Beaulieu

The inclusive admission price covers entrance to the National Motor Museum, Palace House and Gardens, Beaulieu Abbey, "We had one of those" (an exhibition of cars from 1960s-2000s).

Beaulieu Abbey was a Cistercian abbey, founded in 1204 by King John and was occupied by 30 monks. The abbey's buildings were of a scale and magnificence reflecting its status as an important royal foundation and it took more than four decades to complete. Beaulieu became a recourse for fugitives, among these was Perkin Warbeck who fled to Beaulieu from the pursuing armies of Henry VII. After the Dissolution of the Monastery in 1538, there was much competition to gain ownership of Beaulieu abbey and its estates, but eventually Thomas Wriothesley, 1st Earl of Southampton. As soon as he took over, Wriothesley set about building himself a house on the site, for this he demolished the church. Today, although a great deal was destroyed at the time of the Dissolution, there is still much to see. The ground plan of the 102-m-long church can be seen on the lawns. The Domus, once the lay brothers' refectory now houses an exhibition of monastic life. Visitors can view a series of embroidered wall hangings made by Belinda, Lady Montagu, depicting scenes from mediaeval monastic life and the history of the abbey.

Beaulieu Palace House was built in the 13th century as the Great Gatehouse of Beaulieu Abbey and has been the ancestral home of a branch of the Montagu family since 1538. The house was extended in the 16th century, and again in the 19th century, and is today a fine example of a Gothic country house. The inside of the house has been kept in a Victorian style. Although still home to the current Lord and Lady Montagu, parts of the house and gardens are open daily to the public. Today in Palace House, history comes alive with real Victorian characters to give a fascinating insight into the workings of a Victorian household.

The National Motor Museum was founded in 1952, at first the museum consisted of just five cars and a small collection of automobilia displayed in the front hall of Palace House, but such was the popularity of this small display that the collection soon outgrew its home. In 1972 the name was changed to the National Motor Museum, reflecting a change of status from a private collection to a charitable trust. Today, around 250 of the most historically important motor vehicles to have been produced since the late-19th century are on display.

Email via online contact form. With its Georgian cottages running down to the river, Buckler's Hard is a very pretty 18th century village on the Beaulieu Estate. During the Napoleonic Wars, with Britain's urgent need for ships and the New Forest's abundant supply of oak, the village became a major shipbuilding centre under Master Henry Adams. Many warships, including HMS Euryalus, HMS Swiftsure and Nelson's HMS Agamemnon (all of which fought at Trafalgar), were built on the slips at the foot of the village street. The industry declined in the 19th-century and today has a maritime museum, and a modern yachting marina.