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[Brighton] FAO Withdean/Westdene residents present or past



Chicken Run

Member Since Jul 2003
NSC Patron
Jul 17, 2003
18,491
Valley of Hangleton
Please help me settle a discussion on wether Glen Rise at the top of Valley Drive is Withdean or Westdene, I thought it was Withdean but apparently I’m wrong??
 




WATFORD zero

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 10, 2003
25,880
Please help me settle a discussion on wether Glen Rise at the top of Valley Drive is Withdean or Westdene, I thought it was Withdean but apparently I’m wrong??

Ask a cabbie :shrug:

As a resident of 30+ years, I have learnt that the two terms are completely interchangeable and seem to be used depending on whether you want to get something delivered or whether you're trying to impress someone :wink:
 


stewart12

Well-known member
Jan 16, 2019
1,601
my gut instinct is that it's Westdene but I'm not sure why
 












Greg Bobkin

Silver Seagull
May 22, 2012
14,862
As an aside (I don't know the answer to the original question, BTW), why is one a 'dean' and the other a 'dene'? ???
 




Boroseagull

Well-known member
Aug 23, 2003
2,063
Alhaurin de la Torre
This made me smile as my late mother had a similar debate about whether Greenfield Crescent was Patcham, or as she preferred it - Withdean.
 


Weststander

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Aug 25, 2011
64,102
Withdean area
It’s definitely Westdene, there’s a definitive historic map online.

Westdene is a postwar ‘estate’, all streets north and NW of Colebrook Road and Redhill Drive. Valley Drive is Withdean to just north of Redhill Drive only. Redhill Close by default is Withdean 😉.

This isn’t hearsay, Brighton Town Council specifically planned Westdene just prior to WW2, it was originally to be called Withdean Estate West.

https://www.mybrightonandhove.org.uk/places/placestree/valley-drive/withdean-and-westdene
 


Sid and the Sharknados

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Sep 4, 2022
4,088
Darlington
As an aside (I don't know the answer to the original question, BTW), why is one a 'dean' and the other a 'dene'? ???
A quick Google suggests that at some point the residents of Withdean forgot how to spell:
"The area was originally named in the 12th century, when it was called Wictedene.[Citation needed]"
Dene means a valley, incidentally.
 










Cowfold Seagull

Fan of the 17 bus
Apr 22, 2009
21,648
Cowfold
Well the 27 bus has Westdene on the front as it's final destination, yet the terminus is ermmm outside the Withdean Park & Ride car park.
 


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