Bucklers Hard

Bucklers Hard

Bucklers Hard is a hamlet situated on the banks of the Beaulieu River in the English county of Hampshire.

Overview

With its Georgian cottages running down to the river, Bucklers Hard is part of the 9,000 acres (36 km²) Beaulieu Estate. The hamlet is located some 2 ¹⁄₂ miles (4.0 km) south of the village of Beaulieu.

The hamlet, originally called Montagu Town, was built by the second Duke of Montagu, and was intended to be a free port for trade with the West Indies.^[1]

Bucklers Hard was the birthplace of many British naval vessels, including many of Admiral Nelson's fleet, using the timber of the New Forest. The Hard, under the control of Master shipbuilder Henry Adams was responsible for building many famous ships during the late 18th century and early 19th centuries. These included HMS Euryalus, HMS Swiftsure and HMS Agamemnon, all of which fought at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805.^[2] The industry declined in the nineteenth-century and today the hamlet is given over to tourism, with a small maritime museum, and a modern yachting marina. During World War II, the village was used to build motor torpedo boats and the river was a base for hundreds of landing craft for the Normandy invasion, Operation Overlord. Bucklers Hard was where Sir Francis Chichester began and finished his single-handed voyage around the world in Gipsy Moth IV.

Gallery

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  The northern terrace

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  The southern terrace

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  The Beaulieu River at Bucklers Hard

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  Bucklers Hard marina

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  Lord Nelson's first command and favourite ship, HMS Agamemnon was launched on this slip.

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  The building slips at Buckler's Hard

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  A World War II slipway

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  Bucklers Hard Maritime Museum

See also

Media related to Bucklers Hard at Wikimedia Commons

• Hard (nautical)

References

External links

• Map sources for Bucklers Hard
• New Forest Community Media — a not-for-profit media site serving the National Park

v t e Towns, villages and hamlets in the New Forest District of Hampshire, England Allum Green Ashlett Ashley Ashurst Bank Bartley Barton on Sea Bashley Battramsley Beaulieu Beckley Bickton Bisterne Blackfield Blashford Blissford Bolderwood Boldre Bramshaw Bransgore Breamore Brockenhurst Brook Brookheath Bucklers Hard Burgate Burley Bull Hill Cadnam Calshot Colbury Copythorne Crow Damerham Denny Lodge Dibden Dibden Purlieu Downton East Boldre East End East Mills Emery Down Ellingham Everton Exbury Fawley Fordingbridge Fritham Frogham Furze Hill Godshill Gorley Lynch Hale Hangersley Harbridge Hardley Hightown Highwood Hinton Holbury Hordle Hungerford Hyde Hythe Ibsley Keyhaven Langley Lepe Linbrook Linford Linwood Lopshill Lower Daggons Lymington Lyndhurst Marchwood Martin Milford on Sea Minstead Mockbeggar Netley Marsh New Milton Norley Wood North Charford North Gorley Ogdens Ossemsley Ower Pennington Picket Hill Picket Post Pilley Portmore Poulner Ringwood Rockbourne Rockford Sandford Sandleheath Shobley Sopley South Baddesley South Charford South Gorley Stuckton Sway Tinkers Cross Tiptoe Totton and Eling Turmer Walhampton Whitsbury Winsor Woodgreen Woodlands Wootton

Coordinates: 50°47′57″N 1°25′21″W / 50.79903°N 1.42243°W / 50.79903; -1.42243