Pepys House in Brampton

‘I have cause to bless God that I am so well, and shall be well contented to retreat to Brampton, and spend the rest of my days there.‘ Samuel Pepys Diary, 8 October 1666.

For a full history of Pepys House, download the Guide Book here
A two-story brick house with a steep, triangular roof on the left, and an attached white stucco section on the right, surrounded by a lush green garden with blooming flowers and trees, under a blue sky with scattered clouds.

Pepys House in Brampton is often referred to in the Diary, and is his only extant abode.

It lies in meadowland, downhill from Hinchingbrooke House, the home of Pepys’s patron and cousin, Sir Edward Montagu, later 1st Earl of Sandwich.

It is one of the few Grade I listed buildings in the area. Its core comprises a long rectangular timber framed house, probably built towards the end of the 16th century as a single pile with a cross-wing. A parallel wing was added, probably in the 18th century.

Ancient fresco of a tree with spreading branches, painted on a weathered wall with visible cracks and peeling paint.

Local connections

The first Pepys to own the house and its estate was Robert, Samuel’s uncle, who was probably employed by the Montagus at nearby Hinchingbrooke.

Samuel’s family and forebears came from Huntingdonshire, Cambridgeshire and Norfolk, and he attended Huntingdon grammar school (alma mater of both Cromwell and Montagu) for a short spell during the Civil War, probably staying in Brampton. Later, when an undergraduate at Magdalene College, Cambridge he must also have visited his uncle.

A brick and white house with a steep roof, two prominent chimneys, and a flowering tree with pink blossoms in the front yard, under a clear blue sky.

‘Come to Brampton at about noon and there find my father and sister and brother as well.’

Soon after his uncle’s death Samuel installed his father and mother in the house, together with his sister Paulina; and from time to time he sent his wife and her maid for long visits. Although Samuel himself never lived there permanently, he grew increasingly fond of the house, regularly visiting it for the rest of his life.

‘Up and down to see the garden with my father, and the house, and do altogether find it very pretty’

Close-up view of a small window with metal lattice and a wooden frame, part of an old building or structure.

'I did bless God that I am able to have such a pretty place to retire to.'

On the death of Samuel's mother, his father and sister moved away and the house was tenanted and suffered neglect. In 1680, with the house now vacant, repairs were undertaken and Samuel renewed his affection for the house; he was soon dreaming of retiring there.

Cozy rustic kitchen with brick fireplace, wooden ceiling beams, window with floral curtains, and a wooden dining table set with bread, a bowl of onions, a candle, and a vase.

The Club acquires the house

On Samuel’s death, the house was let to a succession of tenants and some time in the 18th century it was absorbed into the Sandwich estate. It later became known as Sycamore House, and then Pepys Farm.

In 1927 the 9th Earl of Sandwich granted a 99 year lease to the Samuel Pepys Club which commissioned the architect W A Forsyth to restore the house, rendering it habitable for the 20th century.

The Club's first tenant was the poet John Drinkwater who wrote Pepys: his Life and Character in 1930 whilst living there:

'It was a great inspiration for me working in the house where Pepys actually lived. At times I could even imagine that he was standing by my side watching me write'

A grassy open field with trees along the left and right sides, a fence on each side, and houses in the background under a partly cloudy blue sky.

Pepys House Trust

In 1963 six acres of surrounding meadowland were purchased freehold to maintain the site’s integrity and, in 1971, the Club’s leasehold was transferred to a charitable trust (Pepys House Trust).

In 2017 the Pepys House Trust was fortunate in being able to acquire the freehold of the house (now combined with the freehold of the meadow) thanks to generous private loans.

The trustees are now considering the future of the house and its setting in order to increase public access to the house with a view to its use as a visitor destination and base for Pepysian activities aimed at schools, students, and to raise the funds needed to secure an endowment for the property.

A house with a brick exterior and multiple chimneys, surrounded by trees and a green lawn, under a blue sky with white clouds.
Close-up of a house's exterior with a large brick chimney, white stucco walls, a wooden window frame, and a roof with moss-covered shingles.
A rustic wooden bed with unmade white and grey bedding in a cozy cottage-style bedroom. The ceiling has exposed wooden beams and a wall with white plaster and wood accents. There is a small dresser with books and a lamp, and a mat on the wooden floor

Visits to Pepys House are by appointment. We welcome individuals, families and groups. To arrange a visit, please contact: thesecretary@pepys-club.org.uk

The trustees rely on donations to maintain Pepys House for future generations. If you would like to contribute please contact thesecretary@pepys-club.org.uk for details.