THE FIRST time it served customers, bikinis were a new fad, Martin Luther King was outlining his dream to the world, and a band called the Beatles had just released their debut album.
But for years, the 1963 Bedford ice cream van that once brought joy to so many people rusted away in a shed.
Now, Burton Agnes Hall has captured the spirit of golden summers half a century ago by restoring the van and giving it a new home.
A team of craftsmen has recreated its original retro look in a two-year operation of repairs and upgrades after it was bought by the hall's owner, Simon Cunliffe-Lister.
He said: "We saw some great potential in renovating it and having this nostalgic, beautiful van in the gardens of Burton Agnes.
"We didn't really feel a modern-style ice cream van would be in keeping with the beautiful surroundings of the hall, so we wanted to get a vintage ice cream van, something that would transport our visitors back to their childhood days.
"My children are delighted to have an ice cream van on our doorstep – it will do good business from ourselves at least."
The van, named Islay's Ice Cream after the Cunliffe-Listers' six-year-old daughter, serves ice cream supplied by Mr Moo's dairy down the road.
It also features a high-end coffee machine using beans ground in Lincoln.
Mr Cunliffe-Lister said: "You can get a stonking cup of coffee and an ice cream at the same time.
"Visitors are drawn to the van and want to know the stories behind it.
"We've said it was established in 1598, because the house dates back to then, and that always raises a few eyebrows."
Now lovingly restored, the van was bought from a family in York, after years in a disused farm shed at Newby Hall.
The restoration work was a team effort involving estate workers and experts from nearby towns and villages.
Farm worker John Good spent six months repairing the engine so the vehicle could pass its MoT.
Bridlington-based carpenter and fitter Piers Moat designed the wooden interior and the estate's plumber and electrician both spent hours getting its ice cream system up to scratch.
The signs on its exterior were designed by sign painter Dave Dickinson, who lives in Burton Agnes village.
Mr Cunliffe-Lister said: "Bringing this hugely characterful old van back to life has been a real labour of love.
"We have spent two years painstakingly restoring the vehicle and it is a real thrill now to hear the tinkling chime ring out through the grounds.
"Vintage ice cream vans are very rare now, and we believe this is one of the oldest still in operation."
Burton Agnes Hall was built between 1598 and 1610 by Sir Henry Griffith and has been in the same family for more than 400 years.
Islay's Ice Cream can be found in the hall's courtyard, set amongst the shops and café.
The courtyard is open daily when the gardens are open, from 11am to 5pm.
Visit www.burtonagnes.com for more information.
