WEST QUAY - 1890

West Quay and Fort Road

By Laurie Stonehouse

This old picture postcard from the 1890's, shows a view from the East Quay looking west towards the West Quay. The dwellings to the right of the photograph are the old Railway Cottages, these buildings are still standing and now have Fort Road addresses. The cluster of structures behind these cottages would be Meeching Court Farm. The large rectangular building to the left of these cottages and behind the vessel is currently No 20 Fort Road occupied by Lewes District Council.  Continuing left is the Detatched House Lorraine which was demolished to make way for a new fire station in 1964, the track that leads up next to this structure must be Lorraine Road.  Grays House owned by Dr Brooks is just in view behind Lorraine. In the distance and in the middle of this picture is the flat roofed building Lightlands. The building with the four points to the right of the track is a lower part of Hillcrest Road, continuing left there is a  further section of Hillcrest Road that overlooks the Harbour.

Photo:West Quay and Fort Road - 1890

West Quay and Fort Road - 1890

G Amy Collection

This page was added by Laurie Stonehouse on 08/03/2013.
Comments about this page

Does anyone have any information on the history of Lightlands?

If indeed this is a picture from 1890 (I have my doubts) then unfortunately the house described as "Lightlands" in the picture is in fact "Cathay" which was in Western Road and later occupied by the Harbour Master.

The all white house "Lightlands" was not built till well after this picture was taken in around 1906 and stood there on its own for another 20 years, till in the mid to late 1920's further houses of what we now known as First Avenue were started to be built.

I can recall in the 1940/50's  "Lightlands" was occupied by a Mr Fraser who I believe may have been a inspector in the police force. It later was converted into flats by Bannisters Builders in the late 1960's. 

Link to picture of "Lightlands" (in bottom left-hand corner) taken in 1920.

Has anyone else got any information about the house for Andrew.

John -- Editor

By Andrew Cunningham
On 19/06/2020

I think that the extension to Lightlands and the conversion into flats was around 1974 (planning permission was approved in 1972). The land on which Lightlands was built was originally owned by the Right Honourable Henry North Holroyd Earl of Sheffield?

That might have been planning for an additional extension and a further self contained flat on the side of the property.

 John -- Editor

By Andrew Cunningham
On 19/06/2020
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