Paths in Vinters Valley Nature Reserve

Image: © Marathon Taken: 12 Nov 2013

Vinters Valley Nature Reserve is the remaining part of a large country estate with a long and eventful history. During the war the house was taken over by the Army. Having been empty for a few years the entire estate comprising of 660 acres was sold to a property developer in 1956. Shortly after this the house burnt down, and was demolished. Vinters housing estate was built on the hop gardens and wheat fields to the west, and later Grove Green covered the former market garden on the east - see http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/3746879 Parkland became school playing fields, and the rest of the land became overgrown. A local couple Donal and Lida MacGrory found the site one day and set about saving the land from further development. With the support of other local residents further planning permission was reduced and eventually Kent County Council bought the remaining land. The County Council opened the land up as a park in 1987 and began to employ Lida. It was transferred to a Trust in 1987 with a 99 year lease. The site was awarded Local Nature Reserve status in 1992. For a complete history of the park see http://vintersvalley.co.uk/aboutthereserve.php

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