Why was Valentines Mansion built for a widow? We’re standing before Valentines Mansion, a grand old house with a story more intriguing than its charming facade suggests. Built in 1696, Valentines Mansion was no ordinary home. It was a gesture of respect and remembrance, built for Lady Tillotson, the widow of John Tillotson, the Archbishop of Canterbury. For twenty years, the mansion buzzed with life as Sir Charles Raymond and his family called it home. Sir Raymond, a man of the sea, made his fortune in the East India Company as a ship owner and later found success as a banker. But Valentines Mansion wasn’t destined to stay in one family’s hands forever. In 1906, after the passing of its last resident, Sarah Ingleby, the mansion embarked on a new chapter. It became the property of the local council, serving as their office until 1994. Today, this beautiful mansion stands as a testament to the passage of time, a place where history whispers from every corner.
Southfields Methodist Church
Curiosity stirred within the heart of Southfields as a new chapter began. Southfields Methodist Church held its first public service