🎬 Part of the AMERICAN VISCOUNTESS series of programmes that looks at Britain's stately homes.

Not only is Beaulieu home to the National Motor Museum, but also to the extraordinary ruins of Beaulieu Abbey, which date back to the foundation of the monastery here in the thirteenth century. The more I visit historic houses around Britain, the more I realise how many of them have monastic roots.

In this episode, Lord Montagu guides me around some of the surviving buildings and shows me the exquisite wall hangings, stitched by his mother, which chart the history of the abbey. I also explore a hidden part of the Beaulieu estate where the well used by the monks still survives today. And I end my visit at the newly restored ice house – a glimpse back to the days when historic houses functioned more like life in the tv series, Downton Abbey.

🎬British Pathé – A look at how cattle which roam on the New Forest prairies are rounded up and checked once a year. New Forest, Hampshire. L/S of a red van driving up a leafy road, it passes some cows stood at the side. Various shots of cattle grazing at the side of the road as cars drive past. L/S of several people on horseback rounding the cattle up in a prairie. Various shots as they round the cattle up and herd them up the prairie. L/S as the cattle walk through a stream followed by seven herders. Various shots as the herders on horseback follow the cattle. Various shots of the cattle herded together, M/S as they go into a field. C/U of one of the men on a horse. M/S of the cows crowded together, M/S as they are herded under a tree. M/S as a man approaches one with a pair of clippers, M/S as he clips a bit of hair away from the cow's back. C/U as he brushes it away to reveal the letter 'R' branded on its back. M/S as another man clips a cow, C/U of a young man looking on. M/S of a man putting a rope round a heifer's neck. M/S of a man on horseback. M/S as a heifer is pulled along by the rope

🎬British Pathé – Picturesque Brockenhurst and surrounding areas in New Forest, Hampshire. L/S's forest and ponies. M/S of the village of Brockenhurst with a water splash. M/S lanes with old houses, C/U old oak tree, M/S thatched house. M/S of churchyard at St. Nicholas. Various shots of the gravedigger calling birds and taming them. M/S of Beaulieu Village. M/S old abbey and cloisters with magnolia tree. M/S of a small hamlet which was once a shipbuilding centre. M/S of a street. A woman rides her horse down a lane

🎬British Pathé – English beach life comes back to normal after the war. Unused / unissued material. - Location and dates unknown / unclear. Possibly Bournemouth - certainly Southern England. Panning shots of anti-tank defences and barbed wire on seafront. In the distance people can be seen down on the beach. More shots of people walking to the beach. VS of workers collecting metal poles. They are being cut up. CU sign from Garrison Commander allowing people to bathe from the beach dated 25th July 1944. People in the background are sitting on deck chairs. VS of children and families playing on the beach. People laugh and joke and play in the sand, others relax in deck chairs. Great shots of children paddling and playing in sand. Pan across beach.

🎬All through the year Eric Ashby watches and films the wild deer, foxes, and badgers of the New Forest. Last summer (1961) Peter Scott visited 'Badger Cottage' in the New Forest, to look at Eric Ashby's latest films and to see where they were made.

Peter Scott's natural history series 'Look' ran from 1955 to 1969 and was the BBC's flagship wildlife programme.

Presenter Peter Scott
Guest/filmmaker Eric Ashby
Additional photography William Morris
Sound editor Douglas Thomas
Film editor Paul Khan
Producer Christopher Parsons
A BBC Natural History Unit Film

First shown on BBC at 7.30pm on 1st December 1961

🎬British Pathé – Fabulous item shows the filming of several veteran car tag pieces for TV series 'The Avengers'. At Lord Montagu's Motor Museum we see the filming of the 'tag' pieces for episodes of The Avengers television series, where Diana Rigg and Patrick Macnee drive off in a vintage car - a different one each time. Several shots of the cast and crew in the grounds of Beaulieu; Patrick Macnee chats to Lord Montagu. Patrick and Diana get into a veteran car; Diana puts on a groovy kind of face/eye shield and they drive off; they stop and the director gives instructions to Diana; as they start off again funny business ensues as Diana puts her feet up, then jumps from the car, leaps back in, clutches her head and so on. Diana, in an evening outfit of a chiffon over harem pants, has her make-up touched up. Another sequence is shot with a different vintage car; when it doesn't start, Diana gets from the back seat into the front and prepares to drive while Patrick goes to the rear to push, and ends up with a blackened face from the exhaust. He gets in; Diana drives off. Commentator says the crew are trying to complete all these end sequences in one day's shooting. Diana, in a blue cat suit, chews gum while receiving direction. In this sequence, Diana and Patrick start to push the veteran car which zooms off without them as they chase after it. Note: according to a press release on file, this series was the first in Colour. More details in notes on the clothes worn and the filming of these tag pieces; Diana's costumes were designed by Alan Hughes; Patrick wore his own suits! Cuts exist - see separate record