The small village of Burley is a major attraction for visitors to the New Forest,It's a village that boasts a colourful history and is probably the be
The small village of Burley is a major attraction for visitors to the New Forest,It's a village that boasts a colourful history and is probably the best known village of the New Forest for ancient folklore. Smuggling was big business across areas of the New Forest in the 18th and 19th centuries, and Burley was a major port for smugglers making their way across the network of Forest tracks. The 17th century Queen's Head pub in the village centre was a favourite stop, in fact a secret cellar was discovered during renovation work - the cellar was home to a stash of pistols, coins and alcohol thought to be left there by local smugglers. And witchcraft has also played a major role in Burley's past, even in relatively modern times. The village's most infamous inhabitant lived here during the 1950s - a white witch named Sybil Leek. She wandered through the village with her pet jackdaw and was an authority on New Forest life, having spent much of her time living with Forest gypsies. Sybil moved to America after becoming somewhat of a village joke, and wrote many books on the subject of witchcraft and astrology - books which are still highly respected and studied today by followers and enthusiasts of the practice.
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