James Gray: An unusual view of the base of this massive railway viaduct, taken about 1960. Built in the late 1860s, to carry the short feeder line from Kemp Town to Brighton Central, it stood exactly upon the site of the shops seen in a photograph on another page. In fact the stone pillar, by the archway, is one on the right of the two in the earlier photograph [see jgc_28_051 on the Lewes Road (2) page].
James Gray: Enlarged copy of a small, old and badly faded original photograph by the mid-Victorian photographer, William Cornish. Most of the detail had already been lost on the original. Fortunately the buildings are easily recognisable though the surrounding area has completely changed. This view shows the Lodge at the entrance to the Extra-Mural Cemetery standing in the country setting of rural Lewes Road.
James Gray: Enlarged copy of a small, old and badly faded original photograph by the mid-Victorian photographer, William Cornish. Most of the detail had already been lost on the original. Fortunately the buildings are easily recognisable though the surrounding area has completely changed. View of the newly erected Chapel of the Parochial Cemetery and obviously older than the 1865 photograph [jgc_28_045] with the absence of memorial stones.
James Gray: An enlargement of the 1860 photograph [see jgc_28_042] by that well-known Victorian photographer, Edward Fox. The modern enlargement is less clear than the original. jgc_28_041
2018: The trees behind the chapel and mausoleum have grown considerably since the original photo was taken and there are a lot more gravestones and tombs. The iron railings surrounding the mausoleum have gone, presumably removed during World War II. (Photographer: Ron Fitton).
James Gray: At the time of this photograph the cemetery had been opened for 10 years, the first internment being on 27 November 1851. One of the large stone tombs seen in the distance is that of Rev. F.W. Robertson (Robertson of Brighton – Holy Trinity) who was buried here in 1853. This was the first burial ground established outside those three contiguous to St Nicholas Church, hence the name Extra-Mural. jgc_28_042
2018: See caption for jgc_28_041 above. (Photographer: Ron Fitton).
James Gray: A present day reproduction of an early photograph taken by a well known Brighton Photographer, Edward Fox. This shows the memorial stone to Revd. FW Robertson, who died in 1853, and who was interred here. There is no need for me to enlarge upon this man’s reputation.
James Gray: Here is a view which no one alive will ever see, except in this photograph. It was taken about 50 yards up the drive leading to the cemetery from Lewes Road, looking south-west across the valley to the ridge of Ditchling Road. The houses on the skyline are four on the west side of Richmond Road, with lower down a house either in Roundhill Crescent or Upper Lewes Road.
James Gray: The recently erected Chapel of the Parochial Cemetery, also in 1865. The cemetery had been opened only a few years earlier, in 1857. Note the vast expanse of open ground behind the chapel, now filled in with gravestones. This photograph was copied from an original taken by the well-known Victorian photographer, Edward Fox. jgc_28_045
James Gray: Early photographs, from about 1860, of the recently opened Chapel at the Parochial Cemetery off the Lewes Road. These are recent prints from original wax paper negatives. In this photograph, note the low building at the left. This was known for many years as the Shepherds Hut, a stone building, and stood on the east side of Bear Road, near to where the Downs Crematorium is today. jgc_28_046
James Gray: Early photographs, from about 1860, of the recently opened Chapel at the Parochial Cemetery off the Lewes Road. These are recent prints from original wax paper negatives. jgc_28_047
2018: See caption jgc_28_045 above.
James Gray: These photographs were copied from very ancient, faded and small originals, which account for their blemishes. Almost certainly the period is about 1860. They show, above, the Church from the south-east looking towards Lewes Road. The white marble broken column to the left is still there after more than 100 years, and is in good order. It was erected in 1857 to the memory of W.A. Platt, a youth of 17. jgc_28_048
2018: The building is actually the Church of England mortuary chapel and survives to this day mostly intact. Again the metal railings have been removed from around the tomb and the number of graves and mature trees has increased enormously. (Photographer: Ron Fitton)
James Gray: This view to the east shows the Chapel used by Nonconformists, taken from just above the monument to the Revd. FW Robertson, erected in 1854. Both Church and Chapel were designed by Amon Henry Wilds, architect to the Brighton Extra-Mural Company. jgc_28_049
2018: The Nonconformist mortuary chapel, built by A H Wilds in an atypical style for him, has long vanished. I have been unable to ascertain an exact date so far but the oldest grave on the site that the chapel once occupied is dated 1925 so presumably sometime before then. Note the absence of the metal railings that surrounded many of the tombs and monuments. (Photographer: Ron Fitton)
James Gray: The Lodge. jgc_28_054
2018: The Lodge (originally designed by AH Wilds) was demolished in 1956 as it was no longer considered fit for human habitation. A small section of the original wall is still visible by the side of the student accommodation block built to the south of the site. The buildings visible through the arch were all demolished in 1984 to make way for the Vogue Gyratory. (Photographer: Ron Fitton)
James Gray: View of the entrance. jgc_28_055
2018: Despite the passage of time the two views look superficially quite similar. However, the Nonconformist mortuary chapel visible in the left rear of the original photo has now been demolished. Compared to the earlier photo of 1860 (see jgc_28_049) the chapel has lost the top of its spire. (Photographer: Ron Fitton)
James Gray: Brighton Corporation took over this privately owned cemetery in 1956. Soon after it was decided to remove the old entrance lodge, which was damp, dilapidated and hardly fit for further occupation. A new house was built higher up the entrance drive and then the old building, more than 100 years old, was demolished as shown above. jgc_28_056