Our unusual name can be traced as far back as the reign of Henry VII. It appeared on maps and other documents of the time as ‘Sandyballas’, which is the description given to the dome-shaped sand and gravel outcrops on our western boundary.
Those outcrops were formed millennia ago during the Eocene era. Many of them remain including Good Friday Hill and Giant’s Grave, and it’s for them that Sandy Balls Holiday Centre is named.
The estate was bought by Ernest Westlake in 1919 and the holiday centre was founded by his son, Dr Aubrey Westlake, in the 1920s. Down the years we’ve welcomed generations of families and friends to enjoy everything this stunning part of the United Kingdom has to offer.
The Westlake family connection continues to this day and with it their founding principles – that Sandy Balls should be an area for conservation which is also accessible to lovers of natural beauty.
The rich history of Sandy Balls has been told by Jean Westlake, Ernest’s granddaughter in a number of books which you can find in the centre’s Gift Shop.
