WEDDINGTON CASTLE - An Online History
Other Halls and Castles Around Nuneaton - The King's Lodge
Click on thumbnail for larger image. Scroll to bottom of page for brief historical details of this building
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This prominent building with its extensive grounds can be seen as one approaches Weddington on the A5 Watling Street, and commands spectacular views of the Weddington valley from this historic roadway.
Its own history stretches back over 100
years from when, in 1870, one Robert S. Lea designed a school and home when he
designed the King's Lodge for use as a boarding school for boys.
This building was officially founded in 1886 and was self-sufficient in that it
grew its own food, had its own well and had an emphasis on physical education.
In 1938 the boarding school was closed and was briefly used to house the wild
animals from a bankrupt circus - lions included!
During the Second World War (1939-45) the building was used by the Army's
Scottish Regiments, the Royal Marines and then the ATS (the Auxiliary
Territorial Service: the women's branch of the army). However during the
post-war years the building was left empty.
From 1950-68 it was used by the National Coal Board as a social club and
institute.
From 1968 the building was purchased and utilised by clergy and industrialists
who used the building for developing young people through education, up until
1982.
The building was purchased in 1985 by an organisation called ‘Youth With A
Mission’ (YWAM) – who are still the owners today. YWAM is an international
Christian evangelical mission with projects ranging from slum ministries, leper
colonies, an AIDS hospice, poverty alleviation, street children, and orphanages.
There are currently more than 260 staff and students from six out of the seven
continents, living and working at The King's Lodge.
All information and photographs (c) 'Youth With A Mission' 2008 except images marked *
