Page 32 • The HERALD • 23rd April 2026 v READ THE HERALD ONLINE: www.herald-publishing.co.uk v EXPERT DOMESTICS APPLIANCE SERVICES Sales and Repairs to All Makes and Models 169-171 LONG LANE, HOLBURY • TEL (023) 8089 0054 POSSIBLY THE ONLY INDEPENDENT MAIN DEALER IN THE NEW FOREST For Bosch, Belling, Britannia, Candy, Ebac, Hotpoint, Hoover, Indesit, Ice King, LG, LEC, Liebherr, Miele, Neff, Sebo, Siemens, Stoves, Whirlpool, Zanussi and more... Free Standing & Built In Sales Centre Over 300 appliances in stock www.expertdomestics.co.uk PJ-T DOUBLE GLAZING REPAIRS • Misted Units • Locks • Handles • Hinges • Door Adjustments/Repair • Cat Flaps Paul Jackson-Turner 07708 620910 pjtrepairs65@yahoo.com uPVC & Aluminium Free Quotes Fully Insured New Forest Decorating Services Professional Decorating Private, commercial and lettings. Traditional and contemporary works undertaken to include all types of internal and external painting and wallpapering. Free quotations and advice. Contact Paul on: 07767863348 or email: paul@mudandgold.com Lord Montagu Opens The Circus Room In Tribute To His Mother Lord Montagu has unveiled the Circus Room at Beaulieu in tribute to his mother, a er recently opening a new set of themed rooms in Palace House. e transformation has turned the Master Bedroom in the former private wing into a ringmaster’s showground, complete with a ‘big top’ canopy and carousel horse. Lord Montagu chose the theme as the circus appears in so much of his mother’s artwork, which now hangs in the room. He explains: “The original idea came from a very fruitful collaboration with Southampton Solent University, and the project work of student Hannah Edmunds. One of the unexpected outcomes of working with the interior design department was that I gained the confidence to make a lot of the decorative decisions myself, assisted by my project manager Jane Yapp.” A tour of the room starts with a striking self-portrait by his mother, then Belinda Crossley, as a ringmaster in a top hat. Above the main replace is a painting of ‘Lord’ George Sanger’s Circus which she had visited with her sketchbook, drawing clowns, acrobats and performing horses. Both date from her days at the Byam Shaw art school in the late 1940s. Taking centre stage is a golden four-poster bed with a red-andwhite-striped canopy surmounted by a crown at its apex. Under the ‘big top’, the upholstered bedhead is emblazoned with a comic heraldic lion and unicorn holding a conch shell lled with flowers. The design is the work of Lord Montagu, adapted from an old drawing by his mother. In an intricately embroidered folding screen next to the bed, Belinda, Lady Montagu has depicted a circus horse, clowns, juggler and yellow caravan – a reference to the gypsy caravan which her son adopted whilst at Walhampton School. e adjoining turret, lined with a blue-and-whitestriped fabric, commemorates the Beaulieu Jazz Festivals which took place on the front lawn of Palace House between 1956 and 1961. An old merry-goround was used as the stage and the sole surviving carousel horse now takes pride of place in the room. e galloper named Rama has been immaculately restored by local signwriter Phil Go on, who has nished him in fairground style colours with ourishes in gold leaf. Lord Montagu re ects: “My mother loved horses, as well as showground culture, so this is a particularly appropriate place to put Rama.” A large hanging designed by Lord Montagu lists the names of all those who performed at Beaulieu including big band leader Ted Heath, Humphrey Lyttleton, Acker Bilk, Johnny Dankworth, Cleo Laine and many other great British and international jazz artists and bands of the era. In the background, visitors will hear the sound of two Beaulieu-themed LPs released by bands which performed at the festival. Both contained tracks specially written for the festival, such as Ted Heath’s Vintage Veterans and Vic Lewis’s Beaulieu Blues. But the turret isn’t just a display space, it is also where house guests will be able to take a bath, using a large red tub mounted on a podium. Alongside it, an old washstand features a specially created splashback decorated with the carousel’s Beaulieu Jazz Festival motif from the festival stage. Lighting the room is a specially made chandelier, based on a sketch by Lady Belinda and cra ed by metal sculptor Gary Boulton, who lives on the estate, with glass beads decoration by Jane Yapp. e original en-suite bathroom is now the Harlequin Room in which the lozenge patterned wallpaper blends the circus theme with the Montagu coat of arms. A series of framed illustrations which hang in the room are taken from a book by Lady Belinda called Little Alexander and the Dragon. Sadly, she never nished illustrating the story but one of these drawings is now the room’s main feature, being reproduced on the wall tiles of the shower recess. Re ecting on what he has created for public viewing and the occasional house guest, Lord Montagu said: “I’ve already honoured my father’s legacy in the Motor Room, and now I’m pleased to do the same for my mother who died in 2022. She loved the circus and produced so many wonderful paintings and embroideries drawing on it for inspiration, so this has become my tribute to her.” You can now see the Circus Room as part of your visit to Beaulieu, for tickets and details visit: www.beaulieu. co.uk or call: 01590 612345. Lord Montagu has opened the Circus Room at Beaulieu in tribute to his mother Carousel galloper Rama in the Circus Room Belinda, Lady Montagu’s artwork in the Harlequin Room House guests can take a dip in large red tub mounted on podium
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