This splendid, architecturally rich turn-of-the-century building, was opened in 1896 to serve the recently built housing community as the town spread northwards towards Broadwater. The name is thought to have originated from the Southdown breed of sheep.

The pub has been closed since 2017. Building work began to be undertaken but  stopped and it remained dormant for several years. We made an assumption it was being converted into flats.

The 1906 Southdown Quoits Club.

You will see a couple of local landlords in the team, such as G Brazier, C Grevatt, and F Wyatt who might have been the landlord of the John Selden in Salvington Road.

Carol Flatres contacted us in early 2019 to reveal that E Chilcott, seated right, was her great great-great-uncle who received a personalised medal of the event. He lived in Northbrook Road at the time.

Pictures left, Donald and Violet Greenfield, landlord and Landlady of the Southdown in around late 1950s to early 1960s. Thanks to granddaughter Kate Greenfield.

Below. From its hotel days,  just around the corner from the main door, was the hotel manager’s lounge. Hence the small fireplace.

Bottom right, the internal window  allowing him to see anyone entering, or leaving. The hotel entrance was  in king Street.

The Southdown, March 1977.

Worthing College of Technology rag week chairman, Steve Oliver (centre), put away 2,043 baked beans with a single cocktail stick in half an hour to beat the current record of 1,840 and surpassed his challenger, Nigel Hughes (right), who downed 1,500. Also pictured, Jenny Bailey, students' union president.

It wasn't known if Steve's record would stand as there was a claim of 2,547 in the pipeline at the time.

January 1985. Pictured right, David and Mark Coles, father and son. The pair held regular quiz programs at the Southdown pub as well as the Montague Arms.

David said, 'Setting quizzes for each other has always been part of the fun in our family, We thought it would be a good idea to get people puzzling on a wide scale - especially as we had heard that quiz evenings had taken off in a big way, but the response has been far greater than we expected, last week you couldn't move in the Southdown for people taking part.'

The original Southdown lamb pub sign, then preserved safely inside the pub. It would appear that it was removed in the 1920s when the building became a school, something that only lasted for around 6 years. Fortunately, the sign was stored in the cellar until eventually returned to its original position.

My memory of the pub was somewhat vague, as it had been some 30 years since my last visit (at the time of writing), but I did remember the bar area was 'roofed' with green glazed terracotta tiles, something I mentioned to the landlord in conversation. His reply momentarily stunned me, he still had them, stacked up in the cellar. Would I like to see? - Oh yes!!!

I visited in I think 2011, It had recently had a refit and I wanted it compare it to my memories from the past.

What a transition from of a rather dark and enclosed pub. Now sporting sharp, clean lines that carry on into both toilets. The single long L-shaped bar that covers the three zones - drinks and chat, relaxing corners, and a sports section.

The landlord informs me, that since the smoking ban, he has been able to bring in better quality furniture and promote the business as a family pub.

Bell on the bar.

Originally understood to have been a truck fire bell from Worthing Fire station, we have now discovered that it was in fact a gift from the father of Graham Wood, who was an officer in the South Glamorgan Fire Service, so it's Welsh.

Time Line

A little bit more

1901 - Henry Maddox
1905 - George Brazier
1931 - R Sawyer
1950 - 1960s Donald and Violet Greenfield
1963 - A Adams
1968 - 1973 William Duckworth
1975 - Fred & Norma Friend
1980 - Colin Davenport
1993 - Carol Belding
1994 - Ian Wilson
1995 - Muriel Walsh
2000 - Dawn Troncone
2005 - Bill Mills
2008 - Bill and Armando

RECOLLECTIONS: By Rod Scott

The off-sales were accessed from King Street by a door which formed the left-hand side of the bay window. The toilets if my memory serves me correctly, were accessed through a door located on the south wall of the sports area. The pub was originally divided into two areas , the division being where the arch shows in the picture. Access to the toilets was through a doorway in each section.