🎬 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’.

🎬 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 – Ordinary mortals get the chance to be cowboys and cowgirls in Hampshire. Story about the Flying G Ranch where friends and holidaymakers can enjoy "life on the range" and pretend to be cowboys. The ranch is owned by the transatlantic airline pilot Captain Leslie Gosling. C/U of a gun being loaded with bullets, cut to show man in cowboy hat and glasses (looks a bit incongruous) who is holding the gun. Horses are saddled up for a ride. Various footage of the holidaymakers riding their steeds around the ranch and out in open fields. They run into the local hunt which again looks strange - worlds colliding. Nice majestic western music accompanies shots of the riders. C/U of hamburgers being barbecued as the ramblers return for an outdoor feast. Good shots of the food being distributed and the riders enjoying their meals. A young cowboy and cowgirl polish their saddles. "We've never seen a sharpshooter in horn rimmed glasses before" quips the narrator as our friend from earlier shoots a few rounds and knocks down a few cans. The cowboys and cowgirls sit around on blankets listening to one of their group playing the guitar. I want to go. Cuts exist - see separate record

🎬An unnamed local filmmaker set up his camera on the top deck of a Southampton Tram. The result is a wonderful window on life in the last year of the Victorian age.

Southampton 1900, A Tram Journey. Starting at North Gate, Bargate Arch. North along Above Bar Street. Finishing at The Clock Tower, Palmerston Park.

🎬BBC South 50 years: Episode1 BBC South. A series of 19 mini-features made by BBC South at Southampton in 2011 to celebrate the station's 50 year history.

Episode 1 BBC South. Steve Humphrey tells the story of BBC South from the first broadcasts of South at Six. Introductory footage is from the British Pathé Archive.

NFG are indebted to the BBC staff at Southampton for their help in sourcing items for the archive. See more episodes in the Category - BBC South.

🎬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