Saturday 11 May 2013

Seaford

































People have lived in this part of Sussex for thousand of years. Once the River Ouse reached the sea at the foot of the cliffs making Seaford an useful harbour.
Bronze age people built a hill-fort on the cliffs and a Roman cemetery lies under the greens of the golf course.
Seaford was first mentioned as a port 1229.
In medieval times the town was one of the busiest ports at the south coast, wool was the main export.
In the 14th century, the 100-year´s war and the Black Death put an end to Seaford´s pre-eminence. By 1357 it was mostly in ruins. The final blow to the town´s importance came in the late 16th century by which time its harbour had silted up. The tiny population survived by fishing, smuggling and plundering wrecked ships.
In 1661 the town regained some of it´s prestige when it resumed sending two men to Parliament. The system of "rotten boroughs", as they became known, fell into disrepute and ended with the Reform Act of 1832.
Seaford´s modern history dates from 1864, with the arrival of the railway. Victorian Seaford prospered as it brought visitors to the town.


The Old Town Hall - Until the 19th century this was the town hall where court sessions were held.

The old house - In 1712 this was the home of Seaford Bailiff Thomas Tufton. Smugglers are believed to have used its many staircases and cupboards for storing contraband.




Fitzgerald Almhouses - John Fitzgerald built this almhouses in 1864 for married couples. Most almhouses were built either for men or for women and married couples were seperated. Look at this Tudor chimneys!


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