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a charming landscape, the air laden with the perfume of the 
meadows and woodlands. At the bottom of the valley, and near to 
the village of Beaulieu, a halt is made to view the picturesque ruins 
of the ancient Cistercian Abbey, founded by King John in 1204. 
The Abbot's House has been restored, and is now the residence of 
Baron Montagu, the lord of the Manor of Beaulieu. The curious 
old church was the refectcry of the ancient abbey. A considerable 
portion of the ecclesiastical and other buildings connected with the 
abbey are still to the fore in many carefully-preserved ivy-covered 
ruins, and were objects of great interest to the visitors. In appear- 
ance they are not unlike Dryburgh Abbey, and still show that it was 
a place of great magnificence in the heyday of its existence, when the 
monks were famed for their hospitality, wealth, and piety. The 
whole of the ruins, and the grounds in which they stand, were in 
beautiful order, due care apparently being taken to prevent injury 
to the classic fabric. 
In the pretty grounds of the Palace House are several fine old 
Wych elms, one magnificent tree girthing 17 feet 2 inches. At 
the entrance to the village were several tall, straight-stemmed 
silver firs, and a particularly fine hornbeam, which here appears to 
vie with the beech in its stately proportions. The oaks were seen 
heavily laden with acorns, but few were met with of any size in 
this district, as they were mostly the growth of the past century, 
since all were cut down for the Royal Navy that were fit for the 
purpose before iron and steel came into vogue. The general 
remark may be here made that all through our journey in the New 
Forest the abundant crop and the great size of the acorns were the 
subject of frequent comment. Both shores of Beaulieu Water 
were heavily fringed with trees, and the picturesque old weir and 
mill near by the bridge, the quaint, old-fashioned village, with its 
neat, cosy-looking cottages draped with beautiful climbers, formed 
a scene of felicity not easily surpassed. 
BROKENHURST AND BOLDRE. 
The favourite route from Beaulieu through the Forest lies 
towards Brokenhurst, literally ‘The Badgers’ Wood,” that animal 
being common here in early times. Passing Hatchet Gate and 
crossing the Heath, splendid views are had of the Forest country 
and away across the Solent to the Isle of Wight. The village of 
Brokenhurst is beautifully situated, and possesses a picturesque 
