Lewes Forum thread

Go on, tell 'em what you think

Lewes Forum New message

Just being nosey

On 27 Sep 2012 at 7:50pm Morrigan wrote:

I've lived in Lewes for seven years now, and for that seven years, every time I have left Tesco's I have been able to look up and see castle Dracula lurking in the trees on the hill. I have heard one teenager refer to it as the haunted house, but apart from that no-one from the, admittedly very few, people I've asked about it seem to know anything. Does anyone live there? And if so, can you see their reflection in a mirror? Do they cast a shadow? I suppose I'm really asking who built it, and why was it built in a style that could not be more unlike the sussex vernacular unless it was constructed from dried wombat droppings

On 27 Sep 2012 at 8:11pm Local Historian wrote:

Yes indeed someone does live there. Interestingly it is the former home of Gideon Mantell who became famous in the 1970's after discovering the fossil of the iron chicken. However this was later proved a hoax and Mantell spent the rest of his days working on the construction of the cuilfail tunnel

On 27 Sep 2012 at 8:29pm Old Malling wrote:

Yes, somebody lives there (they always used to park their car on Malling Hill and walk up their path - haven't noticed them lately though). Plenty of posts on here about previous owners - Pete & Pru - who were well known local characters. No idea when it was built though, but I would be interested to hear if anybody knows (except for Local Historian who is currently living in a parallel universe).

On 27 Sep 2012 at 8:59pm Yep wrote:

My dad told me when he was a boy, it was called 'cats castle' because an old lady who lived there kept lots of cats. I suppose that must have been about 50 odd years ago.

On 27 Sep 2012 at 9:11pm Enoch wrote:

In the 1920/30's "Old Mother" Attenborough used to live there, she was very eccentric and had lots of cats, maybe who your Dad was on about Yep. My Great Aunt and Nan used to visit her when they were young.

On 27 Sep 2012 at 9:37pm Yep. wrote:

Well I know you Enoch .... See you Saturday!

On 27 Sep 2012 at 9:44pm grafter wrote:

It must be a bit of a job getting furniture etc up that path? Would put a lot of people off.

On 28 Sep 2012 at 7:27am boots wrote:

didn't we have this discussion a few weeks ago

On 28 Sep 2012 at 10:01am Teacher wrote:

What discussion?

On 28 Sep 2012 at 3:05pm Irrelevant Steve wrote:

I sometimes like to eat broccoli with my hands... sans cutlery.

On 28 Sep 2012 at 4:21pm Old Cynic wrote:

Is there any way of getting to the property other than by the path from Malling Street? How did the owners get up there in the 19thC in a long frock?!