HURSTPIERPOINT

Herst (xi cent.); Herstperpunt (xiv cent.); Perpondesherst (xv cent.).

The parish has an area of 5,028 acres. In 1934 a detached portion of the parish was transferred to Bolney. The village is built on a slight ridge, 145 ft. above sealevel, running east and west across the parish, on the road from Lewes to Albourne, and this is crossed in the centre of the village by another road which goes north to Cuckfield. The church is situated in the south-west angle of the cross-roads. Southwards the ground slopes up, through Danny Park, to the lower slopes of Wolstonbury Hill, the elevation at the boundary being 225 ft. North of the village the ground dips, the centre and most of the northern portions of the parish being under 100 ft. The main road from London to Brighton forms part of the western boundary. St. John's College, a Church of England Public School, is situated to the north-east of the village. No railway line touches the parish, the nearest station being Hassocks, 1½ miles east of the village. The soil is loam, varying to clay, with a subsoil of chalk and loam and understrata of sand-stone in parts. The chief crops are oats, barley, wheat, and market-garden produce, with much pasture.

There are Baptist and Methodist chapels, and an unsectarian Mission Hall. The Isolation Hospital is situated at Godard's Green.

Sayers Common was made an ecclesiastical parish in 1881, the vicarage of Christ Church being in the gift of the rector of Hurst.

The village is chiefly one long street running east and west and most of the buildings in it are of the 18th century or later. On the north side of the street is one building of c. 1600, much restored and altered. The walls are plastered and tile-hung and the upper story towards the street is jettied, on a moulded bressummer. At the west end of the street is a house now called 'the Old Manor House' but formerly 'Trepes' or 'Treeps', of early-18th-century date, and behind, south of it, is 'Cowdray Cottage', of the 16th or 17th century with walls of timber-framing with brick or plaster infilling and a tiled roof. It has open-timbered ceilings and a wide fire-place, and its central chimney-stack is of the usual rebated type in thin bricks. About ½ mile farther west, at the west corner of Langton Lane, is a house, now called 'Crouch Cottages' and divided into two tenements. The east half is of the 15th century and had a middle hall and two wings, which had slightly projecting upper stories on the south front. Most of the timbers of the front are now concealed by tilehanging, but some are exposed at the back showing the curved braces of the period. Over the original west wing is a small chimney-stack of early-17th-century bricks. The western half of the building is probably a 17th-century extension. In Langton Lane and the neighbourhood are a number of 17th-century cottages, and there are several farm-houses of the same period, such as Langton Farm, Horns, Dumbrell's, and Naldrett's; and, farther east, 'Grasmere' (formerly Malt House), Kent's, the Mill House, and 'Randiddles'. Most of these have typical central chimney-stacks.

The south wing of Blackhouse Farm, north of the village, is of the 16th century or earlier, having timberframing with curved struts, and a gabled south end jettied on shaped brackets. At Sayers Common, on the west of the main road to Brighton, 'Elvey Cottage' is of 15th-century origin, consisting of a hall, in which the usual chimney-stack and upper floor were inserted in the 16th century, and a south wing which has heavy flat ceiling-beams and some remains of its early roof.

Danny, the seat of Sir W. R. Campion, K.C.M.G., stands about 1 mile south-south-east of the parish church, in its own park. The house is of brick with stone dressings, and of E-shaped plan facing east, with later additions at the back. The front as now seen was the result of the remodelling and enlargement of the house by George Goring, whose initials with the date 1593 appear in a ceiling in the north wing. The present north wing and part of the main block adjoining it belong to an earlier 16th-century building, the plan being L-shaped and the walls, above the lowest story, being of timber-framing. Goring reconstructed or encased the upper stories with brick, inserted the baywindows, and refronted the east end of the wing, which he probably shortened at the same time to tally with his new additions. These included the middle porch-wing and the south half of the main block, made 9 ft. longer than the north to accommodate his great hall, of two stories in one, and the south wing. The older part was of four stories, but his new work, made the same height, has only three. The north wing retains the original newel staircase projecting north of it, but Goring's main staircase was probably on a wing at the back or west of the hall and was abolished when the new main staircase was put in the south wing in 1728, when Henry Campion and Barbara (Courthope), to whom the estate had passed in 1724, made fairly extensive alterations; the south side was then given a new facade and additions made to the west. Since then further additions have been made, chiefly to the offices on the west side, and a new main staircase has been inserted in the main block.

The house was the scene of one very important event in modern history. It is recorded on a panel in the great hall as follows:

'In this room a meeting of the Imperial War Cabinet was held on the 13th October 1918 at which the following were present:—Mr. Lloyd George, Mr. Bonar Law, Mr. A. J. Balfour, Viscount Milner, The Earl of Reading, Mr. W. S. Churchill, Admiral Sir R. Wemyss, General Sir Henry Wilson, Lt.-Col. Sir M. P. A. Hankey, Mr. Philip Kerr. A cable was sent to President Wilson authorising him to proceed with negotiations for an Armistice with Germany.'

The east front of the main block has two baywindows on either side of the porch, the two to the south, lighting the great hall, having four tiers of lights rising two stories in one, with three transoms. Above these are blanks to the top story. The other bays have a window to each of the three stories, divided by a transom: all are of four lights in the width and one light in each splay. The moulded jambs and mullions, &c., are of stone, and there are moulded labels. The bays have gabled heads with moulded copings the kneelers of which are carried on scrolled brackets. In the tympanum of each of the two north bays is a circular niche with a defaced bust. The rebuilt gabled heads of the two south bays have roundels with heads, bad imitations of the others. The main wall between the bays is of brick, with some early-16th-century diaper ornament in blue headers in the north block. The middle (gabled) porch-wing has a round-headed entrance flanked by half-round shafts with moulded square capitals and bases; above these are enriched pedestals to an upper order, which has fluted Ionic shafts, flanking the first-floor window, and a pediment. There are also two half-round shafts of brick in each of the side-walls of the porch, with twolight windows between them.

The inner side of the north wing has two baywindows like the others but without the niches in the gable-heads. The inner face of the south wing also has two bay-windows, with lights taller than those of the north side. The east ends of the two wings are gabled and have bay-windows of two stories with sloping roofs, but otherwise like the others; the third story has a fivelight window.

The north side has three square gabled projections of full height: the easternmost contains the original central newel stair, and the next west may have been formerly a porch-wing, although there are no traces of an entrance. These projections and the main wall between them are lighted by windows of two, three, or four lights at the original floor levels, four stories instead of the three taller stories of the other parts of the house. Most of the windows east of the stair-wing are blocked: others have been restored, but two or three have ancient wooden frames.

The south elevation is of 1728 and is of three bays: the middle bay projects slightly and is flanked by pilasters of rubbed brick with stone capitals. It has five windows to the ground and first floors, the second and fourth of the lower being open down to the floor: the others are sash windows. The faces setting back at the east and west ends have each two windows and a flanking pilaster: beyond the western bay is the modern extension to the dining-room. The front has a panelled parapet and above it are gabled dormers to the second floor. The west side of the house has an early-18th-century gabled wing next the main south wing: the rest of this side appears to be all modern. There are many rain-water pipes and heads to the older walls bearing the initials and date [C/HB 1728].

The east entrance opens into the screens passage, which is paved (fn. 1) with 21-inch stone and 5-inch black marble squares set diagonally: north of it is a modern oak staircase: this rises from the same level, but against the front (east) wall there are steps down to the lower ground-floor level of the north wing (3 ft. 6 in.). In the west wall of the stair-hall is a re-set 17th-century carved oak chimney-piece with an overmantel of two bays.

The great hall, south of the entrance passage, has no really ancient features. The plain ceiling is lower than the heads of the eastern bay-windows and is probably an insertion of the 18th century for the creation of another story above the hall. At the north and south ends are stone screens, each with two round-headed openings of Classic style: the stone-work appears to be modern, but probably the southern, opening to the 18th-century staircase, is contemporary with it but refaced later and copied in the north screen. The west fire-place is modern. An ancient iron fire-back has a figure of Neptune driving his sea-horses. The chimney-piece is flanked by white-painted panelling, and two doorways in the west wall have stone pediments with the monogram [symbol - see printed edition]. The main staircase south of the hall is of 1728. It is of oak, rising in half-round winding plan: it has twisted and plain-turned balusters and ramped handrail starting from a spiral above the bottom newel.

The drawing-room, next east, has a modern east fire-place and is lined with painted fielded panelling, which closes the mouth of the northern bay-window. The library, the easternmost room, has some late-16th-century panelling re-set in the north bay-window. The dining-room, the westernmost room, has a modern north fire-place and other fittings. The rooms above in this wing have no noticeable features: the attics have some old chamfered roof-timbers and flush purlins.

The eastern room on the ground floor of the north wing—now a billiard-room lighted by east and south bay windows—has a 16th-century north fire-place of stone with carved tapering pilasters with enriched Ionic caps and, above them, shields now whitened but formerly coloured. Some slight tricking shows in one of them. The western room also has a west fire-place of stone with shallow sunk carving of foliage and roundels, and a moulded surround. A passage-way has been cut off the north side of this room, and off this, in the projecting north bay, is the original winding staircase, which has oak-board treads and risers up to half-way between the first and second floors, whence it is continued in a straight flight with steps of solid oak balks. The projection next west, possibly once an entrance-porch, is now fitted as a lavatory. The larder and passage, west of this, have two heavy chamfered ceiling-beams and large square joists which are relics of the earlier 16th-century building, and the third northern projection is open to the larder. On the first floor over the larder, &c., are other heavy beams and joists.

There are the remains here of the ornamental plaster ceilings of the late 16th century. On the first floor a corridor against the north wall next to the western bedroom has part of a ribbed pattern of squares and curves, with foliage pendants, bosses, and fleurs de lis; there are also roundels, one with a lion rampant, another with a cock, a third with a lion's mask, and one rectangular panel with the date 1593; this probably continued throughout the whole wing originally, and there is strap and jewel ornament in the soffits of the two windows of the passage. The room and passage above this part has a contemporary ribbed ceiling right across from north to south, in the form of an elliptical barrel-vault: the design is different, being a series of star-shaped and cross patterns, but the pendants and bosses are much the same except that there are sprigs of a kind of marigold flower instead of the fleurs-de-lis of the lower ceiling. In two of the panels are the initials G/GM. The eastern room retains the barrel-vaulted ceiling, but the pattern has been wiped out, and there is a suggestion that this part was a single long room, serving as a chapel. The ceiling of the newel staircase also has a segmental barrel-vault above an enriched entablature, and with a star pattern. In the north and south tympana of the vault are lions (rampant) and lions' masks. The small rectangular ceiling above the short straight flight, also ribbed, has five roundels, the central with a head and the words divs Augustus, the other four with an eagle displayed, a grotesque mask, a cock (and a pillar?), and a square flower pattern respectively.

The east bedroom on the first floor has an elaborate north chimney-piece of oak dated 15[inverted 7]1 (presumably 1571). The cupboard next east of it, in a blocked window, is fitted with doors carved with processional scenes of kings and soldiers with pennons, &c., and four shields of arms: (1) two leopards; (2) a dragon's (?) head razed; (3) a lion passant; (4) three wheatsheaves. The room also has a dado of panelling of the same period.

In the western bedroom is a contemporary carved and inlaid oak bedstead with the inscription:

Whan Thov; Takes Thi; Rast Think; On Good For; Al Thov; Haste

The room above, with the enriched ceiling, also has its walls lined with Elizabethan panelling, with raised mouldings, fluted pilasters with Ionic caps, and fluted frieze. The partition between the bedroom and the north passage does not reach the ceiling, but that between the west and east rooms is full height and shows old framing. The east room has some similar panelling in the southern bay-window, and on the north side is a recessed fire-place flanked by fluted pilasters and with a moulded cornice.

Randolph's Farm, west of Danny, was an early-15th-century house of rectangular plan, and some remains of the roof still exist over the middle part, of the usual king-post construction. About 1550 the east and west walls were rebuilt in red brick with diaper ornament in blue-grey headers and stone mullioned windows, of which two remain in the east front, and a projecting chimney-stack was built against the west side of the former hall: this has a wide fire-place with a heavy oak bressummer. The upper floor was inserted and probably the plan was lengthened, as above the south end the roof is of the 16th century, with wind-braced purlins. The entrance on the east front has a low gabled porch of brick with a stone archway with elliptical head: the two sides of the head are incised with shields with initials J and T, and above the arch is inscribed TL 1643 ML. The gabled north end of the block is of flint; it has lozenge-shaped patterns in red brick, and two old windows with moulded oak frames and mullions; another (to the attic) has been blocked. The gabled south end is tile-hung and above it is an early17th-century chimney-stack of the rebated type. The square chimney-shaft over the projecting fire-place has also been encased in tile-hanging. Inside are two original 15th-century doorways close together in the north wall of the former hall, opening into the former buttery: these have moulded oak posts and four-centred arches. The ceiling-beams are encased.

Tott Farm is an unusually tall timber-framed building of three stories and attics and of small L-shaped plan: it appears to be a complete structure of c. 1580–1600. The front block, of only two rooms on each floor, has a central chimney-stack with a great fire-place with an arched oak lintel, and on the front side of it are the stairs, original from the first floor upwards, but modern below. The walls are rough-cast and tile-hung, but much of the timber-framing is visible inside and all the stories have stop-chamfered ceiling-beams, and inside the third story of the back wing is a blocked original window with moulded mullions. The door at the foot of the ground-floor stairs is of oak battens and hung by a pair of original ornate foliated strap-hinges of rough local workmanship. Above two of the upper fire-places in the central chimney-stacks are long narrow cupboards, fitted with doors of late-16th-century panelling, hung with small ornamental hinges. There are also several ordinary doorways of panelling of the same period. The fire-place on the second floor, northeast side, has an ancient oak curb, and the hearth is made up of stamped or incised 4¼inch. tiles of the 16th century: they are of two patterns: one with a circular centre surrounded by four half circles, the other with a lozenge centre: each has in the centre a 'Roman' head. Their provenance is not certain, but it is thought that they were found in a local brick- and tile-works. (fn. 2)

In the back wall of the south-west half of the main block, on the first floor, is a blocked doorway, perhaps for an outside staircase; the door from it, of three battens, feather-edged moulded, has been re-used in the south-west side-wall of the wing: timber-framed walls in the attics retain much of the original straw plaster, with scrolled combing.

Pakyns Manor is probably of early- to mid-16th-century origin. The plan of the oldest part of the house is L-shaped, with the wings extending to the east and south, and there are 18th-century and modern additions, chiefly on the west side. (fn. 3) The walls are mostly of 18th-century and later brick-work, but the tile-hanging of the end walls may conceal original timber-framing. A small projecting square bay on the north side of the east wing appears to have been a porch, with a room over, and its north face was jettied in the gabled upper story: in it is a four-light window with moulded mullions of late16th-century date. West of this bay is a projecting chimney-stack to the main wing, built of red brick with diaper ornament of the first half of the 16th century. West of this is a first-floor window of the same period, of three lights with hollow-chamfered oak mullions. These are the only ancient external features, except perhaps the Horsham slabs with which most of the roofs are covered. The drawing-room, occupying the east wing, has chamfered ceiling-beams. In the west wall of the south wing was a great fire-place with a chamfered cambered bressummer; the 9-in. partition between the hall and parlour now abuts the middle of it, the recess being used as cupboards. The room to the north-west of the hall is lined with early-18th-century panelling.

Manors

The manor of HURSTPIERPOINT (fn. 4) was held before the Conquest by Earl Godwin, when it was an estate assessed at 41 hides, of which 3½ hides in the Rape of Pevensey and 19 hides in the Rape of Bramber were detached. After the Conquest, the remaining 18½ hides were held in 1086 by Robert de Pierpoint of William de Warenne. There was a church and 3 mills. (fn. 5) The overlordship descended with the rape until the division after the death of Beatrice, Countess of Arundel, in 1439, when the 10 fees late of Robert de Pierpoint passed to the Duke of Norfolk. (fn. 6) Subsequently the overlordship of Hurstpierpoint came into the hands of the Lords Bergavenny, and the manor was said in 1602 to have been held of their manor of Ditchling. (fn. 7)

Robert de Petraponte had a son Godfrey, (fn. 8) who is mentioned in 1090 and 1100, (fn. 9) and who had a son William. (fn. 10) About 1150 Hugh, Robert, and William de Pierpoint are mentioned. (fn. 11) Hugh was still living in 1170, and so also was Simon de Petraponte. (fn. 12) A Richard de Petraponte occurs in 1175, (fn. 13) and Robert was living in 1185 and 1210. (fn. 14) William de Pierpoint appears to have been holding the manor in 1213, (fn. 15) and with his successor Simon, who is first mentioned in 1237, (fn. 16) the descent becomes more certain. In 1239 William de Warenne successfully challenged Simon de Pierpoint's rights of hunting in the earl's chase in Hurst. (fn. 17) Simon died soon afterwards, for the custody of his lands and heir while under age were given to Hugh de Plaiz in 1240. (fn. 18) Simon de Pierpoint is recorded as holding 10 fees in Hurst in 1242–3, but the name must have been retrospective. (fn. 19) Sir Robert de Pierpoint, his successor, and possibly his brother, (fn. 20) fought at the battle of Lewes in 1264 (fn. 21) and was still living in 1280. (fn. 22) Simon de Pierpoint, probably his son, was in possession by 1284 (fn. 23) and was still holding in 1296 (fn. 24) and 1316, (fn. 25) but appears to have been succeeded by his son, another Simon, about 1317. This Simon was still living in 1354. (fn. 26) His son John was in possession of Hurst by 1359, (fn. 27) but seems to have died without issue, for the manor appears to have descended through Sybil, daughter of Sir Simon de Pierpoint and wife of Sir Edmund de Ufford, (fn. 28) to her two grand-daughters Ela and Joan, wives respectively of Richard and William Bowett, (fn. 29) of whom the former died without issue, and the whole manor was in the hands of Sir William Bowett by 1412. (fn. 30) His daughter Elizabeth married Sir Thomas Dacre and was in possession before 1448. (fn. 31) Sir Thomas died in the lifetime of his father Lord Dacre, and his property descended to his daughter Joan wife of Sir Richard Fiennes, who became Lord Dacre in right of his wife. (fn. 32) He died in 1483 and was succeeded by his grandson Thomas, (fn. 33) who in 1492 had special livery, without proof of age. (fn. 34) Joan, Lady Dacre, however, held the Sussex manors until her death in 1486. (fn. 35)

Pierpoint. Azure a chief checky argent and gules.

Fiennes, Lord Dacre. Azure three lions or.

Thomas, Lord Dacre died in 1533 (fn. 36) and was succeeded by his grandson Thomas, who was hanged at Tyburn for killing a gamekeeper, in 1541. (fn. 37) His lands and honours were forfeit, and his son died in 1553, aged 15, in the wardship of the Crown. (fn. 38) Gregory, Lord Dacre, brother of the last baron, was restored in 1558 to the forfeited honours, (fn. 39) but in 1582 sold Hurstpierpoint, with other Sussex manors, to George Goring, (fn. 40) the builder of Danny, who died seised of it in 1602. (fn. 41) His son Sir George was created Baron Goring of Hurstpierpoint in 1628 and Earl of Norwich in 1644, (fn. 42) but he appears to have settled this manor upon his son George in 1630. (fn. 43) George, however, died before his father and the earldom and manor passed in 1663 to the second son Charles, who held them apparently until his death without issue in 1671, when all his honours became extinct. (fn. 44) Hurstpierpoint was then granted to John Shaw, with a baronetcy, by Charles II, in return for money lent to him during his exile, (fn. 45) and it descended to his son and grandson, both Sir John, in 1680 and 1721 respectively. (fn. 46) A fourth Sir John, son of the last, succeeded in 1739 and was followed by his son Sir John Gregory Shaw in 1779. (fn. 47) He seems, however, to have sold Hurst Manor before the end of the century to William John Campion, (fn. 48) afterwards of Danny. The latter died in 1855 and was succeeded by his son of the same name, from whom Hurstpierpoint Manor and Danny Park descended in 1869 to his son Col. William Henry Campion. (fn. 49) The present owner, Col. Sir William Robert Campion, K.C.M.G., D.S.O., T.D., J.P., succeeded his father in 1923.

Goring. Argent a cheveron between three rings gules.

Shaw. Argent a cheveron between three lozenges erminees.

In 1312 a yearly fair on the Feast of St. Laurence (Aug. 10th) was granted to John de Warenne, Earl of Surrey. (fn. 50) About 1775 the date was changed to 1 May. (fn. 51) In 1835 a market for corn was still held on Tuesdays. (fn. 52)

Parks

DANNY PARK, or the GREAT PARK of Hurst, dates from the early 13th century, when Simon de Pierpoint obtained a licence from William de Warenne to enclose the 'wood of Daneghithe'. (fn. 53) In 1343 John de Warenne renewed the licence to the Sir Simon de Pierpoint then living, giving him leave to enclose 17 furlongs of the wood and demesne from the earl's chace, and to have beasts, wild and other, at his will. This was confirmed by the Crown in 1354. (fn. 54) In 1578 there was an affray between hunters in the park and the keeper, Thomas Luxford, who was accused of fatally wounding one of them. (fn. 55) At this time, according to the survey of 1570, Danny Park was 2½ miles in circumference and 'well covered with oak timber'. It was capable of feeding 300 head of deer, and there were in it 60 antlers, 200 culls, and 40 couple-cornes. The pannage was worth £6 13s. 4d. per annum. (fn. 56) The park descended with the manor until about 1652, when George Goring, Earl of Norwich, sold it to Peter Courthope. (fn. 57) From the latter it passed in 1657 to his grandson Peter, after whose death in 1724 it was inherited by his daughter Barbara, who in 1702 had married Henry Campion, (fn. 58) and it has descended in the Campion family ever since. Henry Campion was succeeded in 1761 by his son William, who died in 1778. (fn. 59) Henry Courthope Campion, son of the latter, was succeeded in 1811 by his son William John Campion, (fn. 60) who acquired the manor of Hurstpierpoint, and they were thus once more united.

Campion. Argent a chief gules with an eagle or therein.

The LITTLE PARK of Hurstpierpoint was part of the demesne of the manor. In a survey of 1570 it is described as being situated on the north side of the church. It was 1½ miles in circumference and contained 80 head of deer, of which 18 were antlers. The pannage was worth £5 yearly, and there was a pond of 2 acres containing 200 carp and tench. (fn. 61) The park was sold with the manor to George Goring in 1582. (fn. 62) It remained with the Gorings until about 1650, (fn. 63) but seems to have come into the hands of Sir William Juxon, bart., of Albourne, who in 1664 conveyed it to Anne Swayne, widow, apparently his aunt, (fn. 64) and her son Richard Swayne (fn. 65) sold it in 1670 to Thomas Marchant of Albourne. (fn. 66) It remained in the hands of the Marchant family until it was sold by the executors of John Marchant some years before 1873 to C. Smith Hannington of Brighton. (fn. 67)

The manor of PAKYNS [Pakens (xvi cent.); Pacons (xviii cent.)] was held in the 16th century of the manor of Hurstpierpoint by service of 1/16 of a knight's fee. (fn. 68) It takes its name from a family living there from the 13th century. Walter Pakyn is mentioned in 1216, and others of the name occur, down to Roger Pakyn, who was living in 1509. (fn. 69) The property appears to have been identical with a messuage and lands in Hurstpierpoint which John Burtenshaw of Albourne in 1534 conveyed to trustees for his son John. (fn. 70) The younger John was hanged for murder in 1552, (fn. 71) when the property passed to Richard Holden, who died seised of it in the following year (then first called the 'manor of Pakens'), leaving a widow Anne and three infant daughters, Mary, Agnes, and Joan. (fn. 72) In 1569 the three daughters were each in possession of a third of the manor, (fn. 73) but within the next twelve months Agnes appears to have married Edward Fynes and lost her husband and acquired her sisters' shares, for in 1570 the whole manor was held by Agnes Fynes, widow. (fn. 74) Later she married John Threele and held the property with him in 1591. (fn. 75) Their son Thomas Threele had it in 1621, (fn. 76) but it afterwards reverted to John Fynes, her son by her first husband. (fn. 77) John was succeeded by his infant son John in 1629, (fn. 78) from whom Pakyns passed in turn to his brothers Anthony, in 1632, and Francis, in 1637. (fn. 79) The latter also seems to have died young, for the manor returned to the Threeles and was held in 1650 by Thomas Threele and Margaret. (fn. 80) He was succeeded by his son John before 1655, (fn. 81) and by 1669 the manor had passed to Laurence Threele, who was still holding it in 1675. (fn. 82) Before 1701 Pakyns had come into the possession of Thomas Short, M.D., (fn. 83) who in 1712 conveyed it to Richard Scrase. (fn. 84) About 1733 it passed to Richard Whitpaine son of Richard Scrase's daughter Mary. (fn. 85) He sold it in 1763 to Thomas Butcher, (fn. 86) after whose death in 1767 (fn. 87) Pakyns was conveyed by his various heirs and trustees to Philip Soale in 1768. (fn. 88) After his death it was sold by his trustees in 1781 (fn. 89) to William Borrer, from whom it passed in 1797 to his son William, at one time High Sheriff of Sussex. William Borrer, the distinguished botanist, son of the latter, inherited Pakyns in 1832 but let it to his younger brother Nathaniel. A fourth William, well known as an ornithologist, succeeded in 1872, but did not live there, and from his son the last William Borrer, who inherited in 1898, Pakyns passed in 1920 to his daughter Mrs. Orlebar, the present owner. (fn. 90)

Borrer. Azure a lion erminois holding a borer proper over all a cheve-ron argent charged with three scutcheons azure, the middle scutcheon bearing a rose argent.

Simon de Pierpoint was holding land in 'Godebrig' of Earl Warenne in 1239, when he remitted to the earl all rights of chase there, (fn. 91) and his descendant, another Simon, held the manor of GOLDBRIDGE in 1331–2. (fn. 92) It appears to have descended with Hurstpierpoint and Westmeston (q.v.), (fn. 93) and in 1447–8 Sir Thomas Dacre and his wife settled it upon themselves for life, with remainder to their daughter Philippa and her husband Robert Fiennes. (fn. 94) Eventually it passed to the other daughter Joan, and subsequently, with her other Sussex manors, to her grandson Thomas Lord Dacre. (fn. 95) Nothing further is heard of the manor.

William de Hautbois held land in Hurstpierpoint of Simon de Pierpoint, and his heir, his brother Robert, gave this, between 1242 and 1248, to the prior and convent of St. Pancras, Lewes, to hold as two-thirds of a knight's fee. (fn. 96) Robert de Pierpoint in about 1260 relieved them of all service for this land save scutage and suit at his court at Hurst, (fn. 97) and twenty years later it was agreed that they owed nothing but suit. (fn. 98) This land probably represents the half fee in 'Haboys' held by the Prior of Lewes in 1428 (fn. 99) and survives as the small farm called 'Abbeys'. (fn. 100)

The reputed manor of LEIGH is first mentioned in 1548, when it was in the possession of John Gerves and Elizabeth his wife. (fn. 101) About 1560 it appears to have been owned by Richard Burtenshaw. (fn. 102) In 1595 it was held by Robert Broke, (fn. 103) and in 1610 by John Roberts who in that year conveyed it to Thomas Avery. (fn. 104) It apparently remained with the Avery family for more than a century, and was sold about 1725 by Nathaniel Avery to Daniel Beard and his son Nicholas. (fn. 105) Leigh was still in that family in 1790, when Kitty Beard and Mary Cook and her husband James leased or conveyed it to George Allfrey. (fn. 106) In 1828 Mary Catherine Cook, John Evans and his wife Caroline Beard, and Edward Thomas Allfrey conveyed the manor of Leigh to William Stanford, (fn. 107) after which there is no further record of it.

Church

The parish church of HOLYTRINITY consists of a chancel with arcades of two bays, north chapel, south chapel (now organ chamber and vestry), nave, north and south transepts, north arcade and aisle of four bays, south arcade and aisle of five bays, and a north-west tower with an octagonal spire of stone. The base of the tower serves as a porch and there is a small porch to the north chapel. The nave has a clearstory. The church was completely rebuilt from the designs of Sir Charles Berry in 1843–5, in 1854 the north chapel was added, and in 1874 the south chapel; the last has a dated foundation-stone in the east wall. The north transept has been fitted up as a chapel in memory of those who died in the War of 1914–18. The church which it replaced consisted of a chancel with a south chapel (the Danny chapel) of approximately equal dimensions, a nave with south aisle and north porch, and a west tower with a shingled spire. It had been almost rebuilt by a rector, John Urry, about 1420, (fn. 108) but the tracery of the windows and most other ancient features had vanished under 'churchwarden improvements' before 1835. (fn. 109)

A number of funeral monuments and fittings were preserved from the old church. The font is probably of c. 1200, but the heavy round bowl has been reworked and painted; the stem is plain; the base has a late-12thor early-13th-century mould. Near by, a broken mortar, brought from a local farmyard, has been set on a stem and base as if to represent a font. The enclosure around the font has turned balusters and moulded handrail of the 18th century and may have been the former communion rails.

In the north chapel is a high-backed chair with elbows; the back is carved with a scroll and foliage device and the initials and date T S 1721. In the chancel are two other chairs probably of slightly earlier date. At the west end of the church is a 17th-century chest with panelled front, ends, and lid, and three locks; also a small 18th-century table with slender turned legs.

In the east window of the south chapel are set fifteen medallions of German or Flemish glass of the 16th and 17th centuries; five are circular, the others oval; they mostly depict scenes from the Old and New Testaments and include a Nativity, and the placing of our Lord in the sepulchre. There are also four similar oval cartouches in the west window of the tower-porch, all collected and placed here by Canon Borrer in 1845.

In the south chapel is a much weathered recumbent effigy, 6 ft. 8 in. long, of a cross-legged knight in chain armour, of c. 1260; he bears his heater-shaped shield on his left arm and his right hand grasps the hilt of his sword. The feet rest against a lion.

At the west end of the north aisle is a much mutilated effigy of a knight of c. 1340 wearing a bascinet, mail gorget, close-fitting gypon with scalloped lower edge, a baudrick, and plate armour with knee-caps to the legs. The head rests on his helm, which has a lion crest; the feet also rest against a recumbent lion. The figure now rests on an altar-tomb against the north wall; the exposed south side has four quatrefoil panels each enclosing a plain shield, and the east end a single panel. The tomb is enclosed by an iron railing, 4 ft. 10 in. high, which has three diagonal standards treated with buttresses and with moulded and embattled caps and spikes for candles; these are of early-16th-century date.

In the churchyard by the west wall are five tapering coffin-lids of the 12th or 13th century with hollowchamfered edges. One shows faint traces of a raised cross.

Relaid in the pavement outside the west doorway are about 150 inlaid slip tiles, 6 in. square; of two patterns, one has a fish in a vesica piscis, four of the tiles forming a complete circular design, the other has a whorl of foliage forming part, probably, of a border pattern: late13th or early-14th century, they are suffering from wear in their present position.

There are eight bells, of which three date from 1775, and the others from 1846. (fn. 110)

The communion plate includes a cup of 1720 inscribed 'De novo conflatum et auctum sumptibus Petri Courthope arm.'; a silver-gilt chalice of Spanish workmanship, probably 17th-century, given by Canon Borrer in 1887; a paten of 1716 given by Arthur Hamilton Gordon in 1846; one of 1722; a third of 1775 inscribed 'S.A.B. died 30th Jan. 1887', and another with maker's mark only; a flagon of 1725, 'the gift of John Ovenden'; a salver on three feet, of 1732, inscribed 'ch & e 17 Aug. 1837/1887; an alms-dish of 1774, the gift of Mary and Ann Beard, 1775; a copy of it of 1846 given by C. H. Borrer, 1846; and three spoons, one foreign. (fn. 111)

The registers date from 1558.

Advowson

The advowson of Hurstpierpoint Rectory was held by Simon de Pierpoint in 1331 (fn. 112) and descended with the manor until the latter half of the 18th century. (fn. 113) In 1778 it was bequeathed by Sir John Shaw (but apparently with reversion to his son John Gregory Shaw) to Sir Edward Winnington, bart., who presented in 1784, (fn. 114) and from whom it passed to his grandson Sir Thomas Edward Winnington, who presented in 1807. (fn. 115) Later it evidently reverted to the Shaw family, and the Rev. Robert Shaw was said to be the patron in 1835. (fn. 116) About this time the advowson was acquired by Nathaniel Borrer of Pakyns, who presented with others in 1841, (fn. 117) and from him it descended in 1863 to his son the Rev. Carey Hampton Borrer, who died in 1898. (fn. 118) It was afterwards held by his trustees, (fn. 119) and later bought by Colonel W. H. Campion. (fn. 120) It is now the property of Col. Sir William Robert Campion, lord of the manor.

St. George's chapel-of-ease was privately built in 1832, and was bequeathed in 1881 by Charles Smith Hannington, J.P., to his son James. In 1892 it was put into thorough repair and conveyed by Mr. S. Hannington to the Ecclesiastical Commissioners. It was consecrated for Church of England services in September of that year. (fn. 121)

Charities

William Hamper, by will dated 26 June 1829, gave to the parish £100, the interest to be distributed annually at the discretion of the rector and churchwardens to deserving aged poor widows, inhabitants of the parish. The endowment now produces £5 annually.

By a declaration of trust dated 19 March 1923, Jessie Christie gave £20 Consols, the interest to be applied towards the maintenance of the Hurstpierpoint Cemetry; the interest amounts to 10s. a year.

Dr. Avery Roberts, by will proved 9 Jan. 1862, bequeathed to the churchwardens £100 for the benefit of the poor of the parish. The endowment produces £2 13s. annually, which is distributed to the aged poor.

Henry Smith's Charity. This parish receives through the trustees of Henry Smith's Charity its proportion of the rent of an estate at Tolleshunt D'Arcy in the county of Essex for distribution by the churchwardens to distressed parishioners. In 1935 a sum of £5 8s. was received and distributed in coals to the poor.

Samuel Hannington's Charity for the poor. By a declaration of trust dated 5 Nov. 1875, it was declared that £106 4s. 6d. 3 per cent. annuities should be held by trustees in trust, the dividends thereon to be distributed equally among seven necessitous and deserving parishioners. The income amounts to £2 13s.

By a deed poll dated 29 Nov. 1894, a sum of £200 2¾ per cent. Consolidated Stock was transferred by Samuel Hannington into the names of certain trustees, the dividends to be applied towards the income of the incumbent of St. George's chapel-of-ease at Hurstpierpoint. By an indenture dated 3 Jan. 1899 a further sum was transferred to the said trustees in augmentation of the existing fund. The endowment now provides £23 0s. 8d. annually in dividends which are paid to the Curate Fund.

By his will proved 16 March 1926, Samuel Hannington gave £300 to the trustees of the Bishop of Chichester's Fund in aid of the endowment fund of St. George's Church at Hurstpierpoint. The dividends thereon amount to £13 12s. 6d.

Footnotes