T

his is probably the last place you’d expect to find one of the most important spots in British maritime history.

Tucked away in a corner of the New Forest, surrounded by country lanes, Buckler’s Hard was where many of the ships were built for Lord Nelson’s fleet, back in the late 18th-century.

With a good supply of wood available, the ships took shape in the boatyard on the River Beaulieu (pronounced ‘byu-ley’) before sailing the few miles downstream to the English Channel.

Although the shipbuilding eventually died off, Buckler’s still played a crucial part in the mass evacuation mission to Dunkirk in World War II, with a flotilla of small craft mustering here before setting off for the French coast.

Nowadays, this is a quaint open-air museum, where you can stroll around the riverside village, poke your head into the redbrick Georgian cottages and even take a trip on the river.

If you’re peckish at this point, they do a yummy game sausage roll at the Master Builder’s House next door – which also has rather stylish rooms if you’re keen to stay…