사우스 벅스‬에서 가장 멋진 ‪4‬개의 천연기념물

Clivden is a gem. A glorious stately home converted to a hotel and many an event.

Burnham Beeches is a Site of Special Scientific Interest, National Nature Reserve, and Special Area of Conservation thanks to its ancient beech woodland and rich wildlife. More than sixty species of plants and animals that call the 927-acre (375 ha) site home are rare or under threat. The historic woodland is also home to relics of times gone by. Located in the southwest of the woodland, you can visit Seven Ways Plain hill fort which dates to the Late Bronze Age and Early Iron Age. Neighbouring film studios have used the Beeches as a shooting location in various productions such as Doctor Who, Harry Potter, Goldfinger, and Robin Hood Prince of Thieves.

When the First World War broke out, Cliveden was a grand country estate well known for its exclusive parties and famous guests, yet within months it was offering a lifeline to Allied troops injured during the fighting. A helping hand At the beginning of the war, after failing a medical assessment to join the army, Waldorf Astor (later 2nd Viscount Astor) offered part of the Cliveden estate as a hospital to the British Army. They turned down the offer after deciding it would be too difficult to adapt to their needs but, determined to help, he offered the land to the Canadian Red Cross who accepted. As a result, the Duchess of Connaught Red Cross Hospital was opened to treat injured allied troops of the First World War. Bedside manner In 1915 the hospital could hold up to 110 patients at any one time but by the end of the war, this number had risen dramatically to 600. Nancy Astor was often seen helping out in the hospital and it is said that her personality and great vigour worked wonders on the patients. Many ministers and royals also visited the hospital including Winston Churchill in May 1915 and King George V in July 1915. In memory Of the 24,000 troops treated at the hospital only a relatively small number died. In 1918, the 1st Viscount Astor's sunken Italian garden was adapted to create a memorial garden for the deceased. https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/cliveden/features/first-world-war-at-cliveden

Canning's View Canning's View was named after George Canning who was briefly prime minister in 1827. He was a regular visitor and spent many hours under a giant oak tree here, looking out at the spectacular view of the River Thames. The tree fell in May 2004 but the view to the river that George Canning enjoyed years ago still remains.

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. Carrara marble figure of a half-fallen woman with very long wavy hair, arms outstretched to welcome cupid. Left figure from the monumental, two-colour marble group, The Fountain of Love, designed and carved in Rome by Thomas Waldo Story (1855-1915) son and pupil of the American dilettante sculptor William Wetmore Story (1819-95). The figures are signed and dated 'Waldo Story Roma 1897'. http://www.nationaltrustcollections.org.uk/object/766173.1

Will you be able to crack Lord Astor's secret route and reach the heart of the Cliveden Maze? Our maze is based on one that was built for the 1st Viscount Astor in 1894 and has over 500 metres of paths winding amongst two-metre high hedges. The maze covers approximately one-third of an acre, making the maze the same size as the world-famous Hampton Court Maze. We started work recreating the giant puzzle in 2009 and it was officially opened on Friday 8 April 2011 by a renowned gardener, broadcaster and writer Alan Titchmarsh. Lord Astor, whose great-grandfather was William Waldorf, the 1st Viscount Astor, was the first person to officially go into the new maze. Historic design Apart from a few surviving yew trees that provided the exact location, little else was known about the original maze. However, a sketch drawn by the 1st Viscount Astor showing his design for maze survives in the archive and we were able to use this to recreate a faithful copy. A-maze-ing facts Yew trees create great mazes because they readily form dense hedges and are easily clipped into shape. We used almost 1,100 yew trees to make up the hedges and each tree on arrival was already 2 metres tall and weighed approximately 60 kilograms. It took four 40-foot artic lorries to transport them. Meanwhile, over 1,000 metres of steel edging and 120 tonnes of gravel were used to produce the 500 metres of a path. The maze’s beautiful hand-forged wrought iron gates were created by Chris Collman from Burnham who is known locally as The Wrought Iron Man. The gates have a strong Victorian influence and commemorate both Lord Astor’s original maze and our recreation. https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/cliveden/features/the-cliveden-maze

In the Long Garden, you'll find huge beds of seasonal flowers displayed amongst a collection of quirky topiary and sculptures Colourful combinations to come Every Spring and Summer there's a new floral scheme creating a mass of colour within the four box-edged central beds and along the bricked walled border. Space for sculpture This aptly named garden was created by William Waldorf Astor in 1896 to display some of his classical sculpture collection. Notable pieces include four 18th-century stone characters from the Commedia dell’ Arte in the centre of the garden, two ancient Egyptian baboons and the striking marble figures of Nautica and Marco Polo at the eastern end. Italian inspiration Taking elements from gardens he’d seen in Italy, Lord Astor created the long, narrow central beds and planted climbers along the boundary wall. Originally two unbroken beds, it was his son and daughter-in-law, Waldorf and Nancy, who modified the design to make four beds with a large central space as we see today. Norah and Nancy During the inter-war years, Nancy Astor worked closely with socialite-turned-gardener Norah Lindsay to devise herbaceous schemes for the Long Garden. Designed to peak for Ascot week, the central beds were filled with bright red, yellow and orange blooms in the centre with the colours fading to pinks, creams and mauves towards the edges. Although different, today’s modern scheme ensures a striking spectacle in spring and summer. https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/cliveden/features/the-long-garden-at-cliveden