Travels in my neighbourhood: Cliveden

When we moved back to the UK after 11 years away, I vowed that I wouldn’t take my own country for granted like I did when I was younger. I even bought a Lonely Planet guide to England as a statement of intent.

When I was a kid, we were always out and about visiting another stately home. My Mum likes nothing better than a musty old mansion. I’ve lived just down the road from Cliveden House and estate for several years now, and I’m starting to feel slightly guilty that I haven’t visited such an infamous landmark.

But finally here I am, after snaffling a much sought-after ticket for the grounds, and hoping that the forecast thunderstorms don’t materialise. First impressions are good, as I walk past the Fountain of Love and head towards the very impressive main house.

Cliveden achieved fame for glamourous parties in the 1920s and 30s as the home of Waldorf and Nancy Astor. It became notorious in the 1960s as the setting for the Profumo Affair which almost brought down the Government. And it hit the headlines again in 2018 when Meghan Markle spent her last night as a single woman here with her Mum.

The current house dates from 1851, although there has been a mansion here since 1666. Nowadays, it’s a luxury hotel, and the grounds are owned by the National Trust. Not surprisingly, the estate is often used as a film and TV location, ranging from Antiques Roadshow to Sherlock Holmes and Mr Selfridge. The house itself was the model for Lady Penelope’s house in Thunderbirds. It’s a stunner!

Cliveden over the years belonged to Dukes, Earls and Princes. Queen Victoria was a regular visitor by boat from Windsor. But it became the place to be when it was given to Waldorf and Nancy Astor as a wedding present in 1906. Hmmm, I don’t know about you, but I never had a stately home on my wedding list! I obviously have the wrong sort of friends…

A bit unfairly, the Astors are chiefly remembered for their lavish social gatherings and celebrity guests, such as Winston Churchill, Charlie Chaplin, Mahatma Gandhi, Lawrence of Arabia and Rudyard Kipling. But both of them had distinguished political careers. Nancy was the first woman MP to take a seat in the House of Commons and she fought for women’s rights. Go Nancy! My kind of gal.

The Cliveden grounds are as beautiful as the house, and were the site of meetings between model and showgirl Christine Keeler and politician John Profumo in 1961. Profumo was married but that wasn’t the problem – then as now MPs could get away with indiscretions (I’m mentioning no names…). The issue was with Keeler’s other boyfriend – a Russian. This was during the Cold War years, so obviously he was a spy.

When the details came out, as they always do, Profumo had to resign. Christine, only 19 at the time of the affair, lived the rest of her life under a cloud, her reputation in tatters. 1989 film Scandal tells the story of the liaison, while the 2019 BBC series The Trial of Christine Keeler attempts to give a more sympathetic portrayal of the teenage girl caught up in a national outrage. It’s a story that has continued to resonate over the years.

Nowadays, Cliveden continues to attract a star studded clientele. The Queen has been here several times and it’s popular for society wedding parties. Footballer Cesc Fabregas got married here just days before Meghan came to visit. Of course, you can stay here too, but be prepared for a hefty price tag – the swish Lady Astor suite costs a cool £1,500 per night. Or, like me, you can opt to pay £10 and wander through the grounds. With 376 acres to cover, you can easily spend a few hours here and get your money’s worth.

To the north-east of the house, high above the river is a grassy amphitheatre which was used in the past for open-air concerts and plays. In 1740 the first performance of the rousing anthem Rule Britannia took place here for a select audience. I’m tempted to sit on the grass and hum my own rendition – there’s no-one around to be offended – but just then the heavens open so I fish my mac out of my bag and carry on walking.

There’s so much to see here, around every corner a different garden, statue, building or view, all with their own history. Yikes, I love it so much, I must be turning into my mother!

I end my visit to Cliveden in the oriental-style Water Garden. Past the ponds, the Green Drive stretches off into the distance, cutting through the woodlands. I’ve been here for ages and I haven’t come close to seeing everything.

I’ll come back with Lizzie the Labradoodle I think, and explore some more. This place is known for high society entertainments and intrigue, but it’s got a fair bit of natural magic too.