For the bank holiday weekend, we headed to Cliveden to see for ourselves the luxurious yet scandalous home of the Astors and the Profumo affair. A beautiful house that is now a rather grand hotel, the grounds are managed by the National Trust. (Unfortunately there’s a lot of scaffolding at the moment!)

There was a new rose garden, which gave ample opportunity for some close-up shots…

Cliveden has some beautiful vistas and peaceful spots, although it was a rather grey day!

Around the front of the house was rather more bustling and busy, with some great vintage cars parked outside (apparently the present-day ‘Cliveden set’ were in residence!)

The ornate fountain adorning the front drive, complete with some resident ducks…

During the First World War, Nancy Astor turned the house into a hospital, in collaboration with the Canadian Red Cross. As a result, the Italianate Garden was turned into a small memorial, with gravestones naming the soldiers and nursing sisters who died here during the War.

The formal gardens on the Parterre would have been even more spectacular in bright sunshine!

But the gardens were beautiful, and big enough to accommodate even a bank holiday crowd.

We are now left daydreaming about staying in the stunning hotel itself – even with NT visitors gazing in through the dining room windows…