Tide Mills Timeline


1698 Main river mouth near the present ruined village. Whole area
     consisted of shingle and marshland. Duke of Newcastle, of
     Bishopstone Place, had the idea for a Tide Mill.


1761 The Duke secured the passage of a bill through parliament allowing
     three local merchants - John Woods, William Woods, John Challenor -
     permission to erect one or more Tide Mills for the grinding of corn
     or grain.


     Village and industrial enterprise later leased to William Catt, who
     owned thearea to the east (as far as the Buckle Inn).


1785 A smugglers boat was swept into the mill pond.


1795 Troops stationed at Seaford mutinied. They marched on Tidemills and 
     siezed 300 sacks of flour.


1846 Repeal of the Corn Laws. Cheap corn now coming from abroad.


1847 London, Brighton and South Coast Railway reaches Newhaven.


1853 William Catt dies.


1864 Railway line extended to Seaford.


1876 Violent storms. Village flooded.


1883 Windmill blown down by a gale and granary demolished by it.


1884 Railway company built over the creek - barges could no longer get
     in. Creek closed to shipping.


1887 Bottle of spirits washed ashore. The villagers drunk them. 
     One died; many were ill and had to have their stomachs pumped.


1901 Mill demolished.
     Tidemills now owned by the railway company.
     Village now housed railway employees and construction workers.
     

1912-1913 Sea breaks through again.


1914-1918 Many of houses demolished in wartime.
          Sea-plane base built.
          After war part of village taken over by Dale's Racing Stables. 
          This moved out in the 1930's.
          The Chailey Heritage Beach Hospital for Crippled Children was
          built. Former railway carriages and and beach sheds appear as
          holiday accomodation.


1938 Present Bishopstone station opened.


1939-1945 Army demolishes much of the remaining village in the 
          threat of invasion.
 

1945 THE END.

