Maybe this sign was near the top of Coldean Lane where the crossroads of Ditchling Road meets Carden Hill? Great picture.

By the distance to the Beacon I would suggest it was at the top of Ditchling Road, perhaps at the old cross road junction with Coldean Lane.

I am reasonably sure this sign was at the top of Coldean Lane just as you made the left turn towards Brighton. We have a family cine film with the sign caked in snow in the early '60s. I believe the area of woodland behind the fair damsel is the entrance to Stanmer Woods known as The Pudding Bowl (but I could be wrong!)

Having grown up in Hollingbury from 1949 and frequented Stanmer Woods and Park, I agree, this looks like top of Coldean Lane and Ditchling Road Crossroads. And yes, it looks like one of the walking paths into Stanmer Woods behind the lady. I am surprised it was only 3 miles into Brighton though. But, hey, it was a long time ago I made my daily bus journeys in to work and back so I guess when you include all the bus stops then it does seem a longer journey. Very fond memories of car rides out to the Beacon, walks to the Giant's Foot, and visits to Patcham park and downs. Wonderful areas. I hope they are all still as dreamy as I remember them. Thanks for a great photo. Sandra.

Who is the lady in the photo?

Old Boat Corner top of Coldean Lane and Ditchling Road, and the wood behind is Pudding Bag Wood not Pudding Bowl.

Years ago Iwas employed to help renovate the wall surounding Stamner Park along with a bricklayer called John Hillman who also ran the pub at the bottom of New England Road /Street - I think it was called the New Inn! Anyway my job was to collect all the old flints that were broken down from the origanal wall and John would cement them all back together. To make the job look weather worn he asked me to go around and get buckets of cow manure ane mix it with the water that I made cement with, this made the finished job look old, so as not to look odd. After it was finished it did look very nice. I think that the company that we worked for was called MIRFIELDS, their office was up Elm Grove. John was a very forceful man, but had a heart of gold, always letting me collect the wood for the barbies that we cooked our sausages over. Happy days!

I remember this sign, as a boy being taken for a ride on the back of my father's motorbike. The sign was not visible until you had crested the top of the road when approaching from Coldean. I always loved the stretch up to and down the back of Ditchling Beacon with all the twists and turns. Not as much fun in the car, well not from those days anyway. Those 8/9 horsepower cars would wheeze just getting to the top of the lane. For Sandra Bohtlingk; the 3 miles would take you to just north of St Peters Church by the Level. The open market if it is still there. For Alan Spicer... are you the brother of the late Mike Spicer from Carden Crescent? If so, I have many photos from the MVCG and Invicta MVPS meets you may like copies of. Maybe we could meet up on the message board and exchange email addresses.

Hi Bob, yes I am Mike's little brother and still missing him .

Many thanks for the Comments. The girl in the photo was a friend of the family down from Surrey for a day out.

I see that Moulsecoomb was spelt the old way back then i.e. without an "e" between the "s" and the "c". Nice photo Peter.