History of Exbury

h The village of Exbury dates back to prehistoric times. An Iron Age fort still sits on the bank of the Beaulieu River.

h In the 13th century the Foliot family established an estate at Exbury. In the early 19th century William Mitford MP inherited the estate and moved the village, rebuilding it a few miles down the road.

h In 1919 banker Lionel de Rothschild bought the estate and turned the 200 acres into woodland gardens.

h In 1925 Lionel and his wife Marie-Louise entertained Queen Mary for tea at Exbury while King George V was racing his yacht at Cowes week. In

1931, Queen Mary returned with the King.

h Other royal visitors include the future George VI and Queen Elizabeth (then still the Duke and Duchess of York) in 1936. George VI visited again in May 1944.

h During the Second World War Lionel lit his estate with flares to distract enemy planes away from nearby Southampton docks, Britain’s most important military port. Exbury took several direct hits.

h On April 18, 1944, a German Junkers Ju 188 crash-landed close to Exbury House, immortalised by Nevil Shute in his novel Requiem for a Wren.

i Exbury House at the time of Lionel’s purchase in 1919