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Victoria Road, once known as Prospect Place (a name still
used for some of the older properties on the left), once formed the western boundary of
the Naval Yard, which occupied the area between here and the seafront. In 1863, the
Naval Yard was closed down and the land was sold to the Conservative Land Society, who
developed it into the town's first housing estate, which became known as Victoria Town.
The front page of the first edition of the Deal, Walmer and Sandwich Mercury (Friday
2nd June 1865) announced that the first allotment of land in the Deal Navy Yard would take
place on Wednesday 7th June. Plots varied in price from £72 facing Sondes Road to
£196 fronting Prince of Wales Terrace.
Victoria Road looking north from Deal Castle
The houses on the west (left) side of the road date mainly from the 17th, 18th and 19th
centuries. They were, in the main, high-class residential properties belonging to
the rich and influential people of the town, such as nine-times-mayor Comfort Kingsmill.
The author of Tom Brown's Schooldays lived in one of these houses, which enjoyed a
pleasant view of the sea and the Downs over the Naval Yard (from their upper floors).
They were also close to the stage coach stop in South Street (the Stagecoach bus
company has, in April 1999, just closed its office and bus station in South Street).
Victoria Baptist Church
Prospect Place became Victoria Road, with grand houses and a Baptist Church being
erected on the east side. New roads - Deal Castle, Ranelagh, Clanwilliam, Stanley
and Sondes - linked Victoria Road to the newly built Prince of Wales Terrace on the
seafront. |
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This page contains pictures of the area of Deal that came
to be known as Victoria Town. Astute readers will notice two distinct differences
between this part of Deal and the old town - the Streets have become Roads, and they are
much wider to cope with the increased traffic of the Victorian era.
Victoria Road east side
The builders were rightly proud of the luxury villas that formed the first major
Victorian development in the town. Although many of them have been converted into
shops, businesses, guest houses or flats, most of them still proudly display their
original Victorian features. These include decorative panels of tiles designed by
artists such as William Morris and produced by companies such as Minton.
Clanwilliam Road
Terraces of fine Victorian town houses, four- and five stories high, line the wide
streets in this part of the town.
Stanley Road
Here and there is evidence of newer building, probably replacing older, war-damaged
houses.
Sondes Road
The Timeball Tower, the only reminder of Deal's naval past, can be glimpsed over the
top of the roofs of Sondes Road. |
