A History of the County of Sussex: Volume 4, the Rape of Chichester. Originally published by Victoria County History, London, 1953.
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'Trotton', in A History of the County of Sussex: Volume 4, the Rape of Chichester, ed. L F Salzman( London, 1953), British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/sussex/vol4/pp32-39 [accessed 9 October 2024].
'Trotton', in A History of the County of Sussex: Volume 4, the Rape of Chichester. Edited by L F Salzman( London, 1953), British History Online, accessed October 9, 2024, https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/sussex/vol4/pp32-39.
"Trotton". A History of the County of Sussex: Volume 4, the Rape of Chichester. Ed. L F Salzman(London, 1953), , British History Online. Web. 9 October 2024. https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/sussex/vol4/pp32-39.
In this section
TROTTON
Trotton is a large parish of 3,594 acres, about 5 miles from north, where it touches the Hampshire border, to south, and practically cut into two parts just a mile north of the church by the approximation of the boundaries of Terwick and Chithurst. Its southwestern part, forming the manor of Dumpford, is bounded on the north by the River Rother, which passes through the village of Trotton, situated on a narrow strip of the parish between Terwick and Chithurst. Trotton Common is to the east of the village.
In 1870 land in Trotton, amounting to 13 acres, belonging to the manor of Rogate Bohunt was exchanged for other land in Rogate; and under a Local Government Board Order in 1879 two detached portions of the parish were united to Chithurst, and Ingram's Green to Iping.
The parish is largely woodland, particularly in the north, where also the extensive Chapel Common commemorates the former chapelry of Milland, which was constituted a separate parish in 1863 and enlarged in 1877 by the inclusion, for ecclesiastical purposes, of the hamlets of Rake and Langley, in Rogate. A new church was built at Milland in 1878 and a brick mission chapel at Rake in 1879.
Milland, which designation has completely replaced the older name of Tuxlith (in a variety of spellings), presumably takes its name from the water-mill on a tributary of the Rother, of which the existing building may be that of the mill attached to the manor of Trotton in 1671 and 1679, (fn. 1) and the site may be that of the mill worth 12s. 6d. mentioned in 1086. (fn. 2)
Thomas Otway the dramatist was born at Trotton in 1652, son of Humphrey Otway who was then curate of Trotton. His works were popular in his own day, the most important being Venice Preserved and The Orphan. He died in miserable circumstances in 1685. (fn. 3)
Arthur E. Knox, the author of Ornithological Rambles in Sussex and other works, lived in 1875 at Trotton Place. (fn. 4)
The stone bridge which crosses the Rother south-east of the church was built probably in the late 16th or 17th century, and is of five spans with semicircular arches having chamfered ribs. There are triangular cut-waters up and down stream. The chamfered parapet may be somewhat later.
Trotton Place, the residence of H. R. Hill, esq., lies north-west of the church. It is approached from the Petersfield road by a drive and 18th-century gate-posts. The house is built of stone and brick and seems to date from c. 1600, but is disguised by 18th-century refacing and modern additions. The only older features visible are blocked Elizabethan windows to the cellar, and the back stair, which has finialled newels, turned balusters, and the original oak treads. The walls are over 3 ft. thick. There is a Georgian columned fire-place in the hall, pinewood panelling with apsidal niches, also panelling with cornice in a room above. The staircase has turned and spiral balusters, panelled rake, and scroll ends to the stairs; the balustrade is sharply returned at the foot. The pigeon house, west of the house, is a square stone building gabled on each face, with chamfered strings and timber lantern. It is dated C.G. 1626. (fn. 5) The old strap-hinged door remains and a chamfered two-light window above. The interior has nests for 200 pigeons; the roof is original, but the potence has gone.
Nearer the road is a stone building, now a garage, dating from c. 1600. It retains original mullioned windows and moulded barge-boards and pendants. Wide walling of destroyed buildings has been discovered in garden operations.
Farther west is a contemporary stone barn with chamfered loops. Both ends are hipped to contain the aisle, which is continuous, and the east end has been extended to form a cottage. It has queen-post struts to the collars, braced posts, straight wind-braces, and a canopied transept. North of it is a black weather-boarded barn on a stone base, of eight bays and similar construction, except that the posts are tied to the walls by brick projections.
Dumpford Manor Farm in the south of the parish, probably dates from c. 1600, but is modernized. Early features include some stop-chamfered ceiling-beams, oak-floors, and door, and an 18th-century staircase. The court leet was held here till quite recently.
The contemporary barn is weather-boarded on a stone base; it has tie-beams, queen-posts, collars, and braced posts.
Chithurst Fruit Farm (formerly White's Farm), on the west side of the road from Trotton to Chithurst, was built in the 16th or early 17th century, in three bays. There is a modern annexe to the south, and an outshot to the north, but the three-storied north-west wing may be older. The east front is probably an 18th-century rebuild in stone with brick dressings, but timber-framing is exposed in square brick-filled panels on the west and towards the south annexe.
Gatehouse Farm lies on the east side of the lane from Trotton to Milland. It is a stone house built on an L-shaped plan in the second half of the 16th century. The south front has been extensively modernized, with a two-storied gabled porch having an original fourcentred chamfered doorway. There are modern brick quoins, string-course, and dressings to the windows, otherwise the walls are of dressed stone, with tilehanging over the west bay, which has a transverse gable. The west side is two bays in extent, with a Georgian or modern outshot to the north. The wall is of rubble with a chamfered plinth. There were originally two chamfered four-light windows to each floor, with square labels chamfered with hollow under-side. Of these one only remains complete, in the north bay, but the label is left of the window above. In the south bay the window is completely blocked, though signs of the old label can be seen above the modern window to the first floor. There is a chamfered two-light to the cellar, under the south-west bay. Old quoins remain at the western angles of the house. On the north side a chamfered three-light window with label is still open in the gable.
The fire-places and chimneys are now modern throughout. Stop-chamfered ceiling-beams are exposed internally, those in the south-west bay having roll and fillet mouldings. This room was apparently renovated in the 18th century, and the panelling with dado and cornice added, also an apsidal niche. Stop-chamfered ceiling-beams are exposed in the room above, and there are two carved heads on chamfered posts, once doorways, between the bays of the south range. The atticstair is old, with a circular newel. There are straight wind-braces in the attic; ties and purlins are also visible. The kitchen (north-east wing) may be of the 18th century, and has roughly chamfered beams.
Milland House (fn. 6) is a substantial building with imposing 18th-century gateways. It has been greatly altered and extended, but stop-chamfered ceilingbeams, visible internally, suggest that it was originally built in the 16th or early 17th century. A barn of similar date has been transformed, but the ties and queen-post struts are original.
Mill Cottage, east of the Milland-Iping road, probably dates from the 16th century, and consists of three bays with a later wing projecting east, flanked by modern outshot aisles. It is built of sandstone, ironstone, and brick. The west front shows changes of masonry especially in the central bay. Most of the windows are renewed, but in the south bay an original three-light window in chamfered brick (fn. 7) with diagonal bars remains on each floor. On the south wall a brick label is left over a later window; on the east wall, near the south-east angle, there is a blocked doorway with segmental head dated 1651. This seems a later insertion owing to its curious position between the original angle and wall-stack. The south bay retains a chamfered plinth, continuing round the house as far as the above doorway, and its fire-place is wide, with a new lintel replacing the stone head, and chamfered jambs; there is an 18th-century gun-rack. In the room above, the fire-place has a chamfered elliptical stone lintel and brick jambs. The staircase in the central bay probably dates from the later 17th century; it has a moulded rail and newel. Stop-chamfered ceilingbeams are exposed on the ground floor.
Milland Mill, to the east, is a three-storied building of rectangular plan and late-17th- or 18th-century date. There is a modern annexe to the west, the disused iron wheel on the east, and to the north is the great mill lake.
MANORS
The manor of TROTTON was held before the Conquest by Countess Gida, Earl Godwin's wife, of King Edward, and in 1086 Roger, Earl of Shrewsbury, held it in demesne. Before the Conquest it was assessed for 9 hides, but afterwards for only 3. (fn. 8) It probably formed part of the estate given by William, Earl of Arundel, to Ralph son of Savaric, lord of Midhurst, for in 1158 the fee at Trotton was assigned to Geldwin son of Savaric, when the lands of his brother Ralph were divided. (fn. 9) The lords of Midhurst continued to hold this mesne lordship under the Earls of Arundel, and Trotton was held in 1372 of the manor of Midhurst, by the service of one fee, and suit at the court of Midhurst. (fn. 10) In 1421 it was said to be held of the manor of Cowdray, (fn. 11) and in 1443 the tenure was not known. (fn. 12)
Under the lords of Midhurst Ralph de St. George held Trotton in 1158, (fn. 13) and his son, or grandson, Alan de St. George was holding Didling, which was part of Trotton, in 1195–6. (fn. 14) Agatha, daughter (fn. 15) and heir of the younger Alan, sold the manor to John de Gatesden. (fn. 16) Agatha had previously in 1231 agreed with Brian de Lisle (de Insula) that she would sell none of her land without his consent, or to anyone but him, (fn. 17) and Brian sued her for breach of the agreement. By an arrangement made between them in 1232, Brian was to have Trotton and Didling manors, and the reversion of certain lands then held in dower, in exchange for a life interest in the manor of Bradford in Dorset. (fn. 18)
But it seems very doubtful whether he ever got full possession of the manor, for in 1237 John de Gatesden had a grant of free warren in his demesne lands at Trotton, (fn. 19) and a royal confirmation of his purchase of the manor in 1242. (fn. 20) He obtained two confirmations of Agatha's grant from her daughter and heir Sibyl de Gundevill in 1248 and 1253. (fn. 21) Brian's claim was renewed against John de Gatesden and Hawise his wife in 1259–60 by his coheirs, William de Glamorgan son of Brian's sister Constance, and Ralph de Stopham son of Brian, son of another sister, Amabil, a third sister Alice having died without issue. (fn. 22) At the same time John de Gatesden was sued for certain land in Trotton by Thomas de St. George, who claimed it as son of John de St. George, grandson of Richard de St. George (fn. 23) who had held the land in the reign of Henry II. (fn. 24) John de St. George had put in his claim in 1248 when Sibyl de Gundevill confirmed the manor to John de Gatesden, (fn. 25) and William de St. George claimed land here in 1279 and 1327. (fn. 26)
Apparently none of these suits disturbed the possession of John de Gatesden, who was at this time acquiring large estates in Sussex. He appears to have given Trotton and its members in his lifetime to his son John, for when the younger John died in 1258 he was holding this manor. (fn. 27) He left an only daughter Margaret aged 13, and in 1259 his widow Margery paid 60 marks for having custody of his land. (fn. 28) The elder John de Gatesden died about 1262, when the king assigned dower to Hawise his widow. (fn. 29) Margaret daughter of the younger John married John de Camoys, and the suit for the manor was renewed against them in 1286 by Robert de Glamorgan and Ralph de Stopham. (fn. 30)
John and Margaret had granted the manor before 1285 to William Paynel for life. Margaret had left her husband before this date (probably in 1285, when John made over to her and their children the rent he received from William Paynel from this and other Sussex manors) to live with William Paynel, John de Camoys having handed her over with all her goods and chattels to William to remain with him at his pleasure. (fn. 31) On the death of John de Camoys in 1298 Margaret married William Paynel. Her claim to dower of John's land was disallowed. (fn. 32) William Paynel appears to have made Trotton his home, for he was resident there in 1296 (fn. 33) and sealed the barons' letter to the pope in 1301 as William Paynel of Tratington. (fn. 34) Margaret died in 1310 and William married Eve Dawtry. (fn. 35) Before his death in 1317 Trotton seems to have passed to Ralph de Camoys son of John and Margaret, (fn. 36) for Ralph was holding it in 1316. (fn. 37) He and his second wife Elizabeth granted land in Trotton and elsewhere in 1321 to William de Rogate, who was probably Elizabeth's father, (fn. 38) and in 1328 Ralph was sued by Eve, then wife of Edward de St. John, widow of William Paynel, for dower in Trotton. (fn. 39) Ralph complained in 1335 that certain malefactors broke his park at Trotton and hunted deer there. (fn. 40) He was succeeded in 1336 by his son Thomas who died in 1372, his son Ralph having predeceased him leaving no children. (fn. 41) Thomas's estate passed under an entail to his nephew Thomas, son of John Camoys, (fn. 42) but Margaret widow of Thomas had the manor of Trotton as part of her dower. (fn. 43) By her will, dated 1386, she desired to be buried in the church of Trotton. (fn. 44)
Thomas Camoys commanded the left wing of the English army at Agincourt and was nominated K.G. about 1415. His second wife was Elizabeth, widow of Sir Henry Percy, called Hotspur, the 'Gentle Kate' of Shakespeare's Henry IV. He died 1421 and was buried at Trotton, where there is a fine brass to his memory. (fn. 45) His grandson Hugh Camoys, son of Richard, a child of seven, succeeded. (fn. 46) Hugh died a minor in 1426, his heirs being his sisters Margaret wife of Ralph Radmyld and Eleanor wife of Roger Lewknor. (fn. 47) Roger Camoys, his uncle, (fn. 48) is returned as holding the manor in 1428, (fn. 49) but in 1433 he released it to Roger Lewknor and Eleanor. (fn. 50)
Eventually the manor was divided between the Lewknors and Radmylds. Ralph Radmyld survived Margaret and was succeeded in 1443 by his son Robert, a minor, (fn. 51) who died in 1457, when his share of the manor passed to his son William, aged 6. (fn. 52) William died without issue, (fn. 53) and his part of the manor passed to the Lewknors.
Roger Lewknor survived his wife and was holding half of Trotton manor in 1457. (fn. 54) He died about 1478. (fn. 55) His son Sir Thomas Lewknor of Trotton obtained a general pardon in 1484 (fn. 56) and died soon after. (fn. 57) His son and successor Sir Roger Lewknor, by his first wife Eleanor Audley had a daughter Joan who married first Sir Arthur Poole, and thirdly Sir William Barantyne. In 1532 Sir Roger settled the reversion of all his manors upon her, but by a later settlement in 1538 the manor of Trotton and its members were settled on Elizabeth daughter of Thomas Meffant, third wife of Sir Roger, with remainder to Joan. (fn. 58) By Elizabeth Sir Roger had three daughters, Catherine, Mabel, and Constance, and after some disagreement with Sir William Barantyne, it was arranged by arbitration that Sir Roger and Elizabeth should have Trotton manor with remainder to their children. Sir Roger died at Trotton in 1543 before the settlements had been made, and an Act of Parliament was necessary to make the arbitration effective. (fn. 59) Elizabeth widow of Sir Roger married Richard Lewknor. (fn. 60) Catherine her eldest daughter married John Mill of Greatham, (fn. 61) and Constance the youngest married firstly Thomas Foster and secondly Edward Glemham. Mabel married Anthony Stapeley, but her only child died in infancy. (fn. 62)
Constance Glemham lived to a great age, dying in 1634, when Trotton passed to her son Anthony Foster. (fn. 63) Anthony died without issue in 1643, (fn. 64) leaving three sisters his coheirs. The eldest, Elizabeth, married Thomas Bateman and had three daughters: Susan who married first Henry Taylor and secondly Sir Thomas Barker of Hardingham, co. Norfolk; Philadelphia who married William Rochester and had issue Robert; and Elizabeth who married Henry Watkinson and had a son Henry. Anthony Foster's second sister Mary married Charles Wallcott and had two daughters Jevisham or Isam wife of Morgan Jefferies, and Beatrice who married first Walter Buckland and secondly Anthony Brunning. (fn. 65) Anthony Foster's share of Trotton manor was apparently divided between the descendants of his sisters, (fn. 66) for in 1654 they joined in selling it to Peter Bettesworth, (fn. 67) who may have been a trustee for the Bucklands, for in 1679 Maurice Buckland, son of Walter and greatgrandson of Beatrice, sold the manor to Lawrence Alcock of Midhurst. (fn. 68)
Catherine Mill, the eldest daughter of Sir Roger Lewknor and Elizabeth, was succeeded before 1587 by her son Lewknor Mill, (fn. 69) and he before 1606 by his son John Mill. (fn. 70) John was created a baronet in 1619, and in 1664, with Margaret his wife, he conveyed Trotton manor to Ellis Mewet and William Noyes. (fn. 71)
This part was also acquired by Lawrence Alcock, whose son Lawrence settled the manor in 1701 on his marriage with Anne Fuller. (fn. 72) Lawrence was buried at Trotton in 1723; none of his sons having left issue, (fn. 73) Trotton manor passed to his daughters Jane wife of John Radcliffe, and Anne wife of George Bramston. Anne had no children, and George Bramston mortgaged his share of the manor to Samuel Child in 1745, and sold it in 1757 to John Fraine. In the following year Edward Radcliffe bought this part of the manor, £8,680 being paid to Agatha Child, representing the mortgagee, and £975 to Fraine. (fn. 74)
Jane Radcliffe died in 1752 and her son John Radcliffe (fn. 75) succeeded to the other part of the manor as devisee and heir at law of Arthur Radcliffe brother of Edward, and in 1779 he sold the whole to Thomas Samuel Jolliffe. (fn. 76) Jolliffe exchanged the manor for manors in Somerset with Samuel Twyford in 1786, (fn. 77) and it was sold by a later Samuel Twyford to Frank Mowatt. He sold it to Reginald Henry Nevill, of Dangstein, whose widow Lady Dorothy Nevill and their eldest son split up the property, (fn. 78) most of which, with apparently any surviving manorial rights, was acquired by Lord Leconfield.
The manor of DUMPFORD comprises about half the parish of Trotton, and was probably included in Trotton at the time of the Domesday Survey. Richard de St. George held it in 1158, (fn. 79) but it passed about 1190 to his nephew Alan (fn. 80) and was held as part of Trotton. Agatha de St. George gave it in 1231 to Philip de Croft for the service of a twentieth of a knight's fee. (fn. 81) Philip's brother Hugh gave Dumpford to the Priory of Boxgrove (fn. 82) at some date before 1248, (fn. 83) and subsequently the prior sold it to John de Gatesden. (fn. 84) It followed the descent of Trotton as a member of that manor to the coheirs of Sir Roger Lewknor. (fn. 85) Constance Glemham died seised of half the park of Dumpford in 1634, (fn. 86) but the whole of the manor passed to the Mills and became attached to Didling manor (q.v.), the two being known as Didlinges Dumpford manor in 1686. (fn. 87)
The park of Dumpford was leased in 1278 by John de Camoys for 20 years to Sir Henry Husee, and the grant was afterwards made for the life of Sir Henry. John afterwards gave both park and manor to William Paynel, but shortly after Henry's death they were taken by the king's escheator. (fn. 88) Though the manor of Dumpford passed to the Mills, the park passed to Constance Glemham and was assigned to the coheirs of Anthony Foster, who conveyed it in 1687 to Thomas Briggs, LL.D. (fn. 89) He sold it in 1716 to John Shore, M.D., who sold it in the following year to George Goodwin. (fn. 90) George's son Richard sold it to George, Earl of Egremont, who was in possession in 1774, (fn. 91) and from him William Bridger purchased it. (fn. 92)
Land called MILLAND (Mullelond) was held by Cecily widow of Sir John de Bohun at the time of her death in 1381, of Richard, Earl of Arundel, as of Woolbeding manor. (fn. 93) It was held in 1594 of John Morley as of his manor of Boxgrove. (fn. 94)
It is said to have been purchased by Thomas Bettesworth from John, Lord Lumley, son-in-law of the Earl of Arundel. (fn. 95) Thomas held it at his death in 1594, (fn. 96) and Milland Place became the chief seat of this branch of the Bettesworth family. It followed the descent of the manor of Rogate Bohunt, and the Milland estate was said in 1781 to comprise this manor and that of Rogate College, and Clerk's Dean. (fn. 97)
The Abbey of Durford had lands in this parish for which they obtained rights of free warren in 1252. (fn. 98) These yielded 21s. in rents in 1535. (fn. 99) The bulk of the abbey's estate lay at Ripsley, (fn. 100) where 80 acres, with another 4 acres at Trippettes, of their former lands were granted in 1548 to Robert Curson of Bermondsey. (fn. 101)
CHURCHES
The parish church of ST. GEORGE (fn. 102) stands south-east of the Manor House and north-west of the ancient bridge which here carries the Midhurst-Petersfield road over the River Rother. It is built of rubble with ashlar dressings and is roofed with tile, except the tower, which has a shingled octagonal cap. It consists of a single chamber, serving both as chancel and nave, a west tower, and a south porch; the latter is 17th-century, the whole of the rest of the building is of the early 14th. (fn. 103)
The body of the church was built by the mason in four bays, but roofed by the carpenter in six. Pairs of buttresses stand at all four corners and single buttresses between the principal windows; (fn. 104) these are alike in design, of two stages, each finished by a sloping offset.
The east window is of three lights with geometrical tracery; much of the stonework is clearly modern, and the design is so inferior to that of the side windows that it is to be supposed that the original design is lost. The four windows on each side of the church are of identical design, two trefoil-headed lights surmounted by a quatrefoil opening not set in a circle. All these windows have moulded rear-arches and internal, as well as external, hood-moulds. On the south side are a trefoil-headed piscina with moulded arch and hood-mould, a priest's door with chamfered jambs, pointed arch and hood-mould, and a low side window, a small squareheaded opening, preserving its ancient iron grille, and closed by a shutter only. The south doorway is of one order without impost, with wave-mould on jambs and arch and with hood-mould; the north doorway, now blocked, is of similar design but unmoulded; it preserves remains of the woodwork of the door and hingestraps with a finial in the form of three leaves, (fn. 105) coeval with the stonework. The west doorway, (fn. 106) which opens into the tower, is pointed, with moulded arch and jambs and hood-mould.
The division between nave and chancel is marked by a shallow step in line with the east jamb of the window of the second bay and by the corbels which carried the plate of the rood-screen; smaller corbels west of the windows must have carried lengthwise timbers to support the lower beam of the front of the rood-loft. (fn. 107) There are five trusses of roof framing; each consists of a moulded tie-beam, a pair of principals, a collar, and curved moulded braces below it; on each side are two moulded purlins with wind-braces under each; there is no ridge-piece, and the common rafters are set flat. With the exception of a few timbers renewed in modern times, the whole of this is coeval with the stonework; there is modern boarding on the upper side of the rafters.
On the west wall is a painting, perhaps coeval with the church, representing the Last Judgement as described in Matt. xxv. 31–46. In the centre is Christ enthroned on the rainbow among stars, his clothing thrown back to show all five wounds, over his head are clouds and on each side is an angel. Beyond these on each side is a smaller figure; of that on the dexter nothing is distinguishable but the legs; but from the position of them it seems to be turning away from Christ; that on the sinister has draped legs and possibly bare body and is holding up his hands. From their attitudes they seem to be respectively repelling the damned and leading the saved: that they, and the Sins and Acts of Mercy, are on the wrong sides of Christ might be due to the painter being accustomed to painting Last Judgements in the usual position on an east wall. Below the feet of Christ is Moses, with nimbus and horns, holding the Tables of the Law, a word in black letter on each table is undecipherable. On each side are figures, larger than life, representing the Carnal Man and the Spiritual Man. The former, on the dexter side, is, appropriately enough, naked; surrounding him are seven small groups presumably representations of the Seven Deadly Sins; the uppermost is said to have represented Pride, on the sinister side Lechery, Anger (a man stabbing himself), Envy (with sharp teeth); on the dexter side Gluttony (a man drinking from a leather bottle), Sloth, and Avarice (a miser with a treasure-chest). On the sinister side is the Spiritual Man, bearded, with his hands clasped in prayer, wearing a red cassock and a yellow hood. Surrounding him are seven roundels representing the Seven Deeds of Mercy; over his head is clothing the naked, on his sinister side perhaps feeding the hungry (the word spes is legible on a scroll next to this), comforting prisoners, burying the dead, on his dexter giving drink to the thirsty, visiting the sick, and one now not clear, presumably showing hospitality to the stranger.
A painted consecration cross is visible below the Spiritual Man, and another over the west door; and there are undecipherable remains of wall paintings on the north wall.
In the chancel are three table-tombs. The earliest occupies the middle and commemorates Thomas, Lord Camoys, who died in 1421. (fn. 108) This is a free-standing altar-tomb with sides panelled in quatrefoils with an escutcheon in the middle of each, covered by a slab of Purbeck marble 9 ft. 3 in. by 4 ft. 4 in. On this is a brass; Sir Thomas is represented in the armour of the period, with garter and collar of SS, he holds the hand of his (second) wife Elizabeth, who is represented in crespine head-dress, mantle, sideless cote-hardie, and kirtle; a diminutive figure at her feet represents either an otherwise unknown son of hers who died in infancy or her stepson (fn. 109) Richard, father of Hugh, second baron. Both figures stand under a double canopy with embattled entablature; of four original shields three remain, two charged with Camoys, surrounded by the garter, one with Camoys impaling Mortimer.
In the north-east corner of the chancel is a second altar-tomb, the edge of the top slab is sculptured to represent linen drapery, the top is covered with a plain slab of Purbeck marble; the sides have trefoil-headed panels. There is no inscription, but it doubtless commemorates Sir Roger Lewknor, kt., who died about 1478 and directed that he was to be buried 'in a marble tomb which I ordeyned ther beside the high Auter'. (fn. 110) In the south-east corner is another of like dimensions, lower, with plain sides, of Sussex marble, which completely blocks access to the piscina; the Sussex marble slab of this once bore an epitaph, now too decayed to read, but known to commemorate Anthony Foster, who died 1643–4. (fn. 111)
In the centre of the nave is a leger slab with the brass of Margaret de Camois, of unknown, but early date. She wears a wimple and veil, so disposed as to leave a triangular opening for her face, a loose cotehardie whose sleeves show at the wrist those of a closer under-garment, and pointed shoes; her dress was formerly ornamented with nine small escutcheons, presumably enamelled, now all lost. A canopy consisting of slender shafts and pinnacles, a cinquefoiled arch with sub-cusping, and a straight-sided crocketed pediment, is now lost, as are the Lombard-uncial letters of the inscription, eight shields of arms, and a number of badges with which the slab was formerly powdered; these last were of two forms, one was probably a daisy, a play on the lady's Christian name, the design and significance of the other is unknown. (fn. 112)
In the south wall of the nave are the remains of a niche-tomb, of doubtful date; the jambs survive, but the arch had already disappeared by 1780. (fn. 113) Below is a projecting slab, under which is ornate panelling in 15th-century style.
The south porch has an outer doorway with moulded jambs carrying a four-centred arch without imposts; the arch is set in a rectangular frame, the spandrels of which are filled with crude carving, probably of the 17th century; in each of the east and west walls is a plain square-headed single-light window, a modern insertion.
The tower has, at each of its western angles, a pair of buttresses of like design to those of the body of the church, but higher; in the lowest stage is nothing but the west door, of similar design to the south; in the upper stage is a lancet window in each of the south, west, and north faces.
The altar table has turned legs and is perhaps of the 17th century. The altar rails have uprights of similar profile, into which a moulded top rail is tenoned, between these are intermediate turned uprights supporting round arches, and, alternately, shorter turned uprights with knob heads.
The font, probably 12th-century, is tub-shaped and stands on a square base; its wooden cover is of the 17th century.
The two bells bear no inscription. (fn. 114)
The communion plate includes a chalice and paten of 1719, given by Lawrence Alcock; and a silver flagon of 1615, given by George Bramston, who married Anne Alcock. (fn. 115)
The registers begin in 1581.
The modern church of ST. LUKE, MILLAND, stands south of the London-Portsmouth road, and consists of chancel with north organ-chamber, clearstoried nave of four bays, north and south aisles, and west tower, all in a late-13th-century style; it was built in 1878. The font is ancient, and probably was originally in the earlier chapel; it has a plain bowl of squat cylindrical shape resting on three modern shafts.
East of the church is the older chapel, (fn. 116) still occasionally used, which was built as a chapel of ease to Trotton. It originally consisted of a single chamber, date unknown, perhaps 16th century; in the 19th a transept was added, making it L-shaped on plan, together with an eastern porch to the transept, perhaps the south porch, and a store in the re-entrant angle. It is built of plastered rubble with ashlar dressings and roofed with tile.
The east window is round-headed with external keystone, with a transom at arch springing level surmounting a mullion; it is apparently early-19th-century, and has in the head in stained glass the Royal Arms as borne between 1800 and 1837. In the south wall is a very large piscina (modern) with pointed arched head and oval basin, perhaps designed as a font; west of this is another small piscina with square head and sink, probbably medieval. Two cottage-style windows with square wooden frames and leaded lights occupy the south wall; beyond them is the south doorway with a plain square trefoil head, perhaps 16th-century. West of this a flight of outside steps leads to a square-headed doorway, now blocked, formerly leading into a gallery. In the west wall, between two coeval buttresses, is a two-light square-headed window. A stone bell-cote on the west wall is modern, replacing a wooden one, covered with a small broach spire, shown in the Sharpe drawings.
The transept has one window in the east wall and two, of which the upper lit a gallery, in the north; these resemble the south windows. The east doorway is square-headed. In the west wall is a blocked doorway above ground level, formerly giving access to the transept gallery. There are two buttresses against the north wall. The roofs are boarded under the rafters; that of the nave has high collars, that of the transept two tie-beams. Each of the two porches has a modern stuccoed pointed doorway.
The Creed, the Lord's Prayer, and the Ten Commandments on wood are of about 1800. Of a three-decker pulpit the upper two stages remain, the clerk's pew having been removed; parts of several horse-box pews, all of c. 1800, exist; but both the former galleries have been removed. (fn. 117)
A bell was given to the chapel in 1841 by Sir Charles Tayler, bart. (fn. 118)
The communion plate includes a plain silver chalice of 1747. (fn. 119)
The registers begin in 1825.
ADVOWSON
The advowson of Trotton descended with the manor, Samuel Twyford being patron in 1803. (fn. 120) His son Samuel sold the advowson in 1851 to Samuel Batchellor of Bath, whose widow conveyed it in 1857 to Thomas Staunton. He sold it in 1871 to Thomas Dann, who transferred it to trustees for the Rev. E. T. Butler, after whose death it was sold, in 1892, to the Rev. Charles Robert Patey. (fn. 121) He was succeeded in 1895 by Miss Ashton, and Mrs. Ashton appears as patron between 1926 and 1935, shortly after which date the patronage passed from her to the Rev. R. Franklin. (fn. 122) The rectory was valued at £6 13s. 4d. in 1291, (fn. 123) and at £8 16s. 1d., clear, in 1535. (fn. 124)
A chantry at Trotton at the altar of St. Mary the Virgin is mentioned in 1526 and its advowson appears to have been given by Sir Roger Lewknor in 1522 to Augustine and John Cresweller of Chichester. (fn. 125) This is presumably the chantry for which Sir Roger Lewknor provided in 1478 in his will, endowing it with 'the Xpofer Inne in Saint Petir parissh in Cornhill'. (fn. 126) Not long after the conveyance to the Creswellers the chantry was transferred to Goring Church, where in 1535 Oliver Browne held the chantry of Goring alias Trotton, of which the endowment was the 'tenement called the Christopher in Saynt Peters Parishe in London'. (fn. 127)
In 1532 Isabel Colpece bequeathed two sheep to 'the churche of Tuklyth'. (fn. 128) In 1545 the bishop collated to the benefice of Trotton with 'the chapel of Leigh', which had devolved to him by lapse, (fn. 129) and ten years later William Ankas desired to be buried in the churchyard of 'the Chapell of Lythe', (fn. 130) referred to in 1559 in the will of John Stonam as 'the Chaple of Tuckeshythe'. (fn. 131) Lambrook Thomas in 1665 was, by grant of Walter Buckland, patron for one turn of Trotton 'with the chapel of Tuxlith', (fn. 132) and it was not until 1 November 1862 that the ancient chapelry of Tuxlith alias Milland was separated from Trotton by Order in Council, the patronage of the new benefice being vested in Thomas Staunton. (fn. 133) Since the building of the new church of St. Luke, Milland, the vicarage has been in the gift of the Bishop of Chichester.
Between 1218 and 1222 Alan St. George gave land in Didling to support a priest who should serve the church of that parish and should also celebrate thrice weekly in the chapel of Dumpford, both church and chapel being in the patronage of the Dean and Chapter of Chichester. (fn. 134) The chapel was apparently still in existence in 1481, (fn. 135) but nothing more is known of it.