Beaulieu |
The Abbey
Beaulieu Abbey, founded by King John in 1204, was, for three hundred years, the largest Cistercian monastery in England, however many of its buildings were destroyed during the Reformation in 1538.
Take an atmospheric stroll in the fragrant cloisters, planted with sweet-smelling herbs.
Palace House
The Palace House was created in 1538. Formerly the Great Gatehouse of Beaulieu Abbey, the monastic origins of Palace House can clearly be seen as you walk through the magnificent Lower Drawing Room and spacious Dining Hall.
Enjoy delving into the Montagu family's past and see many rare and fascinating family treasures, portraits and photographs.
Secret Army
During World War II, the Special Operations Executive or "SOE" was based at Beaulieu. This was a training academy for spies and secret agents - a sort of "Finishing School for the James Bonds".
Motor Museum
With more than 250 vehicles of all sorts, the National Motor Museum is a mecca for car enthusiasts of all ages.
There are lots of motoring exhibitions to enjoy including:
For Britain and for the Hell of it - tells the story of the brave men who risk everything to break the Land Speed Record and have the glory of being the fastest driver on earth. Several British land speed record holders are on display, including the Golden Arrow, and Donald Campbell's "Bluebird".
The Motorcycle Story exhibition is sure to appeal to fans of two-wheeled transport.
Among the vehicles on display are a Land Rover Defender, winner of the 1989 Camel Trohpy and a 1978 Austin Mini Clubman and trailer twice driven around the world.
World of Top Gear
Ever wondered what happened to the amphibious Toyota, the Alfa/Saab stretch limo and the Reliant Robin rocket that were drowned/ cut in half / fired into space by Jeremy, James and Richard in the good name of Top Gear?
Since not even the dodgiest used car dealers would buy them, Beaulieu have collected all the battered, modified and generally ruined cars from the world's biggest car show and gathered them together in… the Top Gear Enormodrome!
Take a look around the cars from the challenges, get a rare behind-the-scenes view into the show's production office, and enjoy clips of some of the best Top Gear moments.
Rides and Drives
There's also a veteran London bus from 1912, "wheels" a pod ride that shows you 100 years of motoring history, and even exciting Go Karts to enjoy.
Younger members of the family can start their driving careers early on in mini motorised vehicles on Dipstick's Driving Circuit, or burn off some energy on the Mini Motor Play Trail.
With so much for the whole family to enjoy at Beaulieu - you might struggle to fit everything in to a single day!
Share this article
Video |
|
|
|
|
Directions |
|
Beaulieu is in the heart of the New Forest. |
|
Beaulieu Postcode for SatNav: SO42 7ZN
|
Contact
|
|
|||||||||||
Days Out near Beaulieu
-
Bucklers Hard Maritime Museum (2 Miles)*
-
Exbury Gardens & Steam Railway (3 Miles)*
-
Longdown Activity Farm (4 Miles)*
-
Southampton Maritime Museum (5 Miles)*
-
Tudor House Museum (5 Miles)*
-
St Barbe Museum & Art Gallery (6 Miles)*
-
Furzey Gardens (9 Miles)*
-
Osborne House (9 Miles)*
-
Itchen Valley Country Park (9 Miles)*
-
Lakeside Country Park (10 Miles)*
Places to Visit near Beaulieu
-
Brockenhurst (5 Miles)*
-
Hamble-le-Rice (6 Miles)*
-
Lyndhurst (6 Miles)*
-
Southampton (7 Miles)*
-
Eastleigh (12 Miles)*
-
Fareham (12 Miles)*
-
Highcliffe (12 Miles)*
-
Gosport (14 Miles)*
-
Mudeford (14 Miles)*
-
Winchester (14 Miles)*
Also near Beaulieu |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||