The land at Blakemere was originally owned by Lord Barrymore of Marbury and Blakemere Hall was built in 1878 for a gentleman called Barclay Pagett. The Hall was subsequently demolished in 1950 and the masonry and internal panelling was shipped to America.

The Stable Block, which now houses the Craft Centre, was built in 1890 to accommodate coach and riding horses. Subsequent owners were the Jones family, who manufactured sewing machines, and the Morgan family who occupied the property between the two World Wars and used the stable block to house course greyhounds - a rich mans sport of this period.

In the 1890's King Edward VII, then the Prince of Wales, visited Blakemere regularly where notorious wild parties occurred - after which local joiners were employed to repair the furniture.

In 1940 the Government commandeered the premises and a bakery was erected inside the present courtyard to supply bread to the local army camps. Various foreign nationalities stayed at Blakemere including German prisoners of war and Polish refugees.