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Set within 48 acres of surrounding parkland the museum is named after Alderman Baldwin and Kitty Bantock, former residents of the house, which is now operated by the Wolverhampton City Council's Arts and Museums service.
Originally built in the 1730s as New Merridale Farm, the house was expanded and renovated by Thomas Herrick around the early 19th century, and renamed Merridale House. After changing tenants several times, it was purchased in 1864 by Thomas Bantock, a canal and railway agent. His son, Albert Baldwin Bantock, who served twice as Mayor of Wolverhampton and as High Sheriff of Staffordshire in 1920, made further improvements to the estate following his father’s death in 1896. Upon Albert’s passing in 1938, without any heirs, he left the house and park to the Wolverhampton Corporation. The house was renamed in his honor in 1940 and is now a Grade II listed building.
The museum displays the lives of the Bantock family and other influential figures from the area. On the ground floor, exhibits focus on the Bantocks and their lifestyle, while the upper floor highlights the men and women who shaped Wolverhampton’s industries, featuring locally made enamels, steel jewelry, and japanned ware. The museum is notable for its departure from traditional "glass case" displays, opting instead for a more informal and creative presentation. Visitors are even encouraged to sit on the furniture.
The gardens surrounding the house were designed by Albert Baldwin Bantock and were restored in 1998 to reflect his original plans. These gardens offer visitors a glimpse into Baldwin's vision, featuring a sunken Dutch Garden, a rose garden, vibrant flower borders, and a woodland garden that is part of a nature trail around the park.
Bantock Park spans 48 acres and includes a children’s play area, an 18-hole golf course, a putting green, and football fields. Highland cattle, once bred by the Bantock family, are believed to have roamed the park until the 1930s. In their memory, local craftsman Neil Watt created a cow sculpture, which now stands at the front of the house.
https://www.wolverhamptonart.org.uk/visit/bantock/
The house has it's own free carpark and entry to the house and gardens is also free. There is a cafe on the premasis and toilet facilities. It is on the outskirts of Wolverhampton so plenty of other places to eat and drink.
View and discuss this location in more detail on Grey Arrows.
Co-ordinates: 52.57995, -2.154361 • what3words: ///silks.brick.hang
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