'stat choo?

Saturday (15th September) was a house boat-work day ...

George washed and polished Still Rockin' from stem to stern including the roof which was sticky with tree sap and I did the inside.  It was another warm day and folk were taking advantage of the sunshine out walking with friend, family and canines, the river was busy too.  Sorry no pictures ... too busy!

Sunday (16th)  we walked up the hill again as there's an area that we've yet not explored ...

Looking down the way we've come and up the hill too by the zig zag steps

A long distance shot taken in front of Cliveden House of the Fountain of Love ...

Designed and carved in Rome by the Son and pupil of the American dilettante sculptor William Wetmore Story (1819-95). According to 1st Lord Astor's note of 1920, 'The female figures are supposed to have discovered the fountain of love and to be experiencing the effects of its wonderful elixir.'

We discovered lots of statues we'd not seen before ... there's a link to some of them here (pdf) and here (Lynn Chadwick) 

There are twelve sites of Lynn Chadwick's bronze and steel sculptures installed at Clivden

Lynn Chadwick (1914-2003) was a British artist

known primarily for his work often inspired by the human form.

Joan of Arc

Joan of Arc, c.1838

Princesse MARIE-CHRISTINE D'ORLEANS (1813-39); Bronze (cast by Eck et Durand); signed with monogram: 'MO'

Inscribed on the marble pedestal are the words: 'Jeanne D 'Arc Par La Princesse Marie D'Orleans' (right); 'Elle Aimait Tant la France' (left)

Francis, Earl of Ellesmere

Prince Albert

Prince Albert (1819-61) in Highland DressWILLIAM THEED the Younger (1804-91); Bronze; signed and dated 1865

After a marble at Balmoral (1863), given by Queen Victoria to her Mistress of the Robes, the Duchess of Sutherland (both of them were widowed in 1861). The figure is exceptionally finely modelled, especially in the coat of the setter and the hatching of the stock of the Prince's shotgun. There are four unsigned drawings in the Cliveden Album for the placing of the statue in a niche on the east face of the clock-tower, but since another bronze replica set up at Balmoral in 1867 stands on an identical rocky cairn it seems likely that this was the original treatment.

The Wounded Amazon

WILLIAM WALDORF ASTOR, 1st VISCOUNT ASTOR (1848-1919); Marble: signed and dated 1870


This may be the only extant signed sculpture by Lord Astor. He must have learnt the art in the studio of his acquaintance William Wetmore Story, and it is tempting to suppose that this figure was carved under Story's close supervision. Its composition is dependent on Roman and Hellenistic copies of Greek Amazons, but reinterpreted in a Romantic, almost sentimental mood.

The Fountain of Love taken from the Long Garden

Lynn Chadwick's work is on show at Cliveden until October 14th 2018.  Click here (scroll down) for a short National Trust video of his scupltures at Clivedon

The Long Garden

This building was holding an exhibition of the stories  of local women who have been nominated by their women friends for their inspiration to others by their achievements in life.

Some very interesting stories too.

This spider web fascinated me, it was at least 12" in diameter and it was amazing to watch it swaying in the breeze.

It was an exhilarating walk in the very warm sunshine with the gusty wind keeping us a bit cooler ... most enjoyable!