St Nicholas church in Brighton has, through lack of records, an obscure ancient history, although a church was recorded here in the Domesday Book (1086). From then on it has probably been rebuilt several times in its history. Written records grew from the 17th century and today you can write and conjecture endlessly about it. This is an intriguing picture (above). It is an early photo of the church in about 1873 showing it in pristine condition after the rebuilding in 1853/54. Unusually, the photo was taken by a London photographer named Poulton. The two strange men sat on a tomb stand out. Both look important figures but I believe the bowler-hatted man is the photographer. Now there is a similar photo on a website that shows only the top-hatted man so presumably his assistant took our picture. Perhaps the elderly man with the banded top hat is a churchwarden. The chest tomb nearby has a clear-cut inscription which shows that is it John Scutt of Hove who was buried here in 1744. He was a successful brewer who purchased the Wick Estate in 1701.

I was looking through the lengthy Will of George Dancaster, gentleman, of 28 St. James’ Street and a retired cabinetmaker and upholsterer. He was at that address from at least 1826 until his death in 1840 sharing his premises with coal merchant, J. Cheesman. He left behind seven children but surprisingly they had to share his estate, subject to trusts for them, with his friends Henry Spearing (carpenter) and Ninyon Masters Bradford (builder). Probably their allied trades brought them together but there were a lot of children and Spearing was then running a stationers shop. It was Ninyon M Bradford that excited me as his striking family tomb and vault stands close to the south door of St Nicholas (pictured centre). His father was Capt. Ninyon Masters who died in 1766. The brick-built base holds the only accessible vault in the churchyard but the centuries of rising ground half cover the entrance. The son will remain a mystery – where did he live and why was Bradford added to his surname?

Have you noticed the bulge in the brick path that approaches the south door? (pictured below) This has been caused by a very old elm tree. They were first planted in the once barren churchyard in November 1859 starting opposite Wykeham Terrace which is where this tree is. It must be at least 160 years old – the oldest in the churchyard.

Laurie Keen