HERITAGE
Architect Sir John Soane’s work and imagination can be seen across the Hall and even on the Farm
WIMPOLE HALL By Hilary Wilson
glamour even to service staircases; and created a delightfully ornate extension to the Gibbs Book Room. And this is all before we start on how he transformed Home Farm. When you next find yourself visiting Wimpole Estate, I hope this gives you a small introduction to an important part of its story.
now studying in Rome, accompanied us thither and measured the buildings.” It doesn’t require a huge leap of the imagination to see that, when Philip came into his inheritance, the two quickly colluded on bringing elements of what they had seen on their Grand Tours to Wimpole. Most striking is the Yellow Drawing Room, which required Soane to effectively insert a huge room into the house, knocking together ground and first-floor rooms and taking out attic bedrooms to accommodate the domed barrel vault in the roof. Much of the decoration seems to echo what was being unearthed in Rome when Soane and Yorke were there. Beyond this gorgeous room, Soane also introduced the Bath House, an indoor plunge pool reminiscent of Roman baths; reorganised rooms that ran through the centre of the house; brought light and
Throughout my four years at Wimpole as visitor experience manager – and particularly since taking on responsibility for the house – I have come to appreciate the many hands that have left their design imprint on Wimpole Hall. One set of hands that come to mind in particular are those of architect Sir John Soane, whose work and imagination can be seen across the Hall and even on the Farm. I am always interested in the human behind the history, and I love that John Soane first met the future 3rd Earl of Hardwicke when they were young men enjoying the Grand Tour of Europe. Soane clearly made quite the impression on the then Philip Yorke, who included this in a message to his uncle, the 2nd Earl, regarding the ‘perfection’ of Doric temples: “An English architect by the name of Soane, who is an ingenious young man
Find out more about visiting Wimpole Estate – including the special Harv’Fest event that takes place there from 12 to 13 September – at nationaltrust.org.uk/wimpole See for yourself
14 SEPTEMBER 2026 CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK
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