Lilleshall Hall

Lilleshall Hall stands in the West Midlands between Telford and Newport on the site of a former Augustinian abbey founded in the 12th century. The estate passed through several generations of the Leveson-Gower family, who enlarged the grounds and built the present hall in the early 19th century. Designed by Jeffry Wyatville, the house replaced an earlier residence and was completed in 1829. The entrance is marked by the Golden Gates, a replica of those at Buckingham Palace. The gardens include an ornamental canal, a Grecian temple and an Apple Walk with half its original pergola. An obelisk of 1833, seventy feet high, commemorates the first Duke of Sutherland. The hall’s sporting reputation began in 1951 when it opened as a National Recreation Centre. Queen Elizabeth II, then Princess Elizabeth, performed the opening ceremony. Jim Lane, a Marylebone Cricket Club member, became the first warden and introduced cricket coaching courses. By 1974 the centre was managed by the Sports Council and used by governing bodies for football, rugby, tennis and other sports. The grounds were extended to twenty acres and developed for training pitches and facilities. Visitors find a Grade II* listed building set among mature gardens and parkland. The main hall and its outbuildings serve as a national sports centre. Paths lead through the gardens past ponds, bridges and the Grecian temple. The obelisk and Apple Walk remain prominent features. The surrounding estate includes playing fields and woodland managed for sport and recreation.