The parish of Patcham extended to 32 square miles (83 km2) and encompassed large parts of what are now adjacent suburbs, such as Withdean, Westdene, Hollingbury and Tongdean.

It extended eastwards into modern-day Moulsecoomb, westwards beyond Dyke Road into Hove, and northwards across the sparsely-populated South Downs towards the parishes of Pyecombe and Ditchling.

To commemorate this, two large stone pillars, known as the "Pylons", were erected on the A23 just north of the village of Patcham, marking the new boundary line.

The Ladies Mile Estate, built around the former drove road from the village to Stanmer Park,[3] is an example; it is separated from Hollingbury to the southeast by Carden Avenue, named after Sir Herbert.

The area is a remarkable survival of plateau chalk grassland on Downland where almost all such flattish sites have been destroyed by modern farming and has been designated as Local nature reserve.

The ancient turf has preserved lots of odd linear banks which are surviving fragments of an Iron Age and Romano-British lynchetted field system.

At the eastern end of the Down is a Bronze Age burial mound recognisable by a low, grassy tump.The area is rich summer flowers.

Harebell, Sussex rampion flower, rockrose and yellow rattle are enjoyed by locals here and at midsummer there are still good numbers of glowworms.

Those walking from Patcham towards Standean farm descend the hill into Ewe Bottom and have the pleasure of the intact, old Tegdown pastures to their right, where the meadows can be full of chalk downland flowers.

There were originally 15 groups involved, including the Patcham Communist Party, and for the first 24 years they existed without their own centre, holding meetings in the school halls in the area.

At the same time Alderman Kippin (known as 'Mr Patcham') arranged for a combined community centre and youth club, each with its own suite of rooms but sharing a kitchen, to be included in the basement of a new wing of the Margaret Hardy school.

After the 1989 merger of Fawcett and Margaret Hardy into Patcham High brought the boys and girls together on Warmdene Road, more space was needed.

The Windmill View estate at the top of Ladies Mile Road is built on the site of the old Patcham Fawcett School.

The original flint building still stands today, and is included on the council's Local List of Heritage Assets.

Eventually the County School, having outgrown the buildings and been forced to split classes between this building, Patcham Place and Mackie Hall, relocated to its current location[10] on the corner of Ladies Mile Road and Warmdene Road, leaving the site to be adopted by Patcham House during the 1960s.

[11] Brighton & Hove runs routes 5, 5A and N5 (from Hangleton via the city centre) which do a circular tour of the eastern side of Patcham.