A wartime haven

Even in a time defined by urgency and uncertainty, our doors continued to open for those in need of respite – including one of the most quietly influential figures of the era: Clementine Churchill.

As the wife of Prime Minister Winston Churchill, Clementine carried an immense weight throughout the war. She wasn’t just a political spouse; she was a steadfast support, a hostess to diplomats, a leader in her own right, and a woman balancing personal pressures with public duty.

With the prospect of Winston being away for about a fortnight, Clementine took the opportunity to have a much-needed rest. During 1941 her workload greatly increased. Many calls were made on her as wife of the Prime Minister, and there was a steady stream of guests to be entertained, both in London and at Chequers; but she devoted herself to her wartime appointments with great energy and conscientiousness. Now she went for a short rest cure to Champneys, near Tring in Buckinghamshire, a highly regarded health establishment.

Just a short drive from Chequers, the Prime Minister’s country residence, Champneys Tring offered Clementine not only convenience but also the comforting distance needed to truly unwind. Here, nestled in the Hertfordshire countryside, she could momentarily step away from the demands of war, political life, and constant expectation.

Her visit to Champneys is a poignant moment in our long legacy – a reminder that even during history’s most chaotic chapters, wellness mattered. We are proud to have played a small, quiet part in helping those at the very heart of Britain’s history find peace, even for a moment.

Over the decades, much has changed – but the essence of Champneys has not. We remain, as we were then, a place to pause, restore, and renew.

Excerpt from Winston and Clementine: The Personal Letters of the Churchills (Edited by Mary Soames, 2001).