Magham Down memories
Here are memories of Magham Down and the local area. You can start now: Add your own Memory of Magham Down or a Magham Down photo.
St Mark's Church, Magham Down
The church was a mission hall, part of Hailsham Parish. It was constructed of green painted corrugated iron. There was just one large room, with a curtained vestry at the rear. There were two services a month, a communion service at 8am on the 4th Sunday, and on the third Sunday of the month, an afternoon service which was a mixture of Matins and Evening Prayer. On every Sunday except the third, Sunday School was held in the afternoons, 2.30 - 4pm. In the 1950's, there were about 40 children attending. The Lord's Table (NOT altar, according to the Vicar) was plain and enclosed by a wooden rail on a raised dais. Music was initially supplied by a little American organ, but this was later replaced by a piano. On the wall was a text "I can...through Christ", Phil 4.13, a copy of Holman Hunt's The Light of the World and two Margaret Tarrant pictures. The Vicar wanted them removed but the Sunday School Superintendent was adamant... Read more
Magham Down Red Lion And Post Office
My family moved to Magham Down in December 1953, when I was nearly 5.
The Red Lion was run by the Mounsey family. The shop and post office was run by Joyce Russell. In the shop were sweets in large glass jars, many made by Angear's of Herstmonceux. They were weighed out and sold by the quarter, in white paper bags. The shop was in the main part of the house, but the post office was separate, in an added single-storey building. Miss Russell hated opening the post office, and it took some courage for a small child to have to ask for stamps. But when I got older, she used to keep the commemoratives for me. In 1966 she was so cross with "strangers" coming in the buy the World Cup overprinted stamps, she bought her entire stock and kept them for her regulars. She was a keen swimmer, swimming in the sea all year round, and an avid tennis fan. To call in the shop when... Read more
Memories of East Sussex
Herstmonceux Re. Hailsham Rd 1965 Photo
Good to see the photo of Herstmonceux in 1965 along Hailsham Rd.
I was born outside the village in 1957, my father being the local Reverend from 1956 till 1973/4. The old car in the foreground was right outside the large village school and the tin building on the left was part of the village hall. Further along on the right was the local garage with showroom, owned by the big "Caffyns" group selling BMC and subsequently BL cars. The little, low white building was a further showroom, which could just about hold two cars! How I remember as a 12 year old, longing for my mother to buy a brand new white MG Midget that sat waiting in that showroom. My father could then afford two new cars every 18 months! That road went up to a little village called Cowbeach where father had a third "tin tabernacle" church with hand - pumped organ. Services were held there once a month, whilst most services were in Herstmonceux in... Read more
Has it Changed?!!!
I remember going to this Church as a child. Cannot remember the Ministers name. I thought it was surrounded by more trees. I walked past this chruch many times on my way to visit friends further down the road.
Vines Cross Road
I remember this scene very well as I used to live a little way down the road to the right, on the way to Vines Cross. I lived there, in fact, until about 1967 when I went to study in London. My parents continued to live there until about 1986 when they moved first to Heathfield and then to Suffolk to be near me and my family. My parents were members of the Horeham Players for many years and used to rehearse and perform in the CYF Hall which was further down the road on the way to Vines Cross.
The shops in the picture are those of Mr Delves the grocer - on the left and Mr Setterfield on the right. The latter was a bike shop.
Sandra Reynolds (nee Thomas)
High Street, Horam
Because of the grounds of Horeham Manor virtually all the shops were on the side of the road that is to the right in the photograph entitled "Horam, Main Road c1955". One exception can be seen in this picture, and I believe is still there now. It was a wooden structure, built (so I understand) by my late father and his brother (the latter died in 1955, before I was born). The two began selling produce from ground they rented from Horeham Manor, calling their business 'Manor Nurseries'. In about 1959 my father moved what had then become a greengrocery and florist business - using the same name - to the brick-built shop almost directly opposite (which since he finished in 1967 has itself been various types of shop, currently one selling antiques).
My father's name was John Pierson, and some of the shop personnel included Mr (Harry) Sands and Mrs (Marjorie) Pope. My name is Mark, and I was very young when... Read more
The Windmill
The windmill shown in the Willingdon photos was always known to me as the Polegate windmill. I remember it when it was in working order and watching the mill stones grinding the grain. This was in the 1950s when the Council houses were starting to be built there. Later the mill closed and went into decline for some years until it was decided to restore it. I knew the gentleman who was given the job of cleaning out the resident pigeon population and so secured quite a few very plump pigeons which were delicious, they having been so well fed on the grain that had been left stored in the mill.
Polegate, like Willingdon, has grown considerably since those early days as when I used to walk to Polegate from Lower Willingdon there were few house between the two villages, whereas now they are practically continuous.
Also, I was very familiar with Wannock Tea Gardens as I used to walk through them on my way to The Glen... Read more
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