Pulborough, Swans Corner 1921

Hardham

Hardham was a place to bicycle to from Pulborough, and visit St. Botolph's Church. One of the many very very old churches in West Sussex. The drawings on the walls go back hundreds of years depicting the tortures of the early Christians, and the church preserves them with the lighting being restricted. I got locked in this church once - scary because of the lighting, but a beautiful place, surrounded by floods in the Spring, but has survived all that.
A shame there isn't much else there!

Oh!!! What a shame

Today, whilst visiting my mother who lives in the village I decided to park my car and walk through the village, a trip down memory lane. I was disappointed to see that many familar places no longer looked the same, there was a distinct lack of love and care to a number of places. The most prominent change was walking down Church Street, Church House had been altered and although I realise that modernisation has to take place, some alterations seemed out of place. Probably the biggest eyesore that met me at the bottom of Church Hill was the closure of the Elephant and Castle public house, two gates of differing sizes had been erected half way up the hill and tied together with a chain. How out of character for a village that has twice won the best kept village competition. The driveway was overgown and at first glance the image conjured up a memory of a part of London that I visited sometime ago. If the Pub is to be closed for ever then it needs to be done so that the image is in keeping with the village. However, this pub has always been a part of village life and could tell many stories, many of which I could contribute to. Does anyone care anymore about the keeping of the village or have all those who would care been forced out through rising house prices and the influence of city dwellers looking for a place in the country. West Chiltington, please do something about your village.

Smock Alley and the Five Bells public house

I used to visit my aunt and uncle in the middle to late fifties. They used to live at the bottom of Smock Alley in a large bungalow.  I remember walking up to the post office and cross roads.  Smock Alley was just like a cart track. When I last went back a few years ago, to my amazement it was like millionaires row. How things change from your early childhood.  We used to go around the corner to the Five Bells, run by a man called Roy.  My aunt and uncle's name was Attoe, Stan and Hetty, two children Mary and John.  I also remember sisters who lived just above my uncle's.  Their surname was I believe Strudwick.  Later my aunt and her family moved to Hurstan Warren.  My uncle worked for Miss Gardener and Miss Protheroe.