WADDESDON MANORTHE ROTHSCHILD COLLECTION

Lord rothschiLd invites you to Waddesdon Manor

in the late 19th century, Baron Ferdinand de rothschild built a palace to house his unique collection of paintings, furniture and objets d’art. on a hilltop in the vale of aylesbury, the Baron created an idiosyncraticversion of a French renaissance château. he called it Waddesdon Manorand more than one hundred years later, its turrets and spires, cupolasand finials, tall chimneys and glinting metalwork still dominate the surrounding landscape. it was bequeathed to the national trust in 1957and is managed today by a family charitable trust under the chairmanshipof Lord rothschild.

the first-time, unsuspecting visitor winds their way up a magnificenttree-lined drive catching occasional glimpses of the house, the surrounding landscape and one of the finest victorian gardens in Britain.suddenly, a fountain of exotic mermaids and seahorses appears and finallythe visitor arrives at the Manor’s glorious honey-coloured 300-foot façade.

the rothschilds were the greatestcollectors of the 19th century andthe Manor is the most perfectsurviving example of this tradition.the house has extraordinary examples of French decorative arts,furniture, sèvres porcelain, englishportraits and dutch old Masters.three generations of rothschildshave added to Ferdinand’s vision.today’s visitor will see works byJoshua reynolds, Jean simeonchardin and Francesco Guardi aswell as paintings by Lucian Freudand Leon Bakst; the floors arecovered with savonnerie carpetsand walls are hung with tapestriesfrom the royal Beauvais workshops.upstairs, playful rococo panellingis set off by a contemporarychandelier by ingo Maurer.

But the Manor is not only aboutcollecting. here Baron Ferdinandentertained Kings and Queens,politicians and philanthropists,writers and world leaders. Lordrothschild has maintained thetradition by welcoming hM The Queen, the Prince of Walesand heads of state includingBaroness Thatcher and PresidentMitterand.

the Gardens at Waddesdon are an integral part of its charm, full of surprise and delight. views are framed by fountains, antique statuary as well as a Parterre and trees. the Grounds include an ornate workingaviary. the Gardens and landscape were originally laid out under thedirection of Baron Ferdinand and later embellished by his sister alice,and subsequently Lord rothschild’s daughter, Beth.

under special circumstances the Manor is available as an exclusive venuefor an evening or for a special event; add yourself to an illustrious guestlist that includes King edward vii, the shah of Persia, Winston churchill,henry James and Queen victoria.

imagine recreating and enjoying ‘Le style rothschild’ and living for anevening like Baron Ferdinand. take a stroll round the working aviaryand enjoy the carpets of flowers, fountains and idyllic views from the restored 19th century Parterre. sample a glass of champagne or finest claretin the White Drawing Room, followed by a feast in the Blue Dining Room.

For those wanting a different atmosphere or style, there are three other extraordinary venues on the Waddesdon estate; Windmill Hill, the Dairy and the Wine Cellars.

WindMiLL hiLL

Windmill Hill reflects Lord rothschild’s interest in contemporary architecture and modern art. this award winning contemporary buildinghouses the family’s archive, serves as the headquarters of the rothschildFoundation and provides an imaginative state-of-the-art venue for seminars, conferences and concerts. artworks include pieces by richardLong, anish Kapoor, edmund de Waal, sarah Lucas and angus Fairhurst.

the dairy

in another part of the 6000 acre estate, the Dairy surrounded by romanticWater Gardens, offers a more traditional setting for larger events. oncethe home to Baron Ferdinand’s prize winning Longhorn, shorthorn andJersey cows, the Dairy has been transformed into a venue for weddingsand parties.

the Wine ceLLars

the rothschilds, at the height of their european influence, bought two of the finest vineyards in Bordeaux, château Lafite rothschild and château Mouton rothschild. today, the Wine Cellars are home to 15,000 bottles of rare vintages, dating back to 1870. Led by a Masterof Wine, you and your guests can unravel the mystique of these greatwines – and discover the rising stars.

in 1874, Baron Ferdinand put his passion andcreativity into creating a place for entertainmentin the grand manner. 130 years later, the essential vision remains. unrivalled hospitality,impeccable service, and a unique setting thatwas made to welcome guests.

We LooK ForWard to

WeLcoMinG you here.

WWW.Waddesdon.orG.uK

OXFORD

HEATHROW AIRPORT

BICESTER VILLAGE

A41

M40

A34

Waddesdon Manor is within easy reach of London, oxford and the retail destination, Bicester village.

Photography by: Gautier deblonde, John Bigelow taylor,hugh Palmer, stuart Bebb, Barry Keendesigned by: herman Lelie illustrations by: ricca Kawai© The national trust, Waddesdon Manor © richard Bryant/arcadiaimages.com

WADDESDON MANOR

LONDON

A41

M4

By RoadOxford22 miles 35 min

Central London50 miles 1 hour 15 min

Birmingham72 miles 1 hour 30 min

M40 18 miles 30 minM25 26 miles 35 minM1 30 miles 50 min

By AirLuton Airport 30 miles 50 min

London Heathrow Airport 39 miles 1 hour

Birmingham InternationalAirport 70 miles 1 hour 20 min

Helicopter landing facilitiesare available at the dairy