Buckler's Hard facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Buckler's Hard |
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 Buckler's Hard
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| OS grid reference | SU408001 |
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| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Brockenhurst |
| Postcode district | SO42 |
| Dialling code | 01592 |
| Police | Hampshire |
| Fire | Hampshire |
| Ambulance | South Central |
| EU Parliament | South East England |
| UK Parliament |
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Buckler's Hard is a small village, called a hamlet, located right by the Beaulieu River in Hampshire, England. It's known for its beautiful old Georgian style houses that go all the way down to the river. This special place is part of the huge Beaulieu Estate, which is about 9,000-acre (3,600-hectare) (or 3,642 hectares) big! Buckler's Hard is only about 2.5 miles (4.0 km) (4 km) south of the main village of Beaulieu.
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The Story of Buckler's Hard
Buckler's Hard was first called Montagu Town. It was built by the second Duke of Montagu. He wanted it to be a busy port where ships could trade freely with places like the West Indies.
Why Ships Were Built Here
This location was perfect for building ships. The river here is calm and easy to sail on. It also has gravel banks that were strong enough to hold the special ramps, called slipways, needed to build and launch big ships. Plus, there was plenty of wood nearby from the New Forest to make the ship hulls.
Famous Shipbuilders
Shipbuilding started at Buckler's Hard in the early 1700s. A man named James Wyatt, who was a local businessman, set up a shipyard. His company won a contract to build two Navy ships, HMS Surprise and HMS Scorpion, in the 1740s.
The British Navy sent Henry Adams, a skilled shipwright, to Buckler's Hard in 1744. He was there to make sure Wyatt & Co. built the ships correctly. After these first ships, Buckler's Hard became very important for shipbuilding, especially under Henry Adams's leadership.
Over the next 60 years, Henry Adams oversaw the building of 43 ships for the Royal Navy! This included three famous ships that fought in the huge Battle of Trafalgar in 1805: HMS Euryalus, HMS Swiftsure, and HMS Agamemnon. From 1783, Henry's son, Balthazar Adams, also became a main shipbuilder there.
Later Years and Today
Shipbuilding slowed down at Buckler's Hard in the 1800s. However, it became important again during World War II. The village was used to build fast motor torpedo boats. The river also became a base for hundreds of landing craft that were used in the D-Day invasion of Normandy, called Operation Overlord.
Today, Buckler's Hard is a popular place for visitors. It has a small maritime museum where you can learn about its history. There's also a modern marina for yachts and boats. This is also where Sir Francis Chichester started and finished his amazing solo trip around the world in his sailboat, the Gipsy Moth IV.
See also
- Hard (nautical)
