Ovingdean
Encyclopedia
Ovingdean is a small formerly agricultural village which was absorbed into the borough of Brighton
, East Sussex
, UK, in 1928, and now forms part of the city of Brighton and Hove. It has expanded through the growth of residential streets on its eastern and southern sides, and now has a population of about 1200. Some of the current housing replaces earlier shacks of the type once found in Woodingdean
and Peacehaven
, built after the First World War. It almost abuts Rottingdean
to the south-east and Woodingdean to the north-east, but still has open downland on its other sides, on which may be found a golf course and Brighton racecourse
as well as some residual farmland.
The name, which is Old English for 'the valley of people associated with a man called Ōfa', shows that the village has existed since Anglo-Saxon times. Little seems to have disturbed its peace since. It is sometimes said to have been attacked by French raiders in the known incursion of 1377, but there is no hard evidence for this. The historic village is a conservation area. Its focus is the eleventh-century St Wulfran's Church
. This dedication
was only ever found in two other places in England (Grantham
and Dorrington
, both in Lincolnshire
- it has vanished at Dorrington).
Many homes in the conservation area are converted farm buildings, and the most prominent houses are Ovingdean Grange
and Ovingdean Hall. The Grange is the subject of legend. In 1857, the popular novelist W. Harrison Ainsworth wrote Ovingdean Grange, A Tale Of The South Downs, in which he described how the future King Charles II
stayed there for less than 24 hours before escaping to France in 1651, fathering a child in the process. In reality, the king stayed at the George Inn in West Street, Brighton. The Hall is a gentry mansion which was the birthplace of Charles Eamer Kempe
, the stained glass window designer. It now serves as a school for deaf and hearing-impaired children, Ovingdean Hall School
, attended by children from all over the UK. The majority of pupils are partially deaf or are equipped with cochlear implant
s. Longhill School, a comprehensive school
, is on the edge of the village, with its postal address in Rottingdean.
Among those buried in the churchyard are the inventor Magnus Volk
, the stained-glass artist Charles Kempe
and the distinguished lawyer Helena Normanton
, one of the first female barristers and QCs. Also in the graveyard is a monument to the family of pioneer female medical student Sophia Jex-Blake
, who is buried some 25 miles away in Rotherfield
.
The village has a single shop (a sub-post office
) and no pub
.
Just outside the historic boundary of Ovingdean is Ian Fraser House, better known as St Dunstan's
, a famous residential and rehabilitation centre for blind ex-servicemen. It was also the home of 113-year old Henry Allingham
, the last surviving founder-member of the RAF and briefly the world's oldest man, He died peacefully in his sleep at the age of 113 years and 42 days.
Brighton
Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...
, East Sussex
East Sussex
East Sussex is a county in South East England. It is bordered by the counties of Kent, Surrey and West Sussex, and to the south by the English Channel.-History:...
, UK, in 1928, and now forms part of the city of Brighton and Hove. It has expanded through the growth of residential streets on its eastern and southern sides, and now has a population of about 1200. Some of the current housing replaces earlier shacks of the type once found in Woodingdean
Woodingdean
Woodingdean is an eastern suburb of the city of Brighton and Hove, East Sussex, separated from the main part of the city by downland and the Brighton Racecourse.-Source of name:...
and Peacehaven
Peacehaven
Peacehaven is a town and civil parish in the Lewes district of East Sussex, England. It is located above the chalk cliffs of the South Downs approximately six miles east of Brighton city centre, on the A259 road...
, built after the First World War. It almost abuts Rottingdean
Rottingdean
Rottingdean is a coastal village next to the town of Brighton and technically within the city of Brighton and Hove, in East Sussex, on the south coast of England...
to the south-east and Woodingdean to the north-east, but still has open downland on its other sides, on which may be found a golf course and Brighton racecourse
Brighton Racecourse
Brighton Racecourse is a horse racing course at Brighton, East Sussex in England, for flat races of up to about one and a half miles. The course is one of three courses in Britain which is not a circuit and forms a figure like three sides of a square, sloping, with wide left-hand turns and an...
as well as some residual farmland.
The name, which is Old English for 'the valley of people associated with a man called Ōfa', shows that the village has existed since Anglo-Saxon times. Little seems to have disturbed its peace since. It is sometimes said to have been attacked by French raiders in the known incursion of 1377, but there is no hard evidence for this. The historic village is a conservation area. Its focus is the eleventh-century St Wulfran's Church
St Wulfran's Church, Ovingdean
St Wulfran's Church, dedicated to Wulfram of Sens, a 7th-century French archbishop, is an Anglican church in Ovingdean, a rural village now within the English city of Brighton and Hove...
. This dedication
Wulfram of Sens
Saint Wulfram of Fontenelle or Saint Wulfram of Sens was the Archbishop of Sens. His life was recorded eleven years after he died by the monk Jonas of Fontenelle...
was only ever found in two other places in England (Grantham
Grantham
Grantham is a market town within the South Kesteven district of Lincolnshire, England. It bestrides the East Coast Main Line railway , the historic A1 main north-south road, and the River Witham. Grantham is located approximately south of the city of Lincoln, and approximately east of Nottingham...
and Dorrington
Dorrington, Lincolnshire
Dorrington is a village and civil parish in the North Kesteven district of Lincolnshire, England. It lies south of Digby and north of Ruskington. It is to the east of the north-south B1188, which lies just within the parish boundaries...
, both in Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire is a county in the east of England. It borders Norfolk to the south east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south west, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire to the west, South Yorkshire to the north west, and the East Riding of Yorkshire to the north. It also borders...
- it has vanished at Dorrington).
Many homes in the conservation area are converted farm buildings, and the most prominent houses are Ovingdean Grange
Ovingdean Grange
Ovingdean Grange is a grade II listed manor house situated on the south coast of England in the village of Ovingdean, east of Brighton. One of the oldest and most historical residences in Brighton, it gave its name to the novel Ovingdean Grange by the popular 19th-century writer William Harrison...
and Ovingdean Hall. The Grange is the subject of legend. In 1857, the popular novelist W. Harrison Ainsworth wrote Ovingdean Grange, A Tale Of The South Downs, in which he described how the future King Charles II
Charles II of England
Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
stayed there for less than 24 hours before escaping to France in 1651, fathering a child in the process. In reality, the king stayed at the George Inn in West Street, Brighton. The Hall is a gentry mansion which was the birthplace of Charles Eamer Kempe
Charles Eamer Kempe
Charles Eamer Kempe was a well-known Victorian stained glass designer. After attending Twyford School, he studied for the priesthood at Pembroke College, Oxford, but it became clear that his severe stammer would be an impediment to preaching...
, the stained glass window designer. It now serves as a school for deaf and hearing-impaired children, Ovingdean Hall School
Ovingdean Hall School
Ovingdean Hall School was a special day and boarding secondary school for the severely and profoundly deaf children and young people including those with additional special needs...
, attended by children from all over the UK. The majority of pupils are partially deaf or are equipped with cochlear implant
Cochlear implant
A cochlear implant is a surgically implanted electronic device that provides a sense of sound to a person who is profoundly deaf or severely hard of hearing...
s. Longhill School, a comprehensive school
Comprehensive school
A comprehensive school is a state school that does not select its intake on the basis of academic achievement or aptitude. This is in contrast to the selective school system, where admission is restricted on the basis of a selection criteria. The term is commonly used in relation to the United...
, is on the edge of the village, with its postal address in Rottingdean.
Among those buried in the churchyard are the inventor Magnus Volk
Magnus Volk
Magnus Volk was a pioneer British electrical engineer. He is most notable for having built Volk's Electric Railway, the world's oldest extant electric railway. He also built the unique, but short lived, Brighton and Rottingdean Seashore Electric Railway, together with its unusual Daddy Long Legs...
, the stained-glass artist Charles Kempe
Charles Eamer Kempe
Charles Eamer Kempe was a well-known Victorian stained glass designer. After attending Twyford School, he studied for the priesthood at Pembroke College, Oxford, but it became clear that his severe stammer would be an impediment to preaching...
and the distinguished lawyer Helena Normanton
Helena Normanton
Helena Florence Normanton, KC was the first woman to practise as a barrister in the UK. In 1922 she was called to the Bar of England and Wales at the Middle Temple, following the example set by Ivy Williams earlier that year....
, one of the first female barristers and QCs. Also in the graveyard is a monument to the family of pioneer female medical student Sophia Jex-Blake
Sophia Jex-Blake
Sophia Louisa Jex-Blake was an English physician, teacher and feminist. She was one of the first female doctors in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, a leading campaigner for medical education for women and was involved in founding two medical schools for women, in London and in...
, who is buried some 25 miles away in Rotherfield
Rotherfield
Rotherfield is a village and civil parish in the Wealden District of East Sussex, England. It is one of the largest parishes in East Sussex. There are three villages in the parish: Rotherfield, Mark Cross, and Eridge.-Etymology:...
.
The village has a single shop (a sub-post office
Post office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
) and no pub
Public house
A public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
.
Just outside the historic boundary of Ovingdean is Ian Fraser House, better known as St Dunstan's
St Dunstan's
St Dunstan's is a large national charity in the United Kingdom, providing support, rehabilitation and respite care to blind ex-service personnel of the British Armed Forces....
, a famous residential and rehabilitation centre for blind ex-servicemen. It was also the home of 113-year old Henry Allingham
Henry Allingham
Henry William Allingham was a British supercentenarian, First World War veteran and, for one month, the verified oldest living man in the world...
, the last surviving founder-member of the RAF and briefly the world's oldest man, He died peacefully in his sleep at the age of 113 years and 42 days.
Further reading
- Carder, Tim, The encyclopaedia of Brighton. Lewes: East Sussex County Council (1991).
- Coates, Richard, A history of Rottingdean and Ovingdean through their place-names. Nottingham: English Place-Name Society (2010).
- Davies, John G., research papers deposited locally, in e.g. East Sussex Record Office; the present writer is indebted to these papers.
External links
- http://www.mybrightonandhove.org.uk/page_id__6104_path__0p114p463p1255p.aspx
- http://www.theargus.co.uk/homes/area_guides/ovingdean.html