Chain Walk House

Children in the Spinney Field, Burtenshaws seen in the background c1910 (colourised photo). Postcard kindly loaned by Fred Wheatland.

The first house that greets you, when arriving in Cuckfield from Ansty, is called today Chainwalk House. In the early 1900s it housed Burtenshaws the cycle shop. It was 50 years ago since I photographed it shrouded by Virginia Creeper. The deep red leaves making a magnificent welcome to the village in the Autumn. But this rampant climber had so taken over the fabric of the building it must have been causing damage to the brickwork beneath.

The 1910 photo of Spinney Field shows a well made up path. This may well be the path used from Cuckfield Park to the church.

Notice the changes. Chainwalk House - note the versions of a south facing window. See the replacement adjacent buildings to the north. The unsightly garage doors have gone.

Notice the subtle changes to the buildings. On Chainwalk House itself - note the versions of a south facing window. See the replacement adjacent buildings to the north. The unsightly garage doors have gone.h

In the next article there will be other pictures and background information concerning the Chain Walk area.

If you have any old photographs of Cuckfield - and at the moment we are especially interested in photographs from the 60s and 70s - please do let the editors know we have the means to copy them, whether slide or print.

Photo photograph by the author in February 2022.

Photograph by the author over 50 years ago - maybe Summer 1968.

Photograph by the author 50 years ago Autumn c1971.

Photograph by the author 50 years ago maybe in Autumn 1971.

Photograph by Major Cyril Pike c1965.

Photograph of Chainwalk House by the author in February 2022.

The 50 year old transparencies here have been restored with photo-editing software. At a glance they look little different from the present day ones, and a tribute to modern technology.

Contributed by Malcolm Davison.