian Haugaard

A Messenger for Parliament by Erik Christian Haugaard

Friends though Divided: A Tale of the Civil War by G.A. Henty

Two Jackdaw collections: The English Civil War 1642-1649 (#33) and Cromwell’s Commonwealth and Protectorate (#27)

              If you have never seen these Jackdaw collections, you might not realize what a wonderful resource they are of primary sources to aid your studies. They are pamphlets published over the years in England on many historical events and people, many about English history but some also on American and Canada. The packet contains a short document of the history of the event or person, and a list of the document facsimiles included in the packet. I highly recommend them – a little hard to find – but well worth the effort.

Kate Rider by Hester Burton

Death to the King: The Story of the English Civil War by Clifford Alderman

Puritan Revolution by C. Walter Hodges

Escape of Charles II After the Battle of Worcester by Richard Ollard

For the King by Ronald Welch

With the King at Oxford by Alfred J. Church

Island Story: A History of England for Boys and Girls by H.E. Marshall

The Flight and Adventures of Charles II by Charles Norman, a World Landmark book

I think I have a few more on my shelves but am not home at the moment to double check. I’ll try to add to this later. I know have some on the history of England for children to add to this list. Most of the above titles are for older students.

Also during your studies of this time period of the 1640s, you could add these topics: Scottish Covenanters – The Crown and Covenant series by Douglas Bond

 John Bunyan and Pilgrim’s Progress,

Princess Ann,

the Treaty of Paris,

and other people such as Blaise Pascal, Galileo, and John Locke. In America at this time period, Of Plymouth Plantation was being written by William Bradford.

(Book review by Sandy Hall. All rights reserved. July 14, 2017)