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See also Isle of Wight Southampton, Winchester, and Portsmouth are Hampshire’s major urban areas but the county is known for the New Forest National Park and its scenic villages. The forest received its name from William the Conqueror in 1070 when he chose it for a royal hunting domain. For a fictionalized based-on-fact story Edward Rutherfurd’s book, ‘The New Forest’ gives an excellent picture of the place through the centuries. It tells the story of William II (William Rufus) who was killed either on purpose or by accident in the forest. The ‘Rufus Stone’ commemorates this but does not mark the actual spot where it happened. Visit Lyndhurst first and stop in at the New Forest Visitor Centre. Here is an exhibition on the history and geography of the forest with maps of cycling and walking trails. Much of the forest is open heathland. The villages are busy during tourist season. Ponies and cattle still roam unfenced on the common lands. Buckler’s Hard, in the forest, is a former shipbuilding area. There are two rows of brick buildings and a museum at the spot. Beaulieu, in the southern forest, is a popular family attraction. It was once an abbey, but after Henry VIII dissolved the monasteries, it was acquired by the Montagu family in 1538. There is a display of medieval monastery life in one of the buildings. The former gatehouse is a family home and can be visited. It is said the ghosts of monks still roam the rooms. The monk’s refectory is now the parish church. Beaulieu is also home to the National Motor Museum, telling the story of motoring from 1894 to today. Here over 250 vehicles are displayed along with TV and AV presentations. Romsey is an attractive town with Georgian houses and an abbey church of 1100 with Saxon carvings. King John’s House and Heritage centre in the town is a collection of three historic buildings on the same site. One is a 14th century home, a Tudor cottage is a tearoom, and the Victorian Heritage Centre has been redone as a formal parlour. There are period gardens and exhibitions. Nearby Broadlands is a Palladian mansion and the former home of Lord Mountbatten. It was once the residence of Lord Palmerston, Victorian Prime Minister and friend of Queen Victoria. An exhibition and AV presentation on Mountbatten’s life is presented. Another historic home, The Vyne, was built for Henry VIII’s Lord Chamberlain. There’s a Tudor chapel, wood panelling, and furniture to view. There are gardens, lakes, and woodland walks. A 12th century former abbey, Montissfort Abbey and Garden, is home to the national collection of roses. In the grounds, through which the river Test runs, is a famous old plane tree. The village, owned by the National Trust, is a small group of cottages. The church, St Andrews, is grade 1 listed and dates from the 12th century. Wherwell, on the river Test, is a beautiful small village with thatched cottages. A Victorian church, St Peter and Holy Cross, was built on the site of a former medieval abbey. Stockbridge is a town with elegant buildings, antique shops, and a National Trust marsh. Middle and Nether Wallop are scenic river villages, with Nether Wallop being the star. It’s where Miss Marple was filmed. There are 11th century wall paintings in the church. Middle Wallop offers a museum. The town of Whitchurch, northeast of Andover in the Test river area has a church with a rare Saxon tombstone and a silk mill that has produced fabric since 1825. The working museum comes complete with a costume exhibition and shop. Jane Austen followers will want to visit Chawton and tour the 17th century house where she worked on her six novels. It is full of her memorabilia. The town of Alresford can show off its elegant Broad Street with its Georgian houses, medieval Great Weir and two old mills. Alton is an attractive town with a 15th century church, St Lawrence. Bishop's Waltham has a small and very attractive town centre. It’s the location of the ruined Bishop Waltham Palace. There’s an interesting exhibition on the former palace in the farmhouse built at a later date on the site. The little village of Selborne, north of Petersfield, is full of character with an 1180 church, yew tree, and interesting houses and cottages. Hampshire’s Meon Valley is one of the county’s most attractive with its rolling hills and farmland. Drive on the minor roads to get its full flavour. East Meon is a tiny and attractive village with a Norman church on the hill, a pub, and one store/postoffice. Warnford also has a church from the same time and the ruins of a 13th century building. Other villages to check out are Exton, Corhampton, Meonstoke, and Droxford. Exbury Gardens and Steam Railway won a garden of the year award. There’s a 200-acre woodland with rhododendrons, azaleas, and camellias. A daffodil meadow, rose garden, rock garden, and borders complete the picture. Another garden, Hinton Ampner, is a 20th century one with a mix of formal and informal features. In the house is a collection of English furniture and Italian paintings. Houghton Lodge Garden has on view its greenhouses, herb garden, walled garden, topiary, and Grade II landscaped grounds. The Sir Harold Hillier Gardens are home to 40,000 plants from the world’s temperate regions. The 180 acres have both formal and informal plantings. There are 11 national plant collections and the largest winter garden in Europe. Allow a full day to take it all in. Southampton is a port and naval centre and a jumping off place for the Isle of Wight. The Medieval Merchant’s House shows off the life of a monied merchant in the 13th century. In Portsmouth is the Royal Naval Museum at the dockyard. Included as part of the museum are the historic vessels Nelson’s flagship and the Mary Rose. Winchester has a number of historic buildings, the most famous of which is its Gothic cathedral. The cathedral has been used for royal functions and is the final resting place for a number of bishops, Saxons kings, and Jane Austen. Wolvesey Castle, dating from William the Conqueror’s time, has mostly disappeared thanks to the civil war. The extensive ruins were once the home of the bishops of Winchester. 14th century Winchester College offers guided tours of its chapel, cloisters, and other medieval area. Hampshire Attractions For opening times and full details of attractions see the Attractions section of our website. Avington Park Winchester Tel. 0 1962 779 260 Web: Avington Park Beaulieu Beaulieu, New Forest Tel. 0 1590 612 345 Web: Beaulieu Bishop’s Waltham Moors Nature Reserve Bishop’s Waltham, Hampshire Tel. 0 1703 456 484 Bishop’s Waltham Palace (EH) Bishop’s Waltham Tel. 0 1489 892 460 Bolderwood Deer Sanctuary Short distance from Bolderwood car park Tel. NA Botley Wood Nature Reserve Between Wickham and Titchfield Tel. 0 1329 662 145 Breamore House and Countryside Museum near Fordingbridge Tel. 0 1725 512 858 Broadlands Romsey, on A3090 Romsey by-pass Tel. 0 1794 505 010 For photos and more information see our article Broadlands Bucklers Hard Beaulieu Tel. 0 1590 616 203 Web: Bucklers Hard Bursledon Windmill Bursledon, signed from Jct 8 of M17 Tel. 0 1703 404 999 Calshot Castle Two miles south-east of Fawley, off the B3053 Tel. 0 2380 892 023 Exbury Gardens and Steam Railway New Forest, near Beaulieu (signposted) Tel. 0 2380 891 203 Gilbert White House and Oates Museum The Wakes, High St, Selborne, Hampshire Tel. 0 1420 511 275 Hinton Ampner Garden and house (NT) Bramdean, Alresford Off the A272, one mile west of Bramdean village, eight miles south-east of Winchester Tel. 0 1962 771 305 Hollycombe Steam Collection Iron Hill, Midhurst Rd, Liphook 2 miles from A3,between Guildford and Petersfield Tel: 0 1428 724 900 Houghton Lodge Garden (HHA) Houghton, on minor road 1.5 miles south of Stockbridge (A30) Tel. 0 1264 810 502 Web: Houghton Lodge Garden Intech Science Centre and Planetarium Telegraph Way, Morn Hill, Winchester Tel. 0 1962 863 791 Jane Austen Home Chawford Tel. 0 1420 83262 Liberty’s Owl Raptor & Reptile Centre Crow Lane, Ringwood Tel. 0 1425 476487 Web: Liberty Owl, Raptor, and Reptile Centre Lymington–Keyhaven RSPB Nature Reserve Between the mouth of Lymington River and village of Keyhaven Tel. NA Manor Farm Country Park Access from M27, signed from jct 8 Tel. 0 1489 787 055 Medieval Merchant’s House (EH) 58 French St, Southampton Tel. 0 2380 221 503 Mottisfont Abbey and Garden (NT) Four miles north of Romsey, signed off A3057 Tel. 0 1794 340 757 or 01794 341 220 (infoline) New Forest Centre Lyndhurst, New Forest Tel. 023 8028 3444 Web: New Forest Centre New Forest Reptile Centre Two miles south-west of Lyndhurst off the A35 Tel. 023 8028 3141 (Southern Forestry) New Forest Wildlife Park Deerleap Lane, Longdown, near Ashurst Tel. 023 8029 2408 Web: New Forest Wildlife Park Petersfield Museum Old Magistrates’ Courthouse, St Peter’s Rd, Petersfield Tel. 0 1730 262 601 Physic Garden 16 The High Street, Petersfield Tel. 0 1730 269 060 Portsmouth Historic Dockyard Victory Gate, HM Naval Base Portsmouth Habour Portsmouth Tel. 023 9283 9766 Queen Elizabeth Country Park Gravel Hill, Horndean, PO8 0QE Tel. 0 239 259 5040 Rockbourne Roman Villa Rockbourne, Fordingbridge Tel. 0845 603 5635 Royal Naval Museum Victory Gate, HM Naval Base Historic Dockyard, Portsmouth Tel. 0 23 9283 9766 (general enquiries); 0 23 9286 1512 (information line) Web: Royal Naval Museum and Historic Dockyard Sammy Miller Motorcycle Museum Bashley Cross Roads, New Milton, Hampshire Tel. 0 1425 620 777 Web: Sammy Miller Motorcycle Museum Sir Harold Hillier Gardens Jermyns Lane, Ampfield, Romsey Tel. 0 1794 368 787 For full details and photos of the garden see our article Sir Harold Hillier Gardens Web: Sir Harold Hillier Gardens Spinnaker Tower Portsmouth Tel: 0 2392 857 520 Web: Spinnaker Tower Staunton Country Park Just north of Havant, between A3 and B2149 Access from Middle Park Way, off B2149, Hampshire Tel. 0 1705 453 405 Vyne, The (NT) Sherborne St John, Basingstoke Tel. 01256 881337 Winchester Cathedral Tel. 0 1962 857 200 Web: Winchester Cathedral Winchester College Tel. 0 1962 621 209 Wolvesey Castle (Old Bishop’s Palace) (EH) College St, Winchester, ¼ mile se of the Winchester cathedral, next to bishop’s palace Tel. 0 1962 854 766 Hampshire Tourist Information Centres Aldershot 39 High Street, Aldershot Tel. 0 1252 320 968 Alton 7 Cross and Pillory Lane, Alton Tel. 0 1420 88448 Andover Town Mill House, Bridge Street, Andover Tel. 0 1264 324 320 Basingstoke Willis Museum, "Old Town Hall, Market Place" Basingstoke Tel. 0 1256 817 618 Fareham Westbury Manor, West St, Fareham Tel. 0 1329 221 342 Fleet The Harlington Centre, 236 Fleet Road, Fleet Tel. 0 1252 811 151 Fordingbridge Kings Yard, Salisbury Street, Fordingbridge Tel. 0 1425 654 560 Gosport Bus Station Complex South Street, Gosport Tel. 023 9252 2944 Havant 1 Park Road South, Havant Tel. 023 9248 0024 Hayling Island Beachlands, Seafront, Hayling Island Tel. 023 9246 7111 Lymington St Barbe Museum & Visitor Centre New Street, Lymington Tel. 0 1590 689 000 Lyndhurst & New Forest New Forest Museum & Visitor Centre Main Car Park, Lyndhurst Tel. 023 8028 2269 Petersfield County Library, 27 The Square, Petersfield Tel. 0 1730 268 829 Portsmouth (Southsea) Clarence Esplanade Southsea, Portsmouth Tel. 023 9282 6722 Portsmouth Continental Ferry Port TIC Terminal Building, Portsmouth Tel. 023 9283 8635 Portsmouth The Hard, Portsmouth Tel. 023 9282 6722 Ringwood The Furlong, Ringwood Tel. 0 1425 470 896 Romsey 13 Church Street, Romsey Tel. 0 1794 512 987 Rownhams M27 Services (Westbound), Southampton Tel. 023 8073 0345 Southampton 9 Civic Centre Road, Southampton Tel. 023 8083 3333 Southampton Airport Wide Lane, Southampton Tel. None Winchester Guildhall, The Broadway, Winchester Tel. 0 1962 840 500 Photos by Barbara Ballard and courtesy David Packman at Hampshire Cam
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Be a Destinations-UK-Ireland Sponsor Some of our Hampshire Articles Broadlands Bransgore Hampshire Wildlife Trust Reserves Montisfont Abbey Wolvesey Castle Hinton Ampner House and Garden New Forest National Park Sir Harold Hillier Gardens Sir Harold Hillier Gardens Photos Houghton Lodge Gardens Bishop Waltham Palace Other England Articles A Walk Around the New Forest
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