Beaulieu Leaflet map

Summary

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Beaulieu is presented as a highly complete, traditional English village in a rolling rural landscape, defined by the Abbey, river, and mill pond. Key heritage assets include the Abbey Church, notable for its south-end altar and unique pulpit, and Palace House, adapted from the Great Gatehouse after the dissolution of the Abbey and later fortified and altered. The document highlights important views, including the approach from Hatchet Pond and vistas from the High Street to surrounding farmland, and notes a listed K6 telephone kiosk as a distinctive feature. The mill pond and tidal river are part of a National Nature Reserve and a Site of Special Scientific Interest, requiring protection from erosion and clutter. It identifies valued village character: linear form, modest low buildings, traditional brick and clay-tile details, archaeological remains, and rural boundary treatments. Areas for improvement include the mill area, former light station and fire station surroundings, and…

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Key features in the conservation area (points relate to the numbered areas on the map)

Beaulieu typifies the traditional English village set in a rolling landscape with the Abbey, river and mill pond with its mill. It has everything and it is this completeness which makes it so important.

1. The Abbey Church

The Abbey Church is unusual in having the altar at the south end because it was originally the monks' refectory. The unique pulpit is built with its staircase in the thickness of the wall. The church hall (1992) was traditionally built using English oak and stone from the abbey ruins.

2. Palace House

Palace House was converted from the Great Gatehouse into a dwelling in 1539 following the dissolution of the Abbey. The moat and turrets were constructed as protection from the French in the 18th century and major works were carried out in the 1870s.

3. View from the rear of the High Street

The view from the rear of the High Street to the farmland beyond. The new housing respects this relationship and improves the setting of the car park.

4. Listed telephone kiosk

When is a phone box not a phone box? When it's a listed building! The listed telephone kiosk on the east side of the High Street is one of the K6 type designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott in 1935.

5. View from Hatchet Pond approach

One of the many significant views of Beaulieu is on the approach from Hatchet Pond — an irregular collection of orangey-red clay tile roofs, dormers and chimney stacks which has hardly changed in centuries, interspersed with substantial evergreen trees.

6. Mill pond and tidal river

The mill pond and the tidal river form part of a National Nature Reserve and a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). It is important to protect their uncluttered natural profiles from erosion by the large numbers of tourists who come to enjoy this peaceful spot.

Key to map
Symbol	Meaning
•	Listed Building
▢	Scheduled Ancient Monument
◦	Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI)
—	Scale in metres: 0, 100, 200

These are some of the things that make Beaulieu special — they need to be looked after

History

The linear structure of the village.

Buildings

Small one- and two-storey buildings of modest span and low eaves.
Red stock brick and yellow/buff Beaulieu-brick with red clay tile roofs.
Detailing — prominent chimney stacks, tiled dormers, casement windows, patterned roof tiling.

Archaeology

The Abbey and associated structures, both standing and buried.

Landscape / Townscape

The feeling of a compact settlement set in an agricultural landscape.
Mill dam / pond.
Traditional rural picket fencing mixed with brick walls and iron railings forming front boundaries to domestic properties.

Setting

View down to the village from Hatchet Lane.
Views across Mill Dam Pond and the Beaulieu River.
View out of the village from the rear of the High Street across the high fields.

Potential for enhancement

The Mill and its surroundings.
The approach to and area around the former electric light station and the Fire Station.
The main car park and the public toilets.

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