Cliveden Manor, Buckinghamshire

[This posting moved as requested by eleagnus]
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eleagnus7
Green Fingers
Member # 2139

posted October 28, 2006 02:49
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Cliveden in Buckinghamshire is now a most beautiful place to visit. The house was leased to an american university for many years and though they were not a destructive element as far as the place and extensive grounds were concerned, there was very little of the house to visit as it was all in use as residences. This also meant that the grounds were not maintained to the very high standard they are now that the Trust lease the place to a Hotel consortium . I had the good fortune to live in the grounds when I was involved with the running of the Orangery Tea Rooms there and saw the gradual improvements taking place. As for the Gardens - the huge banks of rhododendrons and azaleas are a sight to behold in the early season and of course other seasons equally have their huge flowering masses of bulbs and shrubs not to mention the trees, which Bucks is famous for producing. A very amusing occurence used to take place during the high visitor levels in the summer. People would all gather round the very large ornamental lake to sit and watch the huge Golden Carp and other species, moorhens and ducks and to generally cool off after all the walking. The fish would keep in the lower depths of water as a rule. What the visitors didn't know of course, is that when the gates were closed and therefore all visitors gone, as if by some unheard signal the lake would suddenly be teeming with all the fish at the surface to eat the flies etc and the other wildlife coming out in droves!
There is a very much cared for formal garden leading down to the Thames at the rear of the house and this can be seen from all the formal and residential rooms at the back of the building. A great many of the areas of the outside building have been gradually upgraded and rebuilt (on a recycling use of the stone, bricks, timbers etc) and my son was involved in this work, so we know all about the great care taken some 25 or so years ago when it was really not the ususal thing to conserve so carefully. It is possible to view quite a lot of the formal gardens from the terracing at the rear of the house, so those with mobility problems can be saved a lot of walking. It seems strange that all the history making governmental sheenanigans took place there with Profumo et al,but
it is now so peaceful. I must say that one day I intend to visit the hotel as a guest and enjoy what was once my workplace and home!


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The courage of my convictions makes life possible.

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