About Hollingdean, fabulous city and sea views
But what about Hollingdean, the housing estate between Round Hill and Hollingbury...
It’s those laines again...
Hollingdean takes its name from one of the ancient laines, also of ‘North Laine’ fame, that formed the parish of Preston in the early 1800s.
The area is bounded by Round Hill, Hollingbury, Ditchling Road and the rail line to Lewes.
There was already housing on the site in the 1800s, pulled down when the current Hollingbury Road and Roedale Roads were built, followed by more homes in and around Hertford Road in the 1920s.
But most of the council estate was built in the ‘50s, with more added in later decades.
Whatever happened to Harrington Farm?
Harrington Farm used to stand between Hollingdean Terrace and the south end of Hertford Road, demolished in the 1920s and covered up by Hertford Road School, which was built on the site in1921.
If you want to find any old buildings from the pre-estate era, Lower Roedale cottages date back to around 1890.
Dog Kennel Road’s grim history
Hollingdean Road was once called Dog Kennel Road because of the Union Hunt's kennels, which sat on the site of the old wholesale meat market and abattoir dating back to 1894.
In its first year the abattoir was responsible for the slaughter of almost 7,000 animals. By 1928 it was killing 28,000 creatures a year, and it wasn’t closed down until 1986.
Find number 84 Hollingdean Road and you’ll find the pretty flint-knapped home of the abattoir’s Superintendent, or boss.
The original Dog Kennel Road ran between Lewes Road and the Jolly Brewers pub on Florence Place, forming the boundary between Brighton and Preston until the late 1920s.
Fab sea views
There is a children’s' play area at the top of Hollingdean, and plenty of places to stroll along the golf course, overlooking the city with amazing views over the sea.
Locals remember Toomeys garage on Roedale Road, an important local employer in the area whose premises was demolished in 2006.
The site, on Roedale Road, had previously been home to various laundry companies, from the late 1890s onwards.
Fascinating recent developments
Golf Drive was built in the 1980s on part of the old Lower Roedale farm and the site of Hollingbury Park old Golf Club house and pavilion.
The houses enjoy lovely views of the Burstead Woods and the allotments down in the Roedale Valley, and were built to blend into the environment.
They used timber frames made from renewably-sourced pine and some of the rooves were turfed with grass.
Most recently, the low cost Lynchet Close housing estate was built east of Brighton University, 57 two storey terraced homes bounded by woodland and completed in 1995.
How do you feel about living in Hollingdean?
If you live in Hollingdean, we’d love to know what you like best about it, to share with our community.
Feel free to leave a comment below...
