Palace House and Beaulieu Abbey
Beaulieu, New Forest
Palace House began as the gatehouse of Beaulieu Abbey and has been the Montagu family home since 1538, remodelled in the 1800s as a Victorian country house overlooking the Beaulieu River millpond. Close by are the conserved ruins and cloister of the Cistercian abbey founded by King John in the 13th century, set in gardens laid out over the old abbey grounds.
Highlights
- Restored Victorian kitchen, with a cook at work in some school holidays
- Edward, Lord Montagu's library, entered through a false bookshelf door
- Abbey cloister, herb garden and Domus exhibition on monastic life
- Victorian kitchen garden and the 1770s Wilderness Garden
- Mill Pond Walk with views over the Beaulieu River
Good to know
- Dogs on leads are welcome in the grounds and the Brabazon Restaurant, but not inside Palace House or the Abbey
- The upper floor of the Domus is occasionally closed for weddings and functions
- Return for free within six days of your first visit, except on major event days
Getting there
Palace House and Beaulieu Abbey, Beaulieu, New Forest, Hampshire, SO42 7ZNParking: Free parking for up to 1,000 cars, with a separate car park for disabled visitors near Visitor Reception.
Get directionsChecked on 19 October 2026 against beaulieu.co.uk, beaulieu.co.uk, beaulieu.co.uk. Details change, so please confirm with the venue before you travel. How we check
Spotted something wrong or missing? Tell us
What's on at Palace House and Beaulieu Abbey
Alice's Christmas Wonderland at Beaulieu
Palace House at Beaulieu is dressed as Alice's Wonderland for Christmas, with a rabbit hole, the Mad Hatter's hat shop and the Queen of Hearts among the themed rooms. The house has a link to Alice Liddell, the girl who inspired the stories.
More things to do in Brockenhurst
Nearby
Photo: Robert Linsdell from St. Andrews, Canada, CC BY 2.0National Motor Museum, Beaulieu
A national collection of cars, motorcycles and motoring memorabilia on the Beaulieu estate, running from early motor carriages to Formula 1 cars and land speed record breakers. Entry is part of the single Beaulieu ticket, which also covers Palace House, Beaulieu Abbey, the gardens and the monorail.
Photo: Steve Daniels, CC BY-SA 2.0Hatchet Pond
The largest body of fresh water in the New Forest, a small, shallow lake on open heath between Beaulieu and Brockenhurst. It is protected as a Site of Special Scientific Interest and a Special Area of Conservation for its rare wetland plants and freshwater wildlife, and has been through a major restoration in recent years.
Buckler's Hard Museum and Village
An 18th-century shipbuilding village on the Beaulieu River where warships for Nelson's navy were built, including three that fought at Trafalgar. The museum and reconstructed cottages tell the story of the shipyard and the families who lived there, and the wide village street running down to the river is free to explore.