James Gray: Photographs of this [Lower Bevendean] farm before it was broken up for residential development. It was a very old farm as is recorded on the incised block seen in the last photograph of this group [jgc_28_158 below]: “C. G. 1723”. This was in the eastern end of the long barn. Brighton Corporation acquired the farm in 1913 and let to tenant farmers, the last of which was Mr West. The farmhouse is seen in the two top photographs [jgc_28_154 and 155] which show the front and rear of the 18th century building. Most of the many houses, which now cover this area, were built during 1948 and 1949 and little trace of the farm now remains. jgc_28_154
James Gray: [See caption for jgc_28_154 above.] jgc_28_155
2018: See caption for jgc_28_154 above. (Photographer: Ron Fitton)
James Gray: [See caption for jgc_28_154 above.] jgc_ 28_156
2018: See caption for jgc_28_154 above. (Photographer: Ron Fitton)
James Gray: [See caption for jgc_28_154 above.] jgc_28_157
2018: See caption for jgc_28_154 above. (Photographer: Ron Fitton)
James Gray: [See caption for jgc_28_154 above.] jgc_28_158
2018: See caption for jgc_28_154 above. (Photographer: Ron Fitton)
James Gray: Four more photographs [jgc_28_159, 160, 161 and 162] of the farm buildings, probably taken at the same time as those on the previous page, about 1948. I cannot pinpoint the positions of these buildings as although I knew of the existence of the farm, which was an extensive one, I did not visit it until Council rebuilding had commenced. jgc_28_159
2018: See caption for jgc_28_154 above. (Photographer: Ron Fitton)
James Gray: [See caption for jgc_28_159 above.] jgc_28_160
2018: See caption for jgc_28_154 above. (Photographer: Ron Fitton)
James Gray: [See caption for jgc_28_159 above.] jgc_28_161
2018: See caption for jgc_ 28_154 above. (Photographer: Ron Fitton)
James Gray: [See caption for jgc_ 28_159 above.] jgc_28_162
2018: See caption for jgc_28_154 above. (Photographer: Ron Fitton)
James Gray: This is a photograph of Lower Bevendean Farm, or Heath Hill Farm as it was often called, about 1900, taken from the high ground where Auckland Drive is now. At this period the farm was outside the borough boundaries and was quite remote from Brighton though it could be seen from the Race Hill. Even after the building of the South Moulsecoomb council estate, half a mile separated the farm from the nearest houses. In 1947 the farm was acquired by Brighton Corporation for rebuilding and the Bevendean estate was laid out in the following years. jgc_28_163
James Gray: This view is of the same area about 50 years later. It is from the same vantage point, but now shows Taunton Road, Hornby Road and Auckland Drive, where previously there were just fields. jgc_28_164
2018: See caption for jgc_28_163 above. (Photographer: Ron Fitton)
James Gray: View of the farm buildings, from the south. The farm was about ¼ mile distance from the end of the Avenue, Moulsecoomb, from which it was approached by a narrow lane on the site of the present Heath Hill Avenue. jgc_28_166
2018: See caption for jgc_28_154 above. (Photographer: Ron Fitton)