These gardens were originally part of Wick farm, owned during the 18th Century by the Scutt family. The present Farm Road led to it hence its name. Wick House, built as the farmhouse, dated from about 1780.
Later Sir Isaac Goldsmid who converted the farmhouse into a mansion and laid out the ornamental grounds acquired the estate. In the grounds was the Chalybeate spring, formerly much resorted to by visitors from Brighton. The private laundry of Wick House, shown in the photograph above, was built over the spring to protect it.
The grounds and Well House were purchased by the Hove Corporation and opened to the public in May 1908. The farm buildings which lay behind Wick House, facing Somerhill Road were next removed, and finally Wick House, for many years occupied by a preparatory school, was demolished in 1936 to make way for Furze Croft. The Well House was removed at the same time.
Image Reference: JG_11_077.tif
Date: 1920s
Image Details: Copy
Size of Original: 158x108
Place: Hove
Additional Information: Bath chair,Speak your weight machine
This image is copyright and is made available for personal study only. Commercial reproduction in any media is prohibited without written authorisation.
High resolution images for commercial use are available. Please contact The Regency Society