Charmandean-History.co.uk

These pages collate some of the maps and photos of interest which we have found when researching the history of the estate, and some can be found throughout the rest of the site.

Thanks is provided to each source for use of maps or photos online in this site.

We have done some research recently into the estate plot itself, tracking it over the generations, which has yielded quite a few interesting points.

It makes sense for this to be in chronological order, starting with the early 1800's map, which interestingly doesn`t show Charmandean. We have included the wider area for historical interest:

Admin Note: If this map is correct, from c.1813, then it cannot be correct from Henfrey Smail's book that the original Charman Dean House was built as a farmhouse in c.1806 by John Penfold. That's history for you - its difficult to confirm 200 years later!

See People pages for more information.

The red arrow points to where Charmandean House and Estate was subsequently located.

Citation:visionofbritain.org.uk;Ordnance Survey First Series 1813:

Next in the timeline is c.1824, when there is a residence called 'Charming Dean' present.

Although our sources have this map dated 1824 OS, it should be noted the name of the estate is the early references of 'Charming Dean'.

Note the estate is much smaller than today, and it's driveway is solely from Charmandean Lane.

The plot does not extend down to the Upper Brighton Road, nor include West and North sections which latterly formed part of the estate.

This is backed up by the sale particulars in August 1838, describing it having 'sixteen acres of rising ground', and up for auction named as 'Charming Dean' .

Then, c.June 1841, possibly when Ann Thwayes purchased Charmandean, the name changed to Charman Dean which we knew, however points of interest:

The Southern boundary now appears to reach the Upper Brighton Road

The West boundary of the estate is further East than today

The driveway can be seen here to Charmandean Lane

There is no mention of the West driveway, which we know ran up the Western boundary of the Estate, had the lodge by the Upper Brighton Road, and remains of which has been found by residents of First Avenue in their back gardens

Therefore, this map may be when Ann Thwaytes was in the process mid-way of enlarging the estate.

As always when researching history, it is not always clear. For example, having the maps in the order of above, it fits the Charmandean timeline of the estate name changing, however Lyons Farm becomes Lions Farm - reverse of today's name, and also there are more houses on Sompting Road on the earlier map.

Still interesting from a Charmandean perspective though!

Sometime between 1841 (when Mrs Thwayes purchased Charmandean, c.June 1841) and c.1875, it appears surrounding land became part of the Charmandean Estate, presumably when owned by Mrs Thwaytes.

The below map from 1875 shows the growth of the estate to the boundaries we know today, however Mrs Thwaytes didn`t do all the changes we had originally thought, such as the new Western driveway.

[citation: Map from National Library of Scotland, www.maps.nls.uk]

To pause again in the Charmandean Estate`s growth, some items of interest to point out:

This map, from 1875, suggests the tree line bordering the estate is now in place

The original West boundary, from late 1700's, is now a driveway onto the Upper Brighton Road and running down the middle of the new, enlarged, estate.

This also shows us why the wooded boundary steps in just North-West of Forest Road

The 'Charmandean Lodge', mentioned on the 1912 maps, is not built yet- presumably this was built at the same time as moving the East driveway.

So, perhaps the original metal fence boundary posts (some of which can still be found in the Charmandean Open Space woods, in the centre of this map), may be older than originally thought

Additionally, the Sussex flint wall, between the house and the kitchen garden, would have been this original boundary, so again that may be older than previously though. This wall still stands today as the boundary between houses in Longlands Spinney and Longlands.

Driveways to the old Estate

We have often wondered why the East entrance gateposts on the more private Charmandean Lane (now demolished) were more intricate and ornately decorated than those on the more public-facing Upper Brighton Road, on the West driveway.

This research indicates why - that the West driveway gateposts, and Lodge, were not added until later, and if this map is correct from 1875, then it wasn`t Mrs Thwaites who added the West driveway as previously though, as she owned the estate until c.1866.

The below map from 1894 clearly shows the 'old' West Driveway, which would be today running through the centre of Charmandean Open Space where the old metal posts can still be found.

The woods, in the Open Space today, can be see on the map as well, in addition to woodland at the top of First Avenue and Longlands junction.

[citation: Map from National Library of Scotland, www.maps.nls.uk]

An interesting point in this map - a cluster of buildings named 'Hill Barn', which are not present today.

However, walking up Charmandean Lane, in the undergrowth on the East side of the lane, the old flint walls of these buildings can still be seen.

In later maps of 1898, there was a track from the Hill Barn buildings on Charmandean Lane, heading East, down into the valley to the house which some residents might remember, between Charmandean Lane and Lambleys Lane.

The photos below shows some of the ruins of the Hill Barn mentioned above which can be found just off Charmandean Lane, just North of Charmandean, with the classic Sussex barn triangular windows:

The East (original, older) entrance gateposts on the left, and less ornate, built later, West entrance, on the right

It appears that c.1896, the West driveway was formed, along with Charmandean Lodge - suggesting it was Mr & Mrs George Wedd, owners at the time, may have made this change.

These maps also suggest that before 1896, the 'Garden Seat' or 'Folly', at the end of the Yew Walk, was not built - which makes sense else it would have been very close to the older, central, driveway of the house, and not a very quiet place to sit!

The 1900's onwards

Below is a closeup of the 'Sale Brochure' when Charmandean Estate was placed for sale in the 1920's.

The layout remains the same until late 1920's when the lower part of the Estate was sold for building the Avenues, but the East and West entrances remained until 1963 when the mansion was demolished and Longlands was developed.

Below is an aerial photo dated 1927, before development of the lower part of Charmandean Estate started.

Broadwater Green can be seen in the centre of the photo, with The Warren (house, demolished to make way for Excess Insurance, now Worthing College - in blue) The red arrow indicates the West boundary of Charmandean Estate, with the trees bordering the recreation ground.

The woodland in the green square is the woods still in existence now in Charmandean Open Space.

Citation: Image from britainfromabove.org.uk, location: Broadwater.

Below is draft Conveyance dated 11th July 1900, note the house being called 'Charman Dean' and the Lodge in the South-West corner.

This clearly shows the new, Western driveway, and the old 'Western' driveway is indicated as a path or line running North South across the estate.

This drawing appears to be a few years later than 1900, with the Kitchen gardens marked on the map and the woods suggested in the centre of the map are the woods which, part of, are now at the North edge of Charmandean Open Space.

Conveyance dated 01/02/1927

Worthing Corporation Pumping Station is referred to on some of the maps - whilst researching we found this old Postcard of Hill Barn Lane, showing the Water Works in the background.

An interesting map of Third Avenue, about 1957.

Note the original Eastern driveway to Charmandean House at the top, with the Yew Walk marked.

Much of Third Avenue wasn`t developed at this time, and Beeches Avenue also only existed half the length it is today.

A map dated 1959 - note that the East and West entrances to Charmandean House are still in use, (Southern part of the West entrance now encompassing First Avenue), and the stepped lawn terraces at the top of the map. The house was not demolised until 1963.

The above map we believe is dated c.1935, as First Avenue didn`t extend beyond it's junction with Fourth.

This also still shows the Broadwater Windmill, on the track between Warren Road and Cissbury.

However, as we have found in our research, maps are not always accurate. In the above, it suggests that the East driveway is still in existence, but it couldn`t be, as this would now be in the gardens of First Avenue houses which started in 1929.

Actually, the access to Charmandean in 1935 would have been to drive up First Avenue, then head NW on the course of the old drive.

We believe this photo is c.1945 post-war, showing the much of lower part of First, Second, and some Fourth Avenue houses built.

Another photograph of interest showing more of Broadwater post war, about 1946.

The below photo is an unusual shot of the tower at Charmandean, which we understand had fantastic views towards Beachy Head to the East, Isle of Wight to the West, and being 150ft above Sea Level, down to the sea to the south.

We believe the tower was demolished during the war, but the foundations are still there and in private gardens.

Stories about the tower feature in the 'Latest News' section.

The next few photos are from the original Sales Brochure when the house was for sale in 1914, after Mr Alfred King died, followed by his wife:

A rare view looking South showing the view that the House would have had; the fountain in the foreground is also in the above. The line of Yew trees features on this website, and these trees are now in the rear gardens of houses in Longlands Spinney.

The fountain water feature would have been where the grass verges are now in The Spinney. The exact positioning of the Yews, and the fountain, can be found in the 1927-present overlay map in the Longlands page.

A few maps from 1953/1954, showing progression of development.

Citation: old-maps.co.uk, Worthing

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Charmandean - Maps & Photos