Yesterday, we braved the cold and rainy weather to pay a visit to Valentines Mansion in East London.
The last time I was here, they were about to start the renovations and had opened the mansion for a single day. It was in a shocking state of disrepair and I just couldn't believe that any council worth their weight would allow such a gem to rot and ruin. Absolutely shocking. But anyway, over the past few years, they've worked, in partnership with English Heritage, to put things right. The newly landscaped gardens near the mansion are absolutely gorgeous no matter what the season - my only complaint would be that quite often, the beautiful wooden gates which lead to this little sanctuary appear to be locked. I also know I am not the only one to notice this either. The cafe is a welcome addition (although someone needs to teach them how to make tea and coffee properly) although fairly costly for a basic cup of tea. The mansion however, is really stunning. Okay, it's not the most luxurious mansion I've ever been in, for example the beautiful Tudor Christchurch Mansion in Ipswich or the stunning Kenwood House in Hampstead, but it is most definitely a huge improvement and a real boost for the local area, which has been so badly neglected over the years.
Although sparse in terms of furnishings, the kitchen, scullery, dairy and other adjoining rooms are absolutely amazing. We thoroughly enjoyed exploring this area of the house and I was particularly impressed at the restoration of the old cast iron range. What a difference to how it looked a few years ago!
The hallway is light and airy with helpful staff and there is a brilliant children's room, where Isabella spent a good half an hour playing with the children's wooden range, reading books and trying on some of the costumes that they had on offer. Afterwards, I left her in the care of some really lovely volunteers from the local library who were helping children to make Mother's Day cards. This was such a nice activity and they were really nice ladies - Isabella had a great time with them and, apparently, showed them a few crafting ideas of her own!
Throughout the mansion, there are interactive screens where you can get even more information - unfortunately, although I tried to do this whilst I was waiting for Isabella, I was stopped by a very nice lady who had earlier over-heard me talking to Isabella in the kitchens. She had assumed I was a teacher, and wanted to have a chat with me about some of the history. LOL! I did put her straight, that I wasn't a teacher, although I did have a degree in History, and a particular interest in the Victorian age hence my perceived knowledge. Anyway, I ended up having a nice long chat with her and by the time I managed to try and explore some other rooms on my own, Isabella had finished her card. I can't wait to see it!
There are also some "spooky" shadowy figures displayed throughout the mansion via some very clever lighting technology located on the ceilings. This, along with some great sound effects such as horses galloping, people talking, pots and pans clanking added an extra dimension to the experience. So what it lacked in rich furnishings and luxurious rooms, it more than made up for in atmosphere.
We will definitely be going back in the very near future as there was much more that we could have done. The gift shop made a nice tidy sum out of us - although I did buy a really nice Victorian slate which we used this morning during a Maths lesson. Isabella used the slate (we do have two other slates, but they are worn out now) while I used the main chalkboard.
Anyway, she had a really great time - I think I can feel a Valentines Mansion project coming on!
