Blakesley Hall, Northamptonshire

The family connections with Blakesley extended to the local church St Mary The Virgin, where they were celebrated patrons (a plaque is on display near the altar).

The beautiful sandstone font, donated by one of William's sons, the Reverend Arthur Hibbit BA (Cambridge) (1818–1893), the vicar of St. Mary's, is still in use for baptisms.

It carried coal, farm supplies and the occasional passenger and when the Hall became a military hospital during the first world war, the line was used to rehabilitate patients.

One of the engines run on the miniature railway was a 4-4-4T internal combustion locomotive (with a steam outline) named Blackolvesley and built by Bassett-Lowke of Northampton in 1909.

[3] More recently, local architectural designers, the Roger Coy Partnership based in Eydon, have been granted planning permission to undertake work on their proposed recreation of the hall.