Bucklers Hard Village is one of England´s most attractive and unusual villages. It was created in the early 18th century by the 2nd Duke of Montagu, who planned to build a free port, Montagu Town, on the banks of the Beaulieu River for the import and export of sugar from the West Indies. The idea failed to get off the ground when the French captured the islands, but from the 1740´s the site was used for the building of over 50 wooden ships for the Royal Navy. Cruise on the tranquil Beaulieu River and while you slowly meander down the River you can enjoy its beauty and see the abundant wildlife that lines its banks.