The Rising Sun Public House

 The original Rising Sun at 2 Rose Place, Hollington, Sussex opened as a beer house in 1868. Its first licensee was Henry Stevens whose household on the 1871 Census consisted of;

Henry Stevens – age 39 – Stone Mason – Born – Surrey.

Wife – Eliza Sawyer Stevens – age 35 – Born – Battle, Sussex.

Son – William Stevens – age 9 – Born – St Leonards, Sussex.

Son – Charles Stevens – age 8 – Born – St Leonards, Sussex.

Son – Arthur Stevens – age 4 – Born – St Leonards, Sussex.

Son – Harry Stevens – age 9 months – Born – St Leonards, Sussex.

Son – Walter Stevens – age 9months – Born – St Leonards, Sussex.

Servant – Jane Esther Groome – age 17 – Domestic Servant – Born – Surrey.

 

In 1876 the licensee was B. Taylor who held it until 1882 when James Clayton of Silverhill Farm, took over. James Clayton held the license until 1888, during which time, the lane running down by the side of the building (now part lane and part steps) was known locally as ‘Clayton’s Hill’.

 The original address of the ‘Rising Sun’ was 2 Rose Place, Hollington. Between 1888 and 1902 the ‘Rising Sun’ of 2 Rose Place, Hollington had the following licensee’s;

 

• 1888 T. Mitchell.
• 1889 W.H. Foord.
• 1891 J.J.W. Taylor.
• 1892 G.W. Page.
• 1893 James Pilbeam.
• 1899 William White
• 1902 Charles Ringe.

 In 1903, re-numbering of Battle Road, took place, and the ‘Rising Sun’, became 173 Battle Road, and the following licensee’s were recorded;

 

• 1903 Charles Ringe.
• 1905 W. Elliott.
• 1910 Charles Wilding.
• 1911 James William Waller.
• 1923 A.J. Pollard.
• 1924 A. Orsi.

 A. Orsi held the license of the ‘Rising Sun’ from 1924 to 1938. In 1937, the brewery, George Beer & Rigden who owned both 171 and 173 Battle Road, St Leonards decided to demolish the buildings and replace them with a new public house.

 In 1939, the’ Rising Sun’ in its present form had the words ‘Public House’ added to the address and the following licensee’s are recorded;

 

·        1939 R.J. Turner.

·        1948 C.P. Stevens.

·        1973 – 1974 John W. Buckley.

 

It is not known when George Beer & Rigden acquired the ‘Rising Sun’. What is known is that Rigden’s Brewery started in Faversham, Kent in ~ 1750 and became George Beer & Rigden’s in 1921 after taking over George Beer’s brewery in Canterbury, Kent. They in turn were taken over by Fremlins in 1949 and subsequently Whitbread Brewery.

 In 1993, the ‘Rising Sun’ was acquired by Shepherd Neame and Pamela Stent became the tenant until February 2008 when the tenancy was taken by Steve Fitzgerald.

The Rising Sun in 1999

[1] National Archives Ref: RG10 1030 page 16.