117-510: Meads is an area of the town of Eastbourne in the English county of East Sussex . It is situated at the westerly end of the town below the South Downs . The local government ward of Meads is extensive, stretching from Birling Gap in the west to almost the pier in the east; it encompasses the famous cliffs of Beachy Head and the former fishing hamlet of Holywell . In recent years,
234-456: A general practitioner serving the town's wealthier patients, was arrested for the murder of an elderly widow . Rumours had been circulating since 1935 regarding the frequency of his being named in patients' wills (132 times between 1946 and 1956 ) and the gifts he was given (including two Rolls-Royces ). Figures of up to 400 murders were reported in British and foreign newspapers, but, after
351-481: A 32 km (20 miles) line near Saarbrücken against weak German opposition. The assault was to have been carried out by roughly 40 divisions, including one armoured , three mechanised divisions, 78 artillery regiments and 40 tank battalions . The French Army had advanced to a depth of 8 km (5.0 miles) and captured about 20 villages evacuated by the German army, without any resistance. But
468-712: A German military screen, not a real defense." According to General Siegfried Westphal , if the French had attacked in force in September 1939, the German army "could only have held out for one or two weeks." The Saar Offensive on 7 September was the one limited land action by the Allies during the Phoney War. The French attacked the Saarland , which was defended by the German 1st Army . The assault, whose strategic purpose
585-434: A ban on bombing raids which might endanger civilians, Britain and France agreed at once, and Germany agreed two weeks later. The RAF therefore conducted a large number of combined reconnaissance and propaganda leaflet flights over Germany. These operations were jokingly termed "pamphlet raids" or "Confetti War" in the British press. On 10 May 1940, eight months after the outbreak of war, German troops marched into Belgium ,
702-528: A bomb has fallen on a Rhineland factory. Is that war? they ask. During the September Campaign in Poland, the British government under Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain still hoped to persuade Germany to agree to peace. Although London hospitals prepared for 300,000 casualties in the first week of the war (Britain and France did not realise that Germany used 90% of its frontline aircraft in
819-528: A bombing raid over the Wilhelmshaven port on the 4th of September, though this proved costly. There were occasional dogfights between fighter planes, and the RAF dropped propaganda leaflets on Germany. The U.S. foreign correspondent William Shirer was assigned to Berlin at the onset of World War II. In his diary entries on 9 and 10 September 1939, he wrote about the puzzlement felt by many: Apparently
936-650: A brief stay for they returned to Willingdon in February 1942. Canadian light anti-aircraft units were based in Meads at various times, setting up fixed and mobile gun positions on the Downs and seafront. August 1943 saw the arrival of The 23rd Field Regiment, RCA of the Royal Canadian Artillery with their Sexton self-propelled guns. There were three gun batteries: the 31st was centred on Milnthorpe Road,
1053-569: A car hire firm, a chemist, a confectioner, two dairies, a fishmonger, a fruiterer, a greengrocer, a hairdresser, an ironmonger, two pubs, a stationer, a tobacconist, a wine merchant and a wool shop. In 1965, the 19-storey South Cliff Tower was built on the seafront at the junction of Bolsover Road and South Cliff. The storm of protest which followed led to the formation of The Eastbourne and District Preservation Committee, which in due course became Eastbourne Civic Society and has subsequently been renamed The Eastbourne Society. Despite demolitions over
1170-438: A coin minted during the reign of Æthelberht II of East Anglia (died 794), in a field near the town. It is believed that the minting of these coins may have led to Æthelberht's beheading by Offa of Mercia , as it had been struck as a sign of independence. Describing the coin, expert Christopher Webb, said, "This new discovery is an important and unexpected addition to the numismatic history of eighth century England." Following
1287-584: A consequence of its attack on Finland, the Soviet Union was expelled from the League of Nations , and a proposed Franco-British expedition to northern Scandinavia was debated. However, the British forces that were assembled to aid Finland were not dispatched in time before the Winter War ended. Instead, they were sent to Norway to help in its campaign against Germany. On 20 March, shortly after
SECTION 10
#17327724646241404-610: A controversial trial at the Old Bailey , which gripped the nation for 17 days in March 1957, Adams was found not guilty . He was struck off for four years but resumed his practice in Eastbourne in 1961. According to Scotland Yard 's archives, he is thought to have killed up to 163 patients in the Eastbourne area. After the war, development continued, including the growth of Old Town up the hillside (Green Street Farm Estate) and
1521-447: A defensive posture. This would allow time for Britain and France to build up their own military resources and eventually attain economic and naval superiority over Germany. To this end, Britain initially committed to sending two divisions to France, and two more eleven months later. The Polish Army's plan for defense, Plan West , assumed the Allies would quickly undertake a significant Western Front offensive that would provide relief to
1638-517: A dissertation by Richard Russell extolled the medicinal benefits of the seaside. His views were of considerable benefit to the south coast and, in due course, Eastbourne became known as "the Empress of Watering Places". Eastbourne's earliest claim as a seaside resort came about following a summer holiday visit by four of King George III 's children in 1780 (Princes Edward and Octavius and Princesses Elizabeth and Sophia ). In 1793, following
1755-476: A fire broke out in the basement of the Claremont Hotel . The nearby Pier Hotel was also evacuated. Eastbourne Local History Society was founded in 1970. It is a charitable, not-for-profit organisation in whose objective is the pursuit and encouragement of an active interest in the study of the history of Eastbourne and its immediate environs and the dissemination of the outcome of such studies. As
1872-461: A heated debate in the House of Commons during which Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain was under constant attack. A nominal vote of confidence in his government was won by 281 to 200, but many of Chamberlain's supporters had voted against him while others had abstained. Chamberlain found it impossible to continue to lead a National Government or to form a new coalition government with himself as
1989-426: A key feature of Eastbourne. As a seaside resort, Eastbourne derives a large and increasing income from tourism, with revenue from traditional seaside attractions augmented by conferences, public events and cultural sightseeing. The other main industries in Eastbourne include trade and retail, healthcare, education, construction, manufacturing, professional scientific and the technical sector. Eastbourne's population
2106-686: A landing stage and stream at Burne. The original name came from the 'Burne' or stream which ran through today's Old Town area of Eastbourne. All that can be seen of the Burne, or Bourne, is the small pond in Motcombe Gardens. The bubbling source is guarded by a statue of Neptune . Motcombe Gardens are overlooked by St. Mary's Church, a Norman church which allegedly lies on the site of a Saxon 'moot', or meeting place. This gives Motcombe its name. In 2014, local metal-detectorist Darrin Simpson found
2223-607: A manor house later known as Colstocks. Little of significance occurred in Meads during the period of the Phoney War , but with the fall of France in June 1940, many people departed for safety further north. Large houses were shut up as their owners left the anticipated invasion zone and schools were closed. Eastbourne College was evacuated to Radley College in Oxfordshire on 20 June. At about 5.30 pm on Friday 16 August 1940,
2340-550: A non-political background. Throughout the Phoney War, most of the military clashes, such as the Battle of the Atlantic , occurred at sea. Among the notable incidents were: British war planning had called for a "knockout blow" by strategic bombing of German industry with the RAF's substantial Bomber Command . However, there was considerable apprehension about German retaliation, and when President Franklin D. Roosevelt proposed
2457-556: A population of less than 4,000 in 1851 to nearly 35,000 by 1891. In 1883, it was incorporated as a municipal borough ; a purpose-built town hall was opened in 1886. This period of growth and elegant development continued for several decades. During the First World War , Summerdown Camp, a convalescent facility, opened in 1915 near the South Downs to treat soldiers who were injured during trench warfare or seriously ill. It
SECTION 20
#17327724646242574-585: A preparatory school for boys in Meads which subsequently closed in 1977. The site was sold for property development and a merger with St. Andrew's took place. The 'Ascham Memorial Arch' in Carlisle Road commemorates former pupils who lost their lives in the First World War. Two independent schools now remain in 'Upper Meads' - St Andrew's Prep and St Bede's Preparatory School (now called Bede's Prep School). The public school, Eastbourne College
2691-532: A reminder of the River Derwent which flows through the grounds of the Duke's residence. Others in the same category include: Bolsover (1891), Buxton, (1891), Darley (1890), Edensor (1906), Matlock (1897), Rowsley (1903) and Staveley (1890) Roads. Meads Road and Meads Street derive from the name of the original hamlet whose earlier spellings include 'Mades' (1196) and 'Medese' (1316). The hamlet developed around
2808-535: A storm of protest led by the newly formed Eastbourne and District Preservation Committee, which later became Eastbourne Civic Society, and was renamed the Eastbourne Society in 1999. Local conservationists also failed to prevent the construction of the glass-plated TGWU conference and holiday centre (the building now operating as The View Hotel), but were successful in purchasing Polegate Windmill , thus saving it from demolition and redevelopment. Most of
2925-471: A survey of coastal defences in the southeast, approval was given for the positioning of infantry and artillery to defend the bay between Beachy Head and Hastings from attack by the French. Fourteen Martello Towers were constructed along the western shore of Pevensey Bay , continuing as far as Tower 73, the Wish Tower at Eastbourne. Several of these towers survive: the Wish Tower is an important feature of
3042-478: A survivor of the Black Hole of Calcutta atrocity which led to the British conquest of Bengal . Richard Trevithick , the inventor of the steam locomotive, is reported to have spent some time here. Eastbourne remained an area of small rural settlements until the 19th century. Four villages or hamlets occupied the site of the modern town: Bourne (or, to distinguish it from others of the same name, East Bourne)
3159-476: A town named Burlington, was abandoned, but on 14 May 1849 the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway arrived to scenes of great jubilation. With the arrival of the railway, the town's growth accelerated. Cavendish, now the 7th Duke of Devonshire , recruited Henry Currey in 1859 to lay out a plan for what was essentially an entire new town – a resort built "for gentlemen by gentlemen". The town grew rapidly from
3276-540: A week they have been formally at war with Germany. But has it been war? they ask. The British, it is true, sent over twenty-five planes to bomb Wilhelmshaven. But if it is war, why only twenty-five? And if it is war, why only a few leaflets over the Rhineland ? The industrial heart of Germany lies along the Rhine close to France. From there come most of the munitions that are blowing up Poland with such deadly effect. Yet not
3393-853: A woman who lived around 245 AD were discovered in the vicinity of Beachy Head on the Eastbourne Downland Estate . The remains were found in 2014 to be of a 30-year-old woman who grew up in East Sussex , but had genetic heritage from sub-Saharan Africa, giving her black skin and an African skeletal structure. Her ancestors came from below the Saharan region, at a time when the Roman Empire extended only as far as North Africa. These remains have now been DNA tested and found to originate from Cyprus , not sub-Saharan Africa. An Anglo-Saxon charter, around 963 AD, describes
3510-544: Is Seaford to Beachy Head . This site, of biological and geological interest, covers the coastline between Eastbourne and Seaford, plus the Seven Sisters country park and the Cuckmere valley. Several nature trails lead across the Downs to areas such as the nearby villages of East Dean and Birling Gap , and landmarks like the Seven Sisters, Belle Tout Lighthouse and Beachy Head. Eastbourne's greater area comprises
3627-476: Is also a local government district with borough status . Eastbourne is immediately east of Beachy Head , the highest chalk sea cliff in Great Britain and part of the larger Eastbourne Downland Estate . The seafront consists largely of Victorian hotels, a pier , theatre , contemporary art gallery and a Napoleonic era fort and military museum . Although Eastbourne is a relatively new town, there
Meads - Misplaced Pages Continue
3744-405: Is commemorated by a plaque on chalet number 2 at Holywell. The Second World War saw a change in fortunes. Initially, children were evacuated to Eastbourne on the assumption that they would be safe from German bombs, but soon they had to be evacuated again because after the fall of France in June 1940 it was anticipated that the town would lie in an invasion zone. Part of Operation Sea Lion ,
3861-564: Is currently owned by the Duke of Devonshire and was extensively remodelled in the early Georgian era when it was renamed Compton Place . It is one of the two Grade I listed buildings in the town. Eastbourne has Cornish connections , most notably visible in the Cornish high cross in the churchyard of St Mary's Church which was brought from an unspecified location in Cornwall. In 1752,
3978-399: Is currently represented on Eastbourne Borough Council by three councillors – all of whom are Conservative. One of the councillors also represents the Meads division on East Sussex County Council. A 1783 map of Eastbourne shows but a couple of farms in what was then the hamlet of Meads. However, it is known that there were three in the 19th century: Place Farm, whose farmhouse survives as
4095-478: Is evidence of human occupation in the area from the Stone Age . The town grew as a fashionable tourist resort largely thanks to prominent landowner William Cavendish , later to become the Duke of Devonshire . Cavendish appointed architect Henry Currey to design a street plan for the town, but not before sending him to Europe to draw inspiration. The resulting mix of architecture is typically Victorian and remains
4212-519: Is growing; between 2001 and 2011, it increased from 89,800 to 99,412. The 2011 census shows that the average age of residents has decreased as the town has attracted students, families and those commuting to London and Brighton. In the 2021 census, the population of Eastbourne was 101,689. Flint mines and Stone Age artefacts have been found in the surrounding countryside of the Eastbourne Downs . A Bronze Age site of national importance
4329-501: Is in 'Lower Meads'. St. John's Meads is a Church of England Aided Primary School, with approximately 215 children on its roll. Undergoing many additions and changes over the years, the school has been located on its present site for over a century. Eastbourne Eastbourne ( / ˈ iː s t b ɔːr n / ) is a town and seaside resort in East Sussex , on the south coast of England, 19 miles (31 km) east of Brighton and 54 miles (87 km) south of London. It
4446-430: Is now Holywell Road via the lane between the present Helen Gardens and Bede's School , which leads to the chalk pinnacle formerly known locally as 'Gibraltar' or the 'Sugar Loaf'. The ground around the pinnacle was the site of lime kilns also worked by the fishermen. The fishing hamlet at Holywell was taken over by the local water board in 1896 to exploit the springs in the cliffs. The water board's successors still own
4563-509: Is now known as Old Town, and this surrounded the bourne (stream) which rises in the present Motcombe Park; Meads, where the Downs meet the coast; South Bourne (near the town hall); and the fishing settlement known simply as Sea Houses, which was situated to the east of the present pier. By the mid-19th century most of the area had fallen into the hands of two landowners: John Davies Gilbert (the Davies-Gilbert family still own much of
4680-536: The Sitzkrieg ("the sitting war": a word play on blitzkrieg created by the British press). In French, it is referred to as the drôle de guerre ("funny" or "strange" war). In March 1939, Britain and France formalized plans for how they would conduct war against Nazi Germany. Knowing their enemy would be more prepared and have land and air superiority, the Allies' strategy was to fight off any specific German aggressive actions, but to essentially maintain
4797-566: The Eastbourne Chronicle describes Meads as ‘the unrivalled Belgravia of a salubrious and flourishing health resort'. The spiritual needs of the inhabitants were catered for with the consecration of the parish church dedicated to St John the Evangelist in 1869. By 1890, imposing houses in neat tree-lined roads stood on what had been grazing land and cornfields – Meads had become the smart end of town. Its residents were
Meads - Misplaced Pages Continue
4914-747: The German invasion of Denmark and Norway in April 1940. This caused the Allied troops previously earmarked for Finland to be redirected to Norway. Fighting there continued until June, when the Allies evacuated, ceding Norway to Germany in response to the German invasion of France. On the Axis side during the Phoney period, Nazi Germany initiated attacks at sea in the autumn of 1939 and winter of 1940 against British aircraft carriers and destroyers, sinking several, including
5031-590: The Hurricane flown by Pilot Officer H N E Salmon of No. 1 Squadron . The German aircraft broke up in the air, and the pilot, Hauptmann Ernst Hollekamp, was killed when he fell on the roof of Hill Brow School in Gaudick Road, his parachute unopened. Part of the nose fell onto the Royal Eastbourne golf course, close to the end of Gaudick Road. The rear gunner, Feldwebel Richard Schurk, came down in
5148-518: The Local Government Act 1972 , with East Sussex County Council once more providing county-level services to the town. Phoney War Asia-Pacific Mediterranean and Middle East Other campaigns Coups Luxembourg The Netherlands Belgium France Britain 1941–1943 1944–1945 Germany Strategic campaigns The Phoney War ( French : Drôle de guerre ; German : Sitzkrieg )
5265-572: The Moscow Peace Treaty concluded the Winter War, Édouard Daladier resigned as Prime Minister of France, in part due to his failure to come to Finland's defense. In February 1940, Norway became a focus of attention as evidenced by the Altmark Incident . The Allies openly discussed a possible expedition to northern Scandinavia (even though they had not received a request or consent from the neutral Scandinavian countries) and
5382-632: The Norman conquest , the Hundred of what is now Eastbourne, was held by Robert, Count of Mortain , William the Conqueror's half brother. The Domesday Book lists 28 ploughlands, a church, a watermill, fisheries and salt pans. The Book referred to the area as 'Borne'. 'East' was added to 'Borne' in the 13th century, renaming the town. A charter for a weekly market was granted to Bartholomew de Badlesmere in 1315–16; this increased his status as Lord of
5499-591: The Siegfried Line , which was their fortified defensive line along the French border. On 7 September, the French commenced the limited Saar Offensive , but withdrew when their artillery could not penetrate German defenses. A further assault was planned for 20 September, but on 17 September, following the USSR's invasion of Poland, the assault was called off. In the air, the Royal Air Force (RAF) launched
5616-661: The Soviet Union which was Germany's primary oil supplier. By April 1940, the execution of the Norway plan was considered, by itself, inadequate to stop the German Wehrmacht . The quiet of the Phoney War was punctuated by a few isolated Allied actions. The French invasion of Germany 's Saar district on 7 September was allegedly intended to assist Poland by diverting German troops from the Polish Front. But
5733-641: The Soviet Union 's assault on Finland on 30 November 1939. Public opinion, particularly in France and Britain, quickly sided with Finland and demanded action from their governments in support of "the brave Finns" against the much larger Soviet aggressors. The public believed that effective defense of the Finns was more achievable than what had been provided for the Poles in the September Campaign. As
5850-650: The University of Brighton . In Victorian times, Meads became a favoured area for private boarding schools — a tradition which persisted until economic factors brought about their gradual demise. Examples of the latter include Clovelly-Kepplestone girls' school which closed in Meads in 1934 and St. Christopher's Girls School which closed the same year. Pike's Eastbourne Directory of 1911-12 shows five 'Ladies' Schools located in Bolsover Road, together with Hill Brow boys' school which subsequently took over
5967-667: The Wehrmacht to withdraw at least six divisions from Poland. The following day, the commander of the French Military Mission to Poland, General Louis Faury , told the Polish Chief of Staff —General Wacław Stachiewicz —that the major offensive on the Western Front planned from 17 to 20 September had to be postponed. At the same time, French divisions were ordered to withdraw to their barracks along
SECTION 50
#17327724646246084-613: The 36th and 83rd were around Edensor Road. The HQ battery was located behind the Grand Hotel. The regiment stayed in Meads until it moved to Pippingford Park in March 1944 in preparation for Operation Overlord . The Canadians were welcomed by the locals, who invited them into their homes and organised entertainment. By the same token, the troops left with happy memories. Approximately 150 Eastbourne girls sailed to Canada as war brides , some of them from Meads. Meads Street still has its shops, but there have been considerable changes to
6201-690: The Canadian army were damaged in Milnthorpe Road. The following evening, the German Home Service (not the broadcasts in English by Lord Haw Haw ) carried interviews with two pilots who had taken part in the raid. The aircrew vividly described the effects of a bomb on a large block of buildings (“it seemed to disintegrate into a cloud of blue-black smoke”) as they were making for the town. The first major influx of Canadian troops to
6318-565: The Eastbourne area was in July 1941 with the arrival of three regiments of the 5th Canadian Infantry Brigade : The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada , Le Regiment de Maisonneuve , and the Calgary Highlanders . During the course of the war, thousands of Canadians from scores of units would pass through the town. As far as Meads was concerned, The Black Watch arrived from Willingdon on 18 December 1941. It was, however,
6435-408: The European Alps, during the middle Tertiary period. The chalk can be clearly seen along the eroded coastline to the west of the town, in the area known as Beachy Head and the Seven Sisters , where continuous erosion keeps the cliff edge vertical and white. The chalk contains many fossils such as ammonites and nautilus . The town area is built on geologically recent alluvial drift, the result of
6552-424: The French opted to fight a defensive war, forcing the Germans to come to them. General Maurice Gamelin ordered his troops to stop no closer than 1 km (0.62 miles) from German positions along the Siegfried Line. Poland was not notified of this decision. Instead, Gamelin incorrectly informed Marshal Edward Rydz-Śmigły that half of his divisions were in contact with the enemy and that French advances had forced
6669-433: The German invasion plan, envisaged landings at Eastbourne. Many people sought safety away from the coast and shut up their houses. Restrictions on visitors forced the closure of most hotels, and private boarding schools moved away. Many of these empty buildings were later taken over by the services. The Royal Navy set up an underwater weapons school, and the Royal Air Force operated radar stations at Beachy Head and on
6786-503: The Germans immediately declared a counter-blockade, while the Soviet Union helped Germany with supplies bypassing the blockade . After World War II, it was discovered that Nazi Germany's armed forces were vulnerable throughout the September Campaign. They had not yet reached full fighting strength and might have succumbed to a determined opponent, or at least suffered serious damage. At the Nuremberg trials , German military commander Alfred Jodl said that "if we did not collapse already in
6903-467: The Maginot Line. This quick cessation of fighting by the French contributed to the "Phoney War" characterization. In the war's early months, antagonism between the British and German populations was not as bitter as it would later become. British pilots mapped the Siegfried Line while German troops waved at them. On 30 April 1940 when a German Heinkel He 111 bomber crashed at Clacton-on-Sea in Essex —killing its crew and injuring 160 people on
7020-415: The Manor and benefited local industry. During the Middle Ages the town was visited by King Henry I and in 1324 by Edward II . Evidence of Eastbourne's medieval past can be seen in the 12th-century Church of St Mary, and the manor house called Bourne Place. In the mid-16th century Bourne Place was home to the Burton family, who acquired much of the land on which the present town stands. This manor house
7137-429: The Polish forces in the East. However, the Poles' assumption was proven wrong by the passivity of the Phoney War. Nazi Germany's invasion of Poland on 1 September 1939 marked the beginning of World War II. Within 48 hours, in fulfillment of their treaty obligations to Poland, the United Kingdom and France declared war on Germany. While most of the German army was engaged in Poland, a much smaller German force manned
SECTION 60
#17327724646247254-457: The Polish invasion), Germany did not launch the expected full-scale air bombardment of British cities. Combatants feared massive retaliation for attacking civilian targets. German pilots who bombed Scottish naval bases said they would have been court-martialed and executed if they bombed civilians. But both sides found that attacks on military targets, such as the British attack on Wilhelmshaven, could lead to high losses of aircraft. In contrast to
7371-436: The South African conflict. Credit for coining "Phoney War" is generally given to U.S. Senator William Borah who, commenting in September 1939 on the inactivity on the Western Front , said: "There is something phoney about this war." "Phoney War" customarily appears using the British spelling (with an 'e') even in North America, rather than adopt the American spelling, "Phony", although some American sources do not follow
7488-461: The UK record for the highest recorded amount of sunshine in a month, 383.9 hours in July 1911. Temperature extremes recorded at Eastbourne since 1960 range from 31.6 °C (88.9 °F) during July 1976, down to −9.7 °C (14.5 °F) In January 1987. Eastbourne's coastal location also means it tends to be milder than most areas, particularly during night. A whole six months of the year have never fallen below 0 °C (32 °F), and in July
7605-492: The Western Allies did not conduct major military actions during the Phoney War, they did implement economic warfare , especially a naval blockade of Germany , and they shut down German surface raiders . They meanwhile formulated elaborate plans for large-scale operations designed to cripple the German war effort. The plans included opening an Anglo-French front in the Balkans, invading Norway to seize control of Germany's main source of iron ore , and imposing an embargo against
7722-459: The area between the French border and the German lines, and then to probe the German defenses. On the 15th day of the mobilization, the French Army was to start an all-out assault on Germany. The offensive in the Rhine river valley area began on 7 September. Since the Wehrmacht was occupied in the attack on Poland, the French soldiers enjoyed a decisive numerical advantage along their border with Germany. Eleven French divisions advanced along
7839-418: The area known as the Crumbles, a shingle bank on the coast to the east of the town centre. This area, now known as Sovereign Harbour , containing a marina, shops and several thousand houses, along with luxury flats, was formerly home to many rare plants. There has been continued growth in other parts of the town, and the central marshland has become farmland and nature reserves. In 2009, the new Towner Gallery
7956-421: The borough, which is an unparished area . Eastbourne was an ancient parish . It was governed by its vestry , in the same way as most rural areas, until 1859 when the parish was made a local government district , governed by a local board. Eastbourne become a municipal borough in 1883, governed by a body formally called the "mayor, aldermen and burgesses of the borough of Eastbourne", but informally known as
8073-471: The carrier HMS Courageous . Aerial combat began in October 1939 when the Luftwaffe launched air raids on British warships. There were minor bombing raids and reconnaissance flights on both sides. Fascist Italy was not involved militarily in the European war at this time. With the German invasion of France and the Low Countries on 10 May 1940, and the ascension of Winston Churchill to British Prime Minister in that same month along with
8190-445: The corporation or town council. One of the new council's first projects was to build Eastbourne Town Hall , which was designed by W. Tadman Foulkes, and built between 1884 and 1886 under supervision of Henry Currey , the Duke of Devonshire's architect. In 1911 Eastbourne was elevated to be a county borough , making it independent from East Sussex County Council . Eastbourne became a non-metropolitan district on 1 April 1974 under
8307-435: The end of the conflict it was designated by the Home Office to have been 'the most raided town in the South East region'. The situation was especially bad between May 1942 and June 1943 with hit–and–run raids from fighter–bombers based in northern France. Ultimately, 187 civilian people died in the borough through enemy action. In the summer of 1956, the town came to national and worldwide attention when John Bodkin Adams ,
8424-481: The expansion took place on the northern and eastern margins of the town, gradually swallowing surrounding villages. However, the richer western part was constrained by the Downs and has remained largely unchanged. In 1981, a large section of the town centre was replaced by the indoor shops of the Arndale Centre . In the 1990s, both growth and controversy accelerated rapidly as a new plan was launched to develop
8541-599: The first German aircraft to be brought down within what was then the County Borough of Eastbourne crashed in Meads. A Messerschmitt Bf 110 of the Luftwaffe unit known as ZG 2 had left the former French aerodrome at Guyancourt as part of an escort for bombers raiding RAF airfields at Feltham, Heston and Heathrow. Over the South Downs, the Messerschmitt was engaged by a British fighter – almost certainly
8658-582: The forest was "private property" and could not be bombed; neither could weapons factories, as the Germans might do the same to England. In 1939, some officers of the British Expeditionary Force who were stationed in France tried to set up recreational hunting to pass the time. They imported packs of foxhounds and beagles, but were thwarted by French authorities who refused to make the countryside available. The Winter War started with
8775-422: The grounds. The listed chapel, however, was retained. The total population of Meads is 11,769. Meads has an average age of 54.1 and the national average is 39.8, that is a difference of 14.3 years. In 1947, a teacher training college opened in Meads, the first students being troops who had recently returned to civilian life. The college was centred on Darley Road at two schools which had evacuated because of
8892-574: The ground—the German crew members were laid to rest in the local cemetery with RAF support. Wreaths with messages of sympathy were displayed on the coffins. When British Member of Parliament (MP) Leopold Amery suggested to Kingsley Wood , the Secretary of State for Air , that the Black Forest should be bombed with incendiaries to burn its ammunition dumps, Wood amazed the MP by responding that
9009-612: The half-hearted Saar operation fizzled out within days and France withdrew. In November 1939, the Soviets attacked Finland in the Winter War , eliciting much debate in France and Britain about mounting an offensive to help Finland. However, the necessary forces for the offensive weren't assembled until after the Winter War concluded in March. The Allied discussions about a Scandinavian campaign triggered concern in Germany and resulted in
9126-565: The half-hearted offensive was halted after France seized the Warndt Forest, 7.8 km (3.0 sq mi) of heavily mined German territory. The Saar Offensive did not result in the diversion of any German troops from the Polish Front. On 12 September, the Anglo-French Supreme War Council gathered for the first time at Abbeville . It decided all offensive actions were to be halted immediately as
9243-482: The housing estates of Hampden Park , Willingdon Trees and Langney . During the latter half of the 20th century, there were controversies over the demolition of Pococks, a 15th-century manor house on what is now the Rodmill Housing Estate, and the granting of planning permission for a 19-storey block at the western end of the seafront. The latter project (South Cliff Tower) was realised in 1965 despite
9360-487: The lack of hostilities on land between the Allies and Germany, the fighting on the seas was real. On 3 September, the British liner SS Athenia was torpedoed off the Hebrides with the loss of 112 lives in what was to be the start of the lengthy Battle of the Atlantic . On 4 September, the Allies announced a blockade of Germany to prevent her importing food and raw materials to sustain her war effort;
9477-568: The land in Eastbourne and East Dean ) and William Cavendish , Earl of Burlington. The Gilbert family's holdings date to the late 17th and early 18th centuries when barrister Nicholas Gilbert married an Eversfield and Gildredge heiress. (The Gildredges owned much of Eastbourne by 1554. The Gilberts eventually made the Gildredge Manor House their own. Today the Gildredge name lives on in the eponymous park.) An early plan, for
9594-603: The leader. So on 10 May, Chamberlain resigned the premiership but retained the leadership of the Conservative Party. Winston Churchill , who had been a consistent opponent of Chamberlain's policy of appeasement , became Chamberlain's successor. Churchill formed a new coalition government that included members of the Conservatives , Labour and the Liberal Party , as well as several ministers from
9711-404: The listed building now known as Meads Place in Gaudick Road, Colstocks Farm, which stood on the site of St Andrew’s School and Sprays Farm, which was at the corner of Meads Street and Matlock Road. In 1859, Henry Currey, the agent of the 7th Duke of Devonshire , drew up plans for large residences with gardens of commensurate proportions. In 1871, the population of the town having trebled to 11,000,
9828-546: The major landowner, the Cavendish family has had strong connections with Eastbourne since the 18th century. The current president of the society is William Cavendish, Earl of Burlington . Containing over 1,500 articles about the history of Eastbourne, the Society's indexed journal, The Eastbourne Local Historian , is the major historical resource for the town and has been published quarterly since its inception in 1970. Over
9945-514: The marshes near Pevensey . Thousands of Canadian soldiers were billeted in and around Eastbourne from July 1941 to the run-up to D-Day . Units of the very secretive and highly effective No. 3 (Jewish) Troop of the No. 10 Commando , composed of native German speaking Austrian and German Jewish refugees, trained in Eastbourne. The town suffered badly during the war, with many Victorian and Edwardian buildings damaged or destroyed by air raids. Indeed, by
10062-662: The massive Dunkirk evacuation , the Phoney War ended and the real war began. "Bore War" was the initial term used by the British. It was likely a pun on the Boer War fought four decades earlier in South Africa . Eventually, the Americanism "Phoney War" became the favoured phrase on both sides of the Atlantic. This term gained currency in the British Empire and Commonwealth in large part to avoid confusion with
10179-513: The month, southern parts of Norway were in German hands. The fighting continued in the north until the Allies evacuated in early June in response to the German invasion of France ; the Norwegian forces in mainland Norway laid down their arms at midnight on 9 June. The debacle of the Allied campaign in Norway , which was actually an offshoot of the never-realised plans to aid Finland, forced
10296-408: The nave when the latter was rebuilt. At lunchtime on Sunday 7 March 1943, a raid by Messerschmitt Bf 109 and Focke-Wulf Fw 190 aircraft caught Eastbourne unaware. In what is now known as ‘Upper Meads’, a bomb destroyed 22 - 28 Meads Street and others fell in the gardens of 3 Staveley Road and 41 St John’s Road. There were 14 civilian fatalities; 50 persons were injured. Houses used as billets by
10413-570: The occupation of Norway. These developments alarmed the Kriegsmarine and the Nazi government. Such an expedition would threaten their iron ore supplies and gave a strong argument for Germany to secure the Norwegian coast. Codenamed Operation Weserübung , the German invasion of Denmark and Norway commenced on 9 April. From the 14th, Allied troops were landed in Norway, but by the end of
10530-468: The other dying the following day from burns. On 4 May 1942, the first raid on Eastbourne by fighter-bombers took place. One of the casualties was the Meads parish church of St John, which was set ablaze and severely damaged. Until the church was rebuilt in 1957, services were held at the parish hall in Meads Street. The tower, which originally had a steeple, survived the raid but was not attached to
10647-527: The pattern. The first known recorded use of the term in print was in September ;1939 in a U.S. newspaper which used the British spelling. Other contemporaneous American usages specified "Phony" since both spellings were acceptable. In Great Britain, the term first appeared in print in January ;1940. The Phoney War was also referred to as the "Twilight War" (by Winston Churchill) and as
10764-461: The premises of St. Christopher's girls school in Denton Road when that school closed in 1934. A street directory for 1940 (prepared in 1939) lists ten private schools in 'Upper Meads' alone. However, the war signalled the final phase for private schools, and only eight of those which evacuated from the town returned to Eastbourne. One of the post-war returners was Ascham St Vincent's School ,
10881-473: The residents of Meads to plans for development or redevelopment of property which the Committee are of the opinion should be resisted’. The association also organizes social activities to foster a community spirit and liaises with local traders. The former All Saints Hospital, a Grade II listed building , was converted into 53 flats, with a further 52 newly built apartments within three separate buildings in
10998-576: The sea off Holywell and was drowned. The bulk of the aircraft crashed in the grounds of Aldro School in Darley Road ;— the wreckage was incorrectly identified in the local press as being that of a Heinkel He 111 . At the same time, a lorry was hit in Hampden Park by a bomb which had probably been jettisoned by one of the German bombers returning from the raid on RAF airfields. Three Council workmen were killed – two instantly,
11115-459: The seat of the 7th Duke of Devonshire , who developed the town in the 19th century. One obvious example is Chatsworth Gardens, the terrace of houses erected in 1891 on King Edward's Parade. Baslow Road dates from 1907 and is named after a village just north of Chatsworth House. Chesterfield Road (1888) owes its name to the important coal and iron town in Derbyshire, and Derwent Road (1895) is
11232-466: The silting up of a bay. This changes to Weald clay around the Langney estate. A part of the South Downs, Willingdon Down is a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest . This is of archaeological interest due to a Neolithic camp and burial grounds. The area is also a nationally uncommon tract of chalk grassland rich in species. Another SSSI which partially falls within the Eastbourne district
11349-492: The site, and there is a pumping station but little evidence of the hamlet itself, as by now even most of the foundations of the cottages have gone over the cliff. As with the rest of the British Isles and South Coast, Eastbourne experiences a maritime climate with warm summers and mild winters. The local climate is notable for its high sunshine levels, at least relative to much of the rest of England – Eastbourne holds
11466-604: The temperature has never fallen below 8.3 °C (46.9 °F). All temperature figures relate to the period 1960 onwards. The Köppen Climate Classification subtype for this climate is " Cfb " (Marine West Coast Climate/ Oceanic climate ). There are two tiers of local government covering Eastbourne, at district and county level: Eastbourne Borough Council , based at the Town Hall on Grove Road, and East Sussex County Council , based in Lewes . There are no civil parishes in
11583-570: The top of Meads hill. Many domestic servants lived in; others made their way to work from other parts of the town, or occupied cottages clustered around the three pubs – the Pilot, the Ship and the Blacksmith’s Arms, the latter demolished before the turn of the century. In 1894, a small square of cottages was built for working class occupation. Originally known as Wallis’s Cottages, the square
11700-472: The town of Polegate , and the civil parishes and villages of Willingdon and Jevington , Stone Cross , Pevensey , Westham and Pevensey Bay village. All are part of the Wealden District. Within Eastbourne's limits are: There was a community known as Norway, Eastbourne in the triangle now bounded by Wartling Road, Seaside and Lottbridge Drove. The name being a corruption of North Way, as this
11817-478: The town's seafront and was the subject of a painting by James Sant RA, and part of Tower 68 forms the basement of a house on St. Antony's Hill. Between 1805 and 1807, a fortress known as the Eastbourne Redoubt was built as a barracks and storage depot, and armed with 10 cannons. A connection with India comes in the shape of the 18th-century Lushington monument, also at St Mary's, which commemorates
11934-475: The trades in recent years. The sub-post office has returned to the premises it formerly occupied in the 1950s when the shop was a traditional grocer's — today it is a self-service store. For comparison, the 1940 street directory lists 21 types of business premises in Meads Street: a baker, three banks, two boot repairers, two builders, two butchers, three garages, two grocers (one with sub-post office),
12051-476: The unofficial terms 'Upper Meads' and 'Lower Meads' have been coined to differentiate between that section of the ward on higher ground to the west, and the lower part nearer to the town centre. Although there are no official boundaries, it can be said that 'Upper Meads' (the part originally known to locals as Meads) lies approximately within the bounds of the Meads Conservation Area. The ward
12168-489: The war in Poland is all but over. Most of the correspondents a bit depressed. Britain and France have done nothing on the western front to relieve the tremendous pressure on Poland.… One week after the Anglo-French declaration of a state of war the average German is beginning to wonder if it's a world war after all. He sees it this way. England and France, it is true, are formally fulfilling their obligations to Poland. For
12285-572: The war — Queenwood Ladies' College and Aldro . Also in 1947, Chelsea College of Physical Education moved from London, establishing itself at the former Hill Brow School in Denton Road. In 1966, a new building was opened on the site by the Queen. The buildings and grounds of both the above colleges now form part of the Eastbourne campus (in Meads ;— Darley Road Site, Hillbrow and Welkin Site) of
12402-511: The well to do, and included professionals, self-made men, retired officers and former members of the Colonial Civil Service. The absence today of street directories, makes it hard to determine the social standing of householders but even the 1940 street directory of Eastbourne (prepared in 1939) lists Lady Foley, Sir John Alexander Hammerton and Admiral Sir Robert John Prendergast KCB all living within 100 metres of each other at
12519-528: The year 1939 that was due only to the fact that during the Polish campaign, the approximately 110 French and British divisions in the West were held completely inactive against the 23 German divisions." General Wilhelm Keitel stated: "We soldiers had always expected an attack by France during the Polish campaign, and were very surprised that nothing happened.... A French attack would have encountered only
12636-421: The years, Meads still retains many of its large Victorian and Edwardian houses, most of which have been converted into flats. A powerful lobby in the latter regard is The Meads Community Association, which was created in 1990. With some 700 members, its two principal aims are ‘to preserve the unique character of the Meads area of Eastbourne consistent with change which does not interfere with this aim’, and ‘to alert
12753-476: The years, the Society has published various books and booklets about the history of Eastbourne, twelve of which are currently in print. The South Downs dominate Eastbourne and the Eastbourne Downland Estate can be seen from most of the town. These were originally chalk deposits laid down under the sea during the Late Cretaceous , and were later lifted by the same tectonic plate movements that formed
12870-534: Was an eight-month period at the outset of World War II during which there were virtually no Allied military land operations on the Western Front . World War II began on 1 September 1939 with Nazi Germany 's invasion of Poland . Two days later, the "Phoney" period began with declarations of war by the United Kingdom and France against Germany, but with little actual warfare occurring. Although
12987-494: Was built between 1867 and 1869 on land given by the 7th Duke of Devonshire ; its chapel was added in 1874. All Saints was built as an Anglo-Catholic nunnery and convalescent home and designed by Henry Woodyer . The listed chapel in the style of High Victorian Gothic Revival is noted for polychrome effects, geometric tiling and an unusual gallery, supported on marble pillars. Many of the roads in Meads owe their names to towns and villages in Derbyshire around Chatsworth House ,
13104-662: Was discovered in Hydneye lake at Shinewater in 1995. Celtic people are believed to have settled on the Eastbourne Downland in 500 BC. There are Roman remains buried beneath the town, such as a Roman bath and section of pavement between Eastbourne Pier and the Redoubt Fortress. There is also a Roman villa near the entrance to the Pier and the present Queens Hotel. In 1953, skeletal remains of
13221-402: Was opened, abutting the listed Congress Theatre built in 1963. In 2016–19 extensive remodelling work was undertaken to the prominent Arndale Centre, which takes up most of the town centre, and was originally built by Legal & General Assurance in the 1980s. This was then renamed The Beacon. The remodelling including the addition of a brand new cinema run by Cineworld. On 22 November 2019,
13338-551: Was ostensibly to assist Poland, was stopped after a few kilometres and the French forces withdrew. According to the Franco-Polish Alliance , the French Army was to start preparations for a major offensive three days after the beginning of mobilization . The preliminary mobilization had occurred in France on 26 August. By 1 September, full mobilization was declared. The French forces were to gain control over
13455-462: Was subsequently named The Village. Coachmen and grooms, followed in due course by chauffeurs, lived above the stables of De Walden Mews, the property of Lady Howard de Walden. Her mansion, De Walden Court (1884), in Meads Road is now a listed building. The inhabitants of Meads were traditionally known as ‘Meadsites’, the term remaining in current use until at least the 1950s. All Saints Hospital
13572-527: Was the largest of this type in the UK during this war, treating 150,000; 80% were able to return to fight. The facility was dismantled in 1920. An exhibition about the history of the camp was held in Eastbourne for several months in 2015. In 1926, the Eastbourne Corporation Act enabled the creation of the Eastbourne Downland Estate . A royal visit by George V and Queen Mary in March 1935
13689-482: Was the route to the north. The area is now a housing estate and the only evidence there was a Norway are a Norway Road and the local church whose sign reads "St Andrew's Church, Norway". The former fishing hamlet of Holywell (local pronunciation 'holly well') was situated by the cliff on a ledge some 400 yards to the southwest of the public garden known as the Holywell Retreat. It was approached from what
#623376