History

In 1609 , teacher, poet, historian, herald and antiquarian William Camden moved to Chislehurst and established a home on two acres, surrounded on three sides by the common.

This house was not on the current property footprint but more likely closer to Chislehurst village.

Camden was best known as the author of Britannia and whilst living here he wrote the Annals, the first detailed historical account of the reign of Elizabeth I.

Although he expressly asked to be buried where he died, his friends chose Poets’ Corner, Westminster Abbey rather than Chislehurst.

In 1717 Robert Weston bought the property and built a new L-shaped country house on the land. He named it Camden House - linking it forever to the antiquarian William Camden.

Weston wanted an entrance worthy of his new property and so established an avenue of lime trees on either side of the drive to the south front of his house. To achieve this he was able to enclose about one acre of the common by signing a 500 year lease with the vestry on the 17th June 1718.

He paid three shillings a year in rent to the Lord of the Manor and nine shillings to the Church Wardens, to be used for the poor of the parish.

A strip of the common was left between the enclosed land and the public road. This strip of common land would be crucial in later battles to stop the developers building on Camden Park.

Weston died in 1736 leaving instructions for the house to be sold on his death and the proceeds used to pay his debts. Camden House was then bought by Harry Spencer.

In 1760 ambitious and radical lawyer Charles Pratt purchased the house from Harry Spencer. Working with architect George Dance and designer James ‘Athenian’ Stuart, Pratt began a twenty-year building programme to transform the property into a Georgian mansion. He renamed it Camden Place.

When ennobled in 1765, Charles Pratt took the title Lord Camden of Camden Place. From here the name Camden was exported to north London and 23 towns in America.

In 1805 the property was purchased by Thompson and Anne Bonar who already owned lands at Elmstead. The estate was now some 127 acres. The Bonars added a new wing and many working buildings: stables, dairy and brew house. In 1813 they were brutally murdered by their footman.

The house was rented to a number of tennants including the family of Emily Rowles. Emily would be the first link between this property and the Emperor Napoleon lll.

Purchased by Nathaniel Strode, a friend of Napoleon lll, Camden Place was transformed into a French château.. The fixtures and fittings added were of significantly greater quality than might be expected in a house of this size.

Following Napoleon's surrender at Sedan the Imperial family were forced into exile. Strode offered Camden Place to the Empress Eugénie and the Prince Imperial. In March 1871 they were joined by Napoleon lll. Following the deaths of both her husband and son, Eugénie, stayed on at Camden Place until 1881. In 1888 the Imperial remains were moved to the newly created Farnborough Abbey.

On the death of Nathaniel Strode Camden Place was put up for sale. It was advertised as a major building opportunity with room for 500 properties. It was purchased by local builders the Willetts. Work began on the site but was halted by the Commons' Conservators led by Alexander Travers Hawes. They invoked the old ransom strip, established in the 1717 lease of land to Robert Weston.

Negotiations resulted in the Willetts being able to build on half the land as long as half was given over to recreation for the local people. And so, two golf courses were established, a 9 hole course for men and a smaller 9 hole course for the ladies.