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Bepton
Bepton maps
Historic maps of Bepton and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis. View all Bepton maps
Bepton area books
Displaying 1 of 24 books about Bepton and the local area. View all books for this area
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Memories of Bepton
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memories of Bepton.
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446 Bepton - The Lovely Old House
I stayed a number of times at this address whith my father's relatives, an Aunty Nance and Uncle Jack (possibly a Howick connection).
West Sussex memories
Down North Street
This old picture shows very few cars and people. It also shows the old Cinema and clock tower on the left. This was sadly demolished to make way for a ghastly supermaket, which is ugly and in disrepair at this time Jan 2007.
Looking Down North Street
This picture is much the same as the previous one. The horse and carriage should be on the left side...but who cares, there's nothing coming up the right side.
The Grammar School's tall oaks can be seen in the distant centre.
My Home
I lived in the Wheatsheaf for 20 years. My parents Len and Desi Murphy were Landlord and Landlady from 1950-1977 The pub had only a beer licence when Dad took over. What a great photo. I remember the Catholic church bell ringing and the nuns processing to the church from the convent on Sundays. Eventually the new church was built and the bell removed. Sometime in the 1960s the top half of the chimneys were removed for safety reason, mainly vibration from heavy traffic on Rumbolds Hill. I don't know the date of original structure but the building was renovated in 1621, a date inscribed on one of the beams facing Wool Lane. We had a magnificent view from our front bar window all the way down North Street, which was much quieter than today.
West Street Shops
Shops on West Street in the 1960s were left to right: Merritts the butcher next door to Blackiston the butcher, famous for the specialty sausages, also had its own slaughterhouse and in the back garden an Anderson shelter used by us kids as a 'camp'. Next door florist and green grocer, Goldrings. Harris's the grocer, Bannisters the jeweller, you know, the old-fashioned type that could actually repair watches, clocks and jewellery. On the corner of West Street/Grange Road was Frisby's shoes and on the other corner was Mr Churchman's which became Rice Bros, saddlers, leather, fishing tackle. Burchnell's newsagent, where I was a paperboy for several years, Pearces grocers. Mr Pearce used to make his own 'Scrumpy Cider' at his 'press' on Easebourne Street where he had another shop and residence. We used to buy it for the Wheatsheaf in 5 gallon refillable earthenware jars. It was so strong that Dad would water it down with several pint bottles of lemonade. Even then 3 pints were more than enough for any... Read more
School Days
We lived at Lower Cranmore Farm, I remeber starting in the village school when I was 5yrs old, it was quite a long walk to school, people were allowed to let animals run loose on the common in those days, I remember the Frankhams having a dun pony that we often used to see, also the Lovejoys carthorses were often seen out on the common too, those were the days ! I stayed at the school until it closed, then we were all shipped off to Grafham school, before going off to Midhurst, my friends included Nancy, David and Peggy Hills, Pat Campbell, who came to live next door with Mr & Mrs Chapman, Alan Taylor, and the Jackson girls. I remember that there was a shop just up past the school, it was a real lovely little village, lots of open spaces all around, there used to be an old man who used to be a mole catcher, he used to wear a big black coat and ride an old... Read more
Bottom of Easebourne Street, Went to Primary School Further up
The Village Post Office was in the white building on the left, and is still there today 18th Jan 2007.
On the right behind the wall is the Estate Office where my Father, Jack Owen, worked for many years as Chief accountant.
