The Victorian-era Ferry House, located on Midsummer Common in central Cambridge, has returned to the property market with an asking price of £1 million. The three-bedroom detached cottage, situated on the River Cam towpath within walking distance of the city centre, previously sold in 2017 for £777,888, a figure chosen by the buyer, Jack Foxall, to attract the seller’s attention. At that time, the property was owned by Cambridge City Council, which intended to reinvest the proceeds to construct four new council homes.

Before Foxall’s purchase, Ferry House had been neglected and left vacant for a period after being leased to a charity and operated as a hostel. Foxall described the property as run down, overgrown, and in need of substantial refurbishment. He undertook a complete renovation, modernising the interior with new electrics, replastered walls, a new kitchen, and additional features such as a wood-burning stove.

The house's location offers a tranquil environment with views of rowers on the river and proximity to local events, including private garden views of the annual November 5 fireworks. The estate agency handling the sale has promoted Ferry House as possibly “the most exclusive historic home for sale in Cambridge” — a claim that underscores the building’s unique place in the city’s long history.

Ferry House’s origins date back at least to the late 19th century, with records indicating a structure on the site since the 1700s. Census data and historical accounts identify a succession of occupants connected to the river crossing, most notably the Pauley family. Walter Pauley became ferryman there around 1887 and, along with his son Ernest, operated what became known as “Pauley’s ferry” for several decades. The ferry originally involved physically rowing or poling passengers across the Cam, later replaced by a system involving a wheel and chain. Walter Pauley reportedly carried more than one million passengers over 40 years, charging a penny per crossing, with higher fares during the popular midsummer fair.

The midsummer fair, a long-standing tradition dating back to 1211 and continuing today, significantly increased local activity around the cottage, as seen in the 1921 census, which recorded a spike in households due to visiting showmen.

In 1927, the construction of a footbridge across the river made the ferry service obsolete. Shortly before the bridge’s opening, the ferry itself sank—without incident—which some have attributed humorously to the impending replacement. Despite the ferry's closure, the Pauley family remained at Ferry House. Their continued residence came under scrutiny, with public appeals highlighting their long service and the lack of compensation or pension following the loss of their livelihood.

Council records from 1928 show the family was allowed to stay rent-free for a period, though efforts to secure alternative employment were unsuccessful, and no pension was provided to Walter Pauley. Walter died in 1931, survived by family members who continued to live locally. Later records indicate that his daughter Beatrice and sons Ernest and Percy remained in Cambridge, with Ernest still identifying as a ferry worker years after the service ended.

Today, Ferry House stands as a property with deep historical significance, combining its unique role in Cambridge’s river crossings with its rare status as a former council house now commanding a high market value.