Supriya Ghosh (Editor)

Beaulieu Palace House

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Phone
  
+44 1590 612345

Municipality
  
Beaulieu

Beaulieu Palace House

Address
  
John Montagu Bldg, Beaulieu, Brockenhurst SO42 7ZN, UK

Hours
  
Open today · 10AM–5PMWednesday10AM–5PMThursday10AM–5PMFriday10AM–5PMSaturday10AM–5PMSunday10AM–5PMMonday10AM–5PMTuesday10AM–5PM

Similar
  
Beaulieu Abbey, National Motor Museum, Exbury Gardens, New Forest, New Forest Wildlife Park

The Beaulieu Palace House (/ˈbjuːlɪ/) is a 13th-century house located in Beaulieu, Hampshire. Originally part of Beaulieu Abbey, the estate was bought by Thomas Wriothesley, 1st Earl of Southampton in 1538, following the Dissolution of the Monasteries and is still owned and occupied by the earl's descendants, the Barons Montagu of Beaulieu.

Contents

History

Beaulieu Palace House was originally built in the 13th century as the gatehouse of Beaulieu Abbey. Following the Dissolution of the Monasteries, the estate was purchased by Sir Thomas Wriothesley, later 1st Earl of Southampton, in 1538. The house passed through marriage into the Montagu family and is still owned by the 1st earl's descendant, Ralph Douglas-Scott-Montagu, 4th Baron Montagu of Beaulieu.

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 house overlooks Beaulieu River and is surrounded by lawns and walkways. 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. It is a member of the Treasure Houses of England consortium.

The Palace House is open to the public as part of the visitor attraction known as "Beaulieu", which includes:

  • Beaulieu Abbey
  • National Motor Museum
  • Beaulieu Palace House
  • World of Top Gear
  • Secret Army Exhibition - an exhibit about the Special Operations Executive training at Beaulieu during World War II
  • Gardens
  • A monorail
  • Rides
  • Local folklore and legend

    Beaulieu, according to the official website, is one of the most haunted places in Britain, with reported sightings going back over a hundred years, and possibly as far as the mid-16th century. Numerous paranormal investigators have conducted research at the abbey, including Arthur Conan Doyle, who it is claimed made contact with a ghost during a séance at Palace House.

    A lady in blue or grey, reportedly sighted walking through walls and making a lot of noise in the private apartments, is believed to be the ghost of the Countess of Beaulieu, Lady Isabella, who died in 1786. The smell of incense, which allegedly signals tragedy for the people of the abbey or the village, was also reported by Edward Douglas-Scott-Montagu, 3rd Baron Montagu of Beaulieu among others in a room of the Palace House used as a chapel in the Middle Ages.

    References

    Beaulieu Palace House Wikipedia