Willingdon memories
Here are memories of Willingdon and the local area. You can start now: Add your own Memory of Willingdon or a Willingdon photo.
Willingdon Childhood
I was born and raised in Willingdon and lived two doors away from the previous correspondent Ian Friend. I also attended the school referred to as Willingdon Church Hall before a new school was built in Rapsons(?) Road, Lower Willingdon. I have very fond memories of my childhood days there and spent many hours playing and exploring the Downs nearby. The Chalk Pit above Willingdon was a favourite area where I explored for fossils and iron pyrites. One of the unique features of the Downs (I think) was the dew ponds. These were round concave excavations created at appropriate positions at or near the bottom of long slopes. These ponds were created for sheep to drink and accumulated water from dew that condensed when cold air moved down the slopes at night and formed droplets when it drifted over these ponding areas which had retained warmth from the daytime sun. These seemed a very effective idea with no running costs and I used to catch newts and tadpoles in these... Read more
Wannock Gardens
We went to Wannock Gardens in a minibus, which belonged to the Hucks family of Burham Nr Rochester. I remember getting into trouble with my nan for sipping tea out of a saucer, like some of the old ladies were doing.
WISH HILL
Also my Uncle Ken was born there too. My grandfather lived there and worked at Ratton Manor. As I am researching the family history, does anyone have any information on the Manor, which was owned by Lord and Lady Willingdon? If so, email me please with any info at: daveparris977@btinternet.com
The Parris
My grandmother, whose name was Beth Parris, lived at 29 Wish Hill, the row of cottages just before the Red Lion which is on the left as you look at the photo, with sister Eva and brother Ken The whole family were well known to all. By the way, II am researching the family history so anyone who has info on the Parris family or old photos, please drop me an e-mail to: daveparris977@btinternet.com Thank you.
Wannock Gardens
I had no idea Mr Wootton could be so fierce! I worked at Wannock Gardens during my summer holidays fifty-odd years ago, along with a very interesting mix of people, old and young. Roger Tanner
Mr Holter's Sweet Emporium!
Mr Holter was my grandad! I have great memories of the shop at the triangle but no pictures, can anyone help?
Willingdon
My grandparents lived near the British Queen on Eastbourne Road near the tiny grocers store and I have happy memories of spending summer holidays on the downs and Donkeys Hollow picking bluebells. I would love to hear from anyone who can recall the name of the store please. I also used to visit Mr Holter's sweet emporium! What fun.
Willingdon Church Hall
Referring to the photograph ref: W446012 I used to attend Sunday School in the pictured church hall from the mid 1950's to 1960 the teacher being Miss Parris. I also went to Cubs at the Memorial hall opposite the church hall (out of picture to the left) at the same time. I remember the A22 being the main road between Eastbourne and London and pre speed limit days there were many fatal accidents on this road, mostly at Lower Willingdon where I lived at 77 Eastbourne Road. I now live in Brisbane, Australia.
Southdown Cottages
My paternal grandmother`s sister, Aunt Lil (Lily) and husband Uncle Perc (Percy) Noakes lived down the narrow pathway in the middle of the Southdown Cottages. As a child we used to visit them and I remember they had a cottage garden. Originally those cottages at the back were Tea Rooms. Uncle Perc was the local Chimney Sweep and during his working life he was known to most people as everybody had coal fires in those days. I remember him for looking like a Victorian with a long curly moustache. In their retirement they were cleaners of the Midland Bank which is still recognisable but is empty. They had two daughters, my father's cousins Doris and Connie.
Memories of East Sussex
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
Wannock Tea Gardens in The 1950,S & Early 60,S.
I remember catching the charabanc from Brighton seafront on a Sunday afternoon with my Nanna and invarably choosing the Wannock Tea Gardens coach outing. I used to love going there, it was a real treat for me as a youngster. We came for a good few years in the 50's and early 60's. Being a pensioner myself now, I have the privilege of living in Polegate. but sad that the Wannock Tea Gardens are no more.
Proposal
This is where Alan asked me to marry him on a beautiful moonlit evening in January. The weather was mild and the moonlight was shining on the sea making it all silvery. There weren't many people around, just the odd jogger and dog walker as it was a Monday night.
I guessed what was happening as he was so nervous, but due to some advice from my friend Simone I kept quiet for once. He took my hands in his and gave a lovely speech about the year we have spent together and then got down on one knee and asked me to be his wife.. and of course I said yes. The mischievous side of me was dying to mess around though and pretend otherwise, but I decided that would be too naughty.
Afterwards we walked home, which is close to the seafront and shared a bottle of champagne whilst we called and texted our family and friends with our news. Everyone was very happy... Read more
Our First Home Together.
In September 2007 my partner Alan and I moved into a first floor flat on Tideswell Road directly opposite the church. The fact that the lounge windows overlook the church was the clincher for me when I was viewing the flat for rental. I love the fact that we are not overlooked by other properties which is very unusual for a town centre property. The church itself is a very attractive building and a great piece of architecture. The gardens are smart and well maintained, although small boys sometimes get told off for playing football on the grass. There are now some trees on the pavement around the church which were really pretty when we moved in, dark green and covered in berries (a bit bare at the mo though as its March).
As I am typing this I can see the church out of my window and it hardly looks any different to the photo. Although the picture doesn't relay the size of the building, it is huge!... Read more
Glyndley Manor Hankham
We had many a happy holiday in Eastbourne, staying at Glyndley Manor, an old Elizabethan Manor house, between the years of 1961 and 1970. It had a mounting block in front of the entrance that me and my three sisters used to love climbing on. In the hallway there was a lovely old cabinet with mother-of-pearl inlay. We used to love playing in the grounds. The gong used to be banged when it was time for breakfast or dinner. There was a herony and a dove cote. Our Mum & Dad didn't have a car in the earlier years and we used to walk into Eastbourne along the country lanes with hardly a car passing us.
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