A FANTASTIC NATIONAL SPORTS LOCATION WITH A STATELY HOME IN ITS MIDST WHAT’S NOT TOO LIKE?
Lilleshall House, also known as Lilleshall Hall, is a magnificent 19th-century stately home nestled in the Shropshire countryside, approximately 20 miles north-west of Stafford. The Hall is set amidst 200 acres of English Heritage Grade II listed grounds, featuring beautifully manicured gardens, ornamental ponds, and historical structures such as a Grecian temple and a 70-foot high obelisk built in 1833 in memory of the 1st Duke of Sutherland.
Constructed in 1829 for the Duke of Sutherland, the house was originally commissioned as a hunting lodge in an elegant Neo-Gothic architectural style that was characterized by its intricate stonework, tall chimneys, and expansive windows.
In its early years, Lilleshall Hall was a hub for high society, hosting lavish events and serving as a symbol of the Duke’s wealth and influence. The house features ornate interiors, including grand staircases, high ceilings, and decorative plasterwork.
In 1914, a year after the 5th Duke succeeded to the seat at the age of 25, he decided on the outbreak of the First World War that it was unwise to have so much of his riches tied up in land and property. He sold the entire estate except the Hall and 50 acres of gardens. He then decided he wanted to live closer to London and sold the remainder of the estate in 1917 to for the princely sum of £45,000.
Although the sale was completed under a shroud of mystery the identity of the new owner was eventually revealed as George F. Heath, head of George Heath Ltd, automobile engineers and motor car dealers. At this time it was uncertain whether or not George’s intention was to make a quick profit, but he surprisingly put the property up for auction a matter of a few short months later. It later emerged the sale of the house was due to the heavy burden of taxation and death duties.
The house remained unsold, until Sir John Leigh purchased it in 1919 for just £20,000. Lilleshall House was sold in 1927 to Herbert Ford (1893-1963), a local man with a shrewd eye for business. He’d acquired his wealth from the industry of the Ironbridge Gorge and from a wealthy wife, who was a member of the Lea and Perrins family, famous for their Worcestershire Sauce.
Like many others before him, Herbert Ford believed that Lilleshall House might make money for him. Although resident in the house he turned the estate into a tourist attraction, and from 1930 until 1939 the hall had pleasure gardens for the public, including an amusement park, a narrow gauge railway, tea dances, and children’s playgrounds. He added an additional nine holes on the existing nine-hole golf course, which later became the Lilleshall Hall Golf Club. However, it was not played on for 20 years owing to a rent dispute with farmers that resulted in cattle on the course.
The pleasure gardens closed at the outbreak of World War Two and the house and parkland were occupied by the Cheltenham Ladies’ College and later Dr Barnardo’s, who used the facilities as an orphanage.
When war ended, Lilleshall House faced a precarious future. The house had fallen into decline and the cost of repair was far greater than Herbert could afford. In 1949 he sold the house and 10 acres for £30,000 to the Central Council of Physical Recreation who wanted to build a National Recreation Centre for the north of England. The sale was made possible by the ‘Aid to Britain’ scheme, sponsored by South Africa, a financial gift to Clement Attlee’s government.
It was probably about this time that Lilleshall House became better known as Lilleshall Hall, although the house had been called both names over time. Ford later gave the facility an extra 10 acres of land, on condition that his family could stay in a flat within Lilleshall Hall for at least another ten years or until his death. He passed away here in 1963.
In 1949, it was transformed into the Lilleshall National Sports Centre, serving as a premier facility for various sports and athletic training. It has been the training ground for numerous national sports teams and athletes including the 1966 World Cup winning football team!
The centre passed to the Sports Council in 1974 and many different sports established Lilleshall as their own national and regional coaching centre.
Today, Lilleshall Hall is operated by Serco Leisure Operating Ltd on behalf of Sport England, as one of three National Sports Centres, alongside Bisham Abbey and Plas y Brenin.
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I love historic buildings and drones so a combination of the two is my second most favourite thing to do! 
