Cliveden

Cliveden is an English country house and garden estate in Buckinghamshire, right on the border with Berkshire and close to Maidenhead. It is cared for by the National Trust and counts among the organisation's most popular paid-entry attractions.

Where is Cliveden and what does it look like?

The Italianate mansion, also called Cliveden House, crowns a ridge of the Chiltern Hills near the villages of Taplow and Burnham. The house stands roughly 40 metres above the River Thames, and the grounds slope down to the water. That height gives the terraces wide views over the valley.

What is the history of the house?

Three houses have stood on this spot. The first went up in 1666 and burned down in 1795. A second was built around 1824 and also fell to fire, in 1849. The present Grade I listed house dates from 1851, designed by Charles Barry for the 2nd Duke of Sutherland. Barry is also remembered for the Houses of Parliament in Westminster.

Which gardens should you see?

The Duke and Duchess of Sutherland bought the estate in 1849. With head gardener John Fleming they developed the parterre, which became famous for ribbon and carpet bedding and set an example for gardens elsewhere.

William Waldorf Astor bought the estate in 1893. He created the Long Garden and an East Asian-inspired Water Garden, finished by 1910 after the pond was enlarged in 1905. In 1918 the sunken Italian garden became a memorial garden, which holds 42 First World War graves. The Rose Garden was designed in the 1950s by Sir Geoffrey Jellicoe for the 3rd Lord Astor.

Who were the famous guests?

Nancy Astor entertained royalty and politicians here. Cliveden became a hub of European political and literary life, with guests including Lloyd George, Winston Churchill, George Bernard Shaw, Gandhi and Charlie Chaplin. In the 1930s the gatherings gained the nickname the "Cliveden Set".

How did Cliveden reach the National Trust?

The Astors gave the estate to the Trust in 1942 but kept living there for years, leaving in the mid-1960s. From 1969 to 1983 Stanford University leased it for an overseas campus. Today the National Trust manages it and it is open to visitors; more than 560,000 people came in 2025.

Frequently asked questions

Where is Cliveden? In Buckinghamshire, near Taplow and Burnham, on the border with Berkshire. The postal address is Maidenhead.

Who runs it today? The National Trust. Entry is paid and covers the gardens and the riverside grounds.

When was the current house built? In 1851, to a design by Charles Barry.

What stands out in the gardens? The East Asian-style Water Garden, the Long Garden, the Rose Garden and the memorial garden with its war graves.

Is it a good day trip from London? Yes. Cliveden lies in the Thames valley west of the capital, and the mix of a historic house, gardens and river views fills a full day. Check current opening times and prices on the National Trust website before you go.