Taplow Court

Taplow Court, a mid 19th century mansion set high above the Thames near Maidenhead, is the home of SGI-UK, a lay Buddhist society. SGI-UK is part of a world-wide network of organisations in over 192 countries & territories that aims to contribute to a more peaceful and harmonious world through educational and cultural activities based on the philosophy of the 13th century Japanese sage, Nichiren Daishonin. He taught that each person can transform not only their own lives, but also society and the environment, by revealing their most positive and creative potential through the practice of Buddhism.

The Taplow site has a long history of continuous human habitation. In the Iron Age a massive hillfort covered the site and the famous 7th century Anglo-Saxon burial mound can still be seen in the garden. There has been a manor house here since before 1066 and the manor was successively owned by the monks of Merton Priory, until the Dissolution, and then by the Hampson family in the 17th century, who came under attack during the Civil War.
 
In the 18th century, Taplow Court was the home of the Earls and Countesses of Orkney. The first Earl fought at the Battles of the Boyne and Blenheim and was appointed first British Field Marshall. In the mid 19th century the house was given its present Jacobean-revival/French Gothic appearance by the architect William Burn.
 
At the turn of the 19th/20th centuries, the great sportsman, William Henry Grenfell and his wife Ettie, hosted gatherings of the elite, aristocratic social group, 'the Souls', here. Their eldest son, Julian Grenfell, one of the war poets, was killed in 1915.
 
After the Second World War, Taplow Court was owned by British Telecommunications Research and Plessey Electronics. SGI-UK came here in 1988. Today, the house and other buildings on site are used for courses and conferences for the society's own members and also in cooperation with other like-minded educational and charitable organisations. The Library of the European Branch of the Institute of Oriental Philosophy is based at Taplow Court and students may have access to over 10,000 books by appointment.

On Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 10am to 4pm.

Please use a taxi from the train station or call 01628 773163 after 10am to book a lift, if you are an SGI member.

On Saturdays and Sundays from 10am to 5pm, except on closed weekends (see below)

The SGI-UK shop will be open between 11.00 -16.30 on weekends. (*)

For SGI-UK members, pick ups may be available from the Bath Rd entrance to Taplow station (see public transport below). Otherwise, please use a taxi.

For Japanese members:

A Japanese-speaking guide may be available if you call or email a week or more in advance, on +44 1628 591246 or tcservices@sgi-uk.org

(*) Taplow Court is closed on these weekends: 2026: 21/22 Mar, 4/5 Apr, 23/24 May, 27/28 June, 18/19 Jul, 29/30 Aug, 26/27 Sep, 24/25 Oct, 21/22 Nov, 26/27 Dec

Public Transport

Trains run from Paddington station to Taplow station, Monday to Sunday. SGI-UK members may be able to book a pickup from Taplow station by calling 01628 773163 on the day of your visit - after 10.00am on weekdays and 9.30am on weekends

Please note that for large SGI-UK activities, all trains arriving at Taplow Station between 8.00 - 9.30am on weekends will be met by the transport team. Booking in advance is not possible.

This is the opposite side of the station than the one we have traditionally used. If you are arriving from the Maidenhead direction, please cross the bridge to get to the pick-up point.

If you are returning in the direction of London, please plan to leave from Taplow Court a few minutes earlier, in order to cross the bridge for the London bound platform, No. 4