152-621: Cliveden (pronounced / ˈ k l ɪ v d ən / ) is an English country house and estate in the care of the National Trust in Buckinghamshire, on the border with Berkshire . The Italianate mansion, also known as Cliveden House, crowns an outlying ridge of the Chiltern Hills close to the South Bucks villages of Burnham and Taplow . The main house sits 40 metres (130 ft) above
304-503: A "hunting box", it later housed Anna, Countess of Shrewsbury . In 1668 a duel between the Duke and his mistress's husband Lord Shrewsbury took place at Barn Elms near London and resulted in Shrewsbury dying of his wounds. A contemporary account of Buckingham's affair with Anna was written about by Samuel Pepys , in his diary of the period. John Evelyn , another contemporary diarist, visited
456-552: A 19th-century chapel as the focus of the park, which also contains a lake with wooded islands, a stable block, glasshouses, and two classical temples. The first country house to be acquired by the Trust, the Elizabethan manor house Barrington Court in Somerset, was bought in 1907 and came in a dilapidated state and devoid of contents. The experience taught the Trust a salutary lesson about
608-530: A 400-foot (120 m) long, 20-foot (6.1 m) high brick terrace or viewing platform (visible only from the south side) which dates from the mid-17th century. The exterior of the house is rendered in Roman cement , with terracotta additions such as balusters , capitals, keystones , and finials . The roof of the mansion is meant for walking on, and there is a circular view, above the tree-line, of parts of Buckinghamshire and Berkshire including Windsor Castle to
760-545: A broader range of buildings than English. In many parts of Europe, the equivalent term is also applied to large private houses in cities, especially of the aristocracy . It is also used for some large official buildings that have never had a residential function; for example in French-speaking countries Palais de Justice is the usual name of important courthouses. Many historic palaces such as parliaments, museums, hotels, or office buildings are now put to other uses. The word
912-446: A circular hearth surrounded by four columns, the throne generally found on the right-hand side upon entering the room. The staircases in the palace of Pylos indicate palaces had two stories. Located on the top floor were the private quarters of the royal family and some storerooms. These palaces have yielded a wealth of artifacts and fragmentary frescoes. The Palace of Domitian in Rome is
1064-563: A dairy, and a boathouse. Also around this time another architect, George Devey , was commissioned to build half-timbered cottages on the estate along with a dairy and boathouse. After the duke's death in 1861 his widow Harriet continued to live at the house for part of the year until her death in 1868, after which it was sold to her son-in-law Hugh Lupus, Earl Grosvenor , later 1st Duke of Westminster. When one lives in Paradise, how hard it must be to ascend in heart and mind to Heaven. Westminster
1216-474: A further 53,000 acres (21,000 ha) covenanted. In May 1945, the Trust's London headquarters had moved to premises in Queen Anne's Gate . In 1965 the Trust launched Enterprise Neptune , a campaign to raise funds to buy or acquire covenants over stretches of coastline and protect them from development. The project was successful, raising over £800,000 in its first year, but it had unforeseen consequences for
1368-473: A grand royal palace constructed in 782 B.C. by King Argisthi . The palace at Erebuni is one of the earliest examples of an Urartian palace. During the Kingdom of Armenia (antiquity) , many palaces were constructed for the successive kings. Ruins of a royal palace can be found in the early Armenian capital of Yervandashat , which was built to serve as the seat of Orontid Armenian Kings by Orontes IV . During
1520-457: A hunting lodge. The panelling was sold in 1897 by Jules Allard to the 1st Lord Astor, who had it installed at Cliveden. The gilded panelling on a turquoise ground contains carvings of hares , pheasants , hunting dogs and rifles. The console tables and buffet were made in 1900 to match the room. The second largest room on the ground floor, after the Great Hall, was the original drawing room, which
1672-851: A joint venture with Arts Council England and Arts Council of Wales . As part of this programme, the Trust has worked with over 200 artists to create new artworks inspired by their places including: Jeremy Deller , Anya Gallaccio , Antony Gormley , Sir Richard Long , Serena Korda , Marcus Coates and Katie Paterson . The National Trust is the largest private landowner in the United Kingdom. The Trust's land holdings account for almost 250,000 hectares (620,000 acres; 2,500 km ; 970 sq mi), mostly of countryside. A large part of this consists of parks and agricultural estates attached to country houses, but there are many countryside properties which were acquired specifically for their scenic or scientific value. The Trust owns or has covenant over about
SECTION 10
#17328525828161824-677: A love of beautiful things among our poor brethren". Named after John Kyrle , the Kyrle Society campaigned for open spaces for the recreational use of urban dwellers, as well as having decorative, musical, and literary branches. Hunter had been solicitor to the Commons Preservation Society , while Rawnsley had campaigned for the protection of the Lake District . The idea of a company with the power to acquire and hold buildings and land had been mooted by Hunter in 1894. In July 1894
1976-723: A member of the House of Habsburg and his consort, Empress Carlota of Mexico , daughter of Leopold I of Belgium . The palace features many objets d'art ranging from gifts of Napoleon III to paintings by Franz Xaver Winterhalter and Mexican painter Santiago Rebull. Palaces in the United States include the White House , the official residence of the president , and the official residences of many governors and Roman Catholic bishops . Some palaces of former heads of state or their representatives, such as English and Spanish royal governors and
2128-648: A new 100-year lease was granted to run from 1984. In 1994 the conversion of the West wing from domestic offices to provide more bedrooms and two boardrooms (Churchill and Macmillan) was completed. There are 48 bedrooms and suites, all of which are named after previous owners and guests (e.g. Buckingham, Westminster). In addition to the Terrace Dining room, there are a further four private dining rooms. Three rooms are licensed for civil ceremonies and each year many couples are married at Cliveden. The hotel also leases Spring Cottage by
2280-522: A painted ceiling by French artist Auguste Hervieu which depicts the Sutherlands' children painted as the four seasons, and is the only surviving element of Barry's 1851–52 interior. The French Dining Room is so-called because the 18th-century Rococo panelling (or boiseries) came from the Château d'Asnières near Paris, a château which was leased to Louis XV and his mistress Madame de Pompadour as
2432-631: A palace, and have been used as residences. Hearst Castle and the Biltmore Estate are examples. The Palacio Legislativo (Legislative Palace) is the house of the Uruguayan Parliament . The Palacio de Miraflores is the setting for the offices of the president of the country. Located in Addis Ababa, the Menelik Palace is a palatial compound that is currently serving as the residence of
2584-512: A private foundation; both are open to the public. Since its founding in 1895, the trust has gradually expanded its collection of art, mostly through whole property acquisitions. From 1956 until the post was removed in 2021, there was a curator of pictures and sculpture. The first was St John (Bobby) Gore, who was appointed "Adviser on Paintings" in 1956. He published catalogues of the pictures at Upton House , Polesden Lacey , Buscot Park , Saltram House , and Ascott House . His successor in 1986
2736-630: A provisional council, headed by Hill, Hunter, Rawnsley and the Duke of Westminster met at Grosvenor House and decided that the company should be named the National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty. Articles of association were submitted to the Board of Trade and on 12 January 1895, the Trust was registered under the Companies Act . Its purpose was to "promote the permanent preservation for
2888-556: A quarter of the Lake District ; it has similar control over about 12% of the Peak District National Park (e.g. South Peak Estate and High Peak Estate ). Most National Trust land, about 200,000 hectares (490,000 acres; 2,000 km ; 770 sq mi), consists of tenant or in-hand farms, where public access is restricted to rights of way and sometimes additional routes. At Wimpole Estate in Cambridgeshire,
3040-580: A remark of Paul the Deacon , writing c. 790 AD and describing events of the 660s: "When Grimuald set out for Beneventum, he entrusted his palace to Lupus" ( Historia Langobardorum , V.xvii). At the same time, Charlemagne was consciously reviving the Roman expression in his " palace " at Aachen , of which only his chapel remains. In the 9th century, the "palace" indicated the government's housing too, and Charlemagne constantly traveled, building fourteen. In
3192-641: A supporter of, and donor to, the Trust, which now owns the land she formerly owned in Cumbria . A refit of the premises to accommodate increasing staff numbers was announced in June 2019. In 2007, the bicentenary of the official abolition of the slave trade , the Trust published the article "Addressing the Past" in its quarterly magazine, examining aspects of the Trust's "hidden history" and finding ways of "reinterpreting some of its properties and collections". Research carried out by
SECTION 20
#17328525828163344-506: A thing so very like their imaginations. The stand, somewhat like Frascati as to its front, and on the platform is a circular view to the utmost verge of the horizon, which, with the serpenting of the Thames, is admirable. The staircase is for its materials singular; the cloisters, descents, gardens, and avenue through the wood, august and stately; but the land all about wretchedly barren, and producing nothing but fern." After Buckingham died in 1687,
3496-516: Is a heritage and nature conservation charity and membership organisation in England , Wales and Northern Ireland . The Trust was founded in 1895 by Octavia Hill , Sir Robert Hunter and Hardwicke Rawnsley to "promote the permanent preservation for the benefit of the Nation of lands and tenements (including buildings) of beauty or historic interest". It has since been given statutory powers, starting with
3648-607: Is a historic building in the center of Baku, Azerbaijan, built in Neo-Gothic style in the early 19th century. Shahbulag Castle Palace (Azerbaijani: Şahbulaq qalası "Spring of the Shah") is an 18th-century fortress near Aghdam . After the death of Turkic ruler Nadir Shah , the territory that is today Azerbaijan split into several Caucasian khanates, one of which was the Karabakh Khanate founded by Panah Ali Khan . The first capital of
3800-510: Is a large residence, often serving as a royal residence or the home for a head of state or another high-ranking dignitary, such as a bishop or archbishop . The word is derived from the Latin name palātium, for Palatine Hill in Rome which housed the Imperial residences. Most European languages have a version of the term ( palats , palais , palazzo , palacio , etc.) and many use it to describe
3952-447: Is also sometimes used to describe an elaborate building used for public entertainment or exhibitions such as a movie palace . A palace is typically distinguished from a castle in that the latter is fortified or has the style of a fortification, whereas a palace does not. The word palace comes from Old French palais (imperial residence), from Latin Palātium , the name of one of
4104-448: Is mainly due to the 1st Lord Astor , who radically altered the interior layout and decoration c.1894–95. Whereas Barry's original interior for the Sutherlands had included a square entrance-hall, a morning room, and a separate stairwell, Lord Astor wanted a more impressive entrance to Cliveden so he had all three rooms amalgamated to create the Great Hall. Astor's aim was for the interior to resemble an Italian palazzo , thus complementing
4256-700: Is probably the best prominent example, essentially a creation of 1252 to 1379, and little has changed since 1433, which marked the end of the Avignon Papacy and subsequent schisms. Very little of the medieval Louvre Palace , one of the most magnificent, has survived above ground. Similar fates befell the main palaces of the Byzantine Empire in Constantinople : the Great Palace of Constantinople , Boukoleon Palace , and Palace of Blachernae . The Palace of
4408-749: Is relatively unobtrusive within Ottawa, giving it more of the character of a private home. Along with Rideau Hall, the Citadelle of Quebec , also known as La Citadelle, is an active military installation and official residence of the Canadian monarch and the governor general. It is located atop Cap Diamant , adjoining the Plains of Abraham in Quebec City , Quebec . The citadel is the oldest military building in Canada and forms part of
4560-412: Is shown by the records found there. They were ranged around a group of courtyards, each opening upon several rooms of different dimensions, such as storerooms and workshops, as well as reception halls and living quarters, each opening upon several rooms of different dimensions, such as storerooms, workshops, and reception halls. The heart of the palace was the megaron . This was the throne room, laid around
4712-559: Is the traditional ruler of the Edo people, alongside some other royals. The current palace is a reconstruction by Eweka II after the original was destroyed in 1897 by the British. Rwanda is host to three palaces, although one of them is currently repurposed. In Nyanza , the former royal capital of the Kingdom of Rwanda, are two existing palaces. The first, the traditional King's Palace, is constructed in
Cliveden - Misplaced Pages Continue
4864-606: Is topped with a modern reproduction of Augustin Dumont 's 19th-century winged male figure Le Génie de la Liberté (the Spirit of Liberty). The original is atop the July Column in the Place de la Bastille , Paris. This replaces two earlier versions, the first having fallen from the tower during a storm in the 1950s. The new statue is made of bronze and was created using Dumont's original mould from
5016-557: Is used as the hotel's main dining room. Also on the ground floor is the library, panelled in cedar wood, which the Astors used to call the "cigar box", and, next door, Nancy Astor's boudoir , which is used by the hotel as a meeting room. Upstairs there are a total of 10-bedroom suites divided equally over two floors. The East wing was and still is guest accommodation, whereas the West wing was domestic offices that were converted into more bedrooms in 1994. The nearby 100-foot (30 m) clock tower
5168-559: The Arsacid dynasty of Armenia . After the fall of the Arsacids, Armenia was ruled by a succession of aristocratic families who held the title Nakharar . One of these Nakharar princes, Grigor Mamikonian , built a palace in the citadel of Aruch near the Aruchavank cathedral; some walls of this palace and a unique Armenian throne made of tufa still survive today. The medieval capital of
5320-505: The Bagratid kingdom of Armenia , Ani , also hosted many palaces. The first palace of Ani, constructed by the princely Armenian Kamsarakan dynasty in the seventh century, served as the most important structure of the city. Located in the main citadel, the Kamsarakan palace was used by the successive Bagratid kingdom as their headquarters. In addition, Ani hosted several other palaces such as
5472-711: The Hawaiian royal family , still exist. Examples include: ʻIolani Palace and Hānaiakamalama , the former homes of the Hawaiian monarchs in Honolulu ; Hulihee Palace in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii ; The Governor's Palace in Williamsburg , a modern reconstruction of the official residence of the royal governors of the Colony of Virginia ; Tryon Palace in New Bern , a modern reconstruction of
5624-615: The National Lottery Heritage Fund , and £3.5 million from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs . In recognition of National Lottery funding, the Trust invited lottery ticket holders to visit over 100 properties free of charge for a few days in November 2017, 2018, and 2019. The Trust also takes part in the annual Heritage Open Days programme, when non-members can visit selected properties free of charge. In
5776-413: The National Lottery Heritage Fund . The Trust was incorporated on 12 January 1895 as the "National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty", which is still the organisation's legal name. The founders were social reformer Octavia Hill , solicitor Sir Robert Hunter and clergyman Hardwicke Rawnsley . In 1876, Hill, together with her sister Miranda Hill , had set up a society to "diffuse
5928-532: The Persian palaces at Persepolis and Susa . The Minoans built complexes referred to in modern times as Minoan palaces , though scholars now generally do not think they functioned as royal residences (or that there was royalty for them to house). The best examples of the Bronze Age Greece palace are seen in the excavations at Mycenae , Tiryns and Pylos . The fact that these were administrative centers
6080-654: The Plaza de la Constitución (El Zócalo), first built in 1563, is in the heart of the Mexican capital. In 1821, the palace was given its current name, and the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government were housed in the palace; the latter two branches would eventually reside elsewhere. During the Second Mexican Empire , its name was changed, for a time, to the Imperial Palace. The National Palace continues to be
6232-721: The Soil Association , the Royal Horticultural Society and the Council for British Archaeology . The members periodically vote on the organisations which may appoint half of the council. Members may also propose and vote on motions at the annual general meeting. At an operational level, the Trust is organised into regions which are aligned with the official local government regions of the UK. Its headquarters are in Swindon. In 2019/20
Cliveden - Misplaced Pages Continue
6384-620: The Stratford-upon-Avon Canal . The Trust was persuaded to take on the scheme by John Smith and the work was carried out by hundreds of volunteers. Between 1945 and 1965 the Trust, under the chairmanship of the Earl of Crawford , saw a growth in its membership from 7,850 to 157,581 and growth in its staff from 15 to 450. The area of land owned by the Trust increased from 112,000 acres (45,000 ha) in 1945 to 328,000 acres (133,000 ha; 1,330 km ; 512 sq mi) in 1965, with
6536-899: The Timurid Empire , Armenia was governed by several local principalities known as Melikdoms . Each Melik had their own princely palace. The most notable of which is the Palace of the Dizak Melikdom constructed by Melik Yeganyan in Togh (1737). Other notable melik palaces are the Melik Ahnazar palace in Khnatsakh (16th century), the Melik Haykaz Palace in Melikashen (15th century), the Melik Kasu palace,
6688-408: The Town and Country Planning Act 1947 led to greater cooperation between local authorities and the Trust, while the Historic Buildings and Ancient Monuments Act 1953 allowed the Trust to receive government grants for the upkeep and maintenance of historic buildings on the same terms as other owners. A major project, begun in 1959 and completed in 1964, was the restoration of the southern section of
6840-399: The Viscounts Astor . As the home of Nancy Astor , wife of the 2nd Viscount Astor , Cliveden was the meeting place of the Cliveden Set of the 1920s and 1930s—a group of political intellectuals. Later, during the early 1960s, when it was the home of the 3rd Viscount Astor , it became the setting for key events of the notorious Profumo affair . After the Astor family stopped living there, by
6992-436: The dene (valley) which cuts through part of the estate, east of the house. Cliveden has been spelled differently over the centuries, some of the variations being Cliffden , Clifden , Cliefden , and Clyveden . Designed by Charles Barry in 1851 to replace a house previously destroyed by fire, the present house is a blend of the English Palladian style and the Roman Cinquecento . The Victorian three-storey mansion sits on
7144-399: The prime minister of Ethiopia . The compound, while containing palaces and residences also contains a few churches, tombs and monasteries. Previously, it served as the seat of the emperors of Ethiopia . After a 2018 renovation, the compound opened to the public in 2019 as a part of Unity Park . The Palace of the Olowo , ruler of the Yoruba Owo clan of Nigeria , is acknowledged to be
7296-409: The seven hills of Rome . The original "palaces" on the Palatine Hill were the seat of the imperial power. At the same time, the "capitol" on the Capitoline Hill was the religious nucleus of Rome. Long after the city grew to the seven hills, the Palatine remained a desirable residential area . Roman emperor Caesar Augustus lived there in a purposely modest house only set apart from his neighbours by
7448-471: The "world's most expensive sandwich" at £ 100. The von Essen Platinum Club Sandwich was confirmed by Guinness World Records in 2007 to be the most expensive sandwich commercially available. Cliveden House was the "jewel in the crown" of Von Essen Hotels when the company collapsed in 2011. The lease to Cliveden Hotel was then purchased in February 2012 by the property developers Richard and Ian Livingstone , owners of London & Regional Properties , (also
7600-503: The 1130s. Baku Khans' Palace is a complex of several houses that belonged to members of ruling family of the Baku Khanate in the 17th century. The palace complex was in ruins but has now been reconstructed as of 2018. Official Administration of State Historical-Architectural Reserve Icheri Sheher has opened the complex as a palace-museum. The Palace of Happiness (Azerbaijani: Səadət Sarayı), currently also called Palace of Marriage Registrations and previously called Mukhtarov Palace,
7752-449: The 1860s found in a museum in Semur-en-Auxois , France. It measures 2.2 m in height, is covered in two layers of 23.5 carat gold leaf and cost a total of £68,000. It is an allegorical sculpture which holds the torch of civilization in its right hand and the broken chain of slavery in its left. It was affixed to the tower in the spring of 2012. Cliveden stands on the site of a house built in 1666 designed by architect William Winde as
SECTION 50
#17328525828167904-421: The 1930s and 1940s, the Trust benefited from the unconventional fundraising tactics of Ferguson's Gang ; a group of women with pseudonyms such as Bill Stickers and Red Biddy who wore disguises and carried out stunts when delivering money to the Trust. Their donations enabled the Trust to purchase various properties including Shalford Mill , in Surrey , and Newtown Old Town Hall , on the Isle of Wight . Bailey
8056-464: The 1970s, it was leased to Stanford University , which used it as an overseas campus. Today the house is leased to a company that runs it as a five-star hotel . The 375-acre (152 ha) gardens and woodlands are open to the public, together with parts of the house on certain days. Cliveden was one of the National Trust's most popular pay-for-entry visitor attractions, hosting 524,807 visitors in 2019. Cliveden means "valley among cliffs" and refers to
8208-574: The 1970s, tea rooms and souvenir shops were opened in Trust properties, and in 1984 a company was set up to operate the trading activities. Programmes of events, including plays and concerts, and educational activities were organised at Trust properties. In 1986 the Trust appointed its first female chairman, Dame Jennifer Jenkins. When the Trust reached its centenary in 1995 it owned or looked after 223 houses, 159 gardens, 670,000 acres (270,000 ha; 2,700 km ; 1,050 sq mi) of open countryside, and 530 miles (850 km) of coastline. In
8360-441: The 1990s, there was a dispute within the Trust over stag hunting , which was the subject of much debate at annual general meetings. The Trust banned stag hunting on its land in 1997. In 2002 the Trust bought its first country house in more than a decade. Tyntesfield , a Victorian Gothic mansion in Somerset, was acquired with donations from the National Heritage Memorial Fund and the Heritage Lottery Fund as well as members of
8512-533: The Astor family one of their largest endowments: £250,000 in 1942, equivalent to £14,720,000 in 2023. After the death of the 2nd Viscount in 1952, his son William (Bill) Astor, the 3rd Viscount Astor took over the house until his death in 1966. Following the death of Bill Astor in 1966, the National Trust took over the management of the estate. Cliveden has become one of the National Trust's most popular pay-for-entry visitor attractions, hosting 524,807 visitors in 2019. National Trust visitors to Cliveden can visit
8664-405: The Astors gave Cliveden to the National Trust with the proviso that the family could continue to live in the house for as long as they wished. Should they cease to do so, they expressed the wish that the house be used "for promoting friendship and understanding between the peoples of the United States and Canada and the other dominions." With the gift of Cliveden, the National Trust also received from
8816-442: The Duke at Cliveden on 22 July 1679 and recorded the following impression in his Diary : "I went to Clifden, that stupendous natural rock, wood, and prospect, of the Duke of Buckingham's, and buildings of extraordinary expense. The grots in the chalky rocks are pretty: it is a romantic object, and the place altogether answers the most poetical description that can be made of solitude, precipice, prospect, or whatever can contribute to
8968-426: The Empire; as in more centralized monarchies , only the monarch's residence would be a palace . In modern times, archaeologists and historians have applied the term to large structures that housed combined rulers, courts, and bureaucracy in "palace cultures." In informal usage, the term "palace" can be extended to a grand residence. Early ancient palaces include the Assyrian palaces at Nimrud and Nineveh and
9120-480: The Kingdom of Buganda and is a known landmark of the present capital Kampala . Afghanistan 's capital Kabul is well known for its sheer number of palaces. Many had been built in the 19th century but perhaps the most famous is the Darul Aman Palace . Many palaces were damaged by the civil war, including Darul Aman, but others have survived or have been rebuilt. Armenia has many palaces from its various historical periods. The Erebuni fortress in Yerevan has
9272-516: The Lake District were augmented by gifts in his memory, including part of the Great Wood on Derwentwater . In 1923 literary critic John Bailey took over as chairman of the Trust. Under his chairmanship, the Trust saw an increase in funds, membership, and properties. The 1920s saw the acquisition of more archaeological sites, including Cissbury Ring in West Sussex , and early buildings, including two medieval castles ( Bodiam Castle in East Sussex and Tattershall Castle, Lincolnshire ) bequeathed to
SECTION 60
#17328525828169424-403: The Merchant's(Tigran Honents) Palace, one of the best surviving examples of secular Armenian architecture of that time, the Seljuk palace, and the Manuchir Mosque , which is said by some historians to have been a residence of Bagratid kings before being converted to a mosque. After the Bagratid state was conquered by the Byzantines and then the Seljuks , Armenia was once again liberated by
9576-666: The National Trust Act 1907. Historically, the Trust acquired land by gift and sometimes by public subscription and appeal, but after World War II the loss of country houses resulted in many such properties being acquired either by gift from the former owners or through the National Land Fund . One of the largest landowners in the United Kingdom, the Trust owns almost 250,000 hectares (620,000 acres; 2,500 km ; 970 sq mi) of land and 780 miles (1,260 km) of coast. Its properties include more than 500 historic houses, castles, archaeological and industrial monuments, gardens, parks, and nature reserves . Most properties are open to
9728-477: The National Trust to repair the roof. The hotel's insignia is that of the Sutherland family and consists of a coronet with interlaced "S"s and acanthus leaves. Three-dimensional versions of this insignia can be found on panels and radiator grills in parts of the house. The hotel's motto is "Nothing ordinary ever happened here, nor could it." National Trust The National Trust ( Welsh : Ymddiriedolaeth Genedlaethol ; Irish : Iontaobhas Náisiúnta )
9880-448: The Porphyrogenitus , a part of the Palace of Blachernae, has significant remains and now houses a museum. The Brazilian new capital, Brasília , hosts modern palaces, most designed by the city's architect Oscar Niemeyer . The Alvorada Palace is the official residence of Brazil's president . The Planalto Palace is the official workplace. The Jaburu Palace is the official residence of Brazil's vice-president . Also Rio de Janeiro ,
10032-561: The Prince's daughter Augusta . Cliveden was also the location for the final illness of the Prince: it was believed that while playing cricket in the grounds at Cliveden in 1751 the Prince received a blow to the chest from a batted ball and that this had caused an infection which proved fatal; however, an alternative interpretation shows he died from a cold, followed by a pulmonary embolism. After his death, Frederick's family retained Kew and their townhouse, Leicester House , but gave up their lease on Cliveden. Anne and her family moved back into
10184-448: The Second World War, Grenfell ran two wards of the hospital and worked as an informal welfare officer. This work included completing errands for patients, writing letters, shopping, teaching needlework, and organising social events, and informal concerts. At the outbreak of World War I , Waldorf Astor offered the use of some of the grounds to the Canadian Red Cross for the building of a hospital—the HRH Duchess of Connaught Hospital—which
10336-450: The Thames, one of the key places in the Profumo affair , and offer it as self-contained accommodation. The hotel was listed on the London Stock Exchange for a period of time in the 1990s (as Cliveden Plc). This company was bought in 1998 by Destination Europe, a consortium including Microsoft CEO Bill Gates . In the early years of the 21st century the lease was acquired by von Essen Hotels . In 2007, Cliveden House Hotel claimed to offer
10488-409: The Thames. It was on this impressively high but exposed site that Buckingham chose to build the first Cliveden house. Buckingham pulled down the earlier buildings and chose William Winde as his architect. Winde designed a four-storey house above an arcaded terrace. Today the terrace is the only feature of Buckingham's house to survive the 1795 fire. Although the Duke's intention was to use Cliveden as
10640-487: The Trust as the project director, Conrad Rawnsley (a former naval commander and grandson of one of the Trusts' founders, Hardwicke Rawnsley), fell out with the administration of the Trust and conducted a public attack against it. An extraordinary general meeting was called in February 1967 and, although the reform group's resolutions were defeated, the Trust recognised the need for change and set up an advisory committee to look at their management and organisation. The committee
10792-403: The Trust by Lord Curzon . In 1925 the Trust launched a national appeal to buy the Ashridge Estate in Hertfordshire , successfully raising a record £80,000. When Bailey died in 1931 The Times paid tribute to him: "The strong position which the National Trust now occupies is largely due to him, and it will perhaps never be known how many generous gifts of rural beauty and historic interest
10944-401: The Trust has been increasingly reluctant to take over large houses without substantial accompanying endowment funds, and its acquisitions in this category have been less frequent, with only two, Tyntesfield and Seaton Delaval Hall , since 2000. As well as great country houses, the Trust also owns smaller properties, many of them associated with famous people. Examples include: Cherryburn ,
11096-583: The Trust revealed in 2020 that 93, nearly one third, of their houses and gardens had connections with colonialism and historic slavery: 'this includes the global slave trades, goods and products of enslaved labour, abolition and protest, and the East India Company'. The report attracted controversy and the Charity Commission opened a regulatory compliance case into the Trust in September 2020 to examine
11248-470: The Trust the unique statutory power to declare land inalienable . This prevents the land from being sold or mortgaged against the Trust's wishes without special parliamentary procedure. The inalienability of trust land was over-ridden by Parliament in the case of proposals to construct a section of the Plympton bypass through the park at Saltram , on the grounds that the road proposal had been known about before
11400-628: The Trust under the Land scheme was farmland at Hartsop in the Lake District; the first country house was Cotehele in Cornwall. Later acquisitions included Hardwick Hall , Ickworth House , Penrhyn Castle and Sissinghurst Castle Garden . The Land Fund was replaced in 1980 by the National Heritage Memorial Fund . The work of the Trust was aided by further legislation during this period:
11552-416: The Trust was employing 14,000 staff, including about 4,000 seasonal workers. Since 2009, customer services have been outsourced to Capita . The director-general of the Trust, Hilary McGrady, is paid an annual salary of £195,700, with a further eight executives being paid over £100,000 a year. The Trust is not a real living wage employer. In July 2020 the Trust announced that 1,200 jobs were at risk due to
11704-506: The Trust's collections include Rembrandt (whose Self-portrait wearing a white feathered bonnet which is now displayed at Buckland Abbey was recently re-attributed to the artist), Hieronymous Bosch , El Greco , Peter Paul Rubens , Angelica Kauffmann , and Stanley Spencer . From the 1980s to 2001 the Trust commissioned artists to create works depicting National Trust places with their "Foundation for Art", and in 2009 launched its contemporary art programme entitled "Trust New Art" in
11856-456: The Trust's powers and remit. The governance of the Trust was amended by the Charities (National Trust) Order 2005. The Trust is governed by a board of trustees (of between nine and fifteen members), appointed and overseen by a council consisting of eighteen people elected by the members of the Trust and eighteen appointed by other organisations whose work is related to that of the Trust, such as
12008-580: The Trust. In 1934 the Trust acquired its first village, West Wycombe in Buckinghamshire , which was donated to the Trust by the Royal Society of Arts , which had bought it from Sir John Lindsay Dashwood five years previously. Quarry Bank Mill in Cheshire was donated to the Trust in 1939 with an estate including the village of Styal , which had been built for the mill workers by Samuel Greg . During
12160-465: The Trust. The scheme allowed owners to escape estate duty on their country house and on the endowment which was necessary for the upkeep of the house, while they and their heirs could continue to live in the property, providing the public were allowed some access. The first house offered under the scheme was Stourhead in Wiltshire, although it was not acquired by the Trust until after the death in 1947 of
12312-484: The banks of the River Thames , and its grounds slope down to the river. There have been three houses on this site: the first, built in 1666, burned down in 1795 and the second house (1824) was also destroyed by fire, in 1849. The present Grade I listed house was built in 1851 by the architect Charles Barry for the 2nd Duke of Sutherland . Cliveden has been the home to a Prince of Wales , two dukes, an earl, and finally
12464-506: The benefit of the Nation of lands and tenements (including buildings) of beauty or historic interest". The Trust acquired its first land in early 1895; Dinas Oleu, on the clifftop above Barmouth in Wales, was donated by Fanny Talbot , a friend of Rawnsley. The Trust's first building was acquired the following year; Alfriston Clergy House , a 14th-century house in the Sussex village of Alfriston ,
12616-587: The case of the largest, there are fifty steps leading up to the main part of it, and the most important of these towers is higher than that of the cathedral of Seville..." In the Yucatan , a well-preserved Mayan palace with a unique four-storey observation tower stands at the Palenque site, from where Pakal reigned over the city-state. The National Palace , or Palacio Nacional , located in Mexico City's main square,
12768-491: The childhood home of Paul McCartney ; 251 Menlove Avenue , the childhood home of John Lennon , was bought by Yoko Ono in 2002 and donated to the Trust. The Birmingham Back to Backs are an example of working-class housing preserved by the Trust. Some properties have individual arrangements with the Trust, so for example Wakehurst Place is managed by the Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew and Waddesdon Manor by
12920-475: The closure in March 2020 of National Trust houses, shops, and cafes, closely followed by all gated parks and gardens. At the same time, the Trust launched the # BlossomWatch campaign which encouraged people to share images on social media of blossoms seen on lockdown walks. Parks and gardens started to re-open from June 2020. In 2021, a group of members started a campaign, Restore Trust , to debate concerns about
13072-527: The coronavirus pandemic. In October 2020 the Trust announced 1,300 job losses. For the year ended February 2020, the total income of the Trust was £680.95 million. The largest sources of income were membership subscriptions (£269.7 million), direct property income (£196.9 million), enterprise and renewable energy income (£79.3 million), and legacies (£61.6 million). The Trust also received £20.8 million in grants, including £5.6 million from Natural England , £4.3 million from
13224-770: The cottage in Northumberland where Thomas Bewick was born; Smallhythe Place in Kent, home to Ellen Terry ; Shaw's Corner in Hertfordshire, the country home of George Bernard Shaw . The home of architect Ernő Goldfinger , 2 Willow Road in Hampstead , London, was the first example of Modernist architecture to be acquired by the Trust. In 1995 the Trust bought 20 Forthlin Road in Liverpool ,
13376-527: The early Middle Ages, the palas was usually that part of an imperial palace (or Kaiserpfalz ) that housed the Great Hall , where affairs of state were conducted; continued to be used as the seat of government in some German cities. In the Holy Roman Empire , the powerful independent Electors came to be housed in palaces ( Paläste ). This has been used as evidence that power was widely distributed in
13528-616: The early days, the Trust was concerned primarily with the acquisition (by gift or purchase) of open spaces and a variety of threatened buildings. The buildings were generally of modest size, an exception being Barrington Court in Somerset , the Trust's first large country house. Two of the sites acquired by the Trust in its early years later became nature reserves: Wicken Fen in Cambridgeshire and Blakeney Point in Norfolk , both purchased with
13680-458: The estate for only a few months when the house burned down for the second time in its history. The cause this time appears to have been negligence on the part of the decorators. The Duke was prompt in commissioning the architect Charles Barry to rebuild Cliveden in the style of an Italianate villa. Barry, whose most famous project is arguably the Houses of Parliament , Westminster , was inspired by
13832-551: The estate – boating on the Thames, horse riding, tennis, swimming, croquet and fishing – made Cliveden a destination for film stars, politicians, world leaders, writers and artists. The heyday of entertaining at Cliveden was between the two World Wars when the Astors held regular weekend house parties. Guests at the time included: Charlie Chaplin , Winston Churchill , Joseph Kennedy , George Bernard Shaw , Mahatma Gandhi , Amy Johnson , Franklin D. Roosevelt , H. H. Asquith , T. E. Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia), Arthur Balfour and
13984-546: The exterior. The ceiling and walls were panelled in English oak , with Corinthian columns and swags of carved flowers for decoration, all by architect Frank Pearson. The staircase newel posts are ornamented with carved figures representing previous owners (e.g. Buckingham and Orkney) by W.S. Frith . Astor installed a large 16th-century fireplace that was purchased from the Frederick Spitzer Sale (lot 1273) in June 1893. To
14136-670: The feeling of living a dream ". In Central Mexico, the Aztec emperors built many palaces in the capital of their empire, Tenochtitlan (modern-day Mexico City), some of which may still be seen. On observing the great city Hernán Cortés wrote, "There are, in all districts of this great city, many temples or palaces... They are all magnificent buildings. Amongst these temples is one, the principal one, whose great size and magnificence no human tongue could describe,... All around this wall are exquisite quarters with huge rooms and corridors. There are as many as forty towers, all of which are so high that in
14288-476: The first quarter of the 19th century. In 1824, the estate was purchased by Sir George Warrender, 4th Baronet . To rebuild Cliveden, Warrender selected William Burn , a Scottish architect, and decided on a design for a two-storey mansion with entertaining on a grand scale in mind. Warrender died in 1849 and the house was sold to the Sutherland family, headed by the second Duke . Sutherland had been in possession of
14440-746: The former capital of the Portuguese Empire and the Empire of Brazil , houses numerous royal and imperial palaces as the Imperial Palace of São Cristóvão , former official residence of the Brazil's emperors , the Paço Imperial , its official workplace and the Guanabara Palace , former residence of Isabel, Princess Imperial of Brazil besides palaces of the nobility and aristocracy. The city of Petropolis , in
14592-474: The fortifications of Quebec City, which is one of only two cities in North America still surrounded by fortifications. The fortress is located within the historic district of Old Québec , designated a World Heritage Site in 1985. In addition to the federal residences, most provinces maintain a place for the Canadian monarch and their provincial viceroys and lieutenant governors. There is no government house for
14744-590: The future of the charity. At the Trust's 2023 annual general meeting the Restore Trust Group put up three candidates for the council and two resolutions, but all were rejected by the membership. The trust is an independent charity (no. 205846). It was founded as a not-for-profit company in 1895, but was later re-incorporated by a private Act of Parliament , the National Trust Act 1907. Subsequent acts of Parliament between 1919 and 1971 amended and extended
14896-427: The gardens and the interior of the house. However, after the early death of his wife, he lived a reclusive life at Cliveden. He gave the house to his son Waldorf (later 2nd Viscount Astor) on the occasion of his marriage to Nancy Langhorne in 1906 and moved to Hever Castle . The young Astors used Cliveden for entertaining on a lavish scale. The combination of the house, its setting, and leisure facilities offered on
15048-432: The governor general of Canada, and has been described as "Canada's house". It stands in Canada's capital on a 36-hectare (89-acre) estate at 1 Sussex Drive , with the main building consisting of approximately 175 rooms across 9,500 m (102,000 sq ft), and 27 outbuildings around the grounds. While the equivalent structure in many countries has a prominent, central place in the national capital, Rideau Hall's site
15200-501: The help of a donation by naturalist and banker Charles Rothschild . White Barrow on Salisbury Plain was the Trust's first archaeological monument, purchased in 1909 for £60. By 1914 the Trust, operating out of a small office in London, had 725 members and had acquired 63 properties, covering 5,814 acres (2,353 ha). In 1920 the Trust lost the last of its three founders, Rawnsley. The Trust's 5,000 acres (2,000 ha) of land in
15352-714: The historical colonial governors' palace of the Province of North Carolina ; and the Palace of the Governors in Santa Fe, New Mexico as well as the Spanish Governor's Palace in San Antonio , Texas, which were residences of both Spanish and Mexican governors. There are many private buildings or mansions in the United States, which, though not called "palaces", have the grandeur typical of
15504-541: The home farm is open to the public. The Trust also owns forests, woods, downs, and moorland. These areas are generally open to the public free of charge, as are some of the parks attached to country houses (others have an admission charge). The Trust owns or protects roughly one-fifth of the coastline in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland (780 miles (1,260 km)), and has a long-term campaign, Project Neptune , which seeks to acquire more. The National Trust Acts grant
15656-598: The home of George Villiers, 2nd Duke of Buckingham . But before Buckingham's purchase the land was owned by the Mansfield family and before that to the de Clyveden family. The details are recorded in a document compiled by William Waldorf Astor in 1894 called The Historical Descent of Cliveden . Derived from several historical sources including Lipscombe's History of the County of Buckingham, Lyson's Magna Britannia , and Sheahan's History of Buckinghamshire, it shows that in 1237
15808-440: The house remained empty until the estate was purchased in 1696 by George Hamilton, 1st Earl of Orkney , a soldier and colonial official. The Earl employed the architect Thomas Archer to add two new "wings" to the house, connected by curved corridors. Although an almost identical arrangement exists today, these are later reconstructions, the originals having been destroyed in the fire of 1795. All that remains of Archer's work inside
15960-862: The house today is a staircase in the West wing. Orkney's contributions to the gardens can still be seen today, most notably the Octagon Temple and the Blenheim Pavilion, both designed by the Venetian architect Giacomo Leoni . The landscape designer Charles Bridgeman was also commissioned to devise woodland walks and carve a rustic turf amphitheatre out of the cliff-side. Orkney died in 1737, and Cliveden passed to his daughter Anne, 2nd Countess of Orkney in her own right. She immediately leased it to Frederick, Prince of Wales , eldest son of George II and father of George III . After Frederick fell out with his father, Kew and Cliveden became his refuge from life at
16112-400: The house, passing it to her daughter and granddaughter, the 3rd and 4th Countesses, who also lived there. On the night of 20 May 1795, the house caught fire and burned down. The cause of the fire was thought to have been a servant knocking over a candle. The 4th Countess moved out after the fire but retained the site, only selling it in 1824. After the fire of 1795 the house remained a ruin for
16264-641: The khanate was the Bayat Castle , built in 1748 Haji Gayib's Palace is an ancient fortress construction near a coastal side of Icheri Sheher . It is located in the Baku quarter of Icheri Sheher , opposite the Maiden Tower . The history of the palace dates back to the 15th century. The Intake portal of the bathhouse is rectangular shaped The Palace of Shaki Khans (Azerbaijani: Şəki xanlarının sarayı) in Shaki, Azerbaijan ,
16416-500: The land was owned by Geoffrey de Clyveden and by 1300 it had passed to his son, William, who owned fisheries and mills along the Cliveden Reach stretch of the Thames and at nearby Hedsor . In 1569 a lodge existed on the site along with 50 acres (20 ha) of land and was owned by Sir Henry Manfield; it was later owned by his son, Sir Edward. In 1573, there were two lodges on 160 acres (65 ha) of treeless chalk escarpment above
16568-747: The largest palace in all of Africa. It consists of more than 100 courtyards, each with a unique traditional usage. In the Kano State of Nigeria, the Gidan Rumfa acts as the seat of the Emir of Kano since the late 15th century when it was constructed. In Benin City , the capital of the Edo State , lies the current Royal Palace of the Oba of Benin . It currently houses the Oba of Benin , who
16720-452: The left of the fireplace is a portrait of Nancy, Lady Astor by the American portraitist John Singer Sargent . The room was and still is furnished with 18th-century tapestries and suits of armour. Originally the floor was covered with Minton encaustic tiles (given to the Sutherlands by the factory) but Nancy Astor had them removed in 1906 and the present flagstones laid. Above the staircase is
16872-523: The lieutenant governors of Ontario ( repurposed in 1937 and demolished in 1961 ), Quebec ( destroyed by fire in 1966 ), or Alberta ( closed in 1938 and repurchased and repurposed in 1964 ). The capital of Mexico , Mexico City , is traditionally nicknamed the "City of Palaces"; a nickname usually attributed to Alexander von Humboldt after he visited the city in the late 18th century and early 19th century, but initially coined by Charles Latrobe, an English traveler who visited Mexico City in 1834 and "got
17024-468: The most visited National Trust country house in 2019/20, is set in typical grounds with a walled garden and extensive parkland planted with trees to the designs of Humphry Repton . The most visited National Trust property in England in 2019/20 for which an admission charge is made was Clumber Park in Nottinghamshire, a park without a country house. Clumber House was largely demolished in 1938, leaving
17176-559: The nation owes, directly or indirectly, to his persuasive enthusiasm." The Trust, which already owned a large area of the Lake District, acquired its first piece of land in the Peak District in 1930. Four years later, Ilam Hall was presented to the Trust for use as a youth hostel . The 1930s saw an expansion of the Trust's interest in coastal conservation, with more than thirty small coastal properties in Devon and Cornwall alone given to
17328-399: The need for endowments to cover the costs of the upkeep of country houses. The Trust acquired the majority of its country houses in the mid 20th century, when death duties were at their highest and many country houses were being demolished . The arrangements made with families bequeathing their homes to the Trust often allowed them to continue to live in the property. Since the 1980s,
17480-402: The new owners of the next-door 220-acre estate called Dropmore Park ) who placed it under the management of Andrew Stembridge from Chewton Glen . In 2015 Natalie Livingstone, the wife of Ian Livingstone, published The Mistresses of Cliveden , a history of some of the female occupants of the house. In January 2015 the hotel closed for one month to carry out a refurbishment of the interior and for
17632-587: The official seat of the executive authority, though it is no longer the president's official residence. Also in Mexico City is the Castillo de Chapultepec , or Chapultepec Castle , located in the middle of Chapultepec Park , which currently houses the Mexican National Museum of History . It is the only castle, or palace, in North America that was occupied by sovereigns – Emperor Maximilian I of Mexico ,
17784-436: The outline of the two earlier houses for his design. The third (and present) house on the site was completed in 1851–52, and its exterior appearance has little changed since then. The 100-foot (30 m)-tall clock tower, which is actually a water tower (still working to this day) was added in 1861 by the architect Henry Clutton . During this period other additions were made to the estate, which included half-timbered cottages,
17936-541: The overall name given to the complex of palaces that were the primary residence in Rome of the Roman emperors from the late 1st century to the 5th. Some sculptures and decorative elements have been excavated. The Domus Aurea was a different palace, begun by Nero , where excavations from the Renaissance onwards have discovered remarkably well-preserved paintings in levels now below ground. Diocletian's Palace in Split, Croatia
18088-431: The owners Sir Henry and Lady Hoare . The first property to be actually handed over to the Trust under the scheme was a relatively modern house: Wightwick Manor near Wolverhampton had been built just fifty years earlier. Lacock Abbey , also in Wiltshire, was another early acquisition, handed to the Trust by Matilda Talbot (granddaughter of Henry Fox Talbot ) after nearly seven years of negotiations. The house came with
18240-666: The palace of the Melik-Barkhudaryans in Tegh (1783) and Halidzor Fortress (17th century), which served as a palace for the Melik Parsadanian family. Azerbaijan has a number of palaces which belong to different ages. For example, there are palaces from the BC era and from the 12th century, like the "Goyalp" Palace of Eldiguzids Empire Atabeg — located in Nakhchivan city and built in
18392-613: The park at Saltram was declared inalienable. In 2017 the Trust, in spite of criticism by members, supported the government's scheme to build a road tunnel under the Stonehenge World Heritage Site as part of the plans to upgrade the A303 road. The scheme would involve the compulsory purchase of land held inalienably by the Trust. The Trust's 2022–2023 Annual Reports lists all properties open at charge with more than 50,000 visitors. The top ten are: Palazzo A palace
18544-421: The parkland, and there is occasional limited access to a select area of the house. In 1984 Blakeney Hotels (later Cliveden Hotel Ltd) acquired the lease to the house. Led by chairman John Lewis and managing director John Tham they restored and refurbished the interior. In 1990 they added the indoor swimming pool and spa treatment rooms in the walled garden, complementing the existing outdoor pool. Also in 1990,
18696-612: The period of the Artaxiad dynasty of Armenia, emperor king Tigranes the great constructed a grand persianate palace in the newly built city of Tigranocerta . The purpose of the Armenian Temple of Garni is still up for debate, however, certain scholars attest that following the Christianization of Armenia in the 4th century BC, the temple was converted into a summer palace for Khosrovidukht (sister of Tiridates III of Armenia) by
18848-417: The public for a charge (members have free entry), while open spaces are free to all. The Trust has an annual income of over £680 million, largely from membership subscriptions, donations and legacies, direct property income, profits from its shops and restaurants, and investments. It also receives grants from a variety of organisations including other charities, government departments, local authorities, and
19000-483: The public. Three years later, in 2005, the Trust acquired another country house, Seaton Delaval Hall in Northumberland. In 2005, the Trust moved to Heelis , a new head office in Swindon , Wiltshire. The building was constructed on the site of the former Great Western Railway factory and is intended as a model of brownfield renewal. The name Heelis is taken from the married name of children's author Beatrix Potter ,
19152-483: The publication of the report, much of the administration of the Trust was devolved to the regions. The last three decades of the 20th century saw a large increase in membership of the Trust from 160,000 in 1968 to over two million by the time of its centenary in 1995, much of it down to the Trust's employment of a director of public relations, as recommended by the Benson report, and regional information officers. Starting in
19304-566: The royal Zakarian family under Georgian Queen Tamar . This period of Zakarid Armenia brought forth many palaces as well, the most notable of which being Amberd Fortress and the 12th-century palace in Dashtadem Fortress . The Zakarids became vassals of the Mongols , however, following their collapse, a succession of nomadic Turkic empires came to rule the region. During the various periods of Ottoman and Iranian occupation following
19456-459: The royal court, becoming family homes for his wife Augusta and their children. During the Prince's tenure of the house, on 1 August 1740, Rule, Britannia! (an aria by the English composer Thomas Arne with lyrics by Scottish poet James Thomson ) was first performed in public in the cliff-side amphitheatre at Cliveden. It was played as part of the masque Alfred to celebrate the third birthday of
19608-906: The single building palaces of Medieval Western Europe. Palaces were also built by post-classical African kingdoms such as the Ashanti Empire . Before its destruction during the Third Anglo-Ashanti War , the Ashanti royal palace at Kumasi , Ghana was described by English explorers Thomas Edward Bowdich and Winwood Reade as "an immense building of a variety of oblong courts and regular squares." European palaces belonging to rulers were often large and grand, however, very few have survived to represent anything like their original medieval condition; many having been abandoned, burned down, demolished, or rebuilt. The Palais des Papes in Avignon , France,
19760-662: The sites of factories and mines, 9 lighthouses, 56 villages, 39 public houses, and 25 medieval barns. Most of the land is farmed, either in-hand or by tenant farmers. The Trust also rents out holiday cottages, which are given a rating of 1–5 Acorns to reflect the quality of the property. The Trust owns more than 200 historic houses that are open to the public. Most of them are large country houses or stately homes set in gardens and parks. They contain collections of pictures, furniture, books, metalwork, ceramics, and textiles that have remained in their historic context. Service wings are preserved at many houses. Attingham Park in Shropshire,
19912-473: The slave trade in the wake of the murder of George Floyd . Between 2008 and 2013, the National Trust in Devon was defrauded of over £1 million by one of its employees. Building surveyor Roger Bryant was convicted in September 2024 of having submitted false invoices to the Trust and was sentenced to six-and-a-half years in prison. The fraud had only come to light when the Trust decided to update its procurement procedures in 2013. The COVID-19 pandemic led to
20064-436: The south. Below the balustraded roofline is a Latin inscription which continues around the four sides of the house and recalls its history; it was composed by the then prime minister William Ewart Gladstone . On the west front, it reads: POSITA INGENIO OPERA CONSILIO CAROLI BARRY ARCHIT A MDCCCLI , which translated reads: "The work accomplished by the brilliant plan of architect Charles Barry in 1851." The main contractor for
20216-412: The sovereign's and governor general's principal residence in Ottawa is known as Government House only in formal contexts, being more generally referred to as Rideau Hall . Government House is an inherited custom from the British Empire, where there were and are many government houses. Rideau Hall is, since 1867, the official residence in Ottawa of both the Canadian monarch and his or her representative,
20368-424: The state of Rio de Janeiro, is mainly known for its palaces of the imperial period, such as the Petrópolis Palace and the Grão-Pará Palace . In Canada , Government House is a title given to the official residences of the Canadian monarchy and various viceroys (the governors general and the lieutenant governors ). Though not universal, in most cases, the title is also the building's sole name; for example,
20520-400: The trustees' decision-making. The Charity Commission concluded that there were no grounds for regulatory action against the Trust. In 2020 the Dunham Massey Hall sundial statue of "a kneeling African figure clad in leaves carrying the sundial above his head" was removed from its position in front of Dunham Massey Hall after calls were made for the removal of statues in Britain with links to
20672-432: The two laurel trees planted to flank the front door as a sign of triumph granted by the Senate . His descendants, especially Nero with his " Domus Aurea " (the Golden House), enlarged the building and its grounds over and over until it took up the hilltop. The word Palātium came to mean the residence of the emperor rather than the neighbourhood on top of the hill. Palace , meaning "government", can be recognized in
20824-428: The vernacular style and housed the traditional ruler of Rwanda , the Mwami. A second palace for the king exists in Nyanza, although it is constructed in the Art Deco style as opposed to the local construction style. A third palace, the Rwesero Palace, was originally constructed for Mutara III , but he died before its completion, and the building was converted into the Rwesero Art Museum . The Kabakas Palace belonged to
20976-458: The village of Lacock and an endowment of 300 acres (120 ha). After World War II the National Land Fund was set up by the government as a "thank-offering for victory" with the purpose of using money from the sale of surplus war stores to acquire property in the national interest. The scheme also allowed for the transfer to the Trust of historic houses and land left to the government in payment of estate duty. The first open space acquired by
21128-410: The work was Lucas Brothers . In 1984–86 the exterior of the mansion was overhauled and a new lead roof installed by the National Trust, while interior repairs were carried out by Cliveden Hotel. In 2013, further exterior work was carried out including the restoration of 300 sash windows and 20 timber doors. The interior of the house today is very different from its original appearance in 1851–52. This
21280-427: The writers Henry James , Rudyard Kipling , and Edith Wharton . There is a ghastly unreality about it all ... I enjoy seeing it. But to own it, to live here, would be like living on the stage of the Scala theatre in Milan. During the inter-war period the entertainer Joyce Grenfell , who was Nancy Astor's niece, lived in a cottage on the estate. In the preface to her memoir, James Roose Evans stated that during
21432-616: The year ending February 2020, the Trust had 5.95 million members (2.78 million memberships). Members are entitled to free entry to trust properties that are open to the public for a charge. There is a separate organisation called the Royal Oak Foundation for American supporters. The trust is supported by volunteers, who, as of 2020, numbered over 53,000. As of 2020, the Trust owns almost 250,000 hectares (620,000 acres; 2,500 km ; 970 sq mi) of land, 780 miles (1,260 km) of coast, more than 200 historic houses, 41 castles and chapels, 47 industrial monuments and mills,
21584-422: Was Alastair Laing, who cared for the works of art at 120 properties and created the exhibition In Trust for the Nation , held at the National Gallery in 1995–96. From 2009 until 2021, the curator was David Taylor, who approved photographs of the Trust's 12,567 oil paintings to be included in the Public Catalogue Foundation 's searchable online archive of oil paintings, available since 2012. Artists represented in
21736-424: Was a summer residence of Shaki Khans. It was built in 1797 by Muhammed Hasan Khan. Along with its pool and plane trees, the summer residence is the only remaining structure from the larger palatial complex inside the Sheki Khans' Fortress, which once included a winter palace, residences for the khan's family and servants' quarters. It features decorative tiles, fountains and several stained-glass windows. The exterior
21888-422: Was abandoned in 1985. It lay derelict for two decades and was demolished in 2006 to make way for a housing development for people aged 55 and over. Attached to the military hospital and within the grounds was established Cliveden War Cemetery . There are 42 Commonwealth war graves, 40 from World War I (mostly Canadians) and two from World War II, besides two American service war graves from the first war. In 1942
22040-440: Was added in 1861 and is the work of the architect Henry Clutton . As a functioning water tower it still provides water for the house today. It is rendered in Roman cement like the rest of the house and features four clock faces framed by gilded surrounds and a half-open staircase on its north side. It was described by the architectural critic Nikolaus Pevsner as "the epitome of Victorian flamboyance and assertiveness." The tower
22192-406: Was bought for £10 and required a further £350 for repairs. In 1907 Hunter drafted the first National Trust Act, which was passed by Parliament and gave the Trust the power to declare its land inalienable, meaning that it could not be sold without parliamentary approval. In addition, the Act enabled the Trust to make by-laws . Further Acts would follow in 1919, 1937, 1939, 1953, and 1971. In
22344-404: Was chaired by accountant Sir Henry Benson , who was independent of the Trust. The other three members, Len Clark , Sir William Hayter , and Patrick Gibson , were all on the Trust's council. The Benson report was published in 1968 and, although broadly endorsing the Trust's policy, recommended a number of organisational changes, which were then embodied in the National Trust Act of 1971. Following
22496-413: Was decorated with dark blue, turquoise and ochre tiles in geometric patterns and the murals were coloured with tempera and were inspired by the works of Nizami Ganjavi . These are located in various regions and capital of Azerbaijan – the palace of government: Istana Nurul Iman is the world's largest residential palace and is the official residence of the sultan of Brunei , Hassanal Bolkiah , and
22648-435: Was dismantled at the end of the hostilities. In September 1939 with the outbreak of World War II Waldorf Astor again offered the use of the land at a rent of one shilling per year to the Canadian Red Cross and the Canadian Red Cross Memorial Hospital was built to the designs of Robert Atkinson . After the war the hospital's main focus was as a nursing school, a maternity unit and a rheumatology unit. The hospital closed and
22800-434: Was followed as chairman of the Trust by the 2nd Marquess of Zetland , and in 1936 the Trust set up the Country Houses Committee, with James Lees-Milne as secretary, to look into ways of preserving country houses and gardens at a time when their owners could no longer afford to maintain them. A country house scheme was set up and the National Trust Acts of 1937 and 1939 facilitated the transfer of estates from private owners to
22952-447: Was one of the wealthiest Englishmen of the period. During his ownership of the estate (1868–93), he contributed significant additions to the house and gardens, including the porte cochère on the north front of the mansion, a new stable block and the dovecote , all designed by Henry Clutton . In 1893 the estate was purchased by an American millionaire, William Waldorf Astor (later 1st Viscount Astor), who made sweeping alterations to
23104-434: Was ready for occupation in 305 AD and is much the most significant ancient survival, having been turned in the Middle Ages into a fortified town; it still houses many people and businesses. Palaces in East Asia, such as the imperial palaces of Japan, Korea, Vietnam, Thailand, and Indonesia, and large wooden structures in China's Forbidden City , consist of many low pavilions surrounded by vast, walled gardens in contrast to
#815184