A journey to town in the 18th century

Taken from the river bank of Denton Island in the 1970s, it encompasses a lot in a small area.

Let us imagine how things were just over 220 years ago, long before the island was created with the digging out of the North Quay.

We have trudged over the flatlands from Denton, some cattle grazing, but an area capable of flooding, our objective to visit a few shops in close-by Newhaven.

No busy roads, railways or rivers obstruct our path until we come to one or two cottages beside the sharp curve of the Ouse before it straightens out in a more direct channel as it heads towards the sea.

Somewhere close to hand should be the local ferryman. He maintains the connection across the river with a strange raft-like vessel which can convey people, small wheeled vehicles and some farm animals.

Herds of cattle would have to use the low tide ford which was reached via a track at the sea end of what we now call Chapel Street (this approach is still there today and connects with Fort Road).

We have paid our ferryman and reached the town landing ramp. To the left and right are various wharfside buildings which you would expect to see at a small port but prominent is a rather long and plain building with a wind directional ventilating shaft.

This is the famous Tipper Brewery, which we are told supplies cart loads of their famous tipple to the Royal Pavilion at Brighthelmstone, where it is very popular.

There is talk that the brewer is involved with others in trying to get an act passed by our King George III to enable a wooden bridge to be erected at the ferry site, one which could open to let shipping through.

Of course, there would have to be a toll, but it could make Newhaven (once Meeching) quite famous. Think of all the traffic which could pass through without hindrance. The bridge arrived in 1784 and the traffic has kept passing ever since.

Returning to the photo which I took in the early 1970s, the railway-provided brick bridge, which replaced the wooden drawbridge, is at the left. Where it reached the opposite bank would have been the large house Riverside and to its left, the brewery building.

Leading into the High Street is the side of the Bridge Hotel (or Inn '“ it has been both). Its most important patron was, I suppose, the last King of France, the exiled Louis Philippe. In 1848, with his Queen and party, they stayed the one night and left by train next morning for Croydon.

Towering beyond the hotel is the bank building of NatWest '“ when built it was the London and County Bank. Leading away and into the High Street is the block of shops and flats, Coronation Buildings.

The dilapidated state to the right, suggests the clearance which went on for some time in readiness for the coming of Northway which would eliminate all traffic congestion in our strangled area. With this came the new bridges, both urgently needed '“ the mechanical swinging one and the wider fixed, to Denton Island.

PETER BAILEY

Peter Bailey is curator of the Newhaven Local and Maritime Museum based in its own fascinating premises in the grounds of Paradise Park in Avis Road, Newhaven. Summer opening hours are daily, 2-4pm or by arrangement. Admission 1 (accompanied children free). Contact the curator on 01273 514760. Log on to the website at www.newhavenmuseum.co.uk