Saving Britain’s oldest sauna is no sweat for Finnish diplomat
BRITAIN’S oldest working sauna has been given official protection following a campaign by the Finnish ambassador.
The wooden hut hidden in a Kent park was built for Finnish Olympians in the 1940s, and the sauna-loving nation’s representatives in the UK have pushed for the structure to be recognised.
Historic England has now given the sauna official Grade II listed status and the custom-made building has been hailed as a “unique relic”.
Jukka Siukosaari, the Finnish ambassador to the UK, said: “The listing of this Finnish sauna is excellent news, not only because of the building’s unique architecture but also because of its significance to Finnish-british relations and our common sporting history.
“Preserving it will guarantee that future generations in the UK will get to learn about sauna as an institution and its significance to the Finnish culture.”
The prefabricated building stands on the grounds of Cobdown Park in Ditton and was transported to the UK after being donated to the Finnish Olympic village ahead of the 1948 London Games.
Featuring a dressing room, kitchen, and wet room alongside the sauna, the structure was originally erected in Richmond Park for the Games, before being moved to Kent in 1949.
It is thought to be the oldest sauna in Britain still in continuous use and was one of only a few introduced to Olympic nations by the Finns, who left the structure behind in the UK as a gift.
The awarding of listed status to the building follows a campaign by Mr Siukosaari to ensure it was protected, and research revealed that it was probably the UK’S oldest functioning sauna.
In recent years, residents of Kent and members of the Cobdown Sauna Club have enjoyed the facilities.
Club member Richard Young said he was “so pleased” the listed status would keep the sauna “safe for future generations”. He added: “I would like to thank everyone who has contributed towards the application.”
The use of saunas is so central to Finnish life that the traditions surrounding it have been inscribed on the Unesco Intangible Cultural Heritage list.