![Hedsor. L[or]d. Boston's](18.jpg)
Hedsor. L[or]d. Boston's. Steel engraving. From Eighty Picturesque Views of the Thames and Medway
Text accompanying the engraving
After passing Cookham ferry, the Thames is separated into three branches, the principal of which forms a sudden and bold sweep to the left, flowing rapidly by Hedsor wharf; the middle stream pursues a direct course, and has been rendered more commodious for navigation, the strength of the current being checked by flood-gates. These two branches assist in forming the largest island on the river, comprising about 54 acres. On it the late Sir George Young erected a pleasant villa called, "Formosa Place." The remaining branch directs its course to the right, by the extensive paper-mills of Mr. Venables. The scenery now becomes extremely beautiful; the Hedsor heights rising from their chalky beds with the hanging woods above, connected with the bolder and more richly variegated foliage of Cliefden. Hedsor church occupies a highly picturesque situation, embosomed in trees and placed on a hillock near the summit of the heights. Hedsor Lodge, the seat of lord Boston, stands on a commanding eminence, overlooking some of the most picturesque parts of Berks and Bucks. His lordship's estate joins that of Cliefden, which the witty and profligate Villiers, duke of Buckingham, purchased of the ancient family of Manfelds. The estate came afterwards into the possession of lord Orkney. The family mansion was destroyed by fire in 1795, and on the site Sir George Warrender, who now owns part of the estate, has lately erected a noble mansion. Beneath Cliefden-house is a delightful spring near the river, whose waters are remarkably transparent and cool; on the margin is a capacious summer-house, and the beauty of this sequestered spot attracts maxiy pic-nic parties to visit its retired shade in summer. The Thames now pursues its unrufiled course for some distance in peaceful serenity, beneath the shadowy and refreshing coolness of Cliefden woods. [61]
Text and formatting by George P. Landow. [You may use this image without prior permission for any scholarly or educational purpose as long as you (1) credit the University of California Library and the Internet Archive and (2) link your document to this URL in a web document or cite it in a print one.]
Bibliography
Fearnside, W. G. Eighty Picturesque Views of the Thames and Medway, Engraved on Steel by the First Artists. London: Black and Armstrong, [n.d. after 1837]. Internet Archive version of a copy in the University of California at Berkley Library. Web. 30 March 2012.
Last modified 1 May 2012