A visit to Valentines Mansion

A chilly but sunny Sunday 27th February 2022 saw a number of us turn up at Valentines Mansion in Valentines Park to be given a tour round the property by Eleanor.

This building, originally built around 1696 for the widow of the Archbishop of Canterbury, was modified by various owners over the years and eventually acquired by the council in 1912. Eleanor gave us her usual informative talk (she volunteers there and has done since the Friends took over its management), spiced with her usual nuggets, this time being the origin of the expression “daylight robbery”.

We had a short walk around the immediate grounds, admired the ornamental lake and settled down to have a drink and snack at the Gardener’s Cottage Café. Eleanor promised us the café garden would be a suntrap and so it proved. What a little treasure virtually on our doorsteps!

The photo is outside the front of the house with its big porch area.

Brian U.     27th Februry 2022