James Gray: Woodingdean, as we now know it, dates from 1911 when the Brighton Downs Estate Co. Ltd. bought 350 acres of land east of the Falmer Road from Mr. Steyning Beard of Rottingdean. The Company then sold off the land in plots. Those adjoining the roads, such as they were, measuring 40’ x 200’ were sold for £30 and those in the back lands, consisting of an acre apiece, fetched £50!
James Gray: Bungalows in Downland Drive, December 1964. Still there. jgc_33_093
2019: The description of the original photograph appears to be incorrect because there has never been a Downland Drive in Woodingdean. Here is a photograph of some bungalows in Downland Road instead. (Photographer: Ron Fitton)
James Gray: This was one of the first parts of the Downs Estate to be developed. The rough track, known as Downland Road and seen here, was laid out in the 1920s and some of the bungalows in this road date from then. This and the next photograph [jgc_33_107] were taken on 29 April 1962. Later in that year and in 1962 an estate of houses and bungalows were built on the site between these two roads. jgc_33_106
2019: Downland Road was originally called Reservoir Road before it was adopted. Here is the same view today showing how it is now much more developed. The street just to the right of the picture is Warren Rise. (Photographer: Ron Fitton)
James Gray: [See caption for jgc_33_106 above.] jgc_33_107
2019: The same view of Downland Road, now much more developed. The view of the old Drove Road is just visible in the middle left of the original photograph although it is is now completely obscured by bungalows. (Photographer: Ron Fitton)
James Gray: This photograph was taken some time after the previous two photographs, when the new roadway had been formed. jgc_33_108
2019: The west side of Downland Road (shown as the foreground in the original photograph) was developed not long after the picture was taken and the earlier buildings on the east side replaced. (Photographer: Ron Fitton)