Cliveden

'''Cliveden''' (pronounced {{IPAc-en|ˈ|k|l|ɪ|v|d|ən}}) is an [[English country house]] and estate in the care of the [[National Trust]] in [[Buckinghamshire]], on the border with [[Berkshire]]. The [[Italianate]] mansion, also known as Cliveden House, crowns an outlying ridge of the [[Chiltern Hills]] close to the [[South Bucks]] villages of [[Taplow]] and [[Burnham, Buckinghamshire|Burnham]]. The main house sits {{convert|40|m|ft}} above the banks of the [[River Thames]], and its grounds slope down to the river. There have been three houses on this site. The first was built in 1666 and burned down in 1795, while the second house was constructed around 1824 and was also destroyed by fire, in 1849. The present [[Grade I listed]] house was built in 1851 by the architect [[Charles Barry]] for the [[George Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, 2nd Duke of Sutherland|2nd Duke of Sutherland]].

'''Cliveden''' (pronounced {{IPAc-en|ˈ|k|l|ɪ|v|d|ən}}) is an [[English country house]] and estate in the care of the [[National Trust]] in [[Buckinghamshire]], on the border with [[Berkshire]]. The [[Italianate]] mansion, also known as Cliveden House, crowns an outlying ridge of the [[Chiltern Hills]] close to the [[South Bucks]] villages of [[Taplow]] and [[Burnham, Buckinghamshire|Burnham]]. The main house sits {{convert|40|m|ft}} above the banks of the [[River Thames]], and its grounds slope down to the river. There have been three houses on this site. The first was built in 1666 and burned down in 1795, while the second house was constructed around 1824 and was also destroyed by fire, in 1849. The present [[Grade I listed]] house was built in 1851 by the architect [[Charles Barry]] for the [[George Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, 2nd Duke of Sutherland|2nd Duke of Sutherland]].

Cliveden has been the home to a [[Prince of Wales]], two dukes, an earl, and finally the [[Viscounts Astor]]. As the home of [[Nancy Astor]], wife of the [[Waldorf Astor, 2nd Viscount Astor|2nd Viscount Astor]], Cliveden was the meeting place during the 1920s and 1930s of the [[Cliveden Set]], a group of political intellectuals. Later, during the early 1960s, when it was the home of the [[William Astor, 3rd Viscount Astor|3rd Viscount Astor]], it became the setting for key events of the notorious [[Profumo affair]]. After the Astor family stopped living there, by the 1970s, it was leased to [[Stanford University]], which used it as an overseas campus. It is now leased to a company that runs it as a [[luxury hotel]].

Cliveden has been the home to a [[Frederick, Prince of Wales|Prince of Wales]], two dukes, an earl, and finally the [[Viscounts Astor]]. As the home of [[Nancy Astor]], wife of the [[Waldorf Astor, 2nd Viscount Astor|2nd Viscount Astor]], Cliveden was the meeting place during the 1920s and 1930s of the [[Cliveden Set]], a group of political intellectuals. Later, during the early 1960s, when it was the home of the [[William Astor, 3rd Viscount Astor|3rd Viscount Astor]], it became the setting for key events of the notorious [[Profumo affair]]. After the Astor family stopped living there, by the 1970s, it was leased to [[Stanford University]], which used it as an overseas campus. It is now leased to a company that runs it as a [[luxury hotel]].

The {{convert|375|acre|ha|adj=on}} gardens and woodlands are open to the public, together with parts of the house on certain days. Cliveden has been one of the National Trust's most popular pay-for-entry visitor attractions, hosting 524,807 visitors in 2019.

The {{convert|375|acre|ha|adj=on}} gardens and woodlands are open to the public, together with parts of the house on certain days. Cliveden has been one of the National Trust's most popular pay-for-entry visitor attractions, hosting 524,807 visitors in 2019.