Over Night Ghost Hunt Museum Of Kent Life
24 Apr 2010
Kent Life
Lock Lane
Sandling
Maidstone
Kent ME14 3AU
Visit Fright Nights
Or Call Tel: 0114 2513232
The Allington Castle estate, later known as the Cobtree estate, was the property of Tyrwhitt-Drake family. It passed to the only son Sir Garrard Tyrwhitt-Drake who inherited it after his father passed away in the early 1900's. An eccentric man, Garrard Tyrwhitt-Drake established a small zoo on the grounds and it is believed that he had a fascination for the Zebra, painting black and white stripes on a donkey so he could admire it from his manor! A charitable trust was set up for the Cobtree Estate in 1952. After Sir Garrard Tyrwhitt-Drake died childless in 1964, his estate was bequeathed to the people of Maidstone. By 1983 a joint project between Kent county council and Maidstone Bourough council had created 'The Museum of Kent Life' (as it was formerly known) on the site of the old Sandling farm, and it was officially opened to the public on 6th July 1985.