Worthing: Manors and other estates

MANORS AND OTHER ESTATES.

The manor of WORTHING comprised two estates which belonged to William de Braose in 1086; one, called Ordinges, had belonged to Earl Godwin (d. 1053), and the other, called Mordinges, had been held of the king in 1066 by Lewin. (fn. 1) The manor afterwards formed part of the honor of Bramber, (fn. 2) though after 1536 it was said to be held in chief. (fn. 3)

Robert, evidently Robert le Savage, held both parts of the manor from William de Braose in 1086, (fn. 4) and Worthing descended with Broadwater until at least 1268. (fn. 5) By 1291 Easebourne priory held lands in Broadwater and Worthing (fn. 6) which apparently represented Worthing manor. The priory later held the manor until the Dissolution. (fn. 7) In 1536 the king granted it to Sir William Fitzwilliam, treasurer of his household. (fn. 8) Sir William (d. 1542), created earl of Southampton in 1537, (fn. 9) settled the reversion of his lands on Sir Anthony Browne, (fn. 10) his halfbrother. (fn. 11) Sir Anthony was succeeded in 1548 by his son Sir Anthony (d. 1592), created Viscount Montague in 1554. The manor descended with the title to his grandson Anthony (d. 1629), and then successively to Anthony's son (d. 1682) and grandson (d. 1708), both named Francis, and the latter's brother Henry (d. 1717). Henry's son Anthony (d. 1767) and grandson, also Anthony (d. 1783), were followed by the latter's son George (d.s.p. 1793), (fn. 12) whose sister and heir Elizabeth married W. S. Poyntz. (fn. 13) Elizabeth died in 1830, and her husband in 1840, when the manor passed to their three daughters, who sold it in 1843 to Charles Edmunds. (fn. 14) He was succeeded in 1879 by his brother Richard, (fn. 15) and Richard in 1883 by his nephew George Edmunds (fn. 16) who, by will proved 1924, devised the manor to his son Evelyn. (fn. 17) No manor-house has been traced. A house east of High Street opposite Union Place was called the Manor House c. 1848 (fn. 18) and later. (fn. 19)

The reputed manor of RAYMONDS, held of Broadwater manor, may have derived from lands held by the Raymond family which occurs in Worthing from the 15th century. (fn. 20) Nicholas Page and his wife Anne held the manor in 1596. (fn. 21) Nicholas died seised of the manor in 1632, leaving a life interest to Anne with remainder to his third son Nicholas. (fn. 22) In 1634 Nicholas and his brother John quitclaimed the manor to Anne. In 1655 it passed from William Bayly and his wife Elizabeth to William Blaker who, with his wife Anne and others, quitclaimed it to Sir Henry Peckham and James Robson in 1663. In 1750 it passed from Richard Bramble to John Hawkins and Henry Ferris, and in 1780 from John Ferris and his wife Sarah to William Markes. (fn. 23) No further record of the manor has been found.

William de Bernehus gave land in Worthing to the hospital he had founded at Cokeham in Sompting c. 1278. (fn. 24) It passed with the hospital to Hardham priory in 1351, (fn. 25) and was apparently conveyed to Richard Scrase in 1534. (fn. 26) Land in Worthing, perhaps the same, was held in the 17th and 18th centuries of Cokeham manor, (fn. 27) and amounted in 1807 to 56 a. (fn. 28) That land may also be identified with the reputed manor of MARHOOD or MORHED which occurs from 1555 to 1778 when it amounted to c. 56 a. (fn. 29)

By 1291 Tortington priory held an estate in Shoreham and Worthing producing 4s. rent. (fn. 30) After the priory's dissolution in 1536 (fn. 31) the estate was granted to William Berners in 1545, when it contained a cottage and 3 a. (fn. 32)

Holy Trinity hospital, Arundel, held a small estate in Worthing of Broadwater manor in the early 15th century and in 1493. (fn. 33)