History in Photos (Video)

Our thanks to Bernard Barrows, who collected and scanned pictures and postcards of Horam. A selection of these photos have been made into a video with music click below to watch.

A sepia-toned image of an old village street with people standing near buildings. A large, transparent "Watch on YouTube" overlay with a play button is centered. Trees and a road are visible in the background.

Video with music by Milton Hide

Trains

A steam train approaches a platform at a rural station. The station name sign reads "WOLAN." A bridge arches over the tracks, with small buildings and telephone poles visible in the background. The scene is black and white, suggesting a historical time.

Steam train at Horam Station

Horam Station was opened by the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway on 5 April 1880 and was originally called “Horeham Road for Waldron” it was renamed several times before becoming Horam Station on 21 September 1953. Passenger trains last called at Horam on Sunday 13th June 1965, and the last freight train up to Heathfield ran in April 1968. There is a now a path for cyclists, walkers and horses on the route of the old line (see Cuckoo Trail).

Merrydown Winery

A large wooden cider press stands outdoors, with a metal screw mechanism in the center. The word "MERRYDOWN" is carved on the top beam. Trees, a path, and parked cars are visible in the background.

Cider press, Horam

The Merrydown Winery / Cider Factory was founded in 1946 by Jack Wood and Ian
Howie. One hundred and thirty people worked there at its peak. The press held eight tons of apples The automatic bottling machine could produce about 35,000 bottles a day.

The factory closed in 2004 and the seven acre site has been redeveloped as a residential estate.