Lewes Road (5)

James Grey: The Barracks Tollgate dated from the early days of the 19th century, and stood in the Lewes Road opposite the present 32 Coombe Terrace. Beyond it stretched the long, flint Barracks wall with opposite, a few cottages and the Ship Inn. In 1873 part of the parish of Preston was incorporated with Brighton and the borough boundary was moved several hundred yards to the north. The toll gate then became unnecessary and it was removed about 1874/1875. Beyond the gate can be seen two chickens. It must be many years since hens walked across Lewes Road. jgc_28_087

James Gray: This photograph, 90 years later [than jgc_28_087 above], provides an interesting contrast. The Barracks were partly rebuilt, and a large stretch of the old flint wall demolished during the 1930s, but the old gateway remains and the adjoining strip of wall is just the same now as it appears in the 1867 photograph. jgc_28_088

2018: Over time, the buildings were all demolished to make way for the Pavilion Retail Park. (Photographer: Ron Fitton)

James Gray: Work is in progress for the initial stage of the widening of this important road, following the erection of the first buildings of the new Preston Barracks. The old blocks are to be seen in the background. The old wall was just by the old guardroom. Compare these with the 1867 and 1957 photographs [jgc_028_087 and 088] of the same spot on the previous page. I should know the year of the photograph, but have forgotten when the work was done, though I believe it was 1937 or 1938. Note the discipline of those hard days – all men busy working, none leaning on his shovel, and thankful to have a job. The trams finished running in August 1939. jgc_28_089

James Gray: In 1962, Brighton Corporation decided to widen Lewes Road from Hollingdean Road to Falmer and introduce dual carriageways. Here are four photographs of the old road [jgc_28_090, 091, 092 and 093] before operations started. jgc_28_090

2018: Despite the ever-increasing amount of traffic, the local council decided to return this busy arterial road to a single lane (with bus & cycle lanes) in 2013. (Photographer: Ron Fitton)

James Gray: [See caption for jgc_28_090 above.] jgc_28_091

2018: See caption for jgc_28_090 above. (Photographer: Ron Fitton)

James Gray: [See caption for jgc_28_ 090 above.] jgc_28_092

2018: This picture was taken just as the bulldozers were moving in to demolish the last of the Preston Barracks buildings – to be replaced by student accommodation. (Photographer: Ron Fitton)

James Gray: [See caption for jgc_28_090 above.] jgc_28_093

2018: Note the Polytechnic building (now University of Brighton) at the rear of Gray’s image. (Photographer: Ron Fitton) 

James Gray: Four more photographs of 1962 [jgc_28_094, 095, 096 and 097] showing the old road from Natal Road to Moulsecoomb Place. jgc_28_094

2018: Another image showing how much of the area has been demolished and rebuilt. (Photographer Ron Fitton)

James Gray: [See caption for jgc_28_094 above.] jgc_28_095

2018: The area south of Brighton University’s Cockcroft building is being redeveloped to provide student accommodation. (Photographer: Ron Fitton)

James Gray: [See caption for jgc_28_094 above.] jgc_28_096

2018: The last remaining building of the original Moulsecoomb Place estate (just visible through the trees) is next to the main campus of the University of Brighton. (Photographer: Ron Fitton)

James Gray: [See caption for jgc_28_094 above.] jgc_28_097

2018: See caption for jgc_28_096 above. (Photographer: Ron Fitton)

James Gray: At the time of this photograph there was little beyond the Inn, other than Cooper’s Nursery and Allen West. The south Mouslecoomb estate had yet to be built. The terminus of the Lewes Road Tramway was immediately opposite the Inn. The path on the right led to Pelham Cottages, 3 small houses hidden away behind Pelham Terrace. The Ship Inn was completely rebuilt in 1922. jgc_28_098

2018: The Ship Inn had a rather racy image but was transformed in the early 1990s when it was purchased by the University of Brighton. The building is now home to the Students’ Union administration office and Student Services. (Photographer: Ron Fitton)

James Gray:  View of the Inn not long after its rebuilding. Note that the pavement cellar flat is in the same position in the two photographs. The Inn was extended northwards over part of Cooper’s Nurseries. jgc_28_099

2018: See caption for jgc_28_098 above. (Photographer: Ron Fitton)

James Gray: This photograph, taken in 1907, is of the first pumping station to be established in Brighton. It was constructed in 1835 for the Brighton, Hove and Preston Water Company and was extended in 1853. It remained the sole pumping station until 1865 when a well was sunk at Goldstone, Hove. jgc_28_102

2018: Apart from a few stretches of the old flint and brick wall, every trace of the pumping station has totally disappeared.

James Gray: Cavalrymen watering and grooming horses at the stables in Preston Barracks, in 1907 jgc_28_103

2018: The majority of these buildings had been demolished by the 1980s, to be replaced by a retail park. The remainder of the site is now being redeveloped by the University of Brighton. (Photographer: Ron Fitton)

James Gray: Demolition of Preston Barracks in progress, 2 February 1989. The buildings shown here are those built in the 1930s, but it was many years before the land was made available by the Ministry of Defence. jgc_28_106

James Gray: The rural scene from Woodbine Cottage, about 1904. At the foot of the newly made Natal Road were the toll-keeper’s and policeman’s cottages, also seen on other pages. Until 1923 the Brighton – Preston boundary ran down by the fence on the right, across the Lewes Road and continued over the hill as can be seen in this photograph. The land in the left distance then formed part of Harrington Farm and later became the North Brighton allotments. The houses of Hollingdean Estate now cover it. Note the forerunner of Allen West’s premises and beyond, part of the old Cavalry Barracks.  jgc_28_117

James Gray: The Brighton Corporation’s Tramways Band grouped in what seems to be part of the recently opened Saunders Park (1924) named after the brothers, Arthur and Benjamin Saunders. The old flint walls were part of the original waterworks building. Year unknown – probably mid-1920s. jgc _28_186

2018: Erected on the site of the former waterworks, Saunders Park survives to this day. The band was active until the end of the Second World War, possibly longer. This photograph shows part of the same wall visible in the background of Gray’s image. (Photographer: Ron Fitton)