Morland House

  • Moland House in 1998
  • Moland House in 2004
Archive Notes:

Photos of the new development in the grounds of Morland House 1998; and of Morland House in 2004.

The site for this and the Church had previously been one of the farmland holdings owned by the Whalley-Smythe-Gardiner family, extending from Church Road to London Road and bounded on the west by Holloway Road. It was put up for sale by auction in February 1846 as part of some 129 acres of farmland, but did not sell. By the time these unsold lots came up for auction again in June 1846, some of the land fronting Church Road had been sold and this became the terrace of houses there now.

The house was built between 1850 and 1851 for the prospective curate, Edward Elton who would not accept the position without a suitable house being made available (the Parsonage in High Street was not considered suitable). The building of Morland House cost the diocese almost all of the £1,000 funds which it had available. See 'The Most Difficult Village, pp. 22-23).The building became a County Council children’s home known as Morland House; and then Wheatley's medical centre in 1990s.

The earliest part of the house is over the porch.

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