Historic £1.6m Belgian farm where Napoleon suffered key defeat could become flats

The farm has been put up for sale for £1.6 million in Belgium (Image: Heritage 1815)

Historians fear a £1.6 million Belgian farm which was the site of a battle ‘that made defeating Napoleon at Waterloo possible’ could be turned into a block of flats. Gemioncourt Farm is a key location from the Battle of Quatre Bras which took place between the French and the Duke of Wellington’s allied forces on June 16, 1815, just two days before the showdown at Waterloo.

During a bloody skirmish in the 21 acres surrounding the farm, Napoleon’s forces almost broke through the allied front line. Napoleonic experts believe if the vertically-challenged French leader had been successful at this battle, he could have inflicted a major defeat on Wellington’s forces before reinforcements arrived for Waterloo – potentially changing the course of European and world history.

But now Gemioncourt has been placed on the market for two million Euros, with the listing stating that the five-bedroom, two-bathroom, 8.5-acre site has potential as, amongst other things, a ‘residential project’.

Historians fear the farm could be turned into flats (Image: Heritage 1815)

The news comes after another farmhouse on the battlefield, which was used as a field hospital during the conflict, was recently bulldozed to make way for a block of flats.

Napoleonic historians and academics from the group Heritage 1815, are now worried another important piece of history could be lost forever.

Heritage 1815’s Convenor Dr Zack White, from the University of Portsmouth, said: “We are very concerned about the uncertainty surrounding the future of Gemioncourt, given the recent destruction of a similar site at Quatre Bras.

“The Battle of Quatre Bras is a less well known, but incredibly important battle. Without it, Napoleon’s defeat at Waterloo would not have been possible.

“If the French had broken through at Quatre Bras, they could have inflicted a major defeat on Wellington’s army, scattering them as they tried to concentrate on the battlefield.

“The fight for Gemioncourt was key to buying the allies desperately needed time for reinforcements to arrive.”

A former field hospital near the farm was demolished to make way for flats (pictured) (Image: Heritage 1815)

Dr White added: “The most important thing is that a viable and sustainable financial future is found for the site, which enables the public to continue to pause and reflect on those who lost their lives on the battlefield.

“Heritage 1815 is committed to working with local interest groups to develop any proposals which can help facilitate that.

“Yet there is also an exciting opportunity here for an ambitious vision which might see the farm complex become a heritage site, providing tourism to the local area and enabling people to visit the site in order to learn more about this important chapter in European history.

“Considering the recent destruction of a piece of the heritage of the battle, we are very concerned that history might be about to repeat itself.”

Express.co.uk have contacted the sellers for comment.

Historians fear the farm could be turned into flats (Image: Heritage 1815)

The farm of Gemioncourt was fought over at the Battle of Quatre Bras, an important prequel to the more famous Battle of Waterloo.

At Waterloo (June 18, 1815), a force of British, Dutch, Belgian, Nassau, Brunswick and Hanoverian troops under the command of the British Duke of Wellington, with support from a Prussian army under Marshal Blucher, defeated French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte for a final time, paving the way for a lasting peace.

An estimated 47,000 people on all sides were killed during the campaign.

Two days before, Wellington’s forces fended off French attacks at Quatre Bras as they desperately tried to concentrate their forces, having been surprised by Napoleon’s invasion the previous day.

The farm of Gemioncourt saw fighting early on the in the day, with allied troops holding the complex before it was taken by the French.

Allied troops then retook it towards the end of the battle saving the day for Wellington’s forces massing for Waterloo just two days later.