Westdene
Encyclopedia
Westdene is an area of the city of Brighton and Hove, East Sussex
. It is a northern suburb of the city, west of Patcham
, the A23 (London Road)
and the London to Brighton railway line
, north of Withdean
and northeast of West Blatchington
. It is on the Brighton side of the historic parish boundary between Brighton
and Hove
. It is very close to the South Downs
, from which it is separated by the Brighton Bypass
, and was built on the slopes of two hills.
The first part of the suburb to be developed was part of Valley Drive, on which around 30 houses were built in the "Tudorbethan" style between 1932 and 1934. In 1938, local building firm Braybon Ltd signed a contract with Brighton Corporation to develop 168 acres (68 ha) of land nearby as an extension of the Withdean estate, with low-density housing of various types. Braybon had bought the land a year earlier. The Second World War intervened, and most of the building work took place in the 1950s.
Small greens and open spaces were provided, as were some shopping facilities. The central green was the site of a short-lived bowling green
, and an 18th-century barn that was part of a farm survived on the site until the mid-1960s. The Church of the Ascension, a public library and a primary school are nearby. The church, part of the parish of All Saints Church, Patcham
, was opened in February 1958; John Wells-Thorpe built the brick and glass structure. The school dates from 1961 and the library was opened in March 1964.
Westdene F.C.
were established in 1983. Later called Withdean F.C. and then Withdean 2000 F.C., they had success in the Sussex County Football League
and the Combined Counties Football League
, winning the latter in the 2002–03 season, before going out of existence in 2004.
Waterhall Mill
, also known as Patcham Mill, is a disused tower mill
which is now a house. It is on the slopes of Coney Hill just north of Westdene. It was awarded Grade II listed status by English Heritage
on 13 October 1952.
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:...
. It is a northern suburb of the city, west of Patcham
Patcham
Patcham is an area of the city of Brighton and Hove. It is approximately north of the city centre, bounded by the A27 to the north, Hollingbury to the east and southeast, Withdean to the south and the Brighton Main Line to the west...
, the A23 (London Road)
A23 road
The A23 road is a major road in the United Kingdom between London and Brighton, East Sussex. It became an arterial route following the construction of Westminster Bridge in 1750 and the consequent improvement of roads leading to the bridge south of the river by the Turnpike Trusts...
and the London to Brighton railway line
Brighton Main Line
The Brighton Main Line is a British railway line from London Victoria and London Bridge to Brighton. It is about 50 miles long, and is electrified throughout. Trains are operated by Southern, First Capital Connect, and Gatwick Express, now part of Southern.-Original proposals:There were no fewer...
, north of Withdean
Withdean
Withdean is a former village, now part of Brighton and Hove, East Sussex. The area was originally named in the 12th century, when it was called Wictedene. The area was historically farm land but has been developed, mainly in the 1920s and 1930s, with a mix of detached, semi-detached and mid-rise...
and northeast of West Blatchington
West Blatchington
West Blatchington is an area in Hove, East Sussex, England.The area grew rapidly in the inter-war period, but unlike nearby Hangleton it had more infrastructure, with St Peter's Church, a working farm, a windmill and an industrial area grouped around the Goldstone Pumping Station and its workers'...
. It is on the Brighton side of the historic parish boundary between Brighton
Brighton
Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...
and Hove
Hove
Hove is a town on the south coast of England, immediately to the west of its larger neighbour Brighton, with which it forms the unitary authority Brighton and Hove. It forms a single conurbation together with Brighton and some smaller towns and villages running along the coast...
. It is very close to the South Downs
South Downs
The South Downs is a range of chalk hills that extends for about across the south-eastern coastal counties of England from the Itchen Valley of Hampshire in the west to Beachy Head, near Eastbourne, East Sussex, in the east. It is bounded on its northern side by a steep escarpment, from whose...
, from which it is separated by the Brighton Bypass
A27 road
The A27 is a major road in England. It runs from its junction with the A36 at Whiteparish in the county of Wiltshire. It closely parallels the south coast, where it passes through West Sussex and terminates at Pevensey in East Sussex.Between Portsmouth and Lewes, it is one of the busiest trunk...
, and was built on the slopes of two hills.
The first part of the suburb to be developed was part of Valley Drive, on which around 30 houses were built in the "Tudorbethan" style between 1932 and 1934. In 1938, local building firm Braybon Ltd signed a contract with Brighton Corporation to develop 168 acres (68 ha) of land nearby as an extension of the Withdean estate, with low-density housing of various types. Braybon had bought the land a year earlier. The Second World War intervened, and most of the building work took place in the 1950s.
Small greens and open spaces were provided, as were some shopping facilities. The central green was the site of a short-lived bowling green
Bowling green
A bowling green is a finely-laid, close-mown and rolled stretch of lawn for playing the game of lawn bowls.Before 1830, when Edwin Beard Budding invented the lawnmower, lawns were often kept cropped by grazing sheep on them...
, and an 18th-century barn that was part of a farm survived on the site until the mid-1960s. The Church of the Ascension, a public library and a primary school are nearby. The church, part of the parish of All Saints Church, Patcham
All Saints Church, Patcham
All Saints Church is the Anglican parish church of Patcham, an ancient Sussex village which is now part of the English city of Brighton and Hove. A place of worship has existed on the hilltop site for about 1,000 years, but the present building has Norman internal features and a 13th-century...
, was opened in February 1958; John Wells-Thorpe built the brick and glass structure. The school dates from 1961 and the library was opened in March 1964.
Westdene F.C.
Withdean 2000 F.C.
Withdean 2000 F.C. were an English football team based in Withdean, in Brighton, who have in recent seasons played in the Combined Counties League...
were established in 1983. Later called Withdean F.C. and then Withdean 2000 F.C., they had success in the Sussex County Football League
Sussex County Football League
The Sussex County Football League is a football league broadly covering the counties of East Sussex, West Sussex and southeastern Surrey, England.Formed in 1920, the league now has six divisions - three for first teams and three for reserve sides...
and the Combined Counties Football League
Combined Counties Football League
The Combined Counties Football League is a regional English football league currently comprising teams from southwestern Greater London, Surrey, small parts of Hampshire and Berkshire, and Guernsey...
, winning the latter in the 2002–03 season, before going out of existence in 2004.
Waterhall Mill
Waterhall Mill, Patcham
Waterhall Mill is a grade II listed tower mill at Patcham, Sussex, England which has been converted to residential use.-History:Waterhall Mill was built in 1885 by James Holloway, the Shoreham millwright. It was the last windmill built in Sussex, and was working until 1924. The mill was converted...
, also known as Patcham Mill, is a disused tower mill
Tower mill
A tower mill is a type of windmill which consists of a brick or stone tower, on top of which sits a roof or cap which can be turned to bring the sails into the wind....
which is now a house. It is on the slopes of Coney Hill just north of Westdene. It was awarded Grade II listed status by English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
on 13 October 1952.