LIST OF BUILDINGS OF SPECIAL ARCHITECTURAL OR HISTORIC INTEREST

As nice as they are, what is so significant about the buildings listed in Chapel Street? Are they particularly old, can anyone enlighten me?

I have seen the listed building schedule and it says that the buildings may have been connected with the flour mill opposite. They say possible 18th century? Perhaps someone knows more?

Was Number 5 Chapel street a Public house called the Jolly Sailor?

As far as I know, the only Jolly Sailor pub in Chapel Street was further along on the opposite side of the road. Andy, Editor.

You are right Andy, I remember it now, spent a lot of time there on a Saturday evening.

Hi, some of these photos stirred my memories of my earlier working days. When the roof of St. Michaels church was renewed, the leadwork in the valleys were fitted by John "Taffy" Wells and myself. The NatWest bank building was in those days reputed to be the tallest in the town. On several occasions I have walked around that parapet under the top windows to repair the leadwork on the dormers. My name and date can also be found etched on the topmost chimney stack. Not much "elf and safety" in those days. As for now, I could not even look up there, let alone climb it. I will leave all that to the young fellers.

The "Jolly Sailor" pub  was on opposite side of road to No 5 Chapel Street, on left, which had a cutting into Bridge Street ( Woolgars Passage" along that side of Chapel Street was also  "Debrows" I believed it was called, then Dell Whites mens hairdresser, Howells Cobbler on corner of  Essex Place, opposite him was a sweet shop, then abit further on the right Hill's the bakers, loved their bread as kids, as we lived opposite. Does anyone remember a row of shops opposite the Jolly Sailor ?  One was a fish shop I think and a chimney sweep lived there, anyone remember? Then there was the big Co-op on the corner of Bridge Street and Chapel Street.

Thank you for all these lovely pictures. I'm especially glad to see St Michael's Church, also the Old Rectory where I spent my childhood (father was Rector 1947-54). The Rectory was all one house then - about 14 rooms plus 2 attics and a cellar, and very large garden. The upstairs window was my sister's bedroom.

10 Heighton Road was also known as "Orchard Meadow". My Aunt Bett and Uncle George lived there with my cousin Richard. I spent many years growing up in the village 1955-1970. We lived at 68 Denton Road my dad was Reg Rigby.

I hate to correct you Rose but the sequence of buildings you quote are a little out. "Debrows" was of course, "Devereux's", the grocer. "Howells the snobs" was on the corner of "Sussex Place" not Essex. (A reasonable mistake.) Dal White, the barber, was between the Jolly Sailor and the Co-op building. I do remember the opposite side of Chapel Street which had a row of very old cottages. No toilets, very bad condition. I did some "War Damage" repairs and painting there for Oxley and Bennett's. One of the Howells had another shoe repair shop there which backed onto the lane beside the infants school. My early pals lived opposite Hill's Bakery. The Hatchers, Robin, (Chicken). ("Appla") and Trevor, (Nimpscrew). Where those nicknames came from, I do not know. You must have known them Rose. Jack Patten

Seeing the Church of St. Leonard Denton, brought back memories. I was married there (lily Fenner) on 31st March 1956 at the age of 22. I am so glad that it is considered a heritage site. I believe it is very old. 

A plaque was unveiled at 10, Heighton Road, Denton, on Saturday, October 8th, in memory of my friend Ralph Reader who lived there as a boy. I would be very pleased to know the name of his uncle with whom he lived after his parents died.

Ralph's uncle that he went to live with was Fred Frost. Fred was married to Georgina (nee Lovegrove) and Georgina's father was a market gardener who Ralph helped. The property at that time was called "Rose Cottage".

Great to see pics & comments of these old buildings. My wife & I got married at the Church of St. Leonard Denton, in May 1970. We then lived in the (massive) flat above the National Westminster Bank for a couple of years, before buying a house in Meeching Road, called 'Meeching House'. Happy days, before the one way system !!!!

TO ROSE LINE...My Grandparents lived next door to the Fish shop in Chapel street for many years (Dunstall) Remember visiting when I was young abd the closed in back yard!

Regarding the the fish and chip shop opposite the Jolly Sailor (the landlord was Mr Simms). The fish shop was owned by Mr Bill Niner, who also had the shop/post office, and fish and chip shop in behind the houses in Gibbon Road. I lived with the Niners in Gibbon Road when I was 10 years old for 2 years, and spent some time with Bill senior in Chapel Street. He quite often popped over to the Jolly Sailor for a quick pint. Mrs Niner was related to the family of Rolfs Fishmongers at both Seaford and Brighton.

Number 5 Chapel Street, Newhaven, has spent a lot of its life as a butchers' shop.  My ancestor, Benjamin Towner worked (and even lived) there in the late 1870s/ early 1880s.  His elder brother Henry also had a butchers business in Newhaven for many years.  The Balcombes are another old Newhaven family of butchers.  At one time (mid 1800s) they owned and ran the town's slaughterhouse.   The Towners and Balcombes are related by marriage.  The premises at 5 Chapel Street was later occupied by "H. Dann, butchers", probably during the Edwardian period.  I visited the premises in 1987 and was told that there was no staircase in the building until the 20th century.  The upper floors were accessed by ladder only until then.  The listing fails to mention any of this.  Also, the flour mill building opposite, owned by the Towner brewery, was not demolished until 1987.   Peter Bailey took some photographs during its demolition.

Is the Flour Mill mentioned, behind Devereux's. If so, my father Fred Bishop started his cabinet business in that building in the early 1960's, prior to moving to New Road.

Hi, my great, great, great grandfather was William Lovegrove, the father of Georgina who married Ralph Reader's uncle. I know William Lovegrove died at the Shrubbery Denton Road. Does anyone have any photos of the Shrubbery or know the house number? Also if William was a market gardener did he have a shop in Newhaven. He was in an earlier life the first person to open a Greengrocer's shop in Purley, Surrey. 

Was the property at 61 Beresford Road of any significance. It looks like a small school. doctors surgery or hall? Any info available?

The house was the first property built in Beresford Road in c1905.

John -- Editor 

Does anyone remember the building called Bank House? Don’t know if it relates to Barclays or Nat West or another bank? My grandfather was the bank manager and my father was born in the house in the Twenties.