Taplow, Maidenhead, Buckinghamshire

Elegant and striking Cliveden has long attracted the famous and infamous. Nancy Astor, the first female MP to take up her seat at Parliament and wife of Cliveden's then owner, Waldorf Astor, held lavish house parties here in the 1930s; Winston Churchill, George Bernard Shaw and Charlie Chaplin were frequent guests.

The 1960s brought the house worldwide fame due to its part in the Profumo Affair; Christine Keeler first met John Profumo here while having a dip in the swimming pool. The house is now a hotel but parts of it are open to visitors.

Set high above the Thames and with far-reaching views, Cliveden's impressive gardens and majestic woodlands capture the grandeur of a bygone age.

Follow in the footsteps of dukes, earls and royalty as you explore the series of gardens, each with its own special charm. From the formality of the Parterre, with its vibrant floral displays, to the quirky statuary and topiary in the Long Garden, the gardens will delight you in every season.

The formal gardens give way to secluded glades, treelined avenues and picturesque riverside with miles of woodland walks to discover.