Old Convent, Dunclutha Road, Now Demolished

[FJH]

Dear all.

In 2000 the Convent which stood at the top of Dunclutha Road was demolished. It was a gothic style building. All that remains are the lodge and the stables.

I have spent hourse trawling the internet and the library searching for a picture.

I only have a hazy picture in my memory now of what it looked like.

I would dearly love to see it again.

I hope someone can help : )

Many thanks

FJH

[Marcus]

This must have been before it was a convent. Hope it's what you wanted.

[Marcus]

You might be interesting in a photo I've found of Dunclutha before it was a convent. I haven't been able to put it on here but if you give me your email address I can send it.

[whiffler]

That image references Sir John Urquhart Bart. May give another strand to help in the search, along with a previous thread's info ...

viewtopic.php?t=1604

Also found reference to someone dying at St John's, Dunclutha Rd. Can't be certain that is the same place, but a 1964 tree preservation order has a map naming properties, and it looks large enough - last page refers

https://www.hastings.gov.uk/content/pla ... PO_032.pdf

[Fjh78]

Hello Everyone.

I’m the original poster. Oh I am so happy to see Dunclutha again ! Thank you so much Marcus! I’ve searched and searched for years and found nothing. You’ve succeeded where I failed! Where did you find this?!

Thank you again.

Felicity

[whiffler]

From OS maps

1874 - property is St. Helens
1878 - as above
1899 - name now Dunclutha
1909 - as above
1910 - as above
1929 - as above
1938 - as above
1955 - name now St John's Nursing Home - 2 maps
1962 - not named
1970 - Chapel (private) - large building appears
1975 - main building disappears, Chap remains
1987 - chapel building still there, now marked as convent

The chappie Urquhart is obviously Scottish, and some families give the first son the same name, while always known by their second. So Sir Alan John Urquhart, 6th Baron is our man. If you can trace his descendants there might be photos.

A death notice in the London Gazette mentions "Late of The Community of the Sisters of the Ascension at St. John's Nursing Home, Dunclutha Road, Hastings, Sussex, and formerly at St. John's House, 111, Sydenham Hill, London, S.E.26, and late of St. Michael's House, Tankerton, Kent, Spinster. 18th December, 1952.

A quick sniff around got no further leads

[Fjh78]

Thanks Whiffler.

It’s strange that the os info suggests the main house disappeared on 1975. If my memory serves me correctly Dunclutha wasn’t demolished until 2001. The stables and lodge still stand. Or did, last time I drove up there, 10 years ago!

Over the years quite a few local people must have worked there. Nurses, cleaners (I was one of them!), cooks, gardeners, handymen. It was a big place. I’d love to hear the memories of anyone who remembers the house and community.

Does anyone know whether any of the house was saved? There was an incredible stain glass window on the stairwell.

Also, for fans of Robert Tressels RTPs, I think the tower the men had to scale on precarious ladders to paint the pinnacle is that which you can see in the picture Marcus has uploaded.