Cliveden - Glorious gardens overlooking the River Thames

 

It was beautiful, sunny and interesting autumn day. I went to the train station very early to catch the train to Virginia Water and next to Reading, Maidennead and Bourne End. I needed to walk a 40 minutes to see this beautiful place but it was worth. I have spent there few hours walking between wood, roses,  water gardens and bank of river admiring nature and beautiful views. It was really relax in the  Cliveden's stunning gardens and I enjoyed exploring the peaceful woodlands and Thames riverbank walking  miles with  breathtaking view. I met Cliveden House and The Chapelbut they were close to visit them. There I admireded collection of 19th-century sculpture illustrates the contrasting tastes of Cliveden's main collectors: the Duke (1786-1861) and Duchess (1808-1868) of Sutherland and William Waldorf Astor (1848-1919) in the gardens. Unfortunately I couldn't see all in this day and I hope to come back to explore more. One day it isn't enough to see anything in this place. It was autumn short day and start to be dark so fast. I needed to think to come back home. 

My start of this trip

 

Met in my way to Cliveden

 

The wounded Amazon by William Waldorf Astor, 1st Viscount Astor (1848-1919). Stands on her left leg, the right half bent. Her left arm is outstretched to hold a rustic pile of stones while her right is held over her chest wound. She wears a short flimsy tunic and her hair is drawn back from a central parting. Her eyes are cast down. An arrow lies on the circular base. Pedestal inscribed with rest of block being carved with key pattern panels in low relief. The original brass handle holds to aid the turning of the statue on its base are extant on the bottom of the figure’s circular base.

The chapel, also known as the Octagon Temple, was originally designed as a place to admire the view or take tea but is now the final resting place for three generations of the Astor family.

Cliveden House is leased as a luxury country house hotel,

 

The Fountain of Love is a two colour marble sculpture by Thomas Waldo Story. It was commissioned by Lord Astor in 1897. The shell dish features three groups of statues which are all signed and dated by the sculptor. The shell was made from two large antique marble blocks joined together and based on tufa rock.

 In the grounds at Cliveden in Buckinghamshire an important collection of 19th-century sculpture illustrates the contrasting tastes of Cliveden's main collectors: the Duke (1786-1861) and Duchess (1808-1868) of Sutherland and William Waldorf Astor (1848-1919). They were patrons of ‘new' art, enthusiastically embracing contemporary sculptors of their day.