Every year thousands of Valentine cards are sent both in hope and confirmation of love, but where did it start? You might be surprised to know it was back in the February of 1477 when a young Margery Brewes wrote to her beloved John Paston lll saying “my right well beloved Valentine”. This is the first recorded mention of the word ‘Valentine ‘in the written English language. Before this February 14th was regarded at the beginning of the bird nesting season and was known as All Saints Day.
This letter is one of many that form the Paston Letters, a rare and special collection of 2,000 letters that span the 15th, 16th, and 17th centuries giving us a rare insight into some of the most dramatic times in early British history. The Paston family rose from being simple bondsmen to the status of being one of the four greatest landowners in Norfolk. Their rise to fame and fortune was based around the small Norfolk village of Paston in North Norfolk. These precious letters are kept secure and protected from decay, however the ‘This is the Paston Portal’ allows the curious to explore the stories and to find out about life, love, and work in Tudor England. Perhaps after reading some of these fascinating texts try immersing yourself in the Paston world by walking some of the specially curated walking trails that take, you through the Paston landscape. Enter their world, you can still see many of the landmarks they would have known. Perhaps take a walk on February 14th and remember the first valentine written in the English language?
