STAGE
2
The Children of the
New Forest
Captain Marryat
Introduction
This ungraded summary is for the teacher’s use only
and should not be given to students.
The story
It is the seventeenth century in England, just after the
English Civil War between Cromwell and King CharlesI
in which Cromwell triumphs and imprisons the King.
When the King escapes from prison, the soldiers
come looking for him at the home of Colonel Beverley
at Arnwood. Although he is now dead, he used to
Edward never forgets that he wants to fight against
be a soldier in the King’s army and fought against
Cromwell so when the King’s son arrives in Scotland
Cromwell. The soldiers burn down the house.
Edward goes off to fight in his army. But the King is
Jacob Armitage, a forester and an old friend of
defeated and Edward comes back to the New Forest
the family, helps the Beverley children escape to his
dressed in the uniform of a Roundhead to avoid
cottage in the forest – they have no one else in the
discovery. He goes back to work for Hetherstone.
world to help them because their mother is also dead.
Eventually Edward tells Patience he loves her. She
The four children, Edward (fourteen), Alice (eleven),
loves him too but does not say so because she is
Edith (eight) and Humphrey (twelve) pretend that they
unsure of what her father will think. Before Edward
are Jacob’s grandchildren. They learn how to work
can ask if he can marry her, Hetherstone tells him that
around the house and in the forest. Jacob teaches
Arnwood has been given to him and that he is going
Edward how to hunt deer and Humphrey learns how
to give it to the man who marries Patience. Edward
to farm. He evens tames a wild cow so that they can
is silently angry and believes his poverty means he
all have milk.
will never be able to marry Patience. He returns to his
Edward goes to a friend of Jacob’s, Oswald
family and tells them his plan to run away and join the
Partridge, to get a puppy for Humphrey who needs
army in France. He leaves without a word to Patience
a hunting dog. Although a supporter of the King,
who is very upset. Hetherstone had suspected that
Partridge works for Hetherstone, the administrator
Edward was a Beverley and had planned to give him
of the New Forest. Hetherstone tells Edward that all
Arnwood when he married Patience. Now his plans
the foresters now work for him and not the King; and
have gone wrong.
that if the foresters hunt deer, they will go to prison.
After nine years Edward returns to England.
That night Edward raises the alarm when a fire breaks
Cromwell is dead and Charles II is King. Hetherstone
out in the house. He rescues Hetherstone’s beautiful
and Humphrey have rebuilt Arnwood. Patience and
daughter Patience from the fire and saves her life.
Edward marry and live happily at Arnwood.
When he arrives home he finds that Jacob is dying.
Background to the story
Six weeks later Oswald comes to tell Jacob and
the children that the Roundheads have executed the
The English Civil War (1642–49) divided families
King. Edward is shocked and angry. He promises to
and communities. People who supported the King
fight for the King one day. He also tells Oswald about
were known as Loyalists while those who supported
Jacob’s death. Oswald is sorry to hear the news and
Parliament were called Roundheads. King CharlesI
advises Edward on where to sell illegal deer meat.
was executed in 1653. Oliver Cromwell ruled as Lord
Later when Hetherstone comes to thank Edward
Protector of the Commonwealth until 1658. His son
for saving his daughter’s life, he asks Edward to be
Richard ruled for one year until the restoration of the
his secretary. While working at Hetherstone’s house
monarchy in 1660, when Charles II became King.
Edward starts to fall in love with Patience and discovers
Hetherstone is a good man who is saddened by the
execution of the King.
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26
STAGE
2
The Children of the New Forest
Pre-reading activity
Anticipation through chapter titles
Put these chapter headings in the order in which you think they occur.
Then match the pictures with the chapter titles.
F
F
F
Secretary to Mr Hetherstone
Edward goes visiting
Soldier of the King
Escape
Life in the Forest
F
F
2
1
3
4
5
To the teacher
Aim: To anticipate plot
they should simply be encouraged to speculate about
Time: 15–20 minutes
possible connections. They may be able to come up
Organization: Give the students the worksheet.
with an idea of a plot line, but this is not essential.
Check to make sure that there are no problems with
When students have finished, allow each group to
vocabulary items in the list. Then divide the students
outline its ideas in a short verbal report to the class.
into small groups and ask them to speculate as
Give no indication as to whether they have guessed
widely as they can about the meaning of the chapter
correctly, but let them listen to all the ideas and
titles, their connection with one another and the
discuss them if they wish.
pictures, and their connection with the title. It is not
important whether their guesses are correct or not;
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© OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS PHOTOCOPIABLE
STAGE
2
The Children of the New Forest
After reading activity
Order the events
Number the events in the story in the right order.
F
F
F
F
a Arnwood is burnt by Cromwell’s soldiers.
b Cromwell’s soldiers search Jacob’s cottage.
c Edward becomes Mr Hetherstone’s secretary.
d Edward goes to France to fight with Charles II.
e Edward returns from France and marries
Patience Hetherstone.
F
F
F
f Edward saves Patience Hetherstone from the fire.
g Edward visits Oswald Partridge to get a puppy.
h Edwards goes to fight for King Charles II but
comes back when the King is unsuccessful.
i
Humphrey finds a cow to milk.
j
Humphrey finds Pablo in the forest.
F
F
F
F
k Jacob dies.
l
Jacob teaches the Beverley children how to live
in the forests.
F
F
F
F
F
m Mr Hetherstone tells Edward not to kill deer.
n Parliament gives Arnwood to Mr Hetherstone.
o The Beverley children escape Cromwell’s soldiers.
p The King dies.
To the teacher
Aim: To order, revise, remember what has been read,
in order without looking at the book (they can check
and to summarize
later).
Time: 10–20 minutes
Key: 1o, 2a, 3l, 4b, 5i, 6g, 7m, 8f, 9k, 10p, 11j, 12c,
Organization: Give out the worksheets to pairs or
13h, 14n, 15d, 16e
groups of students. Ask them to put the 16 incidents
PHOTOCOPIABLE
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