Wimpole Estate

Country estate near Cambridge, England

Wimpole Hall

The entrance front

Type| Country house
Location| Wimpole
Coordinates| 52°08′28″N 0°02′59″W﻿ / ﻿52.1411°N 0.0498°W﻿ / 52.1411; -0.0498
Area| Cambridgeshire
Built| 1640-1650
extended 1713-1716
remodelled 1742-1745
remodelled 1790-1794
remodelled c.1842
Architect| James Gibbs
Henry Flitcroft
John Soane
Henry Edward Kendall
Owner| National Trust

Listed Building – Grade I

Official name| Wimpole Hall
Designated| 22 Nov 1967
Reference no.| 1128166

National Register of Historic Parks and Gardens

Official name| Wimpole Hall
Designated| 16 January 1985
Reference no.| 1000635

Location of Wimpole Hall in Cambridgeshire

Wimpole Estate is a large estate containing Wimpole Hall, a country house located within the civil parish of Wimpole, Cambridgeshire, England, 9 miles (14 kilometres) southwest of Cambridge. The house began in 1640 and its 3,000 acres (12 km2) of parkland and farmland are owned by the National Trust. It is the only visitor attraction in the National Trust portfolio that has a working farm, Home Farm, which is one of the largest centres for rare breeds in the UK.[1][2] The estate is generally open to the public and received more than 370,000 visitors in 2024.[3]

## History

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Sited close to the great Roman road, Ermine Street, Wimpole was listed in the Domesday Book of 1086. At that time there was a moated manor house set in a small 81 hectares (200 acres) deer-park.[4] Situated to the north and south of this were three medieval villages: Bennall End, Thresham End and Green End.

The estate was held by the Chicheley family for more than 250 years,[5] beginning in 1428 with Henry Chichele who was Archbishop of Canterbury.[6] The last of this family to hold the house was the politician Thomas Chicheley, who was responsible for the "new" house that was completed in 1650.[7] Chicheley established the "formal gardens and architectural landscape".[4] He enjoyed the house for 36 years until, weighed down by financial problems, he was forced to sell to Sir John Cutler.[8] In 1689, Sir John gave it as a marriage settlement to his daughter Elizabeth and her husband Charles Robartes, 2nd Earl of Radnor.[8] Lord Radnor extended the formal gardens and dug out fishponds.[4] On the death of Elizabeth in 1697, without an heir, the estate passed to Edmund Boulter, nephew of Sir John Cutler. In 1710 it was in the possession of John Holles, 1st Duke of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, who left it to his daughter Lady Henrietta Cavendish Holles upon his death the following year.[9] Upon Henrietta's marriage, in 1713, it became the possession of her husband Edward Harley, 2nd Earl of Oxford and Earl Mortimer.[10] In 1740, Edward sold Wimpole to Philip Yorke, 1st Earl of Hardwicke, in order to pay off his debts.[11] The Earls of Hardwicke held it until it passed into the hands of Thomas Agar-Robartes, 6th Viscount Clifden,[12] and then his son, Francis Agar-Robartes, 7th Viscount Clifden[13] who, in 1930, departed to Lanhydrock upon the death of his father.[4]

On 27 October 1843, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert visited the hall. They listened to speeches by local politicians including Charles Yorke, 4th Earl of Hardwicke, and dinner was served for 26 people. A ball was held in the evening. On 28 October 1843, Her Majesty visited the farm in the morning before departing for London.[14]

In 1942, Capt. George Bambridge and his wife, Elsie, daughter of Rudyard Kipling, purchased it after having been tenants since 1938.[13][15][16] They used the inheritance left to them by her father, and the royalties from his books, for the long-needed refurbishment of the house and grounds. During the War, for instance, the house had no running water nor electricity.[15] During her time at Wimpole Hall, Elsie was known to become irritated by members of the public gathering too close to the house for picnics, so much so, she once returned to an offending couple's property and had her own picnic on their lawn.[15] Elsie Bambridge bequeathed the house to the National Trust when she died in 1976.

## The hall

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* The Yellow Drawing Room 1793 by Sir John Soane

* The chapel by James Gibbs with murals by Sir James Thornhill completed 1724

* The Plunge Bath c.1792 by Sir John Soane

Notable architects who worked at the hall included James Gibbs (between 1713 and 1730), Henry Flitcroft (around 1749), John Soane (1790s), and H. E. Kendall (1840s).[17] There are decorative schemes by the painter James Thornhill (1721). Carved marble busts of the Roman emperors Trajan and Galba were returned to Wimpole in 2014 and placed on the original wooden plinths which had been carved for them by Rattee and Kett in around 1860.[18]

## The estate

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Wimpole Hall's grounds, enclosed in 1302,[4] were laid out and modified by landscape designers such as George London and Henry Wise (1693-1705), Charles Bridgeman (1720s), Robert Greening (1740s), "Capability" Brown (1767), and Humphry Repton (1801-1809).[19] Bridgeman's formal grand avenue sweeps away from the south front of the house for two and a half miles, in contrast with the remainder of the park which was "naturalised" by Capability Brown. The elms were killed by Dutch elm disease, but the avenue has been replanted.

The North Park has belts of woodland, its central features being the neo-Gothic Tower, Wimpole's Folly (1768), the restored lakes in the valley below, (1695-1767), St Andrew's church (1749),[20] a home farm (1792), a walled garden (18th century), and a stable block (1851).[21] The "Dutch Garden" beneath the hall was established in 1980 with the rest of the garden completed based upon the mid-19th century parterre.[4]

An extensive tree planting project was reported in 2022, with the intention of becoming net carbon zero, with 90,000 trees planted. 14 species of native trees were planted including oak, hornbeam, wild cherry, field maple and birch, as well as 10 species of shrubs including hawthorn, hazel and spindle.[22] The walled garden at Wimpole, which follows organic principles, grows crops, a portion of which is donated to a local foodbank.[23] In 2023 a daffodil survey found 77 varieties. Daffodils were the favourite flower of Wimpole's last private owner, Elsie Bambridge.[24] In December 2019, the Trust farm hosted the trial of a robot that maps weeds with the Trust intending to use the battery-powered prototype during the growing season.[25]

### Activities

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A range of organised events and less formal activities make use of the wider estate. In 2013 a partnership between the Trust and parkrun led to the establishment of a free, weekly timed 3.1 miles (5.0 km) run.[26][27] An illuminated trail, Christmas at Wimpole, is held annually.[28]

## Listed buildings

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The Wimpole Park Estate contains a number of listed buildings and structures. Wimpole Hall, a neo-classical building, is Grade I listed,[29] and the estate itself is Grade I listed on the Register of Historic Parks and Gardens.[4] The entrance gates and piers at the west entrance to the hall are listed Grade II,[30] and the stable block is listed Grade II*.[31]

In the gardens, a group of five vases[32] and a copy of the sculpture Samson Slaying a Philistine are listed Grade II,[33] as are the steps to the west of the hall[34] and the wall and railings to the south.[35] On the edge of the ornamental gardens the ha-ha to the north west and to the north are both listed Grade II.[36][37] The Wimpole's Folly castle on the estate is listed Grade II*.[38] The walled garden[39] and the gardener's cottage[40] on the north side of the walled garden are both listed Grade II, as is the game larder to the north east of the hall.[41]

## Gallery

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* Wimpole Hall in 1880

* Parterre on the north front

* Wimpole's Folly, designed in 1751 by Sanderson Miller, it evokes a medieval castle ruin

* The lake and Gothic folly in the grounds of Wimpole Hall

* Wimpole the stable block designed by Henry Edward Kendall and erected in 1851

* Wimpole glasshouses in the kitchen garden

* St Andrew's Church

* Memorials and tombs in St Andrew's Church, Wimpole

* Chancel St Andrew's Church, Wimpole

* A Modern Picture Gallery by William Frederick Witherington, 1824. Part of the collection of art at Wimpole Hall

## References

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1. ^ Hughes, Lorna (15 June 2025). "Cambridgeshire National Trust estate celebrates return of rare horse breed". Cambridgeshire Live. Retrieved 30 July 2025.
2. ^ "Wimpole Estate Home Farm to celebrate 'Springing to Life' event". Royston Crow. 15 April 2025. Retrieved 30 July 2025.
3. ^ "ALVA | Association of Leading Visitor Attractions". www.alva.org.uk. Retrieved 30 July 2025.
4. ^ a b c d e f g Historic England, "Wimpole Hall Park and Garden (Grade I) (1000635)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 18 October 2016
5. ^ Souden, p. 5
6. ^ Andrew Thrush and John P. Ferris, ed. (2010). "CHICHELEY, Sir Thomas (1578-1616), of Wimpole, Cambs.". The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1604-1629.
7. ^ Souden, p. 6
8. ^ a b Souden, p. 8
9. ^ Souden, p. 9
10. ^ Souden, p. 10
11. ^ Souden, p. 17
12. ^ Souden, p. 39
13. ^ a b Souden, p.40
14. ^ The Spectator Archive - 4 November 1843, p.2, 'The Court'
15. ^ a b c Clelland, Sarah (2017). National Trust Book of Scones: 50 Delicious Recipes and Some Curious Crumbs of History. London: National Trust Books. p.20 ISBN 978-1-909881-93-8
16. ^ "History of Wimpole | Cambridgeshire". National Trust. Retrieved 25 June 2025.
17. ^ Souden, p. 38
18. ^ "Pair of carved marble busts of Roman emperors, probably Trajan and Galba by Unknown Artist". Art Fund. 2014. Retrieved 6 October 2017.
19. ^ Souden, pp. 79–85
20. ^ St Andrew's page at the Cambridgeshire Churches website
21. ^ Souden, p. 87
22. ^ "Wimpole Estate: National Trust plants 90,000 trees in carbon zero bid". BBC News. 24 February 2022. Retrieved 30 July 2025.
23. ^ "The garden at Wimpole | Cambridgeshire". National Trust. Retrieved 30 July 2025.
24. ^ "Survey reveals first full picture of Wimpole Estate's historic daffodil collection". Royston Crow. 9 March 2023. Retrieved 30 July 2025.
25. ^ "National Trust Wimpole Estate trials weed-mapping robot". BBC News. 5 December 2019.
26. ^ "course | Wimpole Estate parkrun". www.parkrun.org.uk. Retrieved 30 July 2025.
27. ^ "Over 350 take part in 541st Wimpole Estate parkrun event". Royston Crow. 29 July 2025. Retrieved 30 July 2025.
28. ^ Bhanot, Manisha (2 September 2024). "Enchanting light trail returns to Wimpole Estate for 2024". Cambridgeshire Live. Retrieved 30 July 2025.
29. ^ Historic England, "Wimpole Hall (Grade I) (1128166)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 18 October 2016
30. ^ Historic England, "Entrance Gates and Piers at West Entrance to Wimpole Hall (1128204)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 18 October 2016
31. ^ Historic England, "Stable Block, About 250 Yards South East of Wimpole Hall (1164273)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 18 October 2016
32. ^ Historic England, "Group of Five Vases and Base, About 20 Yards West of Wimpole Hall (1128129)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 18 October 2016
33. ^ Historic England, "Sculptural Group of Samson and Philistine About 30 Yards South West of Wimpole Hall (1128130)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 18 October 2016
34. ^ Historic England, "Flight of Steps About 15 Yards West of Wimpole Hall (1164343)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 18 October 2016
35. ^ Historic England, "Wall and Railings About 30 Yards South of Wimpole Hall (1164365)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 18 October 2016
36. ^ Historic England, "HA HA and Piers 250 Yards North West of Wimpole Hall (1317820)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 18 October 2016
37. ^ Historic England, "HA HA, About 200 Yards North of Wimpole Hall (1164249)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 18 October 2016
38. ^ Historic England, "Folly Castle About 3/4 Mile North of Wimpole Hall (1317807)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 18 October 2016
39. ^ Historic England, "Walled Garden About Half Mile North East of Wimpole Hall (1128168)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 18 October 2016
40. ^ Historic England, "Gardener's Cottage North Side of Walled Garden at Wimpole Hall (1317866)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 18 October 2016
41. ^ Historic England, "Game Larder About 25 Yards North East of Wimpole Hall (1128167)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 18 October 2016

## Sources

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* Souden, David (2004). Wimpole Hall. National Trust. ISBN 978-1-84359-034-7.

## External links

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Wimpole Hall.

* Wimpole Hall information at the National Trust
* Gardens Guide information
* Wimpole Estate Parkrun