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Bisham Abbey at the time of World War One was a modest countryside estate owned by Senior Admiralty Officer, Sir Henry Vansittart Neale and his wife, Lady Florence. They threw themselves into war work and Lady Florence kept a diary of their experiences throughout, which detail daily life at Bisham Abbey as well as her thoughts on the wider political situation.

The house became a hospital for up to twenty-five Belgian soldiers during the first year of the war. Later, convalescing soldiers from neighbouring estate, Cliveden, were entertained there and other officers on leave or convalescence would also come to stay.

Lady Florence organised everything and nursed the men with her daughters, Phyllis and Elizabeth, who went on to serve as VAD nurses overseas.

In 1921, Sir Henry was given the King Albert Medal of the Kingdom of Belgium for supporting Belgians at the hospital.

The land at Bisham Abbey was also utilised for growing crops for food production and Lady Florence was instrumental in promoting and supplying vegetables to the Royal Navy, for which she was given an award by The Grand Fleet Fund.

Many landowners found it increasingly difficult to maintain their estates as a result of the war and were hit hard financially – Bisham Abbey was no exception. Although the family line of inheritance wasn’t directly affected by the war; Elizabeth Vansittart Neale married and had two sons, Berkeley and Guy Paget, who were both killed on active service during World War Two. As a memorial to her nephews, Phyllis loaned Bisham Abbey to the Central Council of Physical Recreation, (which later became The Sports Council), they subsequently purchased the Abbey and it is now one of Sport England’s National Sports Centres and a training centre for elite athletes.

Location: Bisham Abbey, Marlow, Windsor and Maidenhead SL7 1RR
Image: Lady Florence Vansittart Neale, courtesy of Berkshire Record Office
Extracts from the Vansittart Neale’s Bisham Abbey Collection also courtesy of Berkshire Record Office

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