West Wycombe Park, Village and Hill

Take a stroll around West Wycombe Park or enjoy a tour around West Wycombe House. This Palladian gem has been home of the Dashwood family for over 300 years. Set in 45 acres of landscaped park, the house as we see it today is the 18th-century creation of Sir Francis Dashwood, the 2nd baronet, founder of the Dilettanti Society and the Hell-Fire Club.

West Wycombe village is adjacent to the neo-classical landscaped West Wycombe Park. The village, with its well-preserved facings of original 16th – 18th century buildings, is owned and maintained by the National Trust. It has a range of unusual and tradition shops and several places where you can quench your thirst and enjoy snack or a meal.

West Wycombe Hill, above West Wycombe Village, is the site of an Iron Age hillfort, which shares space with the largely-18th century St Lawrence Church and the Dashwood Mausoleum. The hill offers extensive views across the Chilterns. It is a wildlife haven and a great place for a summer picnic.

Meet the Dashwood Baronets through our brief introduction of their lives and find out about the time they spent at the house.

Palladianism was an approach to architecture strongly influenced by the sixteenth century architect Andrea Palladio. Characterised by Classical forms, symmetry, and strict proportion, the exteriors of Palladian buildings were often austere. Inside, however, elaborate decoration, gilding and ornamentation created a lavish, opulent environment.

This year marks 250 years of a great and unusual transatlantic friendship between Benjamin Franklin and Francis Dashwood of West Wycombe Park