Claydon House

Claydon House stands in the Buckinghamshire countryside near the village of Middle Claydon. Built between 1757 and 1771, it is a Grade I listed country house now owned by the National Trust. The estate has been home to the Verney family since 1620, and the nearby All Saints church holds many memorials to them. Sir Edmund Verney, who died defending the royal standard at Edgehill in 1642, is buried there. His ghost is said to linger in the house. The family’s fortunes rose and fell with the Civil War and later financial troubles. The house’s exterior is plain, with seven bays and sash windows, but inside it becomes a rococo masterpiece. Luke Lightfoot, the leading wood carver of his day, shaped the ceilings and niches with intricate designs. The double cube room once led to a lost domed hall, yet its grandeur remains. A library was added in 1860, preserving its ornate plaster ceiling. The staircase hall shows medallions and garlands, while the iron balustrade’s wheat motifs rustle as visitors climb. Upstairs, the Chinese room dazzles with pagodas, fretwork and temple-like canopies. It once held a bed but now centres on a throne-like divan. A small museum honours Florence Nightingale, who often stayed here. The National Trust now cares for the house, which has also served as a film set for productions like *Emma* and *Far from the Madding Crowd*. Each July, hovercraft races bring modern excitement to the estate’s lawns.