THE CHILTERN HILLS
BY BRITISH HERITAGE BESPOKE TOURS
If you have visited England before and seen the "USUAL SUSPECTS" I guarantee that I will show you an aspect of our beautiful country that you will not have seen before. You will visit a magnificent RENAISSANCE STYLE CHATEAU set in a designated area of outstanding natural beauty and HARTWELL HOUSE, a masterpiece of English baroque design and seat of William Peveral, son of William the Conqueror. A picturesque village, home to a cave-dwelling hermit, a 1000yr old pub and a burial site dating back to 3700BC. If this is your first visit, you will take away a memory that will prompt you to return.
Less than 30 miles from the suburbs of London lie unspoiled picturesque villages, royal woodlands and narrow leafy lanes that are wrapped by breathtaking scenery. You will see a romantic medieval England that still exists today much as it did in times of 'single lane' horse-drawn transport.
| Our ONE DAY TOUR will feature WADDESDON MANOR with its impeccably manicured gardens, wine cellars containing 15,000 bottles of fine wine spanning 150 years, and home to arguably the greatest collection of art in Europe. The superlative collection of English paintings hangs beside the finest French decorative arts, set in rooms clad in paneling from the grandest Parisian town houses. Waddesdon with its spectacular Victorian gardens is the achievement of 24 years dedication by Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild who bought the original farmland from the Duke of Malborough in 1874 and transformed it into this startling estate. You can also see my favorite sculpture - he's just so great! |
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Our other feature property is HARTWELL HOUSE. This masterpiece of English baroque design has a remarkable history stretching back a thousand years to the reign of Edward the Confessor. It has been the seat of William Peveral, Son of William the Conqueror; John, Earl of Mortaigne, who succeeded his brother Richard the Lion Heart as King of England in 1199 and later sealed the Magna Carta with the Barons of England at Runnymede; and a succession of Kings and nobility including Louis XVlll the exiled King of France who held court at the house for five years. In the 1750's Sir William Lee and later Sir George Lee resided at HARTWELL both of whom were ancestors of General Robert E Lee of American Civil War fame. Within its 90 acres of parkland 'HARTWELL HOUSE HOTEL' is now part of the National Trust in order to achieve its long term security and provide you with the opportunity to stay overnight, have afternoon tea, morning coffee or dine inside this piece of English history. |
For the ANTIQUE collector, a 500 YEAR OLD ELIZABETHAN COACHING INN with forty rooms of meandering corridors, ranging from the Georgian period through to Art Deco, displaying one of the largest collections of antiques for sale in England. (Great coffee and biscuits!!) |
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Our next vision is 540 ACRES OF BEECHWOOD, streams and pathways dating back to the DOMESDAY BOOK. This magical forest backdrop was used as the leafy residence of Robin Hood in the movie "ROBIN PRINCE OF THIEVES" starring Kevin Costner and latterly by Ridley Scott in his epic starring Russell Crowe. |
After which, lunch at THE OLDEST PUB IN ENGLAND, that predates The Battle of Hastings in 1066, seems like a plan! The early Saxons brewed ale on this site and settled disputes by drinking to the GODDESS OF BARLEY! Which gives a whole new meaning to the phrase "Pub Lunch". Apart from its place in history the two coveted awards of " Freehouse of the Year " and " Pub of the Year " have been given to this establishment. |
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A few miles into the Chiltern Hills takes us passed one of the OLDEST VISIBLE PREHISTORIC SITES dating back 3700 yrs BC. Amazing to think that this site could predate Stonehenge!! |
One of our smallest medieval villages with its thatched cottages and Saxon church, was home to a cave dwelling HERMIT who, it is believed, was King Charles 1st executioner, and whose shoe is displayed in the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford. A beautifully preserved setting (often picked as a film location) complete with its original STOCKS just outside the church. Looking at the stocks you can see why the church had a loyal following!!!! |
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Passing through some of the areas prettiest villages we enter one of Buckinghamshire's' famous market towns. The origins of the town go back to pre-saxon times, The Doomsday Book, and Edward the Confessor. In 1200 King John granted the town a market and fair that is still held on 19th September every year. In more recent times the Elizabethan coaching-inn found fame in the film " FOUR WEDDINGS and a FUNERAL" (a chance for some shopping and stroll through the towns small, cobbled streets) |
Meandering homewards through the villages where JOHN MILTON lived to escape London during the great plague of 1665 and completed his epic poem 'Paradise Lost', and the Quaker Meeting House of 1688 where WILLIAM PENN the founder of PENNSYLVANIA is buried, we can contemplate DINNER! We can either enjoy a most wonderful dinner at one of my truly favorite inns or head back to the big city away from this unsung haven, which is, unbelievably, only 30 miles away from London! |
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