Taplow Court

Taplow Court in Taplow is a Victorian country house in Buckinghamshire, set on a rise above the Thames close to the Berkshire border and the town of Maidenhead. It now serves as the UK headquarters of the Buddhist organisation Soka Gakkai International (SGI-UK), and in its grounds lies one of southern England's most notable Anglo-Saxon sites.

What is Taplow Court?

The house grew out of an Elizabethan manor that was remodelled in the early 1600s. During the 18th century the estate passed to the Earls of Orkney, with George Hamilton, the first earl, buying it around 1700. In the 1850s Charles Pascoe Grenfell acquired it and commissioned William Burn to rebuild it between 1855 and 1860, giving the house its present Victorian character. The Grenfell family stayed on until after the Second World War.

The building then housed British Telecommunications Research, a firm founded in 1946 that was later taken over by Plessey Electronics. Soka Gakkai International purchased the property in 1988. Historic England lists the house and several estate structures at Grade II.

What is there to see?

The main historic draw is a seventh-century burial mound in the old churchyard beside the house. It held a high-status burial with rich grave goods. The mound was excavated in 1883, and most of the finds went to the British Museum in London. Local tradition links the burial to a chieftain called Taeppa, from whom the name Taplow traditionally derives. The site is a scheduled monument and looks west along the Thames valley toward Maidenhead.

Excavations in the grounds have also uncovered defensive earthworks from the Bronze and Iron Ages, tied to an earlier hillfort. Elsewhere on the estate you will find features from the Grenfell era, including a family memorial and former service buildings.

Can you visit?

Taplow Court is not a museum with regular opening hours. It is a Buddhist centre, so access depends on events run by SGI-UK. The best chance is Heritage Open Days, England's September open-heritage weekends. In 2024 the gardens and grounds opened around midday and the house and café at 2pm, with free entry and a suggested donation. Check the current programme before you travel, as dates vary each year.

How do you get there?

Taplow lies next to Maidenhead, roughly 40 km west of central London. Trains run from London Paddington to Taplow or Maidenhead station, and from either you can continue by taxi or on foot. Remember that this is an active place of practice, so keep noise down and respect those using the grounds.

Frequently asked questions

Is Taplow Court open to the public? Not year-round. You can enter on organised open days, mainly Heritage Open Days. At other times the grounds belong to the SGI-UK centre.

What is its heritage status? The house is Grade II listed by Historic England. The burial mound and old churchyard are protected separately as a scheduled monument.

What was found in the burial mound? An Anglo-Saxon burial from the seventh century with rich grave goods. Most of the objects are held by the British Museum.

Who owns the house today? Soka Gakkai International, which bought it in 1988 and uses it as its British headquarters.