I’m extremely fortunate to have been invited to attend the re-opening ceremony of Hougoumont Farm on the 17th June. It played a vital role during the Battle of Waterloo which took place 200 years ago this month, on June 18th 1815.
Comprising of a Chateau,various farm buildings and gates, Hougoumont was on Wellington’s right flank, slightly forward of his line and so became Napoleon’s primary target. It was partly due to his commitment to take it and its defenders who denied him, that helped turn the outcome of the battle.
I first visited the farm 15 years ago or so and it has always had a very special atmosphere, but recently it had been allowed to decay. Project Hougoumont http://www.projecthougoumont.com was established to put things right and my sister Pen and I are the Editors for the Project’s Newsletters. The farm has been sympathetically restored to its former glory.
I’ve attached a biography of Francis Home who helped defend this wonderful set of buildings and I urge anyone with any interest in history to visit them.
Charles Home
