Balmer Lawn
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Balmer Lawn | |
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Region | |
Country | England |
Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
Police | Hampshire and Isle of Wight |
Fire | Hampshire and Isle of Wight |
Ambulance | South Central |
Balmer Lawn is the name of a large New Forest Lawn located in an amphitheatre of woodland in the
The river crossing (now Brockenhurst Bridge) on the south west corner of the lawn area is thought to have been recorded as a ford in Roman Times and also mentioned in the Domesday Book. Along with St Nicolas Church a mile further south on the hill overlooking the area.
Landmarks
The most significant man made landmark is the Balmer Lawn Hotel built originally as a private house/hunting lodge around in the early 19th century (it is not recorded in Comyn’s maps of 1817) and transformed into the current building around in the later part of that century. It was known as ‘The Holt’ around that time. A major fire in the early 1970s changed the aspect of the hotel causing the original roof to be replaced with one in the mansard style. The hotel has recently been subject of modern “re-branding” assuming the name of the lawn itself. Tradition however lives on as in front of the hotel is the informal village cricket pitch, home of Brockenhurst Cricket Club, which has been in use since around 1797.
The hotel has hosted many famous guests throughout history including
During the
In the
The early years of the hotel's history were spent in private ownership. After the Second World War it was part of Myddleton Hotels and was a sister hotel to the