Lilleshall was originally built in 1831 as the hunting lodge and family retreat of the Duke of Sutherland. It first became a National Sports Centre in 1951 and was opened by the then Princess Elizabeth II with the original plaque still in place in the entrance to the main hall. It was Lilleshall's connection with Association Football that brought the Centre to the attention of the nation. The England team trained for two weeks at Lilleshall prior to their success in the World Cup of 1966. In 1967, Sir Alfred Ramsey returned to the Centre to unveil a plaque to commemorate his team's stay and endorse the view that Lilleshall could justly claim some credit for England's famous victory. In 1984 The Football Association's School of Excellence was established welcoming young talent such as Michael Owen, Jamie Carragher, Sol Campbell and Joe Cole to name but a few. Today Lilleshall is an elite training centre for some of the country's leading sportsmen and women and regularly welcomes use by numerous sports bodies.