- Valentines Park
Valentines Park is, at convert|125|acre|km2, the largest
green space in theLondon Borough of Redbridge , betweenIlford andGants Hill . It was acquired in various purchases and gifts of land, starting in1898 and culminating in the1920s . The Valentines Estate had been in private hands since long before the1690s , when the presentValentines Mansion was built. There is also an infant, primary and secondary school called Valentines SchoolIn
1899 the Cranbrook Estate, to the west of Valentines, was about to be sold for housing. TheMunicipal Borough of Ilford had acquired its first section of parkland a year previously and was keen to enlarge its size as land became available. Local officials realised that unless an area of "relaxation and pleasure" was retained for the growing urban population, all traces of an undeveloped rural Ilford would be lost.County Cricket was first played at Valentine's Park in Ilford in 1922 and a pavilion was completed a year later. The first ever county match with Sunday play was played here, this proved to be a success with 6000 spectators attending. [ [http://members.aol.com/normancook676/essex/grounds/ilford.html Ilford - Valentine's Park] ]
Valentines Park has undergone an extensive renovation during 2007–2008 financed by the
Heritage Lottery Fund and by the owners, the London Borough of Redbridge. There are a number of Grade II and Grade II* features within the park and part of the formal garden layout of the early 18th century park itself is included in theEnglish Heritage Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in England at Grade II. Brief (English Heritage ) listing details for these can be found atImages of England [http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/Details/Default.aspx?id=204880&mode=quick Images of England site containing some English Heritage listing details] .References
* | accessdate=January 26 | accessyear=2007
External links
* [http://www.valentinesmansion.org.uk/ Valentines Mansion Website]
* [http://www.valentines.org.uk/valentines_park/ Valentine Park Conservationists]
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