🎬British Pathé – The author Mr H. de Vere Stacpoole visits various British beauty spots including Stonehenge. No title. A car drives down a country lane away from the camera. The car then approaches the camera. Mr Stacpoole - author of "The Blue Lagoon" is out and about visiting British beauty spots. Shot of a country scene. Thatched cottages in Wiltshire. Stonehenge and its refreshment rooms. Shaftesbury and Shaston in Dorset - idyllic country scenes. A horse and cart on a village street, car driving on country lanes, child walking up a very steep hill, "Pine Walk", general views of the countryside. Traditional views of the beautiful British countryside and its picturesque villages. Note: see also "Isle of Delights" EP023. This is Mr H. de Vere Stacpoole

🎬British Pathé – Stonehenge at sunrise with Druids ceremony. L.S... the sun rising over Stonehenge. M.S. Stonehenge. C.U. Pillars. L.S... Pillars. C.U. Two pillars. L.S... Druid ceremony. L.S... People walking in front of formation of stones. L.S... Ditto. M.S. Sun coming up over boulder. M.S. Two pillar formations. C.U. People walking around Stonehenge. Druid procession in far background. M.S. Sun shining through pillars. L.S... Sun coming up over Stonehenge. L.S... Ditto. M.S. Pillar formation fade out. L.S... Stunted pictures of mock dance around pillars of Stonehenge. S.C.U. Man appearing from behind stone and pulling funny face.

🎬British Pathé – Druids Summer solstice ceremony at Stonehenge, Wiltshire. Stonehenge, Salisbury Plane, Wiltshire. Several shots of the sunrise over Stonehenge. LV. Deserted Stonehenge. Various shots of the Summer Solstice ceremony in progress, unopened urn in foreground. CU. Urn being opened. CU. Man. MV. Druids parading in front of Chief Druid. Lighted urn in foreground. MV. Chief Druid bowing. MV. Druids parading during their ceremony at Stonehenge. SV. Druids chanting. LV. Dog walks into ceremony. SV. Dog lying on ground. SV. Druid holding pipe. MV. Towards, druids leaving in procession, leader holding a cup. SV. Dog, scarred by the crowd moving towards, moves away. Procession leaving

🎬British Pathé – Druids await first rays of midsummer sun to start ritual which acclaims the longest day. Full title reads: "DRUIDS HAIL THE DAWN". Stonehenge, Salisbury, Wiltshire. General view of Stonehenge at dawn - sun rising, Pagans gathered for the ceremony which acclaims the longest day. Long shot of the Pagan ceremony of Hailing the Dawn. Sightseers standing on stones. Chief Druid dropping wand. Side shot, small dog in centre of circle walks over to wand lifter, sniffs and walks away. Close up shot of Chief Druid. Side view, Chief Druid getting ready to perform rite. Flame burning. Drinking ceremony. People looking on. Chief Druid lifts wand. Man bowing on top of stones. Long view of the ceremony amidst stones. Sun rising over Stonehenge. Man lifts head, looks round and disappears behind rock

🎬British Pathé – Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester, opens Bournemouth's new pavilion. GLOUCESTER, DUKE OF. PRINCE HENRY Item title reads - Duke of Gloucester opens Bournemouth's magnificent £250,000 Pavilion. Dorset. M/S of soldiers standing to attention. M/S of Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester, walking down the line and inspecting them. M/S profile of him stood with the mayor (?) L/S of the pavilion, the camera pans across people walking in front of it.

🎬 The New Forest. A film exploring the rich landscape, people and forest traditions in the post war years.

18th century Agisters and pigs with rights to wander are just some of the ancient traditions celebrated in this beguiling look at life in the New Forest. Less familiar sights are captured, too, such as broom making and logging, forestry planting and sailing on the River Beaulieu near Buckler's Hard. No film about the area would be complete, though, without the famous Forest ponies – who are seen here in all their equine glory.

Filmmaker Roy Layzell made many films during this period including other local area films such as Pipelines Under Southampton Water in 1957.

Clifton Parker was a renowned British composer. With nearly 50 feature films under his belt, including The 39 Steps in 1959 and Sink The Bismark in 1960.

John Snagge (OBE) was the voice of the BBC from the war years to his retirement in 1980.

Featuring John Snagge
Music by Clifton Parker
Filmed and Directed by Roy Layzell
Original Cinema Release 1952

The film was commissioned by the Esso Petroleum Company in 1952, just as they were establishing a new refinery on the eastern edge of the New Forest at Fawley, but Forest Heritage is entirely concerned with the natural beauty and traditions of the area: ‘A place out of this modern world where simple pleasures are enough – a miraculous survival of pre-Norman England’.