West Wycombe Park

West Wycombe Park: The Home Of Hell Fire

West Wycombe Park is an absolute gem of the Buckinghamshire landscape for two reasons – the house and the gardens. It is like no other mansion or country house in the area because it is totally unique, which owes a lot to past owner Sir Francis Dashwood and his love of the area.

West Wycombe Park was built in the 18th Century by Dashwood, who conceived the idea for the house and wanted it built in beautiful and tranquil surroundings that were fitting for his status in life. He chose West Wycombe Park as a result of that and had the house designed in a neo-classical style, in which it remains today. The architecture is fabulous but it is the interiors that will take your breath away.

The house at West Wycombe Park is certain a little on the eccentric side and not at all in keeping with the given traditions that were conventional back then. It has heavily ornate painted ceilings that are rare in houses of this age and must have been no mean feat to design and complete. There are also rooms full of paintings, sculptures and decorative furniture, the majority of which date from the 18th Century and were originally in the house when Dashwood lived there. All of this has made it a prime location for film and TV classic literature adaptations to film on location.

The gardens at West Wycombe Park are also beautiful if a little eccentric. There are actually caves in the garden, which is where Sir Dashwood’s Hell Fire club used to meet, which it is considered the home of the club. However, the garden is also highly ornate and simply beautiful, but the views of the Chilterns are stunning from the estate. As you can see, there are plenty of reasons to visit and none to stay away!