New website gives a glimpse into the past and a look at the future of Bat & Ball Station

A FASCINATING look back at the history of Bat & Ball Station in Sevenoaks can be found on a new website which has been launched to coincide with the current refurbishment of the site.

Bat & Ball Station before it was boarded in in 1991.

Sevenoaks Town Council (STC) secured a £755,600 Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) grant towards the refurbishment of the Bat & Ball Station Building.

The building is a Victorian property constructed in 1862. It was the first station in Sevenoaks and used by Queen Victoria when visiting Knole. It has been boarded up since 1991 and was gradually deteriorating.

To encourage people to learn more about the heritage of the building several events and activities such as talks, tours of the station building, and art workshops will be delivered over the coming months. To engage the local community in the project there will also be several volunteering opportunities including working with local schools.

The new website for Bat & Ball Station – www.batandballstation.com – will initially be used as a platform to keep the public up to date with the restoration of the station building.

Visitors to the website can see images of the ‘work in progress’ and can get information about a variety of talks, workshops and events taking place over the coming months. There is also a history section with several old photographs. People are being invited to post their own memories linked to the station.

The restored building is due to open at the beginning of 2019 and the website will include news about the café, local produce for sale, booking information for the function rooms and links to train timetables. There will also be volunteering opportunities and other ways to get involved with the restoration project.