A Brief History of Sidley (Sidley Green)

Sidley was “Sydelagh” – a “clearing in a wood”.
1456-1457 records mention a King’s Highway from Bexhill to Sidley (Sidlegh).
On Norden’s map of Sussex, dated 1616, the settlement of “Sidly” is shown.
Sidley is often called “Sidley Green”.
In the 16th and 17th centuries there were ironworks in the area.
There was an old bloomery at Sidley where the railway used to run.
20th May 1729 – a hurricane cut through Bexhill and Sidley.

Supposedly in 1816 the first cricket match to be played under artificial light (candlelight: candles were placed all round the playing area) took place on Sidley Green (heard on Radio 4 Test Match Special a couple of years ago).

Early 19th C – stagecoaches ran through Bexhill.
The New Inn was a coaching inn (an original staging post) and dates to 18th C. Part of it may date back to the Tudor period. It was always the focal point of village life.
The local hunt frequently met there over the years.
The New Inn was called the Five Bells in the mid 18th century.
Sidley was a small agricultural settlement of farmers and the trades that supported farming: blacksmiths, butchers, millers.
Even up to the start of the Second World War Sidley was still a small rural village set amongst fields.

Sidley had 3 windmills within its vicinity:

The Down Mill (sometimes called Hoad’s Mill) in Gunter’s Lane, Sidley. This post mill was built in 1735 and was operating until 1928. It fell into disrepair until it collapsed in 1965. The Hoad family bought it in 1857 and were its last owners. In 1956 one of the 30-foot sweeps was broken in a gale. In 1960 the artist L.S. Lowry visited Bexhill and painted the decaying windmill (the painting is in Bexhill Museum).

Pankhurst’s Mill up Mayo Lane, Ninfield Road, Sidley. This smock mill was there from at least 1813. It was sold and dismantled in 1928 after the death of its last miller, William Pankhurst, and was re-erected at Stocks Green near Leigh in Kent. It collapsed in 1960.

Ninfield Mill (known locally as Ashburnham Mill). This post mill (in Ninfield’s elevated street?) was demolished in 1937. Supposedly built in 1809, but it does not appear in the 1813 Ordnance Survey map of the county. Mr William Morris was the last miller to work it. Ninfield Mill was last worked about 1900; the round-house was the only part which was put to any use at all between 1900 and 1937, and that was used as a potting shed for the garden on which the mill then stood. In about 1928 two of the sweeps suddenly fell off.

Last to survive was Pankhursts’ Mill on Ninfield Road - built in 1813 and dismantled in 1928.
Sidley became focus for brickmaking when the new resort was being built: Adam’s brickyard (handmade bricks) and the Highwoods brickyard.

1828 – Battle of Sidley Green. Smugglers landed illicit cargo close to Sackville. The Coast Blockade spotted it. Fight at Sidley Green (Cramp’s Farm): 1 fatality on each side. The 8 smugglers caught were sent to New South Wales, Australia. There is, thus, a Bexhill near Sydney.

1840 Weslyan Mission founded at Sidley.
1865 Church School opened in Sidley. It was one of the earliest in the area.
1870s band grew from orchestra formed in late 1870s at the Working Men’s Club. Became Bexhill Town Band.
1885 – The Iron Church (also called All Saints) was built. The Iron Church was later dismantled and rebuilt as part of Beals of Sidley Ltd. All Saints Church was proposed in 1921, but only the nave was completed by 1925. Work on the tower began in 1928 and it was consecrated in 1930.
1890s – Cricket was played at Sidley, but the present cricket club dates from 1901.
Sidley Football Club dates from before 1914.

1897 – The South eastern and Chatham Company began construction of the Bexhill West- Crowhurst via Sidley railway. It opened in 1902. The two steam engines that drew the branch line trains were known as the “Crowhurst Fliers”. The terraced house in North Street (next to Sidley CC) were built on farm land for workers employed in the construction of the Bexhill West-Sidley-Crowhurst branchline. In 1945 a Victory street party was held in North Street.

1909 First part of all Saints Church Sidley dedicated.
Sidley had 2 blacksmith forges in last century, and a wheelwright’s shop.
John Beal was a well-known wheelwright, coach painter and general smith. He had a forge (Beal Catt Forge) opposite the Sussex Hotel, and, as horse traffic declined, a general engineering and cycle shop.
Municipal housing came to Sidley after 1st W War.
1902 – Pelham Hotel opened. Built by J.P. Goodwin who also built the York Hall to coincide with the opening of Sidley Railway Station.It provided public stabling facilities then lacking in Sidley.
1902 – The Sussex Hotel replaced the earlier Sussex Inn. It was designed by Henry Ward who designed Bexhill Town Hall and St. Stephen’s Church, Bexhill Down (consecrated in 1900 – replaced the Down Mission Hall).
1902 – Celebration of coronation of Edward VII on August 9th 1902 – processions, fireworks, athletic events and dinner on Sidley Green for elderly residents. 180 elderly residents were present. Each was given a photograph of the King and Queen. The marquee was too small and another was lent by John Lambert Walker of Woodsgate and an awning was rigged between them.
Sidley Bowls Club was formed during the First World War.

During the Second World War, Canadian soldiers, the Calgary Highlanders, were stationed in Bexhill and Little Common. They often marched through Sidley.

1964 Sidley Station became redundant due to the Beeching cuts. Bexhill West to Crowhurst branchline closed. Sidley Station building was used as Sidley Service Station until it was demolished in 1970. A footbridge crossed the line at the back and to the side of the station building and gave access to the sunken platform.
Soldiers of King’s German legion created bowling alley at New Inn.
Sidley developed around crossroads in the local road network.
31st May 1902 Crowhurst branch line opened. Station built in Sidley.
Haddocks Hill now Wrestwood Road.
Pankhurst Mill was up Mayo Lane.
At bottom of North Road was a boggy swamp at rear of New Inn. The pond there (Sidley pond) was filled in (about 1910) to create a grassy children’s play area (1920 photo confirms this). At the edge of the pond there used to be a pound where stray animals were kept until their owners claimed them.
On north side of road above The Sussex was Beales the engineers and the forge, then Tom Bodle’s house.
Ninfield Road: Adam’s Coal Yard with the brickyard behind. Footpath from here led to Hoad’s Mill.
Two blacksmiths in Sidley: one in Terminus Road; one up in Old Town.
Turners the Blacksmith and wheelwright was in Sidley High Street where DIY store was recently. The forge closed in 1957.

This research comes from copies of The Bexhill Observer held on microfiche in Bexhill Library, various books of historic photos of Bexhill and Sidley in the Library, and maps and articles in the Bexhill Museum.