1889 - Chillington House, St Faith's Street, Maidstone, UK
N 51° 16.556 E 000° 31.253
31U E 327086 N 5683429
This year, 1889, is carved into one of the extensions of Chillington House - an Elizabethan Manor House. The year is on the St Faith's Street facade below the wording "Museum & Art Gallery".
Waymark Code: WMR8AV
Location: South East England, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 05/26/2016
Views: 3
Wikipedia has an article about the Museum & Art Gallery that mentions Chillington House and its development:
The Museum's central core consists of an Elizabethan manor house, formerly known as Chillington Manor, completed in 1577 with earlier Tudor buildings to its rear. In the early 18th century a substantial wing was added to the west of the Tudor house. After its opening as a museum the building was further extended to house the growing collections. On the eastern side a new wing was added in 1869, matched by new wing to the west in 1873 made possible by donations from Julius Brenchley.
The eastern elevation was extended in 1889 to accommodate the Bentlif Art Gallery funded by Samuel Bentlif to house the art collection amassed by his brother George. On the western side the Victoria Gallery, housing the town’s library, was built between 1897 and 1899 to commemorate Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee. It operated as a free public lending library until 1936. In 1924 the Bentlif Wing was extended and in 1973 a new collection store was added to the east wing. Maidstone Museum & Bentlif Art Gallery is Grade II* listed.
The full inscription reads "G & SB 1889" with "G & SB" referring to George & Samuel Bentlif.
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