Lewes History Group Talk | Heather Downie: The South Street Story

As a background to the book, Heather will give a pictorial overview of the street’s development including the earliest maps and some of the events over time, including an avalanche, which have formed the street we see today.

At the next Lewes History Group meeting Heather Downie will give a talk to launch ‘South Street’, the latest addition to the LHG Street Stories series.

South Street in Lewes is a long street, and it also has a long history, including Britain’s worst avalanche, so this is the most ambitious Street Story yet.

South Street was not a home for the gentry but a working place, with timber yards and river wharfs, boat yards, gas works and chalk pits. By the 20th century, a car service station had replaced the blacksmith, the main chalk pit had become a cement works and, for a time, there was a maker of cricket bats.

Many of the workers in these industries lived in the rows of good Victorian cottages which were interspersed with pubs and beerhouses.

South Street, as part of the main south coast A27, was blighted by heavy traffic until in the 1970s the new Lewes southern by-pass removed most through traffic from Lewes town centre and then in 1980, the Cuilfail tunnel diverted the A26 traffic away from South Street.

It has now become a desirable cul-de-sac in which to live.

As a background to the detailed account in the new book, Heather will give a largely pictorial review of this history, from the earliest maps to the latest houses.

Location: 7.30pm, Kings Church, Lewes

Tickets: Members free, Non-members' tickets £4 from ticketsource.co.uk/lhg