New sea side town in Sussex
Carew Davies-Gilbert, a local landwoner whose descendants still live in East Dean today, had a dream of a new sea side town centred at Birling Gap. There was going to be a new branch train line from Eastbourne, and there were plans to build gardens and pier. The new town was to be called Southdown Bay but the railway company declined to build the line, which scuppered his plans for the new development.
By the 1920’s the motor car had taken over from the train as the preferred mode of transport. Plans were drawn up to build a housing estate over Crowlink with hotels and a golf course. This horrified those who loved the wild and natural joy of a more undeveloped Birling Gap.
A fund raising campaign was started by the Society of Sussex Downsman and their president Arthur Beckett. The aim was to generate funds to help protect this unspoiled coastal site. It was so successful that enough money was raised to purchase the site outright. It was gifted to the National Trust, thereby saving it from extensive commercial development.