CAMBRIDGESHIRE VISIT: Farm Hall and Island Hall, Godmanchester

£75, all day

These two handsome red brick Grade II* houses of the 1740s share many stylistic similarities, both playing significant roles in World War II.  Each was built for an important public servant whose descendants included two distinguished generals. They are effectively country houses on the western edge of the small town of Godmanchester with views to the River Great Ouse.

Farm Hall was built in 1746 for Charles Clarke, a judge and MP.  The north and south pedimented elevations are similar, of 3 storeys and 5 bays.  The southern lime avenue dates from the 1740s, while a canal leads north to the Great Ouse.  The owner, Prof Marcial Echenique, designed an obelisk to commemorate Farm Hall’s wartime intelligence use, while German scientists were interned there for six months in 1945 to elicit information about Germany’s nuclear plans.

Island Hall was built in 1749 for Original Jackson for his son John, Receiver-General for Huntingdon.  The main elevations are identical, pedimented, of 3 storeys and 3 bays, with 2-storey, 2-bay wings.  The house was bought in 1804 by Jacob Julian Baumgartner, a Swiss Huguenot merchant. His Vane Percy descendants still live there after nine generations, having repurchased it in 1983 following its wartime requisition by the RAF, subsequent conversion to council flats and a fire.

Andrew Wells will lead.

Members to make their own arrangements for transport. This visit is for members’ only. 

Please read our Terms and Conditions before booking.

If tickets have sold out for this event, please email members@georgiangroup.org.uk to be added to the waiting list.

Image: Historic England