A potted history

In 1928, Rottingdean parish was absorbed by Brighton and in order to protect the coastline an impressive sea wall at the base of the cliffs was erected, initially from Black Rock (the former boundary of Brighton parish) to Rottingdean.

The Undercliff Walk, as it became known, was designed by borough engineer David Edwards and opened in July 1933. It was extended to Saltdean Gap in July 1935 when the Rottingdean swimming-pool was built to replace bathing facilities lost to the wall.

A final short addition to the wall taking it to the very end of the borough boundary was made later in 1935. The Undercliff Walk is now 3.35 miles long and forms part of a 7.5 mile promenade from Portslade to Saltdean.

Comments about this page

  • Can you tell us who originally built the Undercliff ie who were the workers who did the construction? Also was it improved during the 1960s?

    By Sue Horne (19/08/2004)
  • I always understood that the Undercliff Walk was largely built by otherwise unemployed Welsh miners during the Depression, but that might be just a story!

    By Martin Nimmo (06/03/2007)
  • I remember them extending the Undercliff Walk about 200 yards to the east of the borough boundary which I think was during the 1960s. It’s very clear where the new section begins because the cliffs are substantially further inland having been eroded while they were unprotected.

    By Kelvin McNulty (12/01/2008)

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