Bantock House Museum and Park facts for kids
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| Established | 1938 |
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| Location | Finchfield, Wolverhampton |
| Type | Local history |
| Area | 48 acres (194,249 m2) |
Bantock House Museum and Park is a super cool place to visit in Wolverhampton, England. It's a museum that shows you what life was like during the Edwardian period (the early 1900s). It also shares lots of local history from the area.
The museum is surrounded by 48 acres (190,000 m2) of beautiful parkland. The house and park are named after Alderman Baldwin and Kitty Bantock, who used to live there. Today, Wolverhampton City Council helps run this amazing place.
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Discovering Bantock House History
Bantock House has a long and interesting story. It was first built in the 1730s as a farm called New Merridale Farm. Later, around the early 1800s, a man named Thomas Herrick made it bigger and better. He even changed its name to Merridale House.
The Bantock Family's Home
The house had a few different owners over the years. Then, in about 1864, it was bought by Thomas Bantock. He worked with canals and railways. His son, Albert Baldwin Bantock, took over the property after his father passed away in 1896.
Albert Baldwin Bantock was a very important person in Wolverhampton. He was the Mayor of Wolverhampton twice! He was also the High Sheriff of Staffordshire in 1920, which was a special role representing the King or Queen in the county. He made even more improvements to the house.
Becoming a Museum for Everyone
Albert Baldwin Bantock never had children. When he passed away in 1938, he generously gave the house and park to Wolverhampton Corporation (which is now Wolverhampton City Council). In 1940, the house was renamed Bantock House in his honor. It's now a special building called a Grade II listed building, meaning it's protected because of its history.
Exploring Inside Bantock House
When you visit Bantock House, you can learn all about the Bantock family and other important people from the local area.
Life on the Ground Floor
On the first floor, you'll see how the Bantock family lived. You can imagine what their daily life was like. The museum is special because it doesn't just put things in glass cases. Instead, it creates a more relaxed and fun setting. You can even sit on some of the furniture, which helps you feel like you're really stepping back in time!
Wolverhampton's Creative Minds Upstairs
As you go upstairs, you'll discover stories about the men and women who helped shape Wolverhampton. You'll learn about the cool industries they created. There are displays showing beautiful local items like enamels, steel jewellery, and japanned ware. These were all made right here in Wolverhampton!
Wandering Through Bantock House Gardens
The gardens around Bantock House are just as lovely as the house itself. Albert Baldwin Bantock designed these gardens. In 1998, Wolverhampton City Council brought them back to how he originally planned them. This means you can see the different garden areas just as Baldwin created them!
Discovering Different Garden Styles
- At the back of the house, there's a special sunken garden called the Dutch Garden.
- You can also find a beautiful rose garden. It has many different kinds of roses with interesting names like Blythe Spirit and Glamis Castle.
- The house garden has colorful flower borders that change with the seasons.
- There's even a woodland garden, which is now part of a nature trail you can follow around the park.
Enjoying Bantock Park Activities
Bantock Park is huge, with 48 acres (190,000 m2) of land for everyone to enjoy!
Fun for All Ages
- Kids can have a blast at the play area.
- There's a small, 18-hole golf course where you can practice your swing.
- You can also try your hand at putting on the putting green.
- If you love football, there are fields where you can play a game with friends.
Meet the Highland Cow Sculpture
Did you know the Bantock family used to breed Highland cattle? These shaggy cows are thought to have roamed the park grounds until the 1930s! To remember these cows, a local artist named Neil Watt created a cool cow sculpture. You can see it proudly standing at the front of the house today.
