Since 1730
The History of West Wratting Park
The house
A red-brick mansion, three centuries in the making
In the early 18th century Sir John Jacob leased land at West Wratting from Peterhouse College, Cambridge, and built the house that still stands today.
The Estate is approached by a long, picturesque drive that continues round to the large walled kitchen garden. The adjoining 65-acre park overlooks rolling countryside and was almost certainly laid out with the house, though later owners reshaped parts of the landscape. A particularly fine walk runs beside the mansion and east along the boundary planting, with wide views across the park.
Tennis courts, a cricket field and a nine-hole golf course appear in the 1935 sale particulars, from the years when the house served as a preparatory school.
Shafto & Stubbs
Rooms built for entertaining
In 1745 the Estate was bought by Jenison Shafto, who added the great entertaining rooms with their double-height ceilings and magnificent fireplaces. The sitting-room fireplace is attributed to William Chambers.
Shafto was a celebrated gambler, stud owner and racehorse trainer, and the greatest patron of George Stubbs. The principal rooms once held his collection of 65 Stubbs paintings of horses and other animals.
Timeline
Owners and occupants
Sir John Jacob builds the house
On land leased from Peterhouse College, Cambridge.
Jenison Shafto
Adds the entertaining rooms. His stables stood outside Balsham, near the site of today’s wind farm.
Passes to Shafto’s brother
Who sells the house and its contents around 1805.
Charles Russell
Younger brother of the Duke of Bedford, lives here for some thirty years and commissions a park design from Humphry Repton. Repton’s plan survives in the Peterhouse archives.
Leased back to Peterhouse
A weekend residence for the Master of the college.
Mr Frost
Buys the Estate and sells it roughly a decade later.
The First World War
The house is used as a prison camp for high-ranking German officers, and afterwards as a school preparing students for entry to Cambridge University.
Cernal Bridge
Returns the house to domestic use and remains until his death in 1945.
R. E. N. d’Abo
Purchases the Estate the year after the war ends.
Henry d’Abo
Acquires the Estate from his mother and siblings, thirteen years after his father’s death, and continues to enhance the house today.
The house today
Georgian brick, Repton’s park
The red-brick house of c.1730 still presides over the parkland Humphry Repton laid out for Charles Russell: the same drive, planting and views that visitors enjoy today.
Make an enquiry
Visit, film or celebrate at West Wratting
We are glad to discuss how the house and park might suit your plans.