The quaint village of Beaulieu sits alongside the Beaulieu River and lies within the 7000 acre Beaulieu Estate, home to the Montagu family since 1538. This picturesque village is very small yet very busy, mainly due to the world famous National Motor Museum, Palace House and Beaulieu Abbey, being The New Forests top attractions. The village is little more than a few rows of red brick houses, with a few shops and the impressive Montagu Arms Hotel. The inclusive admission charge covers entrance to Palace House and its Gardens, the Monastic Life Exhibition, the Abbey and the National Motor Museum.
Palace House, formerly the 14th Century great gatehouse to Beaulieu Abbey was extended in the 1870's by Lord Henry Scott to accommodate his large family. Today Palace House remains a family home and is still inhabited by the Montagu family.
Due to the high running costs of the estate, a decision was made to open Palace House to the public. As a tribute to Lord Montagu's father (a motoring pioneer) three veteran cars were placed in the entrance hall of the house. These cars proved to be very popular with the Palace House visitors, and so a collection began. Today over 200 motor vehicles are housed in the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu.
The National Motor Museum is home to a fabulous and unique collection, from some of the earliest examples of motor vehicles to the glamorous cars featured in the James Bond films. World land speed record breaking cars like Bluebird, Sunbeam and Golden Arrow can all be found here, along with cars owned by film stars and famous people.
Beaulieu Abbey was founded in 1204 when King John gave some land to Cistercian monks. The land was originally home to a Royal hunting lodge, known as 'Bellus Locus Regis' (the beautiful place of the King). It was these humble, hard working Cistercian monks who renamed the land Beaulieu. Much of the Abbey was destroyed during the reign of King Henry VIII at the time of the dissolution of the monasteries. However, there is still much remaining for todays visitors to see.
Visitors to Beaulieu can also take a riverside walk to Buckler's Hard, just over 2 miles away. This picturesque 18th century shipbuilding village is famed for building some of the wooden ships for the Royal Navy and Admiral Nelsons fleet.
