Chapter I: Preface

_Many years ago it occurred to this writer that it would be an interesting thing to write and illustrate a book on the Road to Brighton. The genesis of that thought has been forgotten, but the book was written and published, and has long been out of print. And there might have been the end of it, but that (from no preconceived plan) there has since been added a long series of books on others of our great highways, rendering imperative re-issues of the parent volume._

_Two considerations have made that undertaking a matter of considerable difficulty, either of them sufficiently weighty. The first was that the original book was written at a time when the author had not arrived at a settled method; the second is found in the fact of the BRIGHTON ROAD being not only the best known of highways, but also the one most susceptible to change._

_When it is remembered that motor-cars have come upon the roads since then, that innumerable sporting "records" in cycling, walking, and other forms of progression have since been made, and that in many other ways the road is different, it was seen that not merely a re-issue of the book, but a book almost entirely re-written and re-illustrated was required. This, then, is what was provided in a second edition, published in 1906. And now another, the third, is issued, bringing the story of this highway up to date._

CHARLES G. HARPER.

_March, 1922._

THE ROAD TO BRIGHTON

MILES

Westminster Bridge (Surrey side) to--

St. Mark's Church, Kennington 1-1/2

Brixton Church 3

Streatham 5-1/2

Norbury 6-3/4

Thornton Heath 8

Croydon (Whitgift's Hospital) 9-1/2

Purley Corner 12

Smitham Bottom 13-1/2

Coulsdon Railway Station 14-1/4

Merstham 17-3/4

Redhill (Market Hall) 20-1/2

Horley ("Chequers") 24

Povey Cross 25-3/4

Kimberham Bridge (Cross River Mole) 26

Lowfield Heath 27

Crawley 29

Pease Pottage 31-1/4

Hand Cross 33-1/2

Staplefield Common 34-3/4

Slough Green 36-1/4

Whiteman's Green 37-1/4

Cuckfield 37-1/2

Ansty Cross 38

Bridge Farm (Cross River Adur) 40-1/4

St. John's Common 40-3/4

"Friar's Oak" Inn 42-3/4

Stonepound 43-1/2

Clayton 44-1/2

Pyecombe 45-1/2

Patcham 48

Withdean 48-3/4

Preston 49-3/4

Brighton (Aquarium) 51-1/2

THE SUTTON AND REIGATE ROUTE

St. Mark's, Kennington 1-1/2

Tooting Broadway 6

Mitcham 8-1/4

Sutton ("Greyhound") 11

Tadworth 16

Lower Kingswood 17

Reigate Hill 19-1/4

Reigate (Town Hall) 20-1/2

Woodhatch ("Old Angel") 21-1/2

Povey Cross 26

Brighton 51-5/8

THE BOLNEY AND HICKSTEAD ROUTE

Hand Cross 33-1/2

Bolney 39

Hickstead 40-1/2

Savers Common 42

Newtimber 44-1/2

Pyecombe 45

Brighton 50-1/2

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

PAGE

George the Fourth Frontispiece

Sketch-map showing Principal Routes to Brighton 4

Stage Waggon, 1808 13

The "Talbot" Inn Yard, Borough, about 1815 17

Me and My Wife and Daughter 19

The "Duke of Beaufort" Coach starting from the "Bull
and Mouth" Office, Piccadilly Circus, 1826 31

The "Age," 1829, starting from Castle Square, Brighton 35

Sir Charles Dance's Steam-carriage leaving London for
Brighton, 1833 39

The Brighton Day Mails crossing Hookwood Common, 1838 43

The "Age," 1852, crossing Ham Common 47

The "Old Times," 1888 51

The "Comet," 1890 55

John Mayall, Junior, 1869 70

The Stock Exchange Walk: E. F. Broad at Horley 83

Miss M. Foster, paced by Motor Cycle, passing Coulsdon 86

Kennington Gate: Derby Day, 1839 95

Streatham Common 101

Streatham 107

The Dining Hall, Whitgift Hospital 111

The Chapel, Hospital of the Holy Trinity 113

Croydon Town Hall 120

Chipstead Church 135

Merstham 139

Gatton Hall and "Town Hall" 144

The Switchback Road, Earlswood Common 148

Thunderfield Castle 150

The "Chequers," Horley 151

The "Six Bells," Horley 153

The "Cock," Sutton, 1789 157

Kingswood Warren 162

The Suspension Bridge, Reigate Hill 163

The Tunnel, Reigate 167

Tablet, Batswing Cottages 172

The Floods at Horley 174

Charlwood 176

A Corner in Newdigate Church 177

On the Road to Newdigate 179

Ifield Mill Pond 180

Crawley: Looking South 183

Crawley, 1789 185

An Old Cottage at Crawley 188

The "George," Crawley 189

Sculptured Emblem of the Holy Trinity, Crawley Church 191

Pease Pottage 197

The "Red Lion," Hand Cross 201

Cuckfield, 1789 203

The Road out of Cuckfield 207

Cuckfield Place 210

The Clock-Tower and Haunted Avenue, Cuckfield Place 211

Harrison Ainsworth 213

Old Sussex Fireback, Ridden's Farm 223

Jacob's Post 224

Clayton Tunnel 233

Clayton Church and the South Downs 235

The Ruins of Slaugham Place 239

The Entrance: Ruins of Slaugham Place 241

Bolney 243

From a Brass at Slaugham 244

Hickstead Place 245

Newtimber Place 247

Pyecombe: Junction of the Roads 249

Patcham 251

Old Dovecot, Patcham 254

Preston Viaduct: Entrance to Brighton 256

The Pavilion 259

The Cliffs, Brighthelmstone, 1789 263

Dr. Richard Russell 265

St. Nicholas, the old Parish Church of Brighthelmstone 269

The Aquarium, before destruction of the Chain Pier 271

THE BRIGHTON ROAD