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Hold onto your top hats and tighten those corsets! Horrible Histories® is bringing the Vile Victorians to Beaulieu this summer, and I don't know about you, but my kids are already obsessed.
If you’re currently staring at the May half-term calendar wondering how to keep the kids entertained without losing your mind, I think I’ve found the answer. From 23 May to 31 August, Beaulieu is teaming up with Horrible Histories to bring the "Vile Victorians" to life.
I’ve always been a fan of the Horrible Histories books (Terry Deary is a genius, isn't he?), and the idea of following Rattus the Rat on a trail of "delightfully disgusting" discoveries sounds like exactly the kind of thing that will actually get my kids excited about a walk in the gardens.
Why I’m Putting This at the Top of Our Summer Bucket List
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Engagement: It’s hard to find activities that capture the imagination of a 5-year-old and a 10-year-old at the same time, but "stomach-churning tales of foul food" usually does the trick for both!
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The "Gross" Factor: Let's be honest, kids love anything a bit icky. Learning about arsenic-dyed dresses and jellied eels beats a dry history lesson any day.
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Burn off Energy: The trail spans the National Motor Museum, the Monorail, and the gardens, so it’s a perfect "wear-them-out" day.
Motoring Madness & Wacky Monorails
The journey starts near the National Motor Museum. I think it’s hilarious to imagine a time when cars were seen as "noisy, horse-scaring menaces"—especially when I'm currently dealing with the "noisy menaces" in my own backseat!
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Interactive Fun: You can check out the Driven: Britain’s Motoring Story gallery to see some of the Victorian inventions that shaped our world.
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The Monorail: Lord Montagu’s grandfather actually predicted that monorails were the future of transport. Beaulieu’s monorail is a family favourite for us—it’s a "wonderfully wacky" way to see the grounds without the little ones complaining that their legs are tired.
Soggy Socks & Gross Medicine: Victorian Village Life
Step into the gardens to see if your family could have survived a single day in the 19th century.
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Village Life: You can see what it was like for the milkmaids and mole-catchers who "worked their soggy socks off."
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True or False? I’m personally looking forward to the "Victorian Medicine" section. Parents back then had some very questionable DIY cures for their children's illnesses. I think I'll stick to Calpol, thanks!
Palace House: Secrets Below Stairs
No trip to Beaulieu is complete without visiting Palace House. It’s a stunning grand country house, but it has some pretty "vile" secrets hidden in the kitchen.
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The Victorian Kitchen: I’ll be challenging my kids to see if they’d actually eat the wobbly jellied eels on display. It might make them appreciate their chicken nuggets a bit more tonight!
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Deadly Fashion: Head upstairs to learn why looking good was a risky business. From arsenic-poisoned gowns to corsets that acted like "murderous hugs," it makes our modern leggings and hoodies look like a much safer choice.
FAQs: Visiting Horrible Histories at Beaulieu
Is the Horrible Histories trail included in the ticket?
Yes! The Vile Victorians trail is part of your general admission ticket, which is great value as it includes the Motor Museum and the Monorail too.
How long should we allow for the day?
To really soak in the "vile" details and let the kids explore the play areas, I’d suggest arriving early and making a full day of it.
