The land for Cherry Hinton Hall was acquired by John Oakes, a surgeon at Addenbrooke’s Hospital just down the road, between 1831 and 1833. It was built in a late Tudor style with a billiard room added in the late 19th century. Over the years it has been the household of a London financier, a youth hostel, fire service headquarters and most recently, an arts centre. The ornamental lakes created in 1855 attract a wide range of wildlife to the park.