The Rufus Stone and the Purkis Connection.

THE RUFUS STONE.

The Rufus stone is a memorial to death of William the Conqueror's son, King William ll, nicknamed Rufus. The stone was erected by Earl De La Warr in 1745 and marks the approximate spot where King Rufus was killed by an arrow shot by Sir Walter Tyrell, while hunting on August 2nd 1100.

At the beginning of the nineteenth century the stone had become damaged and was encased in iron in 1841, which remains its present condition. The Rufus Stone is triangular in shape. To view each of the three sides and to read the inscriptions, click on the 'thumbnail' pictures just to the left.

The killing of Rufus was said to be accidental. The King's youngest brother, Henry, hearing of his brother's death, rode to Winchester, seized the treasury and had himself proclaimed king by the barons, forestalling the claims of his eldest brother, Robert of Normandy.

What are believed to be poor Rufus' bones now reside in a mortuary chest positioned high above the choir area in Winchester Cathedral. Unusually to see his final resting place one has to look up, rather than down. He shares the mortuary chest with other early royalty including King Canute and Canute's wife, Queen Emma.

The Rufus Stone is not one of the world's biggest or best memorials but it is a good thought to remember and to acknowledge the simple man who discovered the body and who, in his cart, took the body back to Winchester where it was buried in the cathedral of that city and that is thanks to ' one Purkis.'

To view information on the Charcoal Burner and the Purkis family click on the links to the right. Please note that we have put what historical information that we have on the Purkis family on this site, and we do not claim or aim to be the family historians; rather we hope this site will assist others' research.

How to find the Rufus Stone

The Rufus Stone can be found in the New Forest, near the village of Minstead, in the county of Hampshire, in England. The 'Stone' is situated in an attractive glade, (shown in the background of this page and more clearly viewed by clicking on the thumbnail below ) just off the A31.

Approaching from Ringwood it is an easy filter off the dual carriageway and well signposted.

Signposted route from London direction

Taking the signposted route coming from the London / Cadnam direction, the driver must go a short distance beyond the Rufus Stone and then turn back through a gap in the central reservation back onto the A31. With traffic pounding down the main road, this can take some nerve.

Our recommended route from London direction

From the London direction we would rather recommend leaving the M27 at Junction 1 taking the third exit (ignoring signpost to Rufus Stone back onto the M27/A31) and take the B3079 through Brook. At the Bell Inn fork left (signposted to Rufus Stone) and follow the road for some small distance. You will pass the Sir Walter Tyrell pub and a further 200 yards on is the Rufus Stone.

If you key the postcode SO43 7HD into the 'Sat Nav' this will take you within a few hundred yards of the Rufus Stone, taking you off at Junction 1 of the M27 on the route described immediately above.

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