Valentines Mansion

Overview

Over the years there has been much said in terms of hauntings about Valentines mansion. Even today the staff will tell you of phantom people appearing in the building, such as workmen having a conversation with a man who wanted to know who was in charge etc. There is no doubt that ghostly experiences have occurred throughout the passed 50 years at Valentines mansion.We were very lucky to have conducted ghost hunting events at this fabulous venue over about three years.

History

Valentines Mansion is more than 300 years old.
The house was built in around 1696 for Elizabeth Tillotson and her family, after the death of her husband, John Tiloson the Archbishop of Canterbury.
At that time the new brick house stood in open countryside, several miles from the edge of London.

Valentines has changed hands many times since then. City merchant and banker Robert Surman bought the estate in 1720s and created the walled gardens, dovecote and grottoes.

In the 1760s owner Sir Charles Raymond spent part of his fortune renovating Valentines, giving the house its Georgian appearance.

Sarah Ingleby, the last private resident of Valentines, died in 1906 and the Council acquired the house in 1912. Since then, the mansion has been home to wartime refugees, a hospital, a public health centre, and a council housing department.

After standing empty for 15 years, Valentines has now been restored with Redbridge council and Heritage Lottery funds, and strong community support to create the historic but contemporary venue it is today.