Day 4 Savill Garden and Windsor Great Park

Back in 2011, my friend Katrina and I had planned to visit the Savill Garden in Windsor Great Park. Unfortunately, the rain was incessant and showed no sign of stopping, so we had to employ Plan B. Katrina recommended we visit Clandon Park near Guildford, a stately home once owned by the Earls of Ormonde and now a National Trust Property. This was a good decision, as in April 2015, Clandon Park was largely destroyed by fire.

The sun was having problems trying to come out on June 4. Still, we decided to attempt a visit to Savill Garden, followed by a walk through Windsor Great Park to see Cumberland Lodge, once the home of Prince and Princess Christian (Princess Helena), and find the statue of Prince Albert riding a horse.

The Savill Garden is superb. We did not get to see all of the gardens, as we had other things on the to-do list.

We enjoyed lunch at the Garden's cafe, as most of the food was locally grown.   We left Katrina's car in the parking lot. Armed with a map, we headed toward Cumberland Gate and onto Cumberland Lodge.

The Lodge was built in the 17th Century. Charles II decided that the house would be the official home of the Ranger of the Great Park. Queen Anne named  Sarah Churchill (Duchess of Marlborough) Ranger in 1702, a position she held until she died in 1744. The Duke of Marlborough killed at Cumberland Lodge (then known as Windsor Lodge) in 1722.

King George II's son, Prince William, Duke of Cumberland, served as Ranger until he died in 1765. He was succeeded by his nephew, Prince Henry, Duke of Cumberland and Strathearn, who died in 1790. His widow, Anne, remained in the Lodge until she died in 1804.

Prince Albert, the consort of Queen Victoria, served as Ranger from 1840 until 1861. Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein, who married Princess Helena in 1866, was named Ranger in 1867. He remained a Ranger until he died in 1917. The Duke of Edinburgh is the current Ranger of Windsor Great Park.

Cumberland Lodge ceased to be a royal residence after 1917.   King Edward VIII's Private Secretary, Alexander Hardinge, met with Stanley Baldwin at the Lodge in 1936 to discuss Edward VIII's abdication.

In 1947, King George VI gave Cumberland Lodge to an educational foundation.

The parking lot was full, so something was going on. I snapped a few photos before we decided to see if we could catch a glimpse inside. Katrina let me do all the talking — that sweet American voice of mine.

We could not get a tour, so I asked, "Do you have any guidebooks?" Two, in fact. Katrina and I each bought both guidebooks. This was a win for us and for Cumberland Lodge.

Afterward, we resumed our walk toward Smith's Lawn (where Charles and his sons played polo) to find the statue of Prince Albert. We also discovered a statue of Prince Philip playing polo (at the Guards' Polo Club). Finally, we made it to the Cumberland Obelisk (named for Prince William, Duke of Cumberland) before heading back to the car.

A few weeks ago, I saw the movie All is True, which was about Shakespeare's final years at Stratford-upon-Avon. The movie starred Sir Kenneth Branagh and Dame Judi Dench.   The movie was filmed at Dorney Court, a Tudor home near Datchet.   The house remains in the Palmer family but is only open a few times a year.   In her response to me in an email, Anna Palmer said that the exterior of the house can be seen from the parking lot of a garden center.   Katrina pulled out her GPS, and off we went. It was pouring rain by the time we got there, but I did get a few photos. Dorney Court will be open in August, and Katrina plans to visit and tell me more about it. The Garden Center sells postcards and a guidebook, which I purchased.

Dorney Court is a popular site for movies, television, and programs.

In the evening, Katrina and I joined another good friend, biographer Coryne Hall, and her husband, Colin, for dinner at a local restaurant.

The Savill Garden actually has a variety of gardens and wildlife. I bet the gardens are even prettier when the sun comes out.

a pheasant 

Cumberland Lodge

managed to take one photo -- Helena and Christian's wedding photo

Cumberland Obelisk

Smith's Lawn

The statue of Prince Albert. Across from Smith's Lawn

The Duke of Edinburgh playing polo statue at the Guards' Club

The Obelisk is getting closer 

And, yes, it is raining.

We found the Cumberland Obelisk .. quick, wipe off the lens.

Dorney Court

http://www.windsorgreatpark.co.uk/en/experiences/the-savill-garden


http://www.windsorgreatpark.co.uk/en

https://www.cumberlandlodge.ac.uk/


https://dorneycourt.co.uk/