Farm Hall

Farm Hall is an 18th-century Georgian house on West Street in Godmanchester, beside Huntingdon in Cambridgeshire. It is remembered as the place where British intelligence held German nuclear physicists in 1945. The house is listed Grade II*, but it is privately owned and is not a ticketed attraction.

What is Farm Hall and when was it built?

The present house dates from 1746, when it was rebuilt for Charles Clarke, Recorder of Huntingdon. It stands at 24 West Street. Historic England added it to the National Heritage List for England (entry 1128580) on 28 November 1950 and rates it Grade II*, a category reserved for particularly important buildings.

Why is Farm Hall famous?

During the Second World War the property belonged to the British Secret Service. Between July 1945 and January 1946, under Operation Epsilon, ten German scientists suspected of working on Nazi Germany's atomic programme were confined here. Werner Heisenberg and Otto Hahn were among them. The rooms were bugged, because the Allies wanted to learn how close Germany had come to building a nuclear weapon. The recorded conversations, including the men's reactions to news of the Hiroshima bombing, later became an important source for historians of science.

Can you visit Farm Hall?

No. It is a private home with no regular tours. The best way to see it is from the public street in Godmanchester, with respect for the residents. Please do not enter the grounds or look over the boundary. If you want to see it as part of a history-of-science trip, check beforehand whether the owners have announced any special open days.

How do you get there?

Godmanchester lies right next to Huntingdon, across the River Great Ouse. From the centre of Huntingdon it is a walk of roughly fifteen minutes to West Street. Trains stop at Huntingdon station, and from there you can take a local bus or taxi. By car, the main roads from Cambridge and Peterborough lead to the area, and parking is easiest in Huntingdon.

What else is nearby?

Godmanchester has an old town centre with houses from many periods, and a riverside walk along the Great Ouse pairs well with a stroll through Huntingdon. Farm Hall fits in as a stop for anyone interested in 20th-century history or Georgian architecture.

Frequently asked questions

Is Farm Hall open to the public? No, it is a private residence. You can only view it from the public road.

Where exactly is Farm Hall? On West Street in Godmanchester, close to Huntingdon in Cambridgeshire.

Who was held there? Ten German scientists linked to the nuclear programme, among them Werner Heisenberg and Otto Hahn, in 1945 and 1946.

What heritage status does the building have? It is on the National Heritage List for England as Grade II* (entry 1128580).