Happy valley lies on the southern edge of Rusthall Common, where the ground drops away into what are now the grounds of the Beacon Hotel.
Painted by A R Quinton, this first card is No. 1276 in a series published by J Salmon of Sevenoaks.
This Valentine's card, No. 92576, shows the caves, sometimes called the Old Kitchen.
Here is another view of the same location. The two boys in this and the next picture are my Uncle, Roger Butler and his cousin, Frank.
These old steps are sometimes called the Roman Steps, however they are not Roman, and also referred to as the 105 steps. Modern health and safety regulations and our litigation culture have required these steps to be fenced off for the time being (2005).
This view of the valley is published by Stengel & Co., Berlin which suggests a date before 1914. The number is 14680.
Nowadays the outcrops of Ardingly sandstone are a minor attraction to rock climbers.
Scanned antique postcard
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