Longwood is now a reconstruction of the house as it was in the last year of Napoleon’s life. Unfortunately the South American termite arrived on the island many years ago and has subsequently chewed its way through almost all the timber used in buildings across the island.
The Honorary French Consul is committed to an ongoing programme of restorative work both at Longwood and at the pavilion at the Briars - work which also extends into the gardens in order to recreate them as
The billiard table at Longwood today.
This is the billiard table upon which Napoleon played his few games against Betsy Balcombe during the early days of his stay at Longwood. More importantly it would also provide the surface for his campaign maps which would be laid out whilst he dictated his memoirs to his staff. In May 1821, upon his death, it would also become his autopsy table.
Around this table medical men representing both the British Government and Napoleon’s suite would carry out the final battle over Napoleon’s image. The British attempted to show that he had died of a natural illness whilst the French had a suggestion that his death had been in part the result of wilful neglect on the part of the English establishment, inserted into Antommarchi’s final independent autopsy report.