The Hall
Wimpole has a rich history of many different owners, all putting their mark on the architecture and interior design of the building.
Furnishing the house
Captain George and Mrs Elsie Bambridge bought Wimpole in 1938, with the Hall almost entirely empty of contents.
Over the next 40 years the Bambridges slowly furnished and decorated the house, seeking out pieces that were either once at Wimpole or had strong connections to the estate or previous owners.
The Four Caesars
Four magnificent Caesars are on display in Wimpole’s grand entrance hall. The spectacular marble busts are back on show in a room they last graced in the time of Elsie Bambridge, Wimpole’s last private owner.
Yellow Drawing Room
Sir John Soane designed this dramatic interior in 1793, removing seven rooms and a staircase to make way for it. This was the setting for Queen Victoria’s reception 50 years later.
Library
The library was built by James Gibbs in 1730. And today our book collection has 10,000 titles. It was the prize possession of the 1st Earl of Hardwicke who was an avid collector and lover of books.
Basements
The basements at Wimpole give a fantastic example of life below stairs.
The Housekeeper's Room and Dry Store evoke memories of times past.
Imagine the bells ringing, cooking smells and the hustle and bustle in the basements, providing an excellent service to the owners upstairs.
Architects
The owners of Wimpole Hall commissioned some of England’s finest architects to make their mark on the building.
Gibbs, Flitcroft, Soane and Kendall have all left fantastic examples of their work - some of which can be seen side by side.
Did you know...
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There are 88 lion heads in the Yellow Drawing Room
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Thomas Chicheley was considered one of Britain's best tennis players
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Queen Victoria stayed here for two nights in 1843
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Edward, Lord Harley's library had 50,000 books and 350,000 prints
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Mrs Bambridge, Rudyard Kipling's daughter, gave us Wimpole in 1976
