A very interesting old photo of Maidencombe has emerged, which with a little detective work can be dated to around 1930. The two ‘roads’ (virtual tracks) which led into the coombe from the cross were named Maidencombe Road South (subsequently Brim Hill) and Maidencombe Road North (Steep Hill).
The sepia photo fragment looks south west up the coombe and across the Slopes towards three properties. To the right, the mock Tudor façade of the asbestos clad bungalow ‘The Cove’ can be seen. This was the third house to be built on the east side of Brim Hill in 1925.
Directly next door to the left is the first house to be erected in 1924 – named ‘The Bungalow’ (as it was the only structure, there could be no confusion). This was renamed ‘Wendy’ after one of the children of the Nickell’s family.
Below ‘The Bungalow’ and slightly hidden by a tree, stands ‘The Croft’ which came into being a few months later. This property was eventually demolished and is where Coombe Hayes stands today.
Fascinatingly, there is no property to the right of The Cove where Bryn now stands. ‘Bryn’ was built in 1932 so with simple deduction, the fragment can only have been taken between 1926 and 1931.