Frederick Marryat's The Children of the New Forest, set in the backdrop of the English Civil War, was the last novel to be published in his lifetime. The story follows the fortunes of the four Beverley children who are believed to have perished when their house, Arnwood, is burned down by Roundhead soldiers. They escape to a forest where they are adopted by a gamekeeper and learn to make a new life for themselves. The adventures of the Beverley's, and their coming of age, form the heart of a story that is a celebration of chivalry, courage and endurance.