Lady Waterford Hall — Local services in Ford

A hidden gem. A stunning looking building (the old school, now village hall) in a beautifully kept village, but with a secret! Inside, the walls are covered with huge mural paintings of the bible stories. These were painted by the philanthropic lady of the Manor, Lady Louisa Waterford in the late 1800s to help educate the children. There is another twist....the artist used local villagers as models for many of the figures... but I'd always heard that story as my great grandad was model for 'boy Jesus' at the feet of the Doctors/ teachers!

On Thursdays in the summer ( 2025) one of the rooms is converted to a delightful tea room for the day with excellent and fairly priced drinks and cakes. Excellent coffee...

Visited Lady Waterford Hall today as part of a visit to Ford. Lovely place dedicated to the life and art of Louisa Waterford, with plenty of original artwork, including huge panels painted by Lady Waterford adorning the top of the hall.

It also used to be a village school and this part of its history is also detailed. This was particularly interesting for me as my mother lived in Ford Common all of her life and she went to this school as a child.

Entry is free but donations are appreciated to keep the hall going. There's also a very small gift shop with some interesting items. Definitely...

What a hidden gem. Jaw dropping as you walk into the hall. What it must have been like to have been a Victorian school child receiving lessons in this space. Lady Louisa Waterford must never have had a paint brush or pallet far from her finger tips. Her work is prolific and outstanding. Very informative member of staff who explained the history behind the hall and the Waterford family. What a joy! A return visit is on the cards to take even more of it in. Wonderful place in a fantastic...