New Forest

Towns & Villages

BEAULIEU

The Beaulieu River at Beaulieu - Photo: Robin Somes CCL

A small, atmospheric town on the banks of the Beaulieu River, Beaulieu is best known as the home of the National Motor Museum and the adjoining Beaulieu Abbey. The abbey was built by King John as an act of contrition for ordering the deaths of a group of monks. It was largely destroyed by Henry VIII. The surviving gatehouse eventually became the home of Lord Montagu who founded the motor museum in the 1950s in honour of his father, a motoring pioneer. The museum has more than 250 vehicles, including vintage cars, motorcycles and commercial vehicles. Among its star attractions are ‘Bluebird’ and a Formula 1 racing car. Nearby Beaulieu Heath is a rambler’s paradise.

BOLDERWOOD

Visitors to this quaint spot should make sure they are prepared for walking - a series of official nature trails will take you on a journey past giant redwoods and many other exotic trees from around the world.

Bolderwood Deer Sanctuary - Photo: Bob Ford CCL

BREAMORE

Breamore Miz-Maze - Photo: Jim Champion CCL

A mainly Tudor village, Breamore has a green, an evocative Saxon church and a stately property known as Breamore House. The 16th century mansion has been home to the Hulse family for two centuries and offers fine works of art, tapestries and porcelain. Outside the village stands a medieval miz-maze; cut into the turf, it was probably created as a site for a ritual.

BROCKENHURST

Surrounded by picturesque heathland, this New Forest village plays host to New Park, venue of the annual New Forest Show. The local churchyard contains a 1,000-year-old yew tree believed to be the oldest tree in the New Forest, with a girth in excess of 20 feet. The local golf club boasts one of the beautiful heathland courses in Britain.

St. Saviours Church, Brockenhurst - Photo: Peter Facey CCL

BUCKLER'S HARD

Sailing on the River Beaulieu - Photo: Jim Champion CCL

It may be tiny but this secluded hamlet has quite a tale to tell. It lies on the Beaulieu River and for a short time was a major shipbuilding centre where 4,000 men toiled to build some 40 oak-hulled fighting vessels for Lord Nelson – including Nelson’s favourite ship, Agamemnon - in the Napoleonic War.

The village was created by John, Duke of Montagu as part of an ill-fated plan to lead an expedition to the West Indies. Today it is an important centre for leisure sailing. A maritime museum adds to the sea-faring flavour while the Master Builder’s House Hotel was once the home of the area’s most prominent shipbuilder, Henry Adams. Two cottages have been turned into ‘living’ museums to show what life was like in the 18th century.

BURLEY

This scattered village lies on the north western edge of the New Forest amidst old fox-hunting territory. There are many fine beech trees in Burley Wood and at Castle Hill lie the remains of an Iron Age fortress where ditches and earthworks can still be found.

Burley Centre - Photo: Peter Facey CCL

FORDINGBRIDGE

Bridge over the River Avon at Fordingbridge - Photo: Chris Dennis CCL

This picturesque village lies on the River Avon and was the birthplace of Charles Chubb (1779-1845) who first patented the ubiquitous Chubb lock. A local doll museum has a remarkable collection of both wax and bisque dolls from around Europe, including a 19th century doll’s dress from the family of Lord Nelson.

HYTHE

Although this is a major centre for yachters and boating enthusiasts, Hythe is also notable for having the oldest continuously operating dedicated pier train in the world. This electric loco was built during the First World War and still plies a route along the town’s 2,100 feet pier. Both T.E. Lawrence - aka Lawrence of Arabia - and hovercraft inventor Sir Christopher Cockerell lived in Hythe. Lepe Country Park, Calshot Castle and Exbury Gardens are within easy reach.

Exbury Gardens - Photo: Kevin Danks CCL

LYMINGTON

Lymington Town Quay - Photo: Mark Pilbeam CCL

Located on the banks of Southampton Water, at the mouth of Lymington river, this small town is now a major yachting centre although its harbour once rivalled Southampton and Portsmouth in importance. In its heyday it was the departure point for flying boats owned by Imperial Airways. Its prosperity, however, was based on salt refining. Old salt-pans can still be seen.

Nearby is atmospheric Hurst Castle, one of a series of bastions built by Henry VIII to guard against coastal invasion. Charles I was briefly imprisoned in the castle before being marched off to London to be executed.

LYNDHURST

The unofficial capital of the New Forest, Lyndhurst is arguably the perfect base from which to conduct further explorations of the region. Home of the Forest’s main visitor centre, it also plays host to the The Verderers Court, which administers the Forest, meeting six times a year at the 17th century Queen’s House. In the churchyard lies Alice Hargreaves, inspiration for Lewis Caroll’s Alice (in Wonderland), while the 19th century Church of St Michael and All Angels is adorned with Pre-Raphaelite art, including murals and stained glass by Morris, Burne-Jones and Lord Leighton.

Cottages at Swan Green - Photo: Richard Slessor CCL

Church of St. Michael - Photo: Clive Perrin CCL

Magnificent beech trees line Mark Ash Wood, which also boasts the 600-year-old Knightwood Oak and the Queen’s Oak, which was only planted in 1979. Half a mile away is the picturesque village of Swan Green, a hamlet of Tudor cottages set around a village green.

MILFORD-ON-SEA

A pretty seaside village, Milford-on-Sea is surrounded by magnificent scenery and has a long coastal path with spectacular views. A shingle spit leads to Hurst Castle - now owned by English Heritage - which was built by Henry VIII to help defend the south coast. The village started life as a Saxon settlement, later becoming important for the refining of sea salt. A passenger ferry runs from Hurst Castle to the nearby fishing-cum-yachting hamlet of Keyhaven.

Milford Beach - Photo: Jim Champion CCL

MINSTEAD

The Rufus Stone - Photo: Jim Champion CCL

A lovely thatched village with a 13th century church, Minstead lies close to the spot marked by the ‘Rufus Stone’ where flame-haired William II was killed by an arrow fired by Walter Tyrrell while hunting New Forest deer in the year 1100. Was it really an accident or did William’s ambitious brother Henry orchestrate his untimely death?

Furzey Gardens is a delightfully informal garden which offers views over the New Forest. Its attractions include a lake and a restored 16th century cottage.

NEW MILTON

This pretty little village grew up around a railway station from which it took its name. An important attraction is the Sammy Miller Motorcycle Museum which boasts over 300 exhibits, including some record-breaking bikes, factory racers, prototypes and memorabilia.

Ballard Lake - Photo: David Tonge CCL

RINGWOOD

A thatched cottage at Ringwood - Photo: Stuart Buchan CCL

Water, water, everywhere! Ringwood is a place for fishing on the River Avon and water-skiing at the New Forest Water Park. It was also here that the rebellious Duke of Monmouth was imprisoned by James II after his defeat at the momentous Battle of Sedgemoor in Somerset in 1685. He was later executed.

ROMSEY

Lying on the banks of the River Test, this fascinating market town is dominated by a 13th century abbey which began as a simple wooden building erected in 907 by Edward the Elder. Nearby is the sumptuous Palladian mansion of Broadlands, birthplace of the statesman Lord Palmerston and later home to Lord Mountbatten (1900-79) who is buried at the abbey. Family fun is provided by Paulton’s theme park, which offers - among other things - Dinosaurland and beautiful gardens. Game fishing here is among the finest in Britain.

Romsey Abbey - Photo: Andrew Mc Donald CCL

SWAY

Sway Tower - Photo: Peter Facey CCL

A charming village, Sway lies on the Little Avon, nestling on the southern edge of the New Forest. Just a short drive from the coast it is dominated by a bizarre folly known as Sway Towers. This edifice is over 200ft high and was built an eccentric judge, Yorkshire-born Andrew Peterson. Captain Marryat’s thrilling Victorian novel ‘The Children of the New Forest’ was set in the area. St Barbe Museum and Art Gallery is a nearby attraction.