Cliveden

Here it is Tuesday and it's another big house and gardens, ho hum. Actually, there are many of these around and they're all interesting. Cliveden (CLIV den) is located in Taplow, between Marlow and Maidenhead, about half an hour's drive from Henley. The house was built by the Duke of Buckingham in 1668, added onto over the years, and rebuilt twice after large, devastating fires. The current incarnation of the house dates from the middle nineteenth century. The gardens have also been a work in progress over that time. It has been owned by a number of families (often given as a gift to a child as a wedding present), terminating with the Astor family from New York, who donated it to the National Trust. In the early 60's, Cliveden was the scene of many a liaison between John Profumo and Christine Keeler, causing a major scandal and the fall of a government. For a while the Astors still lived in the house, but it is now a luxury hotel which tourists can only visit on certain days.





The grounds consist of several hundred acres which contain several different gardens, some formal and sculptured, others more informal with ponds.