Hidden away at 37 Furzehill Road in Borehamwood, just a short distance from London’s bustling film studios at Elstree, was Ewhurst Manor. It was no ordinary country house. Under the watchful eye of its enterprising owner, Doris Clifford, Ewhurst became a discreet sanctuary where photographers could shoot nudes and pin-ups without fear of prying eyes.
The Birth of a Glamour Haven
Ewhurst Manor’s transformation into a photographer’s paradise was almost accidental. According to a 1964 Caper magazine article, Doris Clifford’s husband, a sweater manufacturer, first invited a photographer to use their home for an advertising shoot. The photographer was so impressed by the 18th-century manor and its three acres of landscaped gardens he kept returning—and word quickly spread.
Soon, London’s top glamour photographers, including George Harrison Marks, were making the journey to Ewhurst. For a small fee, they could shoot undisturbed. The stately interiors were perfect for interior shots and the lawn, ponds, and shaded arbor ideal for playful naturist scenes.
Lunch and tea were served by Doris, which added a surreal touch of English civility to the proceedings, along with her fastidious housekeeping. Even American photographers like Earl Leaf and Irv Carsten visited, marveling at a setup that simply didn’t exist back home.
Harrison Marks’ Ewhurst Films & Photoshoots
For Marks, Ewhurst was more than a location—it was a creative hideaway. He filmed several of his 8mm “glamour shorts” here, including:
- Nightmare at Elm Manor (1963, aka Flesh & Fantasie)
- Photo Session (1963, featuring June Palmer)
- Visit from Venus (1964, with Vivienne Warren, Ann Walker, and Terry Peters)
The location provided the perfect backdrop for his cheeky, softcore aesthetic. Models recall relaxed shoots where they could pose nude by the willow tree or lounge in the drawing room without fear of gawkers—a rarity in an era when outdoor glamour shoots often attracted unwanted attention.
The Manor’s Double Life
While best known for nude photography, Ewhurst simultaneously served as a legitimate filming location for mainstream television. ITC (Incorporated Television Company) filmed episodes of Gideon’s Way (1965), The Baron (1965), and Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased) (1968) at the manor.
The same pond where June Palmer bathed for Marks’ camera later appeared in episode of the TV show The Champions as a spy rendezvous spot.
Mrs. Clifford
Doris Clifford was the unsung heroine of this operation. A shrewd businesswoman, she recognized the demand for discreet shooting locations and turned her home into a pay-to-play paradise.
Rumors swirled that her husband, Alec, tolerated the parade of nude models with bemused detachment. The Caper article notes that leasing estates was a common way to mitigate Britain’s crushing death duties.
By 1970, the party was over. The manor was demolished, replaced by a housing estate.
Architecture & History of Ewhurst Manor
Ewhurst Manor’s history was more pragmatic than aristocratic. The mock-Tudor property—originally part of 200-acre Whitehouse Farm — likely dates to 1868, when the railway’s arrival transformed Borehamwood. While the neighboring White House (demolished c.1970) was a genuine 18th-century farm dwelling, Ewhurst itself was probably built as a gentrified country home for the newly affluent.
Access was via a narrow track past White House — today memorialized by Whitehouse Avenue, which cuts through where Ewhurst’s pond once lay. The “manor” title was likely a marketing fiction; the land was actually part of estates owned by Baron Aldenham and the Earl of Stafford.
Conclusion: A Lost World of Glamour
Ewhurst Manor straddled two worlds — a discreet stage for glamour photography and a respectable filming location for mainstream TV. For Harrison Marks, it was a creative sanctuary; for Doris Clifford, a lucrative sideline; and for film historians, a ghost location lost to time. The last known glamour shoots date to 1970 — the same year developers moved in.
If walls could talk, Ewhurst’s would whisper tales of naked starlets, swinging photographers, and tea served with an air of amusement.
Adapted from an article originally published on TheKameraClub.com, with thanks for their research and visual contributions.
