Newhaven : a Stravaig through time

View Route

Auchinleck Brae

— #12 Newhaven Back Streets

Overview Willowbank Row James Street Victoria Place Auchinleck Brae Redevelopment
3_6153 The building in the middle picture was known to all as The Ark, presumably because it housed so many families.
1_3029 This 1807 map showed proposed major works to the sea front of Newhaven which came to nothing. However, the sharp-eyed Stravaiger will notice an extensive area of land which was Mr Auchinleck's orchard, This land was to be built on to make houses forming the back streets of Newhaven in the mid-1830s.

Shortcut for the Posh Houses

A commonly-used shortcut to Newhaven Main Street for the folks that lived in the “posh houses” above Newhaven, such as Park Road and Derby Street, was to go down Park Steps to Auchinleck Brae and from there onto Main Street.

As is shown in an 1804 map of the village, Mr Auchinleck owned an apple orchard. It’s reputed that he instructed his workers to whistle while they picked the apples. By so doing, Auchinleck could check, just by listening, if any of them were eating his crop!

3_6303 Park Steps, the upper end of Auchinleck Brae. The houses either side of the steps are on Park Road and were more substantial than the dwellings at the foot of the hill.

Through The Pend

Auchinleck Brae had a number of houses were built on Auchinleck Brae around 1836, but these were demolished as part of the 1970s redevelopment.  Today, the pend into Auchinleck Court is approximately where the street called Auchinleck Brae used to start.  The brae (i.e. hill) up to Park Road, of course, is still there.

3_6270 Auchinleck Close entrance on Main Street. There is a handrail half way up this lane for the benefit of older people. Children, however, saw this as an opportunity to do "henners" which entailed firmly gripping the horizontal rail, swinging around it head first, and ending on the other side.