Felbridge & District History Group

Lost Felbridge

Please be patient whilst the pictures download. The Felbridge archive contains over 2000 indexed entries consisting of photographs, newspaper clippings, postcards, copy deeds and memories. There is also a large collection of local census records, maps and copy parish records. The archive may be searched by appointment.

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Evelyn Column
An eighty foot high column erected in 1786 by James Evelyn in memory of his parents Edward and Julia. The column was designed by the renowned architect Sir John Soane. This column once stood in the area now occupied by 78 Copthorne Road. The column was bought and dismantled in 1927. It was re-erected by Sir Stephen Aitchison at Lemmington Hall, Alnwick in Northumberland. (c1910 Picture donated by F. Wheeler)
Felbridge Place
This property was built in 1763 at or near the site of a previous house, Heath Hatch, owned by the Evelyn Family. The mansion was the manor house for the Felbridge Estate, started by the Evelyn family and then transferred to George Gatty in 1856. The property was demolished in 1972 to make way for Whittington College. (1911 Picture from Felbridge Estate Sale Catalogue)
Rose Cottage
Rose Cottage stood on the North side of Imberhorne Lane close to the London Road. It was built in about 1800 as part of the manor of Imberhorne, later copyheld by the Lowdell Family and Stenning Family before being sold to the Felbridge Place Estate and then bought by Ormand Meppem the Estate Bailiff. It was demolished in 1963 to make way for a light industrial area. (c1940 Picture donated by E. Pitt)
Star Buffet
Built in the 1930s to serve as a half-way stop off for the Southdown Bus Company, known locally as The Star Buffet. A distinctive feature was the roof that was tiled in green glazed pan-tiles. It was later taken over by the Happy Eater Group, and finally demolished in March 1999. Construction has just started on the site to build a Travel Lodge. (c1950 Picture donated by S. Martin)
Southern Service Station
Situated on the London Road at North End. Previously owned and run as Simpsons Garage, it narrowly missed being hit by a German plane that crash-landed on the owners bungalow situated behind the garage on 27th September 1940. The garage buildings have been demolished but the site is still operating, now as a Texaco garage. (c1950 Picture donated by A. Howe)
Wiremill
A hammer mill has stood on this site since the early 1560s. The mill building in this picture was believed to have been built in the 1570s by Jack Dancey of Turners Hill. It operated as a hammer mill until 1787 when it is described as a wire mill. It continued as a wire mill until 1825 when it was converted into a corn mill, operating as such until 1911 when it closed. Conversion to a hotel in 1934 and serious fire damage in the late 1980s resulted in the loss of many original features. This view shows the mill wheel that has been lost. (1911 Picture from Felbridge Estate Sale Catalogue)
Hedgecourt Mill
Originally built in 1567 by Jack Dancey of Turners Hill when the lake was flooded. This drawing is of the 17th Century building upon the old foundations. The corn mill was in use up until about 1911, after which it fell into disrepair. It was finally deemed as a dangerous structure in 1949 and demolished leaving only the mill wheel to rot away in the race. (1926 Drawing by James Martin)
Chartham Park
Although laying outside of the Parish of Felbridge, the owners of this property, the Margarys, were great benefactors to the Felbridge Church. Chartham Manor House was built in 1827 on the instructions of an American Loyalist, George Boone Roupell who owned the Chartham Estate. Major Alfred Robert Margary bought the property in 1855. It then passed to his son, Colonel Alfred Robert Margary in 1900 before passing to his son Ivan Donald Margary in 1940. It was sold in 1985, to create a golf club in the grounds. The house was demolished in the mid 1990s to be replaced by a new clubhouse. (1928 Picture donated by A. Turner)
Air Raid Shelter
Built on Felbridge Green near the school to protect the local residents from enemy action in World War II. (c1950 Photograph by M. Heselden)
Vicarage
Built in 1865 for Rev. Edward Fellows the first vicar of the newly built St. John the Divine Church in Felbridge. This picture was taken immediately after three bombs fell on the church grounds in August 1942. It completely demolished an outbuilding caused some damage to the vicarage and church, fortunately no one was injured. The vicarage was demolished and replaced in the late 1960s. (1942 Photograph by Rev. Hewitt)