Parishes: Ovingdean

OVINGDEAN

Hovingedene (xi cent.); Ovingdene, Huuingeden, Vuingeden (xii cent.); Ovyndenne (xiv cent.).

The parish forms a long wedge-shaped area, its base, a mile and a half wide, lying along the eastern boundary of Brighton, and its apex, 2½ miles due east, on the summit of High Hill, dividing Rottingdean from Balsdean. Part of the northern boundary of the parish lies along a ridge, 500 ft. high, a spur of Newmarket Hill, and from this ridge, descending south-eastwards, run two spurs, Red Hill to the west and Mount Pleasant to the east. Between these hills, which are about 350 ft. high, lies Wick Bottom, the head of the coombe containing the village of Ovingdean. The parish covers 1,630 acres and was, until recently, mostly sheeppasture, but the building development from Brighton and the newly founded colonies at Woodingdean and on the northern ridge, are threatening to submerge the parish in housing estates.

On the summit of Castle Hill, to the west of the village, are the remains of Romano-British fields, and other finds of the period have been made at Roedean, (fn. 1) south of this, where there is a large girls' public school. On the summit of Mount Pleasant is a barrow of unknown date.

The small village lies at the mouth of the coombe, the few cottages clustered round the village green, beside which is the church, manor house, and a large farm. A few cottages straggle up the hill along the road to Woodingdean. On the east side of this road is a large house called Ovingdean Hall. The rectory stands immediately south of the church; it replaces 'a mean thatched parsonage house' mentioned by Burrell about 1780. (fn. 2)

The manor-house, known as Ovingdean Grange, is on the north-east side of the village green. The building has been added to several times, and the front to the road is apparently an early-19th-century façade, screening the older house behind. The only portion of this which is of any interest, however, is at the northern corner, where may be seen the remains of late-16thcentury work. The walls have been covered with stucco, but a portion of a Hint-faced building with stone dressings and a strong plinth may be clearly seen. On the north-west side is a porch two stories high, with the door placed eccentrically, and a small single-light window beside it. This porch is attached to the side of a narrow, two-storied building lying south-west and north-east, the latter end of which can be clearly seen. This contains the remains of a window lighting the basement and, very close to the north angle, a blocked doorway on the upper floor. The irregular appearance of the quoins suggests that this angle may have once had a diagonal buttress, indicating the possibility that the walling of the early building may be late medieval.

Manors

In the time of King Edward the Confessor Alnod held OVINGDEAN of King Edward for 5 hides, and in the same vill Edith held 3 hides of the king in parage. (fn. 3) Two of Alnod's 5 hides were part of his manor of Alciston in Pevensey rape and attached to them were 7 burgesses. In 1086 these 2 hides formed part of Alciston Manor held by Battle Abbey. (fn. 4) The rest, with Edith's 3 hides, became one manor, held in 1086 by Godfrey of William de Warenne as 6 hides. Ten haws at Lewes belonged to this manor and there was a chapel. With these hides Godfrey also held 2 hides which had never paid geld. (fn. 5) Another estate at Ovingdean assessed for 2 hides was held before the Conquest by Bricmaer of Azor, and in 1086 by the same man of William de Warenne. (fn. 6)

Godfrey, who held the greater part of Ovingdean in 1086, was probably Godfrey de Pierpoint who gave 1 hide at Ovingdean to Lewes Priory, his grant being confirmed about 1090 by his overlord William de Warenne. (fn. 7) The monks acquired more land there of Jordan de Blosseville, (fn. 8) and Hamelin, Earl Warenne, about 1175 gave them 2½ hides. (fn. 9) John de Freville gave the monks 4½ acres and confirmed the gift made by his father Richard of half the tithes of his demesne in Ovingdean. (fn. 10) By 1252 the monks were in possession of a considerable portion of the tithes of Ovingdean, their right to which the rector of Ovingdean acknowledged. (fn. 11)

The priors of Lewes retained this estate until the Dissolution. At that time the land was leased to Joan Everard widow, owner of the other manor of Ovingdean, at a rent of £4 13s. 4d. (fn. 12) It was released to the Crown in 1537 as a manor of OVINGDEAN (fn. 13) and was granted in 1538 to Thomas Cromwell, (fn. 14) afterwards Earl of Essex. After his attainder it passed, as the 'farm called Ovynden', to Anne of Cleves in 1541, (fn. 15) and subsequently the manor was granted in 1544 to Richard and John Sackville. (fn. 16)

In February 1551 the king acquired a manor of Ovingdean from Thomas Horseman and Elizabeth his wife, by exchange for manors in Lincoln and Norfolk. (fn. 17) It was probably this manor which was sold by Henry Garway, alderman of the city of London, in 1638 to Simon Stone of the Middle Temple and Edward Raynes of Lewes. (fn. 18) Simon had married Elizabeth Springett, aunt of Sir William Springett, (fn. 19) by whom the manor was settled upon his brother Herbert of St. Catherine Hall, Cambridge, and Anthony Springett of the Middle Temple. (fn. 20) It belonged in 1654 to Herbert Springett who then leased it for three months to George Thompson. (fn. 21) In 1685 Herbert Springett of Lewes leased the manor house of Ovingdean in 1685 to John Wildbore (fn. 22) for seven years, and conveyed the manor to Anthony Springett of Plumpton. (fn. 23) But in January 1691, shortly after the death of Herbert Springett, his eldest son Herbert conveyed the manor to John Spence of South Mailing, (fn. 24) who sold it in 1694 to Richard Beard. (fn. 25) Richard died before 1714 and his only child Elizabeth married Henry Streatfield of Chiddingstone, in Kent, at about that time. (fn. 26) This estate was subsequently purchased of the Streatfields by Mr. Payne or Paine of Patcham (q.v.), who was the owner in 1780, (fn. 27) but apparently returned to the Beards, as it belonged in 1827 to Mr. Beard of Rottingdean, (fn. 28) and in 1870 to the representatives of Charles Beard. (fn. 29)

Godfrey de Pierpoint's land at Ovingdean appears to have passed to the Warennes of Wormegay, with whose descendants, the Bardolfs, a mesne lordship descended until 1439. (fn. 30) In 1631 Ovingdean manor was said to be held as 2 knights' fees of the manor of Portslade. (fn. 31)

In about 1170 William de Warenne (son of Rainald) and Beatrice his wife gave to Guy le Strange and Mary Ovingdean, to hold of them by the service due from so much of the fee of Hugh de Pierpoint. (fn. 32) Ovingdean is mentioned in the Pipe Roll of 1196 as having belonged to Ralph le Strange of Knockin who had died in the previous year. (fn. 33) Mary wife of Guy le Strange, father of Ralph, (fn. 34) was a tenant of the Warennes of Wormegay at Rungeton in Norfolk, and quite probably was sister to Beatrice, who is said to have been a Pierpoint. (fn. 35) Ralph died while in the king's service as Castellan of Carrechova in Wales, (fn. 36) leaving no children. His heirs were his sisters Margaret wife of Thomas Noel, Juliana wife of Richard de Wappenbury, and Maud wife of Griffin of Wales son of Geruard, also known as Griffin de Sutton. By a fine of 1199 it was agreed that Thomas Noel and Margaret should have Ovingdean, (fn. 37) but apparently some subsequent arrangement was made by which Juliana and Richard de Wappenbury had it, for it is later found in the possession of their heirs.

Richard de Wappenbury was a knight of Warwickshire in 1213. (fn. 38) His son Thomas took part in the rebellion against King John and forfeited his lands, but they were restored on the accession of Henry III. (fn. 39) Thomas was still alive in 1237. (fn. 40) He died without issue, his heirs being his three sisters, Margery, Joan, and Agnes. The pedigree is somewhat obscure, but apparently Margery married first Gerard Duredentand secondly (? Robert) de Wassingle; Joan had a daughter Alice who married Robert Revell or Ryvel; and Agnes married first Ralph de Queneby and secondly (? Richard) de Beyvill. (fn. 41) In 1248 these heirs recovered the advowson of Ovingdean against John de Burgh, lord of Portslade and therefore overlord of Ovingdean, and John de Wappenbury. (fn. 42) This John, possibly a brother of Richard, seems to have had a son Thomas, (fn. 43) whose son and namesake was still receiving rent from land in this parish in 1295, (fn. 44) but the manor of Ovingdean was divided among the sisters and passed in separate thirds to their descendants.

Agnes de Beyvill was still alive in 1261 when she gave to Richard de Beyvill a third of the advowson of the church of Ovingdean. (fn. 45) A Richard de Beyvill died in or before 1295, when his widow Fresent recovered ⅓ of ⅓ of the manor and advowson against John de Welle and Idonea his wife, (fn. 46) the nature of whose claim does not appear. Another Richard succeeded him and is mentioned in 1299 (fn. 47) and in 1316. (fn. 48) In 1332 his son Robert and Elizabeth his wife settled a third of the manor and advowson upon themselves and Robert's son Richard, and his wife Elizabeth. (fn. 49) Robert son of Richard Beyville the younger reached his majority in 1363 (fn. 50) and in 1375 settled the reversion of a third of the manor of Ovingdean upon his son Robert on his marriage with Alice daughter of John de Ryslee. The property was then held for life by William de Holyndale. (fn. 51) Possibly the younger Robert Beyvill died before his father, for in 1391 Robert son of Richard Beyvill granted his third of the manor to John Broke, John Scrase, and Gilbert Hamme, (fn. 52) and in 1398 it was settled on John Broke and Agatha his wife. (fn. 53) John Broke of Rodmell, the elder, had acquired in 1397 a rent of 4 marks from another third of the manor of Ovingdean, (fn. 54) and in 1400 John Broke and John Alfray conveyed land in Ovingdean and the advowson of the church to Richard Weyvill and Agatha his wife and the heirs of Agatha. (fn. 55) In 1402 Thomas de Beyvill claimed a third of the manor of Ovingdean against Richard Weyvill and Agatha, stating that he was son of Robert de Beyvill and grandson of the Richard and Elizabeth upon whom Ovingdean was settled in 1332. (fn. 56) Agatha, however, remained in possession and was a widow in 1419, when she granted her tenement in Ovingdean and the advowson of the church and the rent of 4 marks to John Gaynesford, William Cheyney, and others, apparently for a settlement upon herself. (fn. 57) Other conveyances took place in 1419 and 1420 between Agatha and her trustees, (fn. 58) and in July 1420 she granted to John Gaynesford, for his good counsel to her, all her land and pasture in Balsdean for forty years. (fn. 59) The purpose of these conveyances in 1419 and 1420 may have been to settle the reversion of the premises after Agatha's death upon John Gaynesford, who afterwards acquired the other thirds of the manor.

The third of the manor which fell to Joan, mother of Alice Revell, was held in 1253 by Robert Revell, (fn. 60) and it evidently descended in that family, (fn. 61) as Sir John Revell, who had succeeded by 1352, (fn. 62) gave his land in Ovingdean to Thomas Mulston, retaining the advowson of the church. Nicholas Revell, brother and heir of Sir John, confirmed this gift in 1371. (fn. 63) Thomas Mulston had leased the land in the same year to John Herbard of Rottingdean for life for a rent of 4 marks, which rent Thomas granted to Henry Workman, burgess of Lewes, and Alice his wife, and it passed eventually, in 1397, to John Broke of Rodmell. (fn. 64) In 1436 this third of the manor, known as 'Mulstonys part', was held by Thomas Lorkyn and Margery his wife and Andrew Mulston son of Margery. Broke's interest, viz. the rent of 4 marks, had by that time passed to John Gaynesford, (fn. 65) and in 1436 Thomas, Margery, and Andrew, here called Lorkyn, sold their third of the manor to him. (fn. 66)

The descent of the third of the manor which fell to Margery de Wassingle is obscure; there is no evidence how long it remained in this family, (fn. 67) but it must be identical with the third of the manor of Ovingdean which was conveyed in 1366 by Robert Stafford and Denise his wife to Peter atte Wood and Lawrentia his wife for their lives, with remainder to Hugh Queeche and Elizabeth his wife and their issue, and in default, to Joan daughter of Peter and Lawrentia. (fn. 68) Hugh Queeche died seised of rent in Ovingdean in 1402, leaving a daughter Joan his heir, (fn. 69) and in 1402–3 John Norton and Joan his wife conveyed land and rent in Ovingdean and elsewhere to trustees. (fn. 70) Possibly Joan married secondly William Pyryman, for in 1407 John Code, rector of Ovingdean, and William Clerke, vicar of Falmer, conveyed to William Pyryman and Joan his wife and Richard Northon land in Ovingdean which William had granted to them. (fn. 71) On William Pyryman's death the land came by inheritance to Richard Northon of Southwick who transferred the estate in 1429 to John Gaynesford, (fn. 72) who thus obtained the whole manor. It passed on his death in 1450 to his son John (ob. 1464) and his grandson Sir John Gaynesford, all of Crowhurst in Surrey. (fn. 73) Sir John's son Sir John married Katherine daughter of Sir William Covert, who in his will, proved in 1494, referred to his daughter's estate at Ovingdean. (fn. 74)

Before 1524 the manor had passed to William Everard of Albourne who in that year bequeathed the manor to his wife Jane until his son John should be 22. The manor, stocked with 1,200 sheep, was then to pass to John, who was also to have the 'ferm lands' which William held at Ovingdean, evidently the land belonging to Lewes Priory. This was to be stocked with 800 sheep, besides oxen, kine, hogs, and horses. (fn. 75)

George, Lord Bergavenny, sold the wardship of John and the custody of his land in 1526 to his mother, but Jane subsequently complained that Lord Bergavenny had not kept his agreement with her. (fn. 76) John Everard died in 1541 having conveyed all his Sussex manors to Richard Shelley in trust for his two sisters Mary and Dorothy. (fn. 77) Mary married Richard Bellingham of Hangleton and Dorothy became the wife of Henry Goring. (fn. 78) Richard Bellingham and Mary settled their half in 1550 in tail male upon their sons Edward, Henry, Richard, and Thomas successively. (fn. 79) After Richard's death Mary married George Goring, Principal Receiver of the Court of Wards, a brother of Sir Henry Goring, her sister's husband. (fn. 80) Mary died in 1602, having settled her share of Ovingdean Manor in 1595 upon her son Edward and her grandson Edward on the latter's marriage with Cecily daughter of Bartholomew Clarke, Dean of the Arches. (fn. 81) Edward Bellingham died in 1605, and his son Sir Edward, who was then 29 years of age, (fn. 82) died childless at Shoreham in 1637, his heir being his cousin Cecily wife of Thomas West, daughter and heir of Sir Edward's late uncle Richard Bellingham. (fn. 83) Cecily appears to have married secondly —Rolt, for in 1663 Cecily Rolt, widow, and Henry West (son of Thomas and Cecily) conveyed half the manor to William Alcock. (fn. 84) William had already acquired another half of the manor in 1648, as will be seen below, but it seems possible that the two parts remained separate and that this half is the estate said by Sir William Burrell to have belonged in 1785 to John Challen of Shermanbury. (fn. 85)

The half of the manor which belonged to Dorothy Goring passed in 1594, on the death of her husband Sir Henry Goring of Burton, to their son William, who died seised of it in March 1602. (fn. 86) His son Henry Goring, afterwards Sir Henry, settled the half manor as jointure upon his second wife Elizabeth daughter of Edward Cress well of Odiham, co. Hants, but in 1616 they sold part of the property and in 1617 the whole of it to pay Sir Henry's debts. (fn. 87) The purchaser, Edward Franceis, (fn. 88) sold this half of the manor to — Cotton, (fn. 89) and it was sold by Charles Cotton in 1648 to William Alcock, (fn. 90) of the Friars, Lewes, who died very soon after acquiring the other half of the manor in 1663, leaving two daughters, Hannah wife of Thomas Pellatt, eldest son of William Pellatt of Bignor, and Elizabeth wife of Richard Payne of Lewes. (fn. 91) Richard and Elizabeth conveyed the manor of Ovingdean in 1685–6 to William Pellatt, who may have been the son of Hannah and Thomas. (fn. 92) The wills of Hannah Pellatt and of Richard Payne were both proved in 1693, (fn. 93) but Elizabeth Payne lived until 1697. (fn. 94) Richard's son, another Richard, married as his second wife his cousin Mary Pellatt (fn. 95) and appears to have thus acquired the whole manor of Ovingdean, which descended after his death in 1725 to his son Richard, who died in 1733. (fn. 96) Half the Ovingdean property is then said to have descended to the youngest Richard's sister Mary (fn. 97) and ultimately to Richard's nephew Thomas Holles Payne of Redhall near Copthorne, Surrey, (fn. 98) who was holding it in 1766 (fn. 99) and died in 1799. (fn. 100) The manor then seems to have passed to his cousin Elizabeth daughter of the Rev. George Newton, rector of Isfield, and wife of William Courthope Mabbott of Uckfield. (fn. 101) William and Eliza beth made a conveyance of the manor in 1826, (fn. 102) and William was lord of the manor in about 1834. (fn. 103)

John de Friville gave 4½ acres of land to the Prior of Lewes and confirmed a gift of his father Richard. (fn. 104) The demesne of Friville in Ovingdean is mentioned in 1252, (fn. 105) and in 1262 Richard de Friville conveyed a messuage and a carucate of land in Ovingdean to Ralph de Radmeld. (fn. 106) In 1439 the overlordship of a fifth of a knight's fee held by the heir of Ralph Radmeld was divided among the coheirs of the barony of Lewes. (fn. 107) This was possibly the estate held by Roger Salman on his death in 1343 jointly with his wife Alice, (fn. 108) of Earl Warenne. About 100 years later the heir of Thomas Salman, William Okherst, held 3 tenements and 4 virgates of land, each containing 10 acres in Ovingdean. (fn. 109) Probably this estate afterwards became merged in the manor of Ovingdean, for at the beginning of the 17th century it was said that the manor held by the Bellinghams and Goring was once quarter of a fee of Ralph de Radmeld. (fn. 110)

Another estate in Ovingdean was held about 1430–40 by the Duke of Norfolk as part of his manor of Ailington. It consisted of 2 tenements and 6 virgates (60 acres) (fn. 111) and descended with Allington Manor to Henry, Earl of Derby, who sold it in 1577 to Sir Thomas Sackville, Lord Buckhurst. (fn. 112)

Church

The church of ST. WULFRAM stands on the hill-side to the southwest of the village. It is built of flint-faced chalk rubble with stone dressings, and consists of nave, chancel, and western tower, a modern south porch and a modern chapel to the south of the chancel. The nave has had a south aisle of two bays, but this has been destroyed. The existing nave and chancel are early-12th-century, and the tower belongs to the end of the same century.

There are no traces remaining of the earlier church, described as ecclesiola, referred to in Domesday Book, and this may well have been a small building of wood. If so, it must have been replaced by the present church within a generation after the Survey, as the existing nave and chancel were built, at the same time, at the very beginning of the 12th century. The walls of both have coursed flint-facing with a considerable proportion of herring-bone work (fn. 113) and wide joints.

Towards the end of the 12th century two arches were cut in the south wall of the nave and an aisle built. At the same time, preparation was made for an aisle to the chancel by building an arch in its southern wall. This aisle, however, was never built, so the south window of the chancel was not interfered with. The west tower was added about this time. There is no definite evidence as to the date when the south aisle was destroyed and its arcade built up, but the French raiders of 1377 may have burnt the church and destroyed its south aisle as they did that of Rottingdean Church. Many of the stones of the blocked arcade are of a reddish tint, which may be due to the action of fire.

The two obtusely pointed arches of the blocked arcade are plainly visible on the south side of the nave, the head of the earlier window showing above the easternmost. The arches are now each filled with a two-light window in 14th-century style but apparently entirely modern. The lights are trefoil-headed, with a quatrefoil super-light under a pointed head. The western of these may be a copy of an original window in this position, but the eastern replaces a single-light window which existed in 1804 and is shown in a sketch of the church made in that year. (fn. 114) The south porch and both its inner and outer doors are of no antiquity. The north side of the nave has a good early-12th-century doorway, now blocked. It has two broad but perfectly plain orders in very good masonry, the outer slightly in advance of the inner, and with but slight trace of the former impost moulding. East of the doorway is a small single-light 12th-century window with semicircular head and a slight chamfer passing round the whole. Eastwards again is a large late-13th-century lancet window, much restored. In the north and east walls of the chancel are small 12th-century windows similar to that already described. The sites of two large lancet windows may be seen in the north wall of the chancel. They appear to have been removed and their openings refaced at a modern restoration. The western of the two seems to have been carried much lower than the other and was probably a low-side window. The south side of the chancel is mostly covered by the modern chapel, but eastwards of this is a large late-13th-century lancet, but much restored. The west tower is plain and unbuttressed. It has no set-offs, but a small double-chamfered string passes round it at approximately the level of the springing of the tower arch. Two small lights exist just above this string on the south and west sides of the tower. The belfry was lit by single lights to north, south, and west, but the western opening has been blocked. Alow pyramidal cap-roof covers the tower.

The tower arch is pointed and has neither responds nor imposts. It is plain, with a small chamfer. The north side of the nave shows the reveal of the blocked north door, with a plain semicircular arch. Just east of it is a simple stoup of apparently contemporary date. The deep splay of the 12th-century window and the much restored reveal of the later lancet, east of it, may be seen, the latter with a segmental-pointed scoinson arch. The chancel arch is 12th-century, perfectly plain, with a semicircular head. On either side of it have been cut modern arches of a similar character, new imposts having been added at the same time. Recessed in the north wall at the north-east corner of the nave may be seen a portion of a small late-12th-century arch. This consists of the upper part of the west face of the respond, a mutilated impost, and one voussoir. The vertical moulding has an edge-roll, and another roll separated from it by a wide shallow hollow. The impost has been hacked back to the wall-face, but was originally undercut. The arch had an arris-roll, with a hollow, separated from it by a fillet. The position of this respond thus embedded in the north wall is puzzling, and it is not easy to find an entirely satisfactory solution of the problem that it presents. It has been suggested that it is part of an earlier chancel arch and that the nave was reconstructed by building the new nave wall inside and south of the old one. The character of the mouldings, however, is too late for this to be feasible, and the most probable explanation is that the arch was inserted as a reredos or frame for the nave altar, but was made too wide for the space available and could only be completed by thus recessing the north respond.

In the west gable of the nave, over the chancel arch, is visible an original small 12th-century circular window. The south side of the nave shows the modern or restored reveals of the two 14th-century-style windows. The blocked arcade does not show.

The deeply splayed reveals of the north, east, and south windows of the chancel are noticeable internally. The southern window now looks into the modern chapel, within which is the obtusely pointed arch to the intended chancel aisle. The exterior of the early-12thcentury light cuts the later arch, which was thus left imperfect to avoid blocking the window. In the wall within the arch is a 13th-century single-light low-side window, next to the modern doorway.

The chancel floor was originally below that of the nave, and was raised in 1801 to its present level. Thus the two plain rectangular aumbries in the east wall of the chancel are now very near the floor, as is also the similar recess, possibly a primitive Easter Sepulchre, near the northern end of the altar rail. The 14thcentury rood-screen remains in the chancel arch. It is of very simple design, with one light on either side of the central opening, the doors of which are modern. The head of each opening has simple foliated tracery. The font is modern and there are no ancient monuments. The roofs are modern, that of the chancel being ceiled and painted with a design of conventional foliage and birds.

There is one uninscribed bell. (fn. 115)

The plate consists of a silver communion cup of 1726; another of about 1860; and a modern paten. There are also a flagon and two plates of pewter. (fn. 116)

The existing registers begin in 1705.

Advowson

The advowson of Ovingdean belonged to the manor held in 1195 by Ralph L'Estrange and, later, presentations to the church were made in turn by the owners of the thirds into which the manor was divided. The whole of the advowson appears to have been acquired by Richard Weyvill and Agatha his wife, who in 1400 conveyed it with their share of the manor to John Brook and John Alfray, (fn. 117) and it is mentioned in other conveyances of that part of the manor at about that time. (fn. 118) Agatha sold the whole of the advowson in 1419 to John Gaynesford, (fn. 119) who presented to the church in 1440. (fn. 120)

In 1544 the advowson was divided like the manor and alternate presentations were made by the coheirs of John Everard, namely his sisters Mary and Dorothy with their respective husbands Richard Bellingham and Henry Goring, (fn. 121) and descended with their moieties of the manor until Thomas West and Cecily his wife made a conveyance of the Bellingham moiety in 1637 to George Churcher and others, (fn. 122) and Charles Cotton conveyed the Goring moiety to William Alcock in 1648. (fn. 123)

In 1623, however, the advowson was conveyed by Richard, Earl of Dorset, and Anne his wife to trustees, (fn. 124) and in 1656 Richard, Earl of Dorset, nephew of the above Richard, held it. (fn. 125) Richard Bridger, esq., presented in 1670 and 1677 and the Bishop of Chichester in 1680. (fn. 126) By 1724, however, the patronage had returned to the lord of the manor since Richard Payne presented in that year and his widow Elizabeth in 1735. (fn. 127) She subsequently married Richard Rideout, (fn. 128) who presented in 1746; (fn. 129) Richard Rideout, junior, presented John Rideout in 1751, and the Rev. John Rideout of Lewes claimed the advowson in 1780. This claim was contradicted by Thomas Holles Payne, who claimed the advowson as an appendage to Ovingdean farm. (fn. 130) William Marshall was patron in 1804, 1828, and 1835, (fn. 131) but died about this time when the advowson passed to the Rev. John Marshall, the rector. (fn. 132) He died in 1841, leaving instructions for the sale of the advowson, (fn. 133) which was bought by the Rev. Alfred Stead, who was still both patron and incumbent in 1870. (fn. 134) The Rev. Arthur Ingleby of Ilford was patron in 1889, (fn. 135) but apparently transferred the advowson in that year to Dr. C. N. Ingleby. (fn. 136) The advowson now belongs to the Society for Maintenance of Faith.