Wimpole Hall

Wimpole's origins date back to 1086, when it was mentioned in the Domesday Book as a fortified estate with a deer park. The Chicheley family owned the estate for over 250 years, with Thomas Chicheley completing the construction of the current house in 1650. However, financial difficulties forced him to sell it to Sir John Cutler in 1686. After changes of ownership, including the Robartes and Holles families, the estate came into the possession of Edward Harley, 2nd Earl of Oxford, through marriage in 1713. He too had to sell it to the Earl of Hardwicke in 1740 due to debts.