Dotted around Eastbourne‘s streets are small blue discs that tell an outsized story — marking the homes of a Nobel scientist, a polar explorer, a war artist, the creator of Alice, and more. This is our guide to Eastbourne’s blue plaques: who they honour, where to find them, and how to follow the trail.
The blue plaque scheme
Eastbourne’s blue plaque scheme was set up in the 1990s by the Eastbourne Civic Society — now the Eastbourne Society — together with the borough council, following the same broad principles as English Heritage’s famous London plaques. The idea is simple: to mark the buildings connected with notable people so that residents and visitors can discover the town’s rich history as they walk its streets. The very first plaque was unveiled in November 1994, at the former home of the Antarctic explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton — a fitting figure to begin with.
The people behind the plaques
Explorers and scientists
Sir Ernest Shackleton — 14 Milnthorpe Road. The polar explorer’s family home, and the site of the town’s first blue plaque. Frederick Soddy — the Nobel Prize-winning chemist, born in the town on Bolton Road and educated at Eastbourne College, is also commemorated here.
Writers
Lewis Carroll — 7 Lushington Road, where the creator of Alice in Wonderland spent around twenty summers. Cyril Connolly, the writer and critic (and old boy of St Cyprian’s School), has a plaque in St John’s Road marking his later years in the town. Charles Dickens is remembered with a plaque in Borough Lane in the Old Town, recording his visits as a guest of the Victorian artist Augustus Egg. The bestselling novelist Jeffery Farnol, who died in the town in 1952, is commemorated in Denton Road.
Artists
Eric Ravilious — a plaque in Glynde Avenue marks the childhood home of the town’s most famous painter and war artist. Mabel Lucie Attwell — the much-loved illustrator, honoured at Ocklynge Manor, holds the distinction of being the only woman with a blue plaque in Eastbourne.
Entertainers and heroes
Tommy Cooper — the comedian is remembered with a distinctive iron silhouette, complete with fez, at his former weekend home in Motcombe Lane. Fellow comedian Charlie Chester, born and raised in the town, is honoured with a plaque in Tideswell Road. The town also remembers Nelson Victor Carter, born in Eastbourne, who was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross for his bravery on the Western Front in 1916, with a plaque in Greys Road.
Did you know? One Eastbourne memorial honours John Wesley Woodward, a cellist with the Eastbourne Municipal Orchestra who died playing on as the Titanic sank in 1912 — one of the ship’s famously courageous band of musicians.
A self-guided plaque trail
The plaques are scattered across the town — from the Old Town to the streets near the station and out towards Ocklynge — which makes hunting them down a lovely way to explore Eastbourne on foot. You could easily build a half-day walk around several of them, pairing the history with a stroll along the seafront or a coffee in the Old Town.
Two important things to remember: almost all of these plaques are on private homes, so please admire them from the pavement and respect the residents’ privacy. And this isn’t a complete list — the scheme has grown over the years, so it’s worth checking with the Eastbourne Society for the fullest and most up-to-date roll of plaques before you set out.
Eastbourne’s blue plaques: FAQs
What was Eastbourne’s first blue plaque?
The first was unveiled in November 1994 at 14 Milnthorpe Road, the former home of Antarctic explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton.
Who has a blue plaque in Eastbourne?
Among others: Sir Ernest Shackleton, Nobel chemist Frederick Soddy, Lewis Carroll, Eric Ravilious, Mabel Lucie Attwell, Cyril Connolly, Charles Dickens, Jeffery Farnol, Tommy Cooper, radio comedian Charlie Chester and VC hero Nelson Carter — a remarkable spread of talent and achievement.
Who runs the Eastbourne blue plaque scheme?
It’s run by the Eastbourne Society (formerly the Eastbourne Civic Society) in conjunction with the local council, following principles similar to English Heritage’s London blue plaques.
Can I visit the blue plaques?
Yes — they’re on public view from the street. However, most are on private homes, so please look from the pavement and be considerate of the people who live there.
Read more: our full guide to the famous people of Eastbourne, the story of the explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton, and the wider history of Eastbourne.