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Beaulieu memories

Here are memories of Beaulieu and the local area. You can start now: Add your own Memory of Beaulieu or a Beaulieu photo.

Chanting at Dusk

My parents were managers of The Montague Arms for a short while. On sunny days I was allowed to cycle to Hythe and back. I was twelve and fit enough to reach Hythe within half-an-hour! I heard rumours from the staff at the hotel that the Abbey nearby was haunted by the ancient monks who had lived there. I was told that some had heard chanting as the sun went down at certain times of the year. I dared to go there several times at dusk - but heard nothing. Instead, during the daylight, I would climb the old walls and view pretty eggs in the nests that had been made within the mossy stones.

Memories of Hampshire

Blackfield All The Fun of The Fair

Who remembers the travelling fun fair that came to Blackfield in the 1960s? Did you go to Blackfield Junior school? What about skating on the frozen Gravel pits at Holbury in the winter 1962/3/4 or the Esso Cinema? or the local band the 007's?
Have I stirred a few memories?
My name is Julian Bishop, eldest of seven siblings of the Bishop Clan now residing in Somerset. The year was in the Autumn 1960. Our ever expanding family had grown from 3 to 4 - 6 then eventually 7 plus mum and dad. We previously had grown up in a two bed-roomed flat at 12 Manor Road, Sidcup, Kent (sadly no longer there). It was now time to move to Hampshire, to a new housing bungalow development was growing in Holbury. Number 9 Long Lane Close was our destination. The site was being developed, we even had to build an extension. There was a small copse (wooded area) at the end of the cul-de-sac. There was our next door neighbours.... Read more

Saturday Morning Football

Happy memories of playing football at Blackfield when attending Hardley School. Matches were arranged and the team picked on the school bus. The matches were played regardless of weather in the days when it really used to rain. Real mudbaths. Where are Phil Dobie and the rest of the team? 1948-1950.

Gravel Pits

I've fond memories of playing over at the gravel pit down Dark Lane in Blackfield and when my dad drove for Hall Aggregates in the 1970s.

My Memories of Dibden Purlieu

Noadswood School c1960
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I lived in Talbot Road back then with my foster sisters and our wonderful Foster Mum Mrs. Jones. I can remember attending Orchard Road Junior School durring the Queens Silver Jubilee and getting a coin with the Queens face on it. I wish I knew where that coin was now as I could give it to my daughter. That was the year when Star Wars originally came out at the Cinema. It seems so strange now to think of how care free we were. I remember walking down to Hythe and walking the length of the pier with the train on it and catching the ferry over to Southhampton to go to the Cinema all without any adult supervision. I still can't get over that my sisters and cousins, and friends from school would make that trip on a regular basis.
I can remember one time catching the little train with my mum to go to the end of the pier and a small boy turned to his Mum... Read more

DP in The Early 60's

I can remember Dibden Purlieu just after the Merrimede shops were built and the new shops opposite on the corner were being built (where the Bathroom Acadamy is in 2009). I was abou 5 years old.  In those days I could ride my first bike down the un-tarmacked Watermans Lane (which was a dead end, the Wimpey estate was being built) down the village, leave it outside Mr Storey's shop (the newsagent), unlocked, then walk home with my comic forgetting the bike! I would then walk back and the bike was still there ... and guess what, I didn't see a single car! There was nothing to worry about, I was totally safe (I expect there were dangers really!).

Another memory is my mum taking me shopping and she knew everyone she saw and she spoke to all of them. That 100 yard walk could take hours!

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