Cliveden
Cliveden (or 'Cliefden') owes its name to the chalk cliffs overlooking the Thames and is located just outside Maidenhead. It is a National Trust property and the mansion is operated as a hotel, with the Great Hall and French Dining Room open to visitors on selected days.
Despite its ideal location, the site was not built on until about 1666 when it was acquired by the 2nd Duke of Buckingham. He employed William Winde to design a tall house over a massive terraced platform, an arrangement that was likened at the time to Italian villas. There have been three houses on the same foundations, all of them serving as villas or retreats from London rather than country houses. Since Buckingham's death in 1687 Cliveden has been occupied by several leading families including Frederick, Prince of Wales, and the prominent Astor family.
Cliveden is also known for its gardens, each boasting a unique character. Our favourites included the Long Garden (see the second photo at left), water garden, secret garden and Yew Tree Walk. Worthy of note also is the War Memorial Garden, which was adapted in 1917-18 as a cemetary for those who died in the Canadian Red Cross Hospital (which had been built on the Cliveden estate). Kassie was entranced by the Octagon Temple, situated on a slight slope overlooking the Thames and built in 1735 to the designs of Leoni. In the 1890s it was transformed into a family chapel and mausoleum with not only impressive stained glass windows but also stunning mosaics as well.
The view from the terrace is breathtaking and remains much as it was when built by the Duke of Buckingham. Nearby is the Duke's Lawn where the date 1668 and a duellist's sword are marked in the lawn. These emblems commemorate the duel between the Duke of Buckingham and his mistress's husband, the Earl of Shrewsbury, who was killed in the fight. Buckingham lived openly with his mistress at Cliveden, after sending his wife home to her father when she told her husband she would not set foot in the same house as his paramour. No doubt she was expecting a very different answer to her ultimatum.
The present house, the third on the site, was built by Charles Barry, architect of The Houses of Parliament, for the Duke of Sutherland in 1851. Guided tours are provided on selected days by timed ticket.
Date of Our Last Visit: July 2005