Wimpole Estate

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 {{convert|81|ha|acre|abbr=off}} deer-park. 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 over 250 years,Souden, p. 5 beginning in 1428 with Henry Chichele who was Archbishop of Canterbury.{{cite book|title=The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1604-1629| chapter=CHICHELEY, Sir Thomas (1578-1616), of Wimpole, Cambs.|editor=Andrew Thrush and John P. Ferris|year=2010 |url=https://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1604-1629/member/chicheley-sir-thomas-1578-1616}} 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.Souden, p. 6 Chicheley established the "formal gardens and architectural landscape". He enjoyed the house for 36 years until, weighed down by financial problems, he was forced to sell to Sir John Cutler.Souden, p. 8 In 1689, Sir John gave it as a marriage settlement to his daughter Elizabeth and her husband Charles Robartes, 2nd Earl of Radnor. Lord Radnor extended the formal gardens and dug out fishponds. 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.Souden, p. 9 Upon Henrietta's marriage, in 1713, it became the possession of her husband Edward Harley, 2nd Earl of Oxford and Earl Mortimer.Souden, p. 10 In 1740, Edward sold Wimpole to Philip Yorke, 1st Earl of Hardwicke, in order to pay off his debts.Souden, p. 17 The Earls of Hardwicke held it until it passed into the hands of Thomas Agar-Robartes, 6th Viscount Clifden,Souden, p. 39 and then his son, Francis Agar-Robartes, 7th Viscount ClifdenSouden, p.40 who, in 1930, departed to Lanhydrock upon the death of his father.

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.[http://archive.spectator.co.uk/article/4th-november-1843/2/zbt-erourt The Spectator Archive - 4 November 1843, p.2, 'The Court']

In 1938, Capt. George Bambridge and his wife, Elsie, daughter of Rudyard Kipling, purchased it after having been tenants since 1932.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}} 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. 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. Elsie Bambridge bequeathed the house to the National Trust when she died in 1976.

Over the centuries many notable architects have worked on it, including James Gibbs (between 1713 and 1730), Henry Flitcroft (around 1749), John Soane (1790s), and H. E. Kendall (1840s).Souden, p. 38 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.{{cite web|url=https://www.artfund.org/supporting-museums/art-weve-helped-buy/artwork/12522/pair-of-carved-marble-busts-of-roman-emperors-probably-trajan-and-galba|title=Pair of carved marble busts of Roman emperors, probably Trajan and Galba by Unknown Artist|year=2014|publisher=Art Fund|access-date=6 October 2017}}

File:Cmglee Wimpole Hall Yellow Drawing Room.jpg|The Yellow Drawing Room 1793 by Sir John Soane

File:Cmglee Wimpole Hall chapel.jpg|The chapel by James Gibbs with murals by Sir James Thornhill completed 1724

File:Cmglee Wimpole Hall bath.jpg|The Plunge Bath c.1792 by Sir John Soane

Wimpole Hall's grounds, enclosed in 1302, 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).Souden, pp. 79–85

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 is particularly attractive with its belts of woodland, gentle rolling hills with individual trees and clumps of trees. The central feature of the North Park is the neo-Gothic Tower, Wimpole's Folly (1768), and the restored lakes in the valley below. In the grounds are a chain of lakes (1695–1767), St Andrew's church (1749),[http://www.druidic.org/camchurch/churches/wimpole.htm St Andrew's page at the Cambridgeshire Churches website] a home farm (1792), a walled garden (18th century), and a stable block (1851).Souden, p. 87 The "Dutch Garden" beneath the hall was established in 1980 with the rest of the garden completed based upon the mid-19th century parterre.

The Wimpole Park Estate contains a number of listed buildings and structures. Wimpole Hall, a neo-classical building, is Grade I listed,{{NHLE|num=1128166|desc=Wimpole Hall|grade=I|access-date=18 October 2016|mode=cs2}} and the estate itself is Grade I listed on the Register of Historic Parks and Gardens.{{NHLE|num=1000635|desc=Wimpole Hall Park and Garden|grade=I|access-date=18 October 2016|mode=cs2}} The entrance gates and piers at the west entrance to the hall are listed Grade II,{{NHLE|num=1128204|desc=Entrance Gates and Piers at West Entrance to Wimpole Hall|access-date=18 October 2016|mode=cs2}} and the stable block is listed Grade II*.{{NHLE|num=1164273|desc=Stable Block, About 250 Yards South East of Wimpole Hall|access-date=18 October 2016|mode=cs2}}

In the gardens, a group of five vases{{NHLE|num= 1128129|desc=Group of Five Vases and Base, About 20 Yards West of Wimpole Hall|access-date=18 October 2016|mode=cs2}} and a copy of the sculpture Samson Slaying a Philistine are listed Grade II,{{NHLE|num=1128130|desc=Sculptural Group of Samson and Philistine About 30 Yards South West of Wimpole Hall|access-date=18 October 2016|mode=cs2}} as are the steps to the west of the hall{{NHLE|num=1164343|desc=Flight of Steps About 15 Yards West of Wimpole Hall|access-date=18 October 2016|mode=cs2}} and the wall and railings to the south.{{NHLE|num=1164365|desc=Wall and Railings About 30 Yards South of Wimpole Hall|access-date=18 October 2016|mode=cs2}} On the edge of the ornamental gardens the ha-ha to the north west and to the north are both listed Grade II.{{NHLE|num=1317820|desc=HA HA and Piers 250 Yards North West of Wimpole Hall|access-date=18 October 2016|mode=cs2}}{{NHLE|num=1164249|desc=HA HA, About 200 Yards North of Wimpole Hall|access-date=18 October 2016|mode=cs2}} The Wimpole's Folly castle on the estate is listed Grade II*.{{NHLE|num=1317807|desc= Folly Castle About 3/4 Mile North of Wimpole Hall|access-date=18 October 2016|mode=cs2}}

The walled garden{{NHLE|num=1128168|desc=Walled Garden About Half Mile North East of Wimpole Hall|access-date=18 October 2016|mode=cs2}} and the gardener's cottage{{NHLE|num=1317866|desc=Gardener's Cottage North Side of Walled Garden at Wimpole Hall|access-date=18 October 2016|mode=cs2}} 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.{{NHLE|num=1128167|desc=Game Larder About 25 Yards North East of Wimpole Hall|access-date=18 October 2016|mode=cs2}}

Like many other estates managed by the National Trust, a range of organised events and less formal access arrangements now use Wimpole Park. In 2013, a national partnership between the Trust and parkrun led to the establishment of a free, weekly timed {{cvt|3.1|mile}} run around the park, with over 200 participants every Saturday morning.{{Citation needed|date=June 2022}}

In December 2019, the National Trust farm hosted the trial of a robot, known as Tom, that maps weeds with absolute precision. After the trial, Wimpole Estate expressed their intention to use the battery-powered prototype during the growing season.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-cambridgeshire-50664660|title=National Trust Wimpole Estate trials weed-mapping robot|date=5 December 2019|website=BBC News}}

In November 2020 there was a break-in at Wimpole Hall and twelve items, including vases and busts, were stolen.{{cite news |url=https://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/news/local-news/items-stolen-broken-wimpole-hall-20532728 |title=Items stolen and broken in National Trust Wimpole Hall burglary, Trust says |work=Cambridge News |date=5 May 2021}}

Image:Wimpole Hall Morris edited.jpg|Wimpole Hall in 1880

Image:Wimpole Hall - geograph.org.uk - 402693.jpg|parterre on the north front

Image:Wimpole folly.JPG|Wimpole's Folly, designed in 1751 by Sanderson Miller, it evokes a medieval castle ruin

Image:X. 2006 03 04 2006030404 Wimpole.jpg|The lake and Gothic folly in the grounds of Wimpole Hall

Image:Wimpole stables.jpg|Wimpole the stable block designed by Henry Edward Kendall and erected in 1851

Image:Wimpole Hall glasshouse.jpg|Wimpole glasshouses in the kitchen garden

Image:Wimpole Church - geograph.org.uk - 2929.jpg|St Andrew's Church

Image:St Andrew's Church, Wimpole - geograph.org.uk - 1149816.jpg|Memorials and tombs in St Andrew's Church, Wimpole

Image:St Andrew's Church, Wimpole - Chancel - geograph.org.uk - 1149833.jpg| Chancel St Andrew's Church, Wimpole

File:William Frederick Witherington (1785-1865) - A Modern Picture Gallery - 207839 - National Trust.jpg|A Modern Picture Gallery by William Frederick Witherington, 1824. Part of the collection of art at Wimpole Hall

{{reflist}}

• {{cite book|last=Souden|first=David|title=Wimpole Hall|publisher=National Trust|year=2004|isbn=978-1-84359-034-7}}

{{commons category|Wimpole Hall}}

• [https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/wimpole-estate Wimpole Hall information at the National Trust]
• [http://www.gardenvisit.com/g/wim2.htm Gardens Guide information]
• [http://www.parkrun.org.uk/wimpoleestate/ Wimpole Estate Parkrun]

Category:Country houses in Cambridgeshire

Category:Gardens by Capability Brown

Category:Geography of Cambridgeshire

Category:Grade I listed buildings in Cambridgeshire

Category:Grade II listed buildings in Cambridgeshire

Category:Grade II* listed buildings in Cambridgeshire

Category:Grade I listed houses

Category:Grade I listed parks and gardens in Cambridgeshire

Category:Historic house museums in Cambridgeshire

Category:James Gibbs buildings

Category:John Soane buildings

Category:National Trust properties in Cambridgeshire

Category:Rudyard Kipling

Category:Tourist attractions in Cambridgeshire

Category:Yorke family

Estate