The History of Farnborough Hill

The 'Hill' is the highest point in Farnborough. It overlooks the old main road from London to Portsmouth (now Ship Lane); and its replacement (now the A325, Farnborough Road); and commands panoramic views over the surrounding countryside.

Although well known as the home of the French Empress Eugenie, who lived there for nearly 40 years, this mid Victorian, gothic inspired creation was commissioned by the publisher Thomas Longman and completed in 1863. The Longman publishing logos, the black swan and the ship, were added in relief as a finishing touch on terra cotta panels that can still be seen today.

Napoleon III and his family were expelled from France after the defeat at Sedan in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870/71. The Imperial family moved to England and lived at Camden Palace near Chislehurst in Kent, where the Emperor died in 1873. He was buried at the Catholic Church in Chislehurst until the Empress Eugenie, his wife, eventually brought the body to Farnborough Hill. In time, the whole family were buried here, the Prince Imperial, their only child having been killed in the Zulu Wars of 1879.

In 1879 Thomas Longman died and the house was put onto the market. The Empress Eugenie, viewed it and decided to buy the whole estate on both sides of the road together with a neighbouring hill on the other side of the railway. The Empress subsequently built St Michaels' Abbey on that neighbouring hill.

A convent school was founded on Hillside in 1889 under the auspices of the Congregation of Christian Education, and the Empress took a lively interest in it. She attended its prize givings and contributed three valuable prizes of honour.

The Empress died on 11th July 1920 as she was returning from Spain. The doctor diagnosed the violent pains as the symptoms of the stone, the disease that had killed her husband. The King of Spain arranged that the mortal remains of the Empress be conveyed to royal state through France to England and on Sunday, 18th July, at the end of the High Mass in St Michaels Abbey, the monks left choir in procession to go down to receive the body.

The third owner of Farnborough Hill was now Prince Victor Napoleon, son of Prince Napoleon and Princess Clothide, but after his death in 1926, Farnborough Hill was sold in order to meet death duties. It was bought by the Sisters of Christian Education to be used as a convent school.

Farnborough Hill is still a school today but visits may be arranged by contacting the school's Develoment Director on 01252 - 529811 (Fax: 01252 - 529812).