Our History
The Ditchley Foundation was founded in 1958 by the philanthropist Sir David Wills in order to support the transatlantic alliance.
Sir David Wills
Sir David Wills
The inspiration to create and the generosity to sustain The Ditchley Foundation is thanks to the philanthropy and dedication of the Wills Family.
Moved to act by painful memories of the Second World War and the dangers of the Cold War, Sir David Wills' commitment to support the transatlantic alliance between the United States and Europe led to the creation of the Foundation, based at Ditchley Park, in 1958.
Sir David’s family (his wife Eva and children Martin and Catherine) were all closely involved in the Foundation and we are all grateful for their collective commitment and generosity both over their lifetimes and in their philanthropic legacies.
Ditchley Park
For more than 400 years Ditchley has engendered the most extraordinary connections and hosted some quite remarkable meetings.
It is here that white South Africans and black South Africans, including P.W. Botha and Zuma, came together in conversation; Henry Kissinger and Dean Acheson convened during Cold War, and early ideas for the Open University were developed.
Today Ditchley Park, a place of connection since the reign of Elizabeth I, continues to host discussions that have impact on a global scale.
As The Ditchley Foundation evolves to meet the demands of the modern age, it will continue to honour the Wills family legacy and will strive to remain true to the founding principles on which it was established.
Our Home at Ditchley Park
Ditchley Park is part of the world’s heritage and remains as central to our way of working now as it has ever been.
Ditchley Community
Our primary route to impact is through people, with an evolving community some thousands strong across different centres of modern power and in many countries. We continually bring in new people, perspectives, and expertise from all backgrounds.
Support Ditchley
To sustain and develop our programme we depend on visionary philanthropists, foundations, organisations and thoughtful doers who share our ethos and mission to sustain peace, freedom and the rule of law.