About

This architecturally exciting estate stands in eight acres of grounds, with mature walled gardens, orchards, paddocks and a one acre fully stocked carp lake. The main house is known to date from the mid 1500’s, paint detailing found in some of the oldest rooms has been dated to around this period. The current buildings date from 1638,the main house with its stone flagged hall dates from 1700 and the northern wing incorporating the Corbett Suite was added in 1720.The dated history of the house can be found to the left of this article.

John & Doreen Morgan have lived here with their family since 1981, moving from Penn, Wolverhampton with their three sons, Paul, David, Daniel and Johns Father Sam , the family originally came from Tipton in the West Midlands. In 1991 they took the decision to convert disused outbuildings for use as a restaurant, function room and guest house, keeping the main house private and only using it for Wedding Receptions. Though the business has greatly expanded since then and Paul & David have since moved into their own homes, the house is still lived in and used by the family, especially so at Christmas when Blakelands closes to the public.

Blakelands has always been and still remains today a family home.

1500 to 1600 - A Cottage at Blakelands is known of from the mid 1500’s. A farmhouse of some note as it is known to have been two storey. Wall paintings discovered on the first floor date the cottage to this time. The original part of the cottage still forms the main house kitchen today.

1638 - Roger Corbett bought the farmhouse.

1700 - Edward Corbett, son of Roger married Mary and the house was extended from a cottage to a square adding the Main Hall.

1720 - Blakelands was extended to its current size & shape with the addition of the Northern Wing and Queen Anne Façade. Edward & Mary had 3 children, the two spinster sisters, Hannah & Mary later founded The Corbett School in Bobbington village, which despite moving from its original position following an aircraft accident is still open today, helped by the original Trust set up by the Corbett Sisters.

1799 - The House passed from the sisters to John Charles Beckingham, a Lawyer & Clergyman from London. He was the son of their cousin Catherine Beckingham.

1801 - Sherrington Sparks, a prominent farmer of Bridgnorth bought Blakelands.

1802 - The house and lands, some 200 acres including the Royal Oak Public House are bought by Thomas Bowen, a Malster. His family are to reside here for nearly 150 years.

1924 - The Royal Oak public house was sold off from the estate to Banks’s Brewery.

1939 - Bobbington Airfield was built by the Air Ministry, who acquired some of its land from Blakelands

1947 - Dr Leonard Harvey Eunson buys Blakelands as his country Home. His practise was at Dudley Port in Tipton. - The Black Country.

1956 - Charles Percival Bolland buys the house less 45 acres at auction for £12,000. The 45 acres are obtained by Air Ministry.

1958 - Edward Bolland sells the house and 4.5 acres to Norman Holland. A Dental Surgeon from Wolverhampton.

1980 - Following an auction of the fixtures, which even included items such as the original garden gates, Blakelands sits empty for over a year after Norman Holland leaves to sail the seas in his yacht.

1981 - John & Doreen Morgan buy Blakelands from Mr Holland as the family home for themselves and their sons Paul, David & Daniel & Johns father Sam Morgan. Sam was a retired Coal merchant from Tipton. – The Black Country. Daniel becomes a pupil at The Corbett School & Doreen initially reuses the existing Pig sty’s and outbuildings to breed Pigs. A new main entrance driveway is created, the existing drive to the House being too narrow for the increased traffic.

1982 - John starts restoring the lake, set in the south corner of the grounds, silt build up over the years and partial infill by the air ministry in 1940 has left it only 12 to 24 inches deep. The lake is restocked with 160 Carp and Golden Rudd in 1983.

1986 - The first sign of Blakelands future appear when Doreen Morgan starts Cream Teas in the main house and holding Flower demonstrations for visiting groups.

1991 - The 18th of May sees the very first Wedding Reception held at Blakelands.

1992 - Blakelands Restaurant opens on the 31st October along with three bedrooms in the main house available for accommodation. Blakelands Barn and the Coach house are sold to help fund the development.

1995 - The former Stables, set on the main Courtyard are converted for guest accommodation and open to add 5 extra bedrooms.

1996 - Sam Morgan, Johns father dies at home. Following a service at Bobbington Church, he is laid to rest in Tipton.

1998 - Blakelands Barn, Sold in 1992, a brick Hay barn and cart store to the north of Blakelands is repurchased and opens initially providing four additional bedrooms all named after Blakelands former Owners, Thomas Bowen, Charles Beckingham, Sherrington Sparks and Dr Leonard Harvey Eunson. The building is now known as Blakelands Lodge.

1999 - The Coach House, next to the main house, originally sold in 1992, to fund development, returns to the Estate as home to Paul Morgan, his wife Heather and their two children, Chloe & Sam. The Estate is now back together as in 1981.Chloe is a pupil at the Corbett School, founded by the Corbett sisters around 1780 -1790

2000 - June - The new Restaurant and Lodge Bar opens in the Lodge Building, along with 3 extra bedrooms, taking the total to 15 letting rooms, each still retaining an individual style.. The three new bedrooms are named after another previous owner, the Bolland family, who still live and farm the area today. The former restaurant is now home to main reception and administration offices. By the end of this year, Blakelands had hosted 513 Wedding receptions with over 50,000 guests.

2001 - January - A complete rewiring of the House and some internal remodelling work was undertaken, including restoring the original centre doorway from the Morning room into the Main Hall. Sam Morgan becomes a pupil at the Corbett School.

2002 - Our 10th Anniversary year, wearing well !

Paul Morgan is appointed a Governor of The Corbett School

& the Saga

Continues.