Cliveden 17 April 2016

I did it eventually - I got the National Trust card.  Even if you aren't particularly interested in history or old buildings - with this card you get free parking (a big issue wherever you go in the UK), clean toilets and in most places, cake!  And good cake at that.  Worth the expense I say.  There are approximately 500 NT places up and down the country so extremely useful when travelling.  I do happen to like history though, and beautiful gardens, and cake. Win, win, win.

Cliveden (on top of a cliff so cliv not clive) is only a couple of miles from where I live at the bottom of Buckinghamshire.  Lots of history happened here - the highlights being the Duke of Buckingham acquiring it for his mistress and then installing his wife in the house at the same time, a couple of bad fires (one which Queen Victoria saw from Windsor and sent her horse drawn fire engine to help, it didn't get there in time). Being purchased by the American Astor / Waldorf family and of more recent interest - the Profumo scandal circa 1965.  Stanford University used the house until 1983 and it is now a luxury hotel but the grounds are open to the public and there are house tours on weekend afternoons.  No pictures allowed inside the house unfortunately, but it's in fantastic condition.

I started off in the gardens.

It was a sort of cloudy day and still quite cold.  There were lots of families and kids.

A really spectacular fountain called The Fountain of Love - used as the inspiration for the fountain in front of the palace in Cinderella.  All you closet Disney fans - something to watch out for.

Formal gardens - I cannot describe the smell of these hyacinths - the whole garden was scented.  Spot the rogue pinky  ...

The gilded water tower

I spotted these ladies sauntering across the lawn and was confused for a moment.  They were certainly appropriately dressed - for Downton Abbey.  Turns out the a local theatre group dresses up their members and they interact and act out characters of the period before and during the war.  At the end of the house tour you could chat with any of them and they were extremely well versed in their subjects.  I spoke to a Prime Minister's wife (can't recall the name) who was verbose on women's health issues at that time.  It was fun.

Up to the house

And the chapel which stands on the edge of the cliff overlooking the river and the countryside.

The daffodils were still blooming beautiful ..

But the trees have some way to go before showing up for summer

Ah, I thought.  Time for tea.  Well, it was late afternoon and there was not a crumb left!  So I went home disappointed.  Next time I need to get there earlier.  Next time I'll walk around the estate too. It's large and beautiful.