Beaulieu

Beaulieu - The Palace House

The Palace House at Beaulieu as seen today dates mostly from the C18th with a restoration and enlargement of 1872. However it incorporates a Mid C14th gatehouse which had been converted to a hunting lodge c.1540 for Lord Wriothesley. It has been the (not always primary) residence of the Montagu family for generations, see Link

Full EH Grade I listing here: Link

Their own website here: Link

Beaulieu - The Domus

The Domus is one of only two buildings of the original Cistercian abbey to have survived the Dissolution of the Monasteries in the C16th. It dates from the early C13th and was originally the Lay Brothers' Dormitory. It is now used by the estate for various functions e.g. conferences or "Medieval Banquets" - see Link

The Domus adjoins the (ruined) cloisters on their western side. The photograph was taken from the eastern side of these cloisters. It is EH Grade I listed Link

Beaulieu - foundations of former abbey church

Before the Dissolution of the Monasteries in the C16th there had been a Cistercian abbey here at Beaulieu with a large and magnificent abbey church. All that remains of that church now is the rocks of its foundations, some of which can be seen here. The abbey was 'dissolved' in April 1538, one of the earliest monasteries to close. It passed into the possession of Thomas Wriothesley, 1st Earl of Southampton (1505-50). Soon after this date the stone of most of the abbey was 'quarried' for building stones for other buildings. See extensive EH Ancient Monument write-up here: Link

See also SU3802 : Beaulieu - Northern Cloister wall which adjoins it and has a separate EH listing.

Beaulieu - Northern Cloister wall

A view along the northern wall of the former cloisters of Beaulieu Abbey. This wall would also effectively have been the southern wall of the nave of the former abbey church which has otherwise completely disappeared other than its foundations (see SU3802 : Beaulieu - foundations of former abbey church) The gateway seen on the left was the monks' entrance into the church from the cloister. See EH Grade I listing: Link

Beaulieu - Parish church (former frater) - Altar

The Church of the Blessed Virgin and Child (formerly listed by EH as Parish Church) occupies the building that was originally the frater (the dining room or refectory of a monastery) of the Cistercian abbey of Beaulieu. The abbey was founded in 1204 in the reign of King John, and the windows seen here to either side of the altar are clearly of the simple Early English Gothic style of that period. Along with most of the abbey remains, this church is EH Grade I listed Link

but interestingly is specifically excluded (along with its churchyard) from the Ancient Monument scheduling. Note that to get the windows vertical in this image, the altar is seen to lean - the walls of the church lean outwards quite noticeably and are supported by huge external buttresses (see SU3802 : Beaulieu: parish church of the Blessed Virgin and Holy Child for a good external view).

Horses grazing, Beaulieu

Horses grazing by the roadside in Beaulieu, in The New Forest. The road junction in the foreground forms the junction of the B3056, which starts/ends here, and the B3054.

Ponies in the road, Beaulieu

New Forest ponies wandering in the road in the village of Beaulieu. The road forms part of the route of the B3054 which links the towns of Lymington and Hythe.

Horses in the road, Beaulieu

Horses wandering along Palace Lane, in the village of Beaulieu. A queue of cars has formed behind the animals. Palace Lane forms part of the route of the B3054 road which links the towns of Lymington and Hythe.

High Street, Beaulieu

High Street in the village of Beaulieu, in The New Forest.

Palace Lane, Beaulieu

Palace Lane in the village of Beaulieu, in The New Forest. This road forms part of the route of the B3054 which links the towns of Lymington and Hythe.

Palace Lane, Beaulieu

Palace Lane forms part of the route of the B3054, which passes through Beaulieu on its way between Hythe and Lymington. The village of Beaulieu lies within the New Forest.

Beaulieu Garage View

The in Beaulieu village.

Gordon Griffiths

Beaulieu estate

Beaulieu estate, the palace house

Beaulieu

Beaulieu, just inside entrance to museum, and the museum set up

Beaulieu

Beaulieu, the motor museum monorail which goes around the estate and museum

Beaulieu Motor Museum

Beaulieu Motor Museum, car on display, on the upper level, is as we know it, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, it's actually Chitty Bang Bang, which won several races early 1920's