Lady Waterford Hall

About the museum

Louisa, Marchioness of Waterford, commissioned this building in 1860 as a school for the children of the Ford estate, as part of her charitable work in the village. At its busiest the school taught as many as 134 pupils. From 1862 she began an experiment in teaching through art, painting a series of large watercolour murals on the walls, and she kept working on them for 21 years until 1883.

The murals show biblical scenes in a style influenced by the Pre-Raphaelite movement. They were painted on paper stretched over wooden frames, treated with distemper and then fixed to the walls. Louisa painted the figures in her studio in the attics of Ford Castle, using the school children, neighbours and estate workers as models, so many faces in the scenes are those of local people. Descendants of some sitters still live nearby, and others emigrated to Canada and Australia. Among the works is the scene of Jesus blessing the children.

Ford School closed in 1957, and the Lady Waterford Hall Trust, a registered charity, was then set up to look after the building and its murals. Today the hall is an accredited museum and also serves as the village hall. It is part of a Victorian model village laid out on the Ford estate, and the original visitors' book records guests from abroad, among them the painter William Holman-Hunt.

Highlights

• Life-sized watercolour murals painted between 1862 and 1883
• Scene of Jesus blessing the children, with local people as models
• Victorian schoolroom that is still used as the village hall
• Other works by Louisa Waterford held in the hall
• Part of the Victorian model village of Ford

Permanent exhibition

• The murals – Life-sized watercolours painted by Louisa Waterford on the walls of the former school, with estate residents and school children as models.

Operated by

Lady Waterford Hall Trust

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

Parties of fewer than 12 pay no entrance charge, but donations are welcome.

Accessibility

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide

Children can follow the Animal Explorers trail and learn about the lives of Victorian schoolchildren. The grounds are suitable for picnics and dogs are welcome.

Getting there & parking

Ford is about 14 miles (30 minutes by car) south-west of Berwick-upon-Tweed.

Amenities & dining

No facilities are described on the hall's website.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Private parties
• Weddings / ceremonies

The hall can be hired for wedding receptions, meetings and parties; the hall manager can supply a booking form and hire costs.

Plan your visit