THIS year’s Valentine Gas Lamp Lighting Celebration will be held on Sunday 14th February . Bring your romantic lanterns!
The famous Valentine Gas Lamp in Frome is one of the town’s most romantic landmarks – set around heart-shaped cobblestones with a newly restored ‘love seat’ under the glow of the gas lamp, looking down the historic cobbled street of Catherine Hill.
The annual Valentine Gas Lamp Lighting Ceremony has been celebrated for the past 23 years. A painstaking restoration project on the lamp has been in progress for the past two years, carried out by its originator, Reg Ling.
A traditional lighting celebration will still take place again this year despite ongoing work on the lamp. Last year, a couple got engaged at the ceremony.
Reg said, “Please join us, the Friends of the Valentine Gas Lamp, to celebrate Valentines Day and witness this unique event. Come rain or shine, at 5.30pm a firework will be let off summoning lantern-goers to the site of the lamp in Catherine Hill.
“All will gather to await the arrival of the lamplighter, dressed in period costume. He will be carrying a traditional lamplighter’s pole and will conduct the lighting ceremony which starts at 6.00pm.
“There will be mulled wine for adults and fresh fruit for the children. All are asked to bring romantic Valentine lanterns, decorated however you wish.
“Restoration work on the Valentine Gas Lamp still continues and donations to the project are warmly welcomed – please find details at www.valentinegaslamp.org.
“We are relying on voluntary contributions to complete the restoration and to maintain this unique Frome landmark for generations to come. We look forward to seeing you there!”
Friends of the Valentine Gas Lamp – Tel: 467592.
