The mysterious bollards

These bollards are as mysterious as they are intricate. They flank the entrance to the Curzon Hotel at the North End of Cavendish Place. Cavendish Place was built in 1829 by CA Busby; the Curzon was two residences known as Cavendish Mansions until about 1900.

Fittings at the top of the bollards indicate that they may have been gateposts, though they are too far apart for entrance gates to a Brighton townhouse. (Their design suggests they are the same era as the Curzon, rather than posts for cast iron railings around Cavendish Mansions). Alternatively the bollards could have been the bases of low-level gas lamps, with the fittings designed to support the posts of the lamps.

Recent history
Alexis May e-mails (Feb 1, 2001): I moved into Flat 2, 8 Cavendish Place, in December 2000. The Curzon Hotel is now numbers 8 and 9 Cavendish Place, and consists of flats. Mine is at the rear on the left, in the basement, and apparently used to be the bar. The filigree bollards are still here, but not as nice as in your photo! If you have any more info for me about the building or road, please let me know, as my partner and I both hear some very odd noises!

Comments about this page

  • Interestingly, though rather gruesome… I found this entry relating to the Curzon Hotel at the national archives website… Records of the coroner of the Borough of Brighton INQUESTS – ref. COR/3/2
    INQUESTS OF 1908: FILE – HITCHCOCK – ref. COR/3/2/1908/163 – date: 14 Dec 1908. Elsie Gertrude of 103 Chestnut Avenue, Forest Gate, London, single woman, trained nurse; 23; at the Curzon Hotel, Cavendish Place, Brighton; found dead; bullet wounds in the head and chest inflicted by Herbert Cammell Ransom alias Roberts with felonious intent; murder; 11 Dec and by adjournment on 14 Dec 1908. FILE – RANSOM alias ROBERTS – ref. COR/3/2/1908/164 – date: 14 Dec 1908. Herbert Cammell of 89 Wellesley Road, Ilford, Essex, shipping agent’s clerk.; 29; at the Curzon Hotel, Cavendish Square, Brighton; found dead, bullet wound in the head self-inflicted with felonious intent; suicide; 11 Dec and by adjournment on 14 Dec 1908.

    By James (09/02/2007)
  • From 1983 to 1989 I worked at the Curzon Hotel in the bar as well as being a nightporter. That place has got many a ghost. Many times fellow staff who worked there would hear odd noises, on one night a fellow nightporter told me that he had just seen a young woman on the third floor ask where her room was, so he told her it was down at he end of the corridor on the other side of the door. She did not say anything but walked towards the door, the corridor was at a 90 degree angle to the left with the door at the end, this door was well known for making a noise when you opened it. My friend said that was only a few minutes behind her, but as he turned the corner to where the door was there was no one there, and he said that she could not have opened the door because he would have heard it. I think the room was 350.

    By Jim Russell (08/07/2008)
  • I lived in the Curzon Hotel which is now known as Cavendish Place No 8 from 1999 – 2001, top floor (flat 11 I think?) My friends and I recall irregular movment in the front room and one of the bedrooms. People could only place in the front room as a movement but could not put their finger on any description? There were only two places where this would be seen but at no time did we feel at unease. There was an incident in the bedroom where I could only describe as waking up in the middle of the night and somebody (I think a male figure) sitting on the window ledge and watching me. About 5 years down the line, I was telling my friend who had lived in the property after me the story – to which only she finished the end of my sentence! This story was never spoken of before. My third friend who was sitting with us could tell by the shock on our faces, that this story had never been mentioned before. If you know any more about this please let me know.

    By Ann (22/10/2008)
  • The murderer with felonious intent was my grandfather. If there is anyone out there who knows anything of these events other than the official coroner’s report or who has any photos of him, Herbert Cammell Ransom, please be so kind as to forward them. I am still searching for birth details of his father, my great grandfather, Matthew Henry Ransom. Thanks.

    By Anne Cleveland (14/07/2009)
  • I live in Flat 10, it is haunted. I can confirm a woman stands at the end of my bed and our neighbours (flat 11) have told us aboput the man sitting on the window sill looking at them in their bedroom. Non nasty-I never feel unwanted just trapped I guess.

    By Ollie (17/08/2012)
  • My grandfather’s sister was the young woman Elsie Gertrude Hitchcock who died in a suicide pact with Herbert Cammell Ransom on 11th Dec 1908. I am interested in any other info about this.

    By Julie Pearce (22/09/2014)
  • We are researching Elsie Gertrude Hitchcock as she was a probationer nurse at The Mitford and Launditch Union Workhouse (now Gressenhall Farm and Workhouse Museum), where her sister was superintendent Nurse. Would really love to talk to relatives of Elsie. Message me via the museum.

    By Helen Bainbridge (25/08/2023)
  • Helen, is that Gressenhall in Norfolk?
    I live in Sprowston, but my grandparents lived in flat 4 Cavendish place.

    By Victoria Bailey (04/12/2023)

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