AN exhibition at Buckler’s Hard Shipyard is shedding light on the hidden wartime history of the Beaulieu River, revealing how a tranquil Hampshire waterway was transformed into a vital military asset during the Second World War.
Beaulieu River At War opened at the Shipyard Gallery following a launch by historian Dan Snow. Running daily until late October, it draws on shipyard records, estate archives and first-hand accounts to chart the area’s dramatic wartime transformation.
Organisers say the river became a covert frontline after being requisitioned by the Royal Navy. Training activity intensified, while secrecy was tightened and the surrounding shoreline filled with concealed installations supporting coastal defence and preparations for the D-Day landings.
Enjoy more Towpath Talk reading every month.
Click here to subscribe & save.
The display also highlights the shipyard’s rapid move to wartime production, including its contribution to the construction of components for the Mulberry Harbours, which were essential to the Allied invasion of Normandy.
Curated by Marc Heighway and Mary Montagu-Scott, the exhibition offers visitors a vivid insight into how the landscape of Buckler’s Hard was reshaped by conflict, turning a peaceful riverside community into a key site of wartime innovation and secrecy.
The exhibition is free to enter.
