THIS IS FINDON VILLAGE — these Findon Chronicles are created by Valerie Martin and contain scenes from her home village of Findon,
West Sussex, U.K.    Everyday stories about real people.

THE TEETH OF THE FINDON WATCHDOG

The idyllic rural scene in Findon, c. 1905. The Post Office next to Winton's Stores in the Square.

 

Copyright Valerie Martin 1999.

When I first arrived to live in the picturesque village of Findon in 1993, it had a Preservation Association that was originally formed in 1957. Those were the days when it had the full backing of the village's inhabitants, as there were some worrying issues on the horizon and the future looked bleak.

What was the Findon Village Preservation Association? What did it do? What has it been instrumental in achieving over the years? The population has changed and the members have come and gone, but the aims are the same. I have found that the aims are, as at its inauguration —

 "for the benefit of the public, to protect and preserve, develop and improve facilities of the general public amenity and historic, architectural or artistic interest within the electoral parish of Findon".

 

Attempts have been made over the years to achieve these ideals, proving that the Association has teeth when it sets its mind to it.

Mr. T. Catling, chairman of the Findon Village Preservation Society with one of the exhibits at the show in November 1957.

 

In November 1957, the villagers were disturbed by recent building work in the area. The Findon Village Preservation Society sprang into action and staged an exhibition entitled "Subtopia" in the Village Hall prepared by the Royal Institute of Architects.

Five years later, in 1962, the Findon Village Preservation Association had a growing popularity and was the largest village organisation with over 350 members. In these early years it was noticeably in the forefront in successfully assisting the village to fight plans for a proposed caravan park. This was planned on the site of mansion on the Muntham Estate.

The demolition of Muntham Court in 1961 by the West Sussex County Council. The north west corner is torn down.

 

 

Exactly the same view in 1996.

 

The Association still had an increasing membership of 458 in 1973. They rallied round and undertook the enterprise of collecting the money to save the site of the Old Pond Green in the centre of the village from house builders.

It is not always remembered but the late Stanley R. O'Hanlon, who was at the time Chairman of the Findon Preservation Association, created the village sign, (situated on Old Pond Green). Members donated half the cost of the sign and it was erected during 1977. The design was later adopted as the logo for the Association. One of the Associate Members, Alan Cooper then donated a sign-written insignia board to be displayed at events and functions in which the Association was involved.

The Association has in recent years been involved in efforts to reduce the scale and size of the proposed forty-one houses on the old Convent site in Nepcote Lane when the property was demolished in February 1998. On this occasion the plans were scaled down to twenty-seven "large luxury village homes" under construction during 1999.

The Convent site in August 1999.

 

The Association also struggled, (alongside other interested Findon groups), against the development of the Gun Inn complex. Eventually some plans were passed but, at least, the building received a much-needed face-lift in the autumn of 1999.

John Henry's Café 2000.

The Association made representation against the conversion of the old Forge site which had been bought by Mrs. Beautrice Costello back in the 1960s. Her son, Charles Costello's John Henry's Café and bar-cum-bistro emerged and continued to grow successfully in 1999 and the structure of the original forge gradually disappeared. The Association continued on its part to object to the development on the grounds that it breached local planning policy guidelines.

When the renting of allotments on the site opposite the Black Horse public House on the A24 ceased in 1998, it became a major area where the interest of an enterprising developer may lie. It is hoped that the Findon Village Preservation Association would attempt to resist any future nibbling away of the historic green belt between the village and Worthing. How long will Findon evade the embrace of the seaside town of Worthing?

The proposals for the ancient Wattle House divided villager against villager and culminated in a vote being taken in January 1999. The property on Nepcote Green needed preserving because of its past association with the downland shepherds, sheep and Sheep Fair and only time would tell what the outcome is to be.

Continue if you would lilke to read about another local character...  Alf Pelling

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