Facts
A confectioner had used noisy machinery for over 20 years. A doctor next door then built a consulting room against the wall and complained.
Issue
Is 'coming to the nuisance' a defence, and can a right be gained by long use?
Held
The confectioner was liable.
Principle
It is no defence that the claimant came to the . No prescriptive right arose because the noise was not an actionable nuisance until the room was built. 'What would be a nuisance in Belgrave Square would not necessarily be so in Bermondsey.'
Why it matters
Famous for the locality principle and coming to the nuisance.
Cited in these chapters
Topics
Cite this page
Sturges v Bridgman (1879) 11 Ch D 852 (Lanbuk) <https://www.lanbuk.com/llb/torts/cases/sturges-v-bridgman> accessed 31 October 2026
This summary is a Lanbuk study aid based on the generally known facts and reports of the case. It is not legal advice.