RACTON
Racton is a small parish of 1,199 acres, about 2 miles
in length from east to west but under 1 mile wide from
north to south. (fn. 90) It lies on the chalk to the south of the
downland parish of Stoughton, but is itself low-lying.
The greater part of the parish is below 100 ft. in height,
there being only one point in the north-east where there
is a small rise to 200 ft., where the Racton Monument,
or Tower, was built by the Earl of Halifax in the 18th
century as a view-point. The west is wooded where
the woods of Emsworth Common extend into this parish
from Hampshire. The River Ems and the road from
Stoughton to Westbourne cross the eastern end of the
parish from north-east to south-west, passing Lording-
ton and the site of Racton Manor. To the west are the
Brickkiln Ponds with the southern boundary of the
parish passing through them, from which issues a stream
which joins the Ems at Westbourne.
Racton Manor was situated on the River Ems, but
only the church and a few cottages survive; the last
remains of Racton manor-house were removed c. 1840
and incorporated in the house at Racton Park Farm (fn. 91)
in the parish of Westbourne. Higher up the river is
Lordington House, the reputed birthplace of Cardinal
Pole c. 1500, about 3/8 mile north of the church.
The building as it stands now is only a portion of
the original Tudor house. The plan is L-shaped, the
main body running east and west and the short arm
projecting to the south from the west end of it. This
shorter wing extended farther to the south (founda-
tions, not now visible, exist below the ground level),
with a south wing projecting parallel to, but much
shorter than, the north wing. The position of the pair
of 17th-century gate-posts suggests that there was an
east courtyard such as might have existed between two
wings. Alterations amounting in part to a rebuilding
took place in the 17th century; the date 1623 is cut on
the south wall of the (present) main block and the
main staircase wing was added west of the (present)
south wing, the former main block. Other changes took
place subsequently and the 1623 date is accompanied
by 'G.P.H. RESTORED 1895'; the house had been reduced
in size previous to the latter date. (fn. 92) Apart from the stair
wing and the modern south end-wall of the south wing,
the walls are on the lines of the Tudor walls but very
little of the original masonry survives. The (present)
main block has ancient flint work at the base of its south
wall with a few ashlar dressings at the south-east angle,
but above this it is of 17th-century brickwork up to a
brick string-course marking the first-floor level. The
upper story is of rusticated white stone ashlar, perhaps
of 1895 but possibly earlier. The east end-wall also
has some flint in the lower story with a little brickwork
and the upper story as well as the north wall are of
similar rusticated ashlar work.
The east wall of the shorter wing is a mixture of
flints and 17th-century bricks with a brick string-course
and window dressings, but for about two-thirds of its
length it has a stone plinth which appears to be original.
The south wall is of modern flintwork with brick
quoins and the projecting chimney-stack on the west
side is of 17th-century bricks. The stair-wing is also of
flintwork with 17th-century brick quoins and some
modern stone repair. There are several blocked windows in the north wall of the main range, and near the
east end is a 17th-century brick rebated chimney-stack.
The entrance is in the south wall of the long range.
The interior is modernized, but the drawing-room, at
the east end, is lined with late-17th-century panelling.
The principal feature is the main staircase, of the early
17th century, which is of the same type as those at
Knole, Hatfield, and other houses of the period but has
been badly refixed. It rises in three short flights from
ground to first floor. The newels are modern but on
them are set carved finials of heraldic beasts and monsters
sitting upright and holding shields. There are five, including two on the upper floor; the lowest is a lion, the
second a dragon, the third a bear, and the two at the top
a unicorn with a crown and chain and a griffin. The
heavy handrail is moulded and is closed below by single
pierced carvings of scroll ornament and swags of fruit,
&c., and drapery. Unfortunately they have been reset
upside down. The carving to the third slope is rather
different from, and perhaps later than, the others and
has swags of stiff drapery. Whether indigenous or not
is not certain, but it fits more or less the wing in which
it is built.
In the east wall of the forecourt is a pair of 3-ft.
round gate-posts of stone with moulded and ball-heads.
They formed probably the middle entrance to the
courtyard of the former larger house. Another square
garden north of the house has old brick walls and has
a similar pair of gate-posts on the east side.
Next south-west of the church is a picturesque
thatched cottage of 17th-century square timber-framing
with a rebated central chimney-stack.
MANORS
Before the Conquest RACTON had
been held by Fulk of King Edward. In
1086 it was held by Ivo, who also held
Mid-Lavant (Loventone), of Earl Roger. It was
assessed for 5 hides. (fn. 93)
The overlordship descended with the Rape, in the
hands of the earls of Arundel.
The manor passed soon after 1086 to Savaric fitzCane who also held Stoughton, Up Marden, and Easebourne. (fn. 94) Savaric married Muriel de Bohun and their
second son Savaric de Forde, lord of Ford, was also
known by the name of Bohun. In the reign of King
Stephen Savaric held 3 knights' fees of the Earl of
Arundel. (fn. 95) The Bohun family continued to be mesne
tenants of Racton until 1199. In this year, Ralf de
Ardern was granted a portion of the Bohun fee including the service of Ralf Sanzaver and Ilbert de
Rakindon for land in Racton. (fn. 96) However, Engelger de
Bohun recovered this grant in 1212 by a writ of mort
d'ancestor from Thomas son of Ralf de Ardern. (fn. 97) The
Bohuns were still the overlords of the Sanzavers when
Hugh died in 1284, as he held of Sir John de Bohun. (fn. 98)
After this, we do not hear of them again, and the lands
reverted to the Earl of Arundel at the death of Thomas
Sanzaver in 1349. (fn. 99)
The family of Sanzaver, of Bignor, were sub-tenants
some time before the mention of them in 1196, as in
1206 a claim was made by Ralf Sanzaver from William
de Rakindon for 2½ hides in Racton and Stansted, held
by Ralf's father in 1135, but granted to Imbert father
of William de Rakindon by the overlord Savaric de
Forde while Ralf was in ward to him. (fn. 100) Ralf, however,
granted 2 hides of this land to William, to hold as a
quarter of a knight's fee, Ralf retaining the mill, of
which William had formerly held a moiety. (fn. 101) In 1233
the estate of Racton passed to Henry fitz-Richard of
Spargrove in Somerset, son of Eve now wife of Hugh
Sanzaver, in exchange for the manor of Spargrove. (fn. 102)
The Sanzavers continued to hold rents and the mill at
Racton. Ralf, grandson of Hugh (d. 1284), is called
'lord' of Racton in 1316 (and of Bignor and Madeherst). (fn. 103) The family disappears from Sussex with the
death of Thomas Sanzaver. (fn. 104)
Their holding in Racton continued to pass with
Madeherst, Eartham, and Rogate as one of the members of Bignor, for in 1353 there is mention of a common bailiff for these lands, (fn. 105) and they appear together
among the Earl of Arundel's lands on the Subsidy Roll
of 1412. (fn. 106) In 1424 Sir John Arundel was said to have
died seised of them, (fn. 107) but they were claimed (1425) in
dower by Beatrice, Countess of Arundel. (fn. 108) Holdings
in Racton seem to have been connected with Aldsworth
and Stansted, and the manor of Racton is not referred
to as such until 1511 at the death of John Gunter.
The family of Gunter already held in Racton by
1327, when Roger Gunter contributed to the subsidy
there; (fn. 109) in 1428 Roger Gunter was a landowner
there. (fn. 110) At his death in 1437 he held (a) land in
Racton in chief of the king by service of two white
capons 'when the king shall come into the district', (fn. 111)
and (b) lands and tenements in Racton of William de
Watergate: (b) is probably the holding connected with
Stansted, as Watergate House is near Stansted. The
Aldsworth portion of Racton was acquired by John
Gunter in 1475 by a fine with
John Sulyard and Giles Gunter
and Elizabeth his wife, giving
him messuages, land, and rent in
Racton, Westbourne, and Aldsworth, (fn. 112) apparently the inheritance of Elizabeth.
Gunter. Sable three gauntlets argent.
In 1511 Racton is referred to
as a manor at the death of John
Gunter (of Chilworth, Surrey);
it was held of Thomas, Earl of
Arundel. (fn. 113) Under a settlement
made in 1503 it was held for life by John's widow
Margaret (Troghton) and then passed to a member
of the Welsh branch of the family. (fn. 114) In 1558 it was
still held in three parts by John Gunter at his death:
(a) part held of Henry, Earl of Arundel, as of his
manor of Stansted, (b) the main portion with all the
arable held of William Dawtrey as of his manor of
Aldsworth, and (c) 200 acres of pasture held of—
Grene as of his manor of—. (fn. 115) John's son Arthur was
succeeded in 1576 (fn. 116) by his son (Sir) George, whose
grandson was the Colonel George Gunter famous for
his share in assisting the escape of Charles II from
England after the disastrous battle of Worcester. His
son George Gunter married Elizabeth Sherrington in
1695 (fn. 117) and made a settlement of the manor by fine with
William Sherrington, senior and junior. (fn. 118) Elizabeth
Sherrington died in 1700 (fn. 119) and George Gunter
married Judith Nicholl soon afterwards. Their son was Sir Charles
Gunter Nicholl who assumed his
mother's name and died in 1733,
before her (d. 1737). (fn. 120) His heir
was his daughter Frances Katherine. (fn. 121) It is possible that she was
posthumous, as Sir Charles left
Racton to his sister Dame Katherine, wife of Sir Henry Maynard,
for life, with remainder to their
son William. (fn. 122) The manor, however, came to Frances Katherine.
She married William Legge, second Earl of Dartmouth,
in 1755, (fn. 123) and the manor has remained the property of
the Earls of Dartmouth to the present day. (fn. 124)
Legge. Earl of Dartmouth. Azure a hart's head caboshed argent.
LORDINGTON
LORDINGTON appears in the Domesday Survey
under the guise of 'Harditone'. (fn. 125) Before the Conquest
Ulstan held it as an alod of King Edward. In 1086
William held it of Earl Roger. It was assessed at 4 hides
and had a mill: later it appears as 1 knight's fee. The
overlordship of the manor descended with the honor
of Arundel until 1244, when it formed part of the portion of Roger de Somery and Nicholaa, one of the four
coheirs of Hugh d'Aubigny. (fn. 126) It came to Robert de
Tateshale before his death in 1303, (fn. 127) and then to his
niece and coheir Alice and her husband William Bernak, Alice, as a widow, holding in 1341. (fn. 128)
During the 13th century a mesne lordship seems to
have been established in the family of Beauchamp. In
1214 Eudes de Beauchamp, who was a member of the
Beauchamps of Eaton Socon (Beds.), (fn. 129) claimed the
advowson of the church of Lordington, (fn. 130) and in 1226
he was sued for the manor by Hugh de Nevill, (fn. 131) who
seems to have had some claim to the estates of Hugh de
Gundeville, the lord in fee (see below), through his
wife Joan. (fn. 132) In 1242 Robert de Beauchamp held a
knight's fee in Lordington, (fn. 133) and the manor was held
of Ralf de Beauchamp in 1288. (fn. 134) Roger de Beauchamp, who held the fee in 1303, (fn. 135) seems to have got
into debt and to have disposed of all his property to
Sir John Engayne, (fn. 136) of whom, as 'Lord Ingayne', the
manor was held in 1369, (fn. 137) after which date no more
is heard of this mesne lordship.
Lordington may have been granted by Henry I to
Hugh de Falaise, (fn. 138) who held 5 fees of the honor of
Arundel. (fn. 139) About 1156 his son-in-law Hugh de
Gundevill succeeded to the estate, (fn. 140) but on his death
in 1181 it came into the hands of the king, who in
1185 gave to Peter Saracen Hugh's lands of Lordington, then accounted for under the honor of Petworth. (fn. 141)
Peter held it until the middle of 1196, at which date
it was part of the honor of Arundel. (fn. 142) It seems likely
that the manor next came to the Beauchamps, as already
noted, and that one of them subinfeudated it to William
de Tracy, who appears with his wife Joan in a suit concerning land and mills in Lordington in 1268. (fn. 143) Seven
years later William was reported to have obstructed a
road within the manor to the injury of the neighbourhood. (fn. 144) Joan survived her husband and was twice remarried, claiming one-third of the manor in dower in
1276, when wife of James de Hampton, (fn. 145) and in 1292,
being then wife of John de Thumok. (fn. 146) The widow of
John de Tracy, son of William, made a similar claim
in 1297. This John had in 1282 sold the manor to
Maud Estur and her son Walter de l'Isle and the heirs
of his body, with contingent remainder to his brothers
John and Godfrey. (fn. 147) Walter died without issue and in
1288 Maud Estur and John de l'Isle established their
right to hold Lordington of Ralph Beauchamp, as a
knight's fee. (fn. 148) Joan, widow of a later John de l'Isle,
married Henry Romayn and died in 1349, leaving a
grandson John, aged 6. (fn. 149) His mother Joan (de Bohun)
had a grant of the manor for his sustenance during his
nonage. (fn. 150) This John died in 1369, leaving as heir his
sister Elizabeth, who married John Bramshott. (fn. 151) In
1428 the manor was held by William Bramshott, (fn. 152) and in
1449 by his son and heir John, (fn. 153) whose younger daughter
and coheir Margaret married John Pakenham. (fn. 154) Their
son Sir Edward Pakenham died in 1528, (fn. 155) leaving two
daughters, Constance wife of Geoffrey Pole and Elizabeth wife of Edmund Mervyn, who in November 1528
divided their inheritance, Geoffrey Pole and Constance
his wife receiving the manors of Lordington and Whiteway. (fn. 156) Geoffrey Pole was brother to Cardinal Reynold
Pole and was implicated with him
in religious disputes, but was pardoned in 1539. (fn. 157) He went
abroad but returned and died and
was buried at Stoughton in 1558;
his wife lived until 1570 and left
the manor to their son Thomas, (fn. 158)
and it remained in the hands of
the Poles until 1609, when Geoffrey Pole sold it to Hugh Speke. (fn. 159)
In 1623 Sir John Fenner acquired
it, and in 1630 sold it to Philip
Jermyn. (fn. 160) Philip Jermyn was
living there in 1636, (fn. 161) and died in 1654; (fn. 162) his son
Alexander died in 1665. The manor passed to his
daughter Frances, who married first Francis Moore and
secondly John Shuckborgh, (fn. 163) and was sold in 1698–9
by order of Henry Lumley, (fn. 164) probably a trustee. It
was probably bought by Richard Peckham, who died
in possession in 1718, leaving it to his great-nephew
Richard Peckham, (fn. 165) from whom it came in 1734 to his
brother-in-law Thomas Phipps. (fn. 166) His son Thomas
Peckham Phipps left it by will to his godson Admiral
Sir Phipps Hornby, who died in 1867. (fn. 167) This family
has continued to hold it and Lordington House is now
the property of Admiral R. S. Phipps Hornby.
Pole. Party sable and or a cheveron engrailed counterchanged.
CHURCH
The church (dedication unknown) consists of chancel, nave with bell-cote, and
south porch; it is built of rubble, partly
plastered, with ashlar dressings, and is roofed with tile.
The ground on which it stands, and consequently the
nave roof, has a distinct downward slope from west to
east. The nave may originally have been built in the
12th century and the chancel added in the 13th, the
present east window opened and the whole west wall
rebuilt in about the 14th; the porch is modern.
Diagonal buttresses with sloping offsets at each east
corner of the chancel are modern; the east window of
five trefoil-headed lights with a transom at springing
level and tracery of an early Perpendicular type is
largely modern, but perhaps a renewal of work of the
late 14th or early 15th century; the exterior hoodmould ends in two escutcheons, the dexter charged with
the arms of Gunter, the sinister with Bohun. (fn. 168) In the
east wall is a square-headed aumbry and below it
another square-headed recess, perhaps originally a piscina but now without drain; the date of these is uncertain. On the south side is a lancet window of the 13th
century, splay jambs and rear-arch now plastered and
probably modern, a priest's door with plain pointed
outer, and semicircular rear, arches, contemporary with
the lancet, and a window of two cinquefoiled lights
under a square head, of the 15th century. The north
wall is principally occupied by monuments, but a twolight window facing that on the south resembles it.
There is no chancel arch. The roof, ancient but of
uncertain date, has two cambered tie-beams, moulded,
carrying king-posts braced to a collar purlin, and trussed
rafters. The roof division between chancel and nave is
a few feet east of the wall division; above the western
tie-beam on each side of the Royal Arms is woodwork
of traceried cusps, sub-cusped, of doubtful date.
A modern buttress with single sloping offset at the
south-east corner of the nave supports a wall now out
of plumb; west of it is a square-headed window of two
semicircular-headed lights, perhaps 17th-century; west
of this is a plain square-headed doorway of even later
date; the woodwork and hinges of the door are medieval. At each west corner of the nave is a diagonal
buttress with sloping offset, these, like the west wall,
a chequer of flint and ashlar, are probably late-14th-century. The west doorway has moulded jambs and
four-centred arch in rectangular frame, but no hoodmould; the rear-arch is also four-centred. The west
window is of three trefoil-headed lights surmounted by
Perpendicular tracery under a pointed arch; both doorway and window are contemporary with the wall. The
trussed rafter roof is ancient; the bell-cote has shingled
sides and pyramidal roof.
The porch, of stone with wood-framed doorway, is
of doubtful date, perhaps modern.
On the north side of the chancel is the tomb of Sir
George Gunter (d. 1624) and Ursula his wife; their
effigies kneel on either side of the same fald-stool in a
semicircular-arched niche of Jacobean design; he is
bare-headed and wears a ruff and armour of the tasset
period, she wears a ruff and a black mantle drawn over
her head; the entablature of the niche is surmounted
by standing figures of Justice, with scales (dexter) and
Charity, with flagon and cup (sinister), between them
an eschutcheon bears Gunter within a border, impaling
a cheveron sable between three choughs.
West of this is a canopied table-tomb attached to the
north wall, perhaps commemorating John Gunter who
died 1557, but erected earlier, and resembling the work
of the maker of the De La Warr chantry chapel at
Boxgrove. The principal member of the entablature is
divided horizontally into two panels; on the south face
of each is an escutcheon bearing the arms of Gunter
flanked, in the eastern by two swans, in the western
by two amorini in the Italian manner; above this is a
cresting of alternate fleurs-de-lis and anthemia, below
is a narrow course of vine-leaves and grapes in the
Gothic manner. At the west end the main member of
the entablature has one panel containing two amorini
supporting a roundel containing the initials I G, the
cresting and lower course are as on the south face;
below the latter and surmounting the four-centred arch
by which the canopy opens westwards is another panel
containing a standing cup between two swans; the
east face has a similar arch, but is unornamented. Two
plain octagonal corner shafts rise above the entablature
and terminate in foliaged caps faintly reminiscent of
Corinthian capitals; and the keystone and pendant of
the principal arch is surmounted by a similar shaft. In
the spandrels of the four-centred arch of the canopy
on the south side are the initials I G in roman capitals
interlaced with foliage. In the centre of the back wall
of the monument is a figure in high relief, naked save
for a mantle with a circular morse, and bearing a crossstaff with banner; it clearly represents the risen Christ,
but there is no nimbus. East of this a man in armour,
bare-headed and wearing a tabard, kneels at a prie-dieu,
behind him kneel four sons in civil dress of gowns with
false sleeves hanging from the elbows. West of the
principal figure at a similar prie-dieu kneels a woman
wearing mantle and kennel head-dress, behind her kneel
two daughters wearing kirtles and like head-dresses.
From the hands of both adult figures spring uninscribed
scrolls. On the south face of the base of the tomb are
three multifoiled panels containing escutcheons all
bearing the same arms, namely, Gunter impaling
Cooke, (fn. 169) three coats marshalled as six pieces: 1 and 5
[Or] a cross [azure] (Bohun of Midhurst), 2 and 6
[gules] three crescents [argent] on a canton ermine
a martlet for difference (Cooke), 3 and 4 [sable]
three talbots' heads [argent] (Hall); on a like panel
at the west end is an escutcheon with Gunter
alone. (fn. 170)
Racton Parish Church
Over the entrance to the chancel are the Royal Arms
as borne 1714–1800. The font is tub-shaped, probably
12th-century but restored; and there is a small chest
of about the 17th century.
There are two bells, one by Joshua Kipling of Portsmouth, 1742, and the other, of 1638, probably by John
Higden. (fn. 171)
The communion plate includes a small Elizabethan
cup with paten cover, a paten of 1691, and a silver
flagon of 1716. (fn. 172)
The registers begin in 1680.
ADVOWSONS
Savaric fitz-Cane and his wife
Muriel, with the consent of their son
Ralph, gave the church of Racton to
Lewes Priory about 1142, (fn. 173) and the rectory, valued at
£5 in 1291, (fn. 174) was held by the monks until the union
of the benefice with that of Lordington in 1445,
since which date the right of presentation to the
joint living has belonged to the Dean and Chapter of
Chichester.
In 1214 Eudes de Beauchamp claimed the advowson
of the church of Lordington against the Prior of Lewes,
who successfully maintained that it was a chapel dependent on Stoughton church. The prior produced a letter
of Silvester, Archdeacon of Chichester, to that effect,
and one of Seffrid II, Bishop of Chichester (1180–1204), stating that he had admitted Thomas de Apelderham to the perpetual vicarage of Lordington on the
presentation of Godfrey, rector of Stoughton, with the
consent of William, Prior of Lewes, subject to the payment of 2 bezants yearly to the rector. (fn. 175) In 1219
Eudes again brought an action, as a result of which the
prior recognized his right to the advowson, for which
he should pay 2s. yearly to the prior. (fn. 176) In 1229, however, on the death of Thomas, Herbert, rector of
Stoughton presented. Eudes again protested his right,
on the strength of the fine of 1219, but as he had not
exercised it, owing to there being no vacancy, and Herbert had been instituted to hold Stoughton as fully as
Godfrey had done, Eudes failed and was told that he
could sue the Prior of Lewes. (fn. 177) By 1288 the advowson
was in the hands of Sir John Tracy, son of Sir William,
who, with the consent of Ralph son of William Beauchamp, made it over to William de Bracklesham, Dean
of Chichester. (fn. 178) In 1293 Bishop Gilbert ordered that
in future the rector should keep the chancel in repair
and pay yearly to the Dean and Chapter, who should
have the right of presentation, 40s., of which 1 mark
was to augment the chantry founded in Chichester
Cathedral by Dean William de Bracklesham, 1 mark
to be paid to a clerk assisting at the mass of the Blessed
Virgin in the cathedral, and 1 mark to the chaplain of
the parish church of St. Peter outside the gate of the
Friars Minor at Chichester. (fn. 179)
Lordington rectory was valued in 1291 at £5 6s. 8d., (fn. 180)
and in 1445, owing to the poverty of this living and
that of Racton and the fewness of their inhabitants, the
two benefices were united. (fn. 181) The value of the rectory
of Racton with Lordington was given in 1535 as
£5 19s. 1d. (fn. 182) The only hint that the church of Lordington survived is the occurrence in a will of 1555 of
'Syr William prest of Lurtyngton', (fn. 183) and he may well
have been domestic chaplain at Lordington House. No
tradition of the site of the church is known.
CHARITY
Marion Harriet Arnold by her will
dated 21 February 1932 bequeathed to
the rector and churchwardens of Racton
cum Lordington £200, the income to be distributed
between such deserving poor persons of the parish as
are selected by the said rector, the police constable of
the parish, the parish nurse, one churchwarden, and a
resident of the said parish of some standing (chosen
annually by the said rector). The annual income of the
Charity amounts to £5 17s. 4d.