This month I am reviewing the fabulous biography, The Mistresses of Cliveden by Natalie Livingstone.
Cliveden House (or Hotel as it is these days) has been on my bucket list to visit for a while now and I am determined to stay there before the end of this year, come what may. Even more so, now that I've read this book.
One of Britain's most fabulous stately homes, Cliveden has changed ownership several times since it was first built. Originally built in 1666, Cliveden was destroyed by fire in 1795 and rebuilt in 1824, only to be destroyed by fire a second time. You would think the house doomed but, when it was rebuilt a third time in 1851, it survived, and still reigns supreme over the Buckinghamshire landscape today.
The Mistresses of Cliveden delves into the lives of four of its famous mistresses and the scandals and headlines they each brought to the house during their time as queens of the estate. From Anne-Maria, former courtesan who rose to become the Countess of Shrewsbury, to Cliveden's last mistress, Nancy Astor, these women were, without doubt, indomitable in their own way. Defiant, strong and determined, this is the perfect study of what women are truly capable of if they pursue their desires without shame or apology.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and cannot wait to sleep in a house that has such a fascinating history.
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