The Architecture of Camden Place
Hidden in plain sight, learn more about the architectural secrets of this unique historic house.
- Camden Park Rd, Chislehurst, Kent, BR7 5HJ, United Kingdom
January 9th 1873, France's first elected President and their last Emperor dies at Camden Place.
Crowds turned up to pay their respects. Some contemporary reports talk of 200,000 people over the 6 days before his funeral in the tiny Catholic Church of St Mary’s. The funeral was royal in all but name, because of political sensitivities with France.
Following a second unsuccessful surgery for bladder stones, the 64 year old Emperor died at Camden Place.
His life story reads like a soap opera: deported once. exiled twice, imprisoned twice, staged three coups, survivied four assassination attempts, participated in several wars and took dozens of mistresses.
But, he gave France 22 years of stable government, modernising the country and embedding the infrastructure to transform it into a modern European country. Besides the beautifull redesigned streets of Paris, the French can thank him for the banking system, trade unions, universal suffrage for the men, a secular education system, the railroads, the canal system and the thriving fashion industry.
You can hear more about Napoleon lll and his life in Chislehurst on the BBC Sounds programme: Death in Exile.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0kp7x5l
Napoleon's death certificate cites his occupation as Emperor of the French - he had never abdicated.
Napoleon lll lay in state in an open coffin
The Camden Place picture gallery is transformed into a Chapelle Ardente
Black drapes and French flags surround the Emperor in an open coffin for crowds to pay their respects.
The Empress received mourners at Camden Place
The Prince Imperial led the mourners. The Empress remained at Camden Place.
St Mary's Church
A tiny Catholic church with a capacity of 200.
The church was not adequate for the crowds who wanted to attend. Thousands lined the streets and the mourners were led by the Prince Imperial. The Empress remained at Camden Place. Queen Victoria came to visit her a few days later.
The funeral procession approaching St Mary's
The funeral service
The Imperial bodies arriving at Farnborough
The move to Farnborough
Napoleon lll’s body only rested in Chislehurst for 15 years. After the death of the Prince Imperial, the Empress tried to aquire land nexto the church in order to build a mausoleum for the bodies of her family. She was unsuccessful and so bought a new home for herself, Farnborough Hill in Hampshire. She moved there is 1881 and had an abbey built. In 1888 the Imperial bodies were moved from Chislehurst.
Farnborough Hill is now a girl’s school and a member of Historic Houses Association. Visits are run throughout the year.
“Farnborough Hill run tours throughout the year. To be added to their waitlist please contact Ailsa West a.west@farnborough-hill.org
https://www.farnborough-hill.org/about-us/our-history
Images from Farnborough Hill
Farnborough Hill is a Grade 1 building
The grounds are some 78 acres
Our archive includes a number of documents relating to Napoleon's funeral, from hand written planning notes to invitations and newspaper reports.
Explore the History
Discover Camden Place’s unique history through the people and events that shaped its story that spans more than 400 years.
