ABOUT US
Living in the Sea Spray
Probably named after the salty sea-spray that covered the
grass after storms, Saltdean was, for centuries, a large area
of downland and furze with only a few isolated farm buildings
and cottages. Lower Bannings Farmhouse, at Bannings Vale,
is the oldest building still standing and dates from the mid-18th
Century.
Saltdean Gap, with easy access to the beach,was often used
by smugglers in the past and, in 1834, a row of coastguard
cottages was erected near the cliff top.
Most of the cottages were demolished in 1937, but one of
them,the post office and store, was demolished a little
later and it is believed that Teynham House was erected
around this site. The history of the present housing estate
began in 1916 when the land was acquired by speculator Charles
Neville.
It was his dream to develop all the land between Rottingdean
and Newhaven. In 1919, Neville sold plots in what is now
Peacehaven, and he started development at Rottingdean Heights
in 1923.
In 1924, Neville established the Saltdean Estate Company
in an office by the coastguard cottages. His purchase of
the Saltdean area was completed in 1925. Miles of new roads
were laid – surfaced with chalk quarried from a pit
in Greenbank Avenue - and a small railway was built to convey
the materials along the Vale.
By the time of the Second World War, the Saltdean Park
area and the Mount Estate were largely complete and the
Estate Company had built the Lido, the Ocean Hotel, several
blocks of flats and the Smuggler's Haunt tearooms at the
Gap.
The Estate Company was taken over by Homemakers Ltd and
development of the area continued after the war until the
Seventies.
The Lido park, known also as the Oval because of its shape,
covers 18 acres. In July 1961,the council spent £45,000
to divert the roadways which ran across the park, renovate
the 16 hole miniature golfcourse and to provide tennis courts
and swings. There is now a bowling green and pavilion. At
the southern end of the park, stands the Saltdean Lido,
opened by the Estate Company in 1937.
The main building was designed by Richard Jones and, in
July 1987, it was listed.
The pool itself measures 140ft x 66ft and can accommodate
500 bathers. During the Second World War,the pool was used
as a water tank by the National Fire Service College which
was based at the Ocean Hotel.
The Lido remained closed until 1964 at a cost of £86,000.A
new wing for community use was erected behind the pool and
now includes a youth centre,a clinic,community centre and
a library.
At present, a big regeneration project is underway to develop
better play facilities in the park for children
From an article published on the Brighton and Hove Council
website
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