Giant greenhouse where mill owner grew his grapes

Today, redshanks, dunlin and ringed plover can be seen in the old creek and the newly formed lakes of the preservation area towards Newhaven. Often, on the train to work, I see a little egret in the creek, standing stock still, waiting to pounce on a fish. Occasionally, scruffy cormorant-like shags are also seen and I am reminded of the local wreckers of the 18th century who were called 'Seaford Shags'.

Writing after the war a former Tide Mills resident, Mr Davis, remembers crested grebe, mallard, widgeon and other wildfowl visiting the creek during the winter and in the summer months the colourful kingfisher would nest in the arches of the mill buildings with swallows building their basket-like nests higher up. The area to the west of the village was known as the 'Salts' and in the summer songbirds such as goldfinches and linnets were so numerous that in Victorian times, bird-catchers would stalk the area. They would use a captured goldfinch as bait and have long nets to catch the poor birds which would be taken to London to be sold.

Fish, of course, were plentiful in the area. Nets would be set up across the mill sluices to catch mullet and bass while other fish would flounder in the creek when the tide went out and could be speared with a rounded hook fastened on to the end of a long pole. Percy Thompson remembers catching eels in the creek in the 1930s and selling them to day-trippers from London who used them to make jellied eels. Prawns were easy to catch and many would be caught by the Thompson family who would cook them and sell them to holiday makers on the beach.

Sprats and herring were caught off Eastbourne and were brought to Tide Mills in boxes by carts which would meet others near the railway line where they would be transferred to the Brighton market. Mr Davis recalls fishermen from Brighton landing on the shore and calling at his cottage wearing yellow smocks and bowler hats. His mother would make them a meal before they set off into Seaford Bay to catch plaice, brill, sole and bass. They would sometimes even catch a turbot or a sea trout. He would help them with their nets and as a reward would be given a few fish which his mother used to use for supper.

As for flora, perhaps Tide Mills is most famously remembered for its pear trees which were nurtured by William Catt who ran the Mill between 1801 and 1853. Photographs show these magnificent plants growing up the side of the three-storey mill buildings. Almost everyone who has written about this area has mentioned these pears, although it is not true to say that the Williams Pear is named after Mr Catt. He also provided a huge glasshouse in which grapes were grown. The greenhouse was to the east of the road from the railway to the sea and the area can still be seen. Although now matted with weeds some garden plants, including horseradish, can be found among the undergrowth. In the 1930s, after the greenhouse had been demolished, Tide Mills villager Arthur Thompson leased the area from the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway and grew vegetables for his family.

Some exotic plants would sometimes grow in the area, no doubt washed ashore from boats as were the bamboo poles which would be frequently seen. These would be used as packaging for the cargo in ships and would be thrown overboard at Newhaven Harbour.

As for mammals, sheep and cattle were frequently grazed in the fields around Tide Mills and it is told that once a stag raced through the village, chased by a hunt all the way from Ringmer. The poor animal jumped into the sea and was rescued by the crew of a tug from Newhaven who were able to lasso it. Apart from dogs being walked in the area, the largest animal you are now likely to see is the rabbit. These were once rare in the immediate area of the village as it was so marshy and Percy Thompson had to go into Bishopstone to catch one for an occasional rabbit pie.

When you next take a walk at Tide Mills see how much wildlife you can see.

KEVIN GORDON