Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine

The first Field Station established by the College was at Hurworth, near Slough in the late 1920s. It was taken over by the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research during World War Two, and consequently the college relocated their field station to Silwood Park, Berkshire. The house and land was purchased in 1947, and in 1953 Silwood Park Farm and land was purchased by Imperial College. Some further land along Cheapside Road was purchased in 1961. The Overseas Spraying Machinery Centre, Silwood Park was established in 1955.
Sunninghill manor, part of Silwood Park estate, first appears as a separate manor in a conveyance of 1362, although technically it is a parcel of the royal manor of Cookham. The first court of which there is a record was held in 1616 by Mathew Day, Lord of the manor and five times mayor of Windsor. Courts were held irregularly during the period 1616-1790, and dealt exclusively with the transfer of land and admission of tenants. After several changes of owner, the manor was sold to James Sibbald in 1788, who built a new house, the first Silwood.
The Ashurst Lodge Estate house and grounds was purchased by Imperial College in 1948, and sold in 1987.