Historic Eastbourne (audio/visual)
History on your doorstep
A Brief History of Eastbourne (9.49 Mins) (in sound only)
This brief but very interesting history of the town by local shool teacher, Miss Ash, was recorded by us in the 1960s.
Mitchelham Priory (8.05 Mins) (in sound only)
In 1973, I walked in the grounds of Mitchelham Priory and spoke to the curator about the history of this historic building.
Stone Cross Windmill (9.43 mins)
Town Hall Tour (28.03 mins)
John Stevens (in sound only)
In the 1970’s we recorded with local historian, John Stevens, a series of interesting stories about Eastbourne’s history. Many of these were personal memories as John lived in the town all his life and was an important member of the Town Hall staff.
Open Spaces (7.47 mins) > Click to Listen
Memories of World War 1 (8.39 mins) > Click to Listen
Memories of World War 2 (10.16 Mins) >Click to Listen
Memories – Street Names (8.14 Mins) > Click to Listen
Railways (7.20 Mins) > Click to Listen
Clergy (5.03 Mins) < Click to Listen
Clergy 2 (9.21 Mins) > Click to Listen
Parkland (7.41 Mins) > Click to Listen
Hurst Family (4.42 Mins) > Click to Listen
Water (6.22 Mins) > Click to Listen
Eastbourne Redoubt (28.42 mins) (in Sound Only)
In the 1970’s, Assistant Curator, Robert Owen took us on a tour of the Redoubt Fortress.
The Methodist Church in Eastbourne (48.41 mins) (in Sound Only)
Shinewater Park – An Ancient History (7.18 mins)
Shinewater Park was completed in 2002 within the water meadows that drain the land from as far as Folkington. During the landscaping of the park the remains of a Bronze Age (800 to 600BC) site was discovered, on what was once an estuary linking the sea to Hailsham. There were remains of a track stretching back to the South Downs and a wooden platform with numerous artifacts including a very rare sickle with its wooden handle still intact, now displayed in the British Museum.
The Beaker Site at Birling Gap (in Sound Only)
In 1969, Richard Bradley from Southampton University undertook a rescue archaeological dig of the fast eroding cliff edge Beakersettlement at Birling Gap, near East Dean in East Sussex, England. Until this time the Beaker folk, that had come originally from whatis now Spain, where considered to be nomads, but the results of this dig was to prove far more than that. This is a week by week recording made by Robert Armstrong, with narration by Barbara Ray.
Part One (1hr 19mins) – In 1968, a Beaker period settlement site was discovered at Birling Gap, on the ground above the cliffs. The Beaker Folk were nomads and rarely had fixed settlements, so this find was of prime importance. During the Summer months we covered the excavation by weekly reports on the progress.
> Click to Listen
Part Two – As the archaeological exavation comes to its end, we hear the results of the dig and its importance to future investigations.
St Mary’s Parish Church (1.48 mins)
The parish church of St Mary was erected on the foundations of a Saxon church dedicated to St Michael; the present building was erected around the period 1145-1190, and rededicated to St Marythe Virgin. Its fine Norman tower is a dominant feature of the Old Town. With the constant erosion of the town’s ancient character, the church now stands flanked on three sides by the old Parsonage, the Lamb Inn and by the Pilgrims house in Borough Lane.
St Mary’s Church (44.18 mins) (in Sound Only)
Rev. Canon Cyril Bess, formerly Rural Dean of Eastbourne, takes the listener on a tour of the ancient church reflecting its history and features. Recorded in 1979.
Willingdon Church (46.51 mins) (in Sound Only)
All Saints Church (11.24 mins) (in Sound Only)
Christchurch (in Sound Only)
St Andrews Church, Blackwater Road (40.57 mins) (in Sound Only)