Finnish Olympic Sauna
A given story for Finlands largest newspaper Helsingin Sanomat about a Finnish wooden sauna from the 1948 London Olympics that has just received a Grade II listing – the same status given to Alexandra Palace.
After the Olympics the Finnish Olympic delegation donated the sauna to the nation and it was acquired by a paper company with links to Finnish timber and moved to Aylesford in Kent. It was maintained and remained in constant use by a group of former employees, now known as Cobdown sauna club. The sauna was forced to close in 2020 due to faulty electrics.
Pictured Richard Young, the club’s secretary and treasurer who used the sauna for 30 years.
Links: Historic England, British Sauna Society.
