downsmail.co.uk
How you can help out
THERE are many ways people can support the work of the re- serve, from volunteering their time to sponsoring a bird or bat box, donating birdseed or fat balls or even old timber, which can always be put to good use. Steve Songhurst organises monthly volunteer workdays during the autumn and winter each year, where people of all ages can gain hands-on experi- ence on the practical side of conservation. If you are not keen on getting
your hands dirty, a Friends of the Reserve scheme enables people to contribute towards the upkeep of the reserve. In re- turn, they receive a quarterly newsletter and the chance to take part in a range of wildlife events on the reserve.
Bin dogs’ mess
DOGS are welcome in the reserve – but not their droppings. Despite the installation of 10 poo bins Steve Songhurst still sees regular purges and has been known to spray the offending poo pink to highlight the problem.
Business Focus
Vinters Nature Reserve | News
Elegant manor made way for housing estate
MENTION the name Vinters to most people in Maidstone and they will more than likely give you one of two responses: the cre- matorium or the housing estate. But the original Vinters Parkwas
awonderful country manor house, surrounded by acres of parkland. Its colourful history is recorded
in a book, Vinters, the Story of a Kentish Estate, written in 2002 by volunteers of the Vinters Valley Park Trust and funded by the Local Heritage Initiative. Sadly the book is sold out, but
copies remain in Maidstone library. A three-roomed open hall house
with adjoining tower remained for 600 years. The estate takes its name from
Roger de Vinter, who bought the land from the Abbott of Boxley in 1343. During the 16th and 17th cen- turies it passed through various hands, being gradually extended until 1783 when it was bought by businessman James Whatman, who purchased more land and property in the area, including Newnham Court Farm. The estate passed down through
The manor house at Vinters Park was passed down through generations of the
Whatman family
three generations to the fourth James Whatman, bywhich time the property had been significantly ex- tended. James and his wife had four daughters who, one by one, in- herited the estate until the last Whatman, Miss Louisa, who died in 1950, aged 92. Miss Louisa lived at Newnham
Court and rented out the manor house. DuringWorldWar II, itwas commandeered by the Army and the contentswere locked away. The house remained empty for
many years, and in 1952 a large partwas destroyed by fire, believed to have been caused by a vagrant. The remainder of the house and es-
tatewas split up and sold in 1954, a large part being bought by prop- erty developer Percy Barden. Vinters housing estatewas first to
be built, on the hop gardens and wheat fields to the west of the site, and later, Grove Greenwas built on the site of the former market gar- den to the east. Parkland became school playing fields and the re- mainder fell into neglect. Today, thanks to its army of vol- unteers, Vinters Valley Nature Re- serve is a green oasis, surrounded by the two housing estates, Valley Park School and the M20 motorway – 90 acres only a stone’s throw from Mote Park.
downsmail.co.uk
Would like to thanks both new and existing customers for all their support over the past year
FREE PARKING • Express 2 hour dry cleaning
• Specialist Wedding dress dry cleaning
& delivery ironing service • Leather & Suede cleaning • All household items cleaned
• Free collection
“Maidstone’s longest established drycleaners for over 20 years”
www.beau-care.co.uk
Celebrating a Year at Vinters Park
MAIDSTONE’S longest serving dry cleaners is now celebrating a year in business at Vinters Park. Beaucare established themselves in Maidstone 25 years ago in Gabriels Hill and moved to Vinters Park a year ago and haven’t looked back since! Owner Glenn with the help of his wife Louise and other family members are enjoying in their success since their move last year. Glenn says “we are proud to be a local independent dry cleaners and offer an extremely efficient and friendly service to both contract and domestic customers.”
Beaucare offers customers a full dry cleaning, laundry and ironing service. So if you need an evening dress dry cleaned for that special Christmas party or a suit turned
around in two hours, Beaucare has the answer. You can even get them to do the dreaded ironing and they will pick it up and deliver it for free! The store is open from 8.30am- 5.30 pm Monday – Friday and until 5pm on Saturdays.
For more information go to
www.beau-care.co.uk or call the team on 01622 754112
01622 754112
7, Snowdon Parade, Vinters Park, Maidstone, Kent ME14 5NS Maidstone East October 2014
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