Taplow: History, the Thames Valley and Taplow Lakeside

Taplow combines a distinctive riverside landscape with church and burial history, as well as an open-water experience available year-round. This creates a versatile mix for planning your trip: you can focus on the landscape and views, explore the area's long history or plan an active day by the water.

Riverside landscape and gardens around Taplow Court

An important landscape area is the 25-hectare grounds of Taplow Court. The River Thames forms its western boundary; the grounds also include a steep cutting with cliffs that slope down towards the water. A path along the south side of Taplow Court's churchyard offers views across the Thames Valley towards Windsor Castle and the chapel of Eton College. If varied views and settings are important to you when choosing your holiday accommodation, this combination of riverside landscape, parkland and historic surroundings is a specific factor to consider when deciding where to stay.

Taplow Court is listed as a Grade II registered park or garden. The estate includes early-18th-century gardens and parkland, as well as formal 19th-century gardens. These different historic garden phases give the site several layers of history, without requiring you to limit your trip to a single attraction.

Church history and archaeological traces

Several important chapters of the area's history can be encountered at Taplow Court. The site of the former medieval St Nicholas Church is now occupied by the west wing of Taplow Court, while its churchyard forms part of the ornamental gardens. The former church probably originated in the 12th century and was transferred to Merton Priory in 1197. Taplow parish has had a Christian church for more than 1,000 years.

The present St Nicolas Church in Taplow dates from 1912 and is an example of Gothic Revival architecture. This picture of the area's church history is complemented by older archaeological evidence: Taplow Hillfort consists of the remains of a hill fort dating from the Bronze Age to the Iron Age, found during excavations at Taplow Court. The Taplow Saxon Barrow was identified as the burial mound of an early-7th-century Saxon chieftain. The richly furnished burial at Taplow was the richest find of its time in England until the Sutton Hoo treasure was discovered in 1939.

Swimming, walks and family time

Taplow Lakeside offers open-water swimming year-round. Swimming sessions are supervised by lifeguards, and the water quality is checked regularly. Taplow Lakeside can be reached via the A4 next to the Sytner BMW garage and via Amerden Lane in Taplow. This specific guidance is useful if you want to include a day of water-based activities when looking for a holiday house or apartment.

The Cliveden woodland walking trail includes a children's play trail and picnic areas. This makes it possible to combine historical discoveries, exercise in the countryside and a break outdoors.

Other places for orientation: Grendon Underwood, Fulmer, Great Missenden, Princes Risborough, Aston Clinton, Beaconsfield, Weston Turville, Ibstone.

For the wider travel overview: Buckinghamshire.