Whitefield Mansion, Cambridgeshire

This place brought back happy memories for me as it was the first place I ever explored when I got my first DSLR. The place has a alright story to it too, are you sitting comfortably…




As local legend goes the wealthy owner (whom I believe to be a retired master of St. Johns College at Cambridge University) had a ding-dong with his partner and started a bit of a burn up. Unfortunately due to it’s remote location, and access, the fire brigade didn’t arrive in time to save Whitefields. The mansion (what was left of it) was unceremoniously bulldozed into the swimming pool!

We think a Merc, a BMW, and an unknown make, also caught in the blaze

The heat completely plasticised the RSJ’s




One unusual feature to the site are the bunkers. I don’t use the term pill box as they were different. The walls were at least 3ft thick, there was only one window, and there was a massive blast wall in front of the door? Munitions store? Anyway, there were two of the in the gardens, I found this photo in one.


Uplands Mansion:


Unfortunately there has been a further fire here since I was here last as you can see by these pic’s of the veranda
Jan 07:


Feb 08: - Yes that one post is holding the whole roof up!


Inside the house was absolutely gorgeous detailing, which I wont go into here, but here’s a shot looking up a three storey chimney!


Guest House:
This has escaped the ravages of fire, and is now being beautifully reclaimed by nature


Inside the first floor doesn’t look too structural…


But that little ladder built into the wall is too tempting, I’m going up…




Site Status:
Outline planning permission was granted to St. Johns College & Mandarin Hotels for a 22 bed hotel on the site. However, when the plans were submitted for the full planning application it was refused on ground of being out of character with the area!
I’d also like to ask anyone thinking of exploring here to be careful, as it is a habitat for ever dwindling newts.

Nice find!

King Al said:

did you find the pill box?

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We found two...!

Definitely something different about #2 though. I havent any decent pics, but it only had 1 window, was partially underground, a LOT thicker than normal, and had external blast walls around it...

Top report. Interesting history and a grand set of snaps. Cheers for sharing with us
Liking the shot looking up through the floors to the chimney -groovy!

Lb

Aaaah! The very first time I found out that there was an urban exploration online community was when I came across Simon's website...and this was the first explore I looked at. I remember thinking then...'ere, that's what I do! So I've got a soft spot for this location and it's damned nice to see it again.
Good report and photos, Urb. I absolutely love that last one with the ivy growing through the roof beams.

Interesting report and super set of pics. Love the 'Guest House' - thanks

Great Pictures

I am rather intrigued by the picture found in one of the bunkers. The white bearded gentleman in the center looks very much like George Bernard Shaw. The era of the late Master of St. Johns College is not mentioned, but GBS was the type of person a Master would know and invite to his house.

I would suggest, the burnt out cars are more likely a product of the local joy riders, than the original fire.

Interesting site that one. Must have been one hell of a fire to twist those RSJ's like that!

What a beautiful building, both when it was lived in and in its present state. Love seeing the ivy taking back the attic space and growing through the beams etc.

Love all the pictures.

Cheers,

Sal

Cheers for all the comments, I love the room in the roof!

I've found out George Bernard Shaw only lived a stones throw away when he died, I wonder if he was a regular visitor to the mansions

UPDATE: I've just got Mrs UrbanX onto it, she has access to St.Johns College documents....

From Mrs UrbanX:
The name of the master is "Benians, Ernest Alfred" who was master until 1952 but there's no profile for him in the DNB or who's who or anywhere! So I really can't tell if he was friends with shaw. I guess it's possible.

He was a historian who is actually buried in college in the chapel court memorial. St Johns have some papers but they seem to be mainly based on college admin matters and letters to other college masters about admin type stuff

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Just to clarify, I've assumed the house was occupied by the master, due to it's size and location, it may be someone lower, although I doubt this!

Hmmmmmm

Excellent research Mr & Mrs X.
Great to see some info about the people who lived in the places we explore...it brings history to life and makes it even more meaningful. Cheers for that guys.

UrbanX said:

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I do like this shot!!!

Mrs X,

Thanks for the name. E. A. Benians was a very well respected historian and author - I have some of his works, but did not make the conection.

The Benians archive in the St johns College library makes quite interesting reading - one of Benians' subjects was American history. So it was interesting to see that in the early 1940s, CUP were making a great effort to publish a series on American history and institutions etc. Educating the British public on our American allies, I guess.

As you say - we have no way of easily finding out, if Benians and Shaw were acquainted with one another socially. However; The period of Benians' mastership, covers the correct time span. GBS looks quite sprightly in the photograph, so I guess the image could be from the middle 1930s. Still he died at 94, from medical complications after falling from a step ladder - so perhaps he looked younger than his years.

Where

Plse could u give directions, or a street name? Do those photos just belong to the 1 site, or separate places? Is it accessible, cos it lopoks like a gr8 place.

d.m.s.i.p said:

Plse could u give directions, or a street name? Do those photos just belong to the 1 site, or separate places? Is it accessible, cos it lopoks like a gr8 place.

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I doubt you'll get any straight answers, and you definitely won't be told where it is, etc. It's your first post, and none of us know you at all.

First you use common sense, and use the search button, google, etc, they help a lot! As and when you've started getting your own explores done, and pics and reports put up, and are basically known to other explorers, they'll be more inclined to give you information on places.

Hope that helps?

Sal