Gardens to visit in spring and summer – Cliveden

Cliveden stands on a high cliff above the River Thames, and the gardens provide wonderful views down the river. The house was originally built in 1670 for the second Duke of Buckingham. It was badly damaged by fire in 1795, and was left to decay for three decades. It was eventually rebuilt, but another fire in 1849 destroyed much of the original structure. Sir Charles Barry designed a new Italianate building in 1850 for the Duke and Duchess of Sutherland. His three story central block curves outward to join eighteenth century wings designed by Thomas Archer. The interior was altered in the 1870s from Barry's design, and the clock tower and stable block added.

In 1893 the estate was purchased by William Waldorf Astor and between the two World Wars became a centre of political and social activity, as the second Viscount Astor and Lady Astor made it a popular gathering place for influential people who became known as The Cliveden Set, a rather right wing bunch who included:

1. Nancy, Viscountess Astor
2. Geoffrey Dawson, editor of the London Times
3. Lord Lothian, author and politician
4. Lord Halifax

The house is surrounded by nearly four hundred acres of superb landscape gardens, including a Rose Garden designed by noted English garden expert Sir Geoffrey Jellicoe. The gardens also feature the Canadian War Memorial Garden, the Ilex Grove, Amphitheatre, River Walk and the Yew Tree Walk. The grounds are notable for their excellent statuary, with the most prominent feature being the sculpted "Fountain of Love", which stands at the end of a broad entry avenue at the main approach to the house. Parts of the gardens date back to the sixteenth century but much of the statuary was added by the Astors.

In 1942 Viscount Astor gave Cliveden to the National Trust.

Cliveden photograph by Wolfiewolf, used under a creative commons attribution licence.

 

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