Portslade Old Village Conservation Area History Trail

Portslade old village history tour. 1000 years of history in a one mile walk.

Step-by-step guide.

Click on the YouTube video for a three minute history of each location

Location 1.     

St Nicolas Church.  BN41 2LE

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Quick facts:

1. Built in 1130 by the Normans

  2. Church bells in the tower date back to 1529

  3. Graveyard contains headstones dating back to 1600

  4.Chapel of Hannah Brackenbury, Victorian philanthropist

Finished the video? The next location is the Village Green. Head down the path to the main road  (South Street). The village green is across the road

Villager Green and wealthy Portslade

Quick facts:

1. Portslade village fair dates back to 1312
2. Whychcote House was once owned by the local brewery owner
3. Village green once used for moving cattle to the downs
4. Manor Lodge had eight bedrooms and five acres of land

The next location is just 50 metres down the road near the cafe and shops (why not treat yourself to a latte and cake). The post box on the corner is the ideal place to stand

Location 3. 

Portslade Old Village

Quick facts:

1. Site of the village water pump, which can still be seen

  2. The farmhouse doubled as the local school

  3. Flint cottages from 1740, lived in by farm labourers

  4. The original centre of Portslade, dating back 900 years

  5.In the 19th century the Portslade population grew from 280 to 4100

Location 4 is best viewed on the corner opposite the old brewery (look out for the tall chimney). Here you can see the two village pubs - it's five o'clock somewhere! For food and drink guides in the Old Village . click here

Location 4.

Portslade brewery and ancient pubs.

Quick facts:

1. The Stag's Head was built in 1662.
2. The George pub has existed on the same site since 1720
3. Portslade brewery was built in1881 and ceased brewing in 1930.
4. The brewery roof housed an anti-aircraft gun during the war.

For location 5, take a deep breath and walk up the steep hill to the bend. Please be careful of cars and low-flying witches.

Location 5.

16th century Portslade - horses and houses

Quick facts:

1. Kemps House western wing dates back to 1540
2. It was home to MPs, the first surgeon at the Royal Sussex hospital and personal physician to Queen Victoria
3. The cottages date back three hundred years
4. Drove Road, by the stables, dates back to the Roman era.

For location 6, take a right at the top of the road and enter the Emmaus site on your right hand side (not open on Sundays)

Location seven - the Norman manor ruins - are also situated within the Emmaus grounds. Look out for the info boards on the fence. If all this history is making your hungry, Emmaus have a cafe . Click here for their menu

Location 7.

Norman manor house ruins

Quick facts:

1. Norman manor house dates back to 1130
2. Once owned by Hubert de Burgh, Prime Minister to King John in the 13th century.
3. The tall tower contained the bedrooms, below was the kitchen
4. Contains Portslade's first indoor toilet
5. An Ancient Schedule Monument

Location 8 is also in the Emmaus grounds. Look out for the large bow-fronted house facing south. And get your camera on for the selfies in front of the house

Location 8.

Georgian manor house.

Quick facts:

1. Built in 1807 as a replacement for the medieval manor house
2. The 12 bed house had separate accommodation for staff
3. John Borrer - Lord of Portslade Manor in the 19th century - outlived his three wives and six of his children
4. The house had stabling for horses and a large pond.

Location 9 is a bit more tricky. Leave the Emmaus grounds via the east entrance (Manor Road). Take a right, and then a left 50 metres later. Easthill Park is about 70 metres up on your right side.

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Location 9.

Portslade in the world wars.

Quick facts:

1. Portslade hosted a large army base during the First World War
2. It trained 14,000 army cooks, housed in tents
3. Portslade Home Guard were stationed in the old brewery
4. The War Memorial contains the names of 289 Portslade men.

Location 10 - the final stop - is just 30 metres up from the War Memorial. Just behind Easthill House is the Easthill Park Community Cafe. Go on, you deserve an ice cream and drink for all that walking you have  just done. And whilst you are sipping on your mocha or lemonade, test out your knowledge on our Portslade history quiz. Click on this link to play.

Location 10.

Easthill House and park

Quick facts:

1. Easthill House was built in 1848 for a wealthy Victorian family
2. It still contains the walled garden, once used for growing exotic fruits and flowers.
3. Easthill Park lost 160 trees in the Great Storm on 1987.
4. The park holds a Green Flag award and has a community cafe
5. You can access the free Easthill Park trail by clicking here.

Whilst you are here, why not go on the Easthill Park history trail.

Easthill Park history trail. Great for all ages.

This tour takes you through the age of wealthy Victorians, the Great Storm of 1987, and duelling Spitfires over the park