Sullington: Manors and other estates

MANORS AND OTHER ESTATES.

In 1066 Ulward held SULLINGTON; by 1086 it had passed to William de Braose, who held it in demesne. (fn. 1) The overlordship descended with Bramber rape until 1432 or later, except from 1291 when Mary de Braose (d. 1326) held it in dower; (fn. 2) it had probably reverted to the Crown by 1546. (fn. 3)

In 1242 the terre tenant was William Covert, who held 2 knight's fees in Sullington and Broadbridge. (fn. 4) His son Roger had succeeded by 1272. (fn. 5) He died in 1297 leaving as heir his son John, (fn. 6) still alive in 1347. (fn. 7) John Covert was dead by 1350, when under a settlement of 1335 Sullington was held by his widow Margaret with reversion to Baldwin le Moigne, husband or widower of John's daughter Mary, and when Richard Covert sold the further reversion to Richard FitzAlan, earl of Arundel. (fn. 8) Margaret Covert died in 1366 (fn. 9) and Sullington had passed to the earl by 1386, (fn. 10) was forfeited and granted to John Holand, duke of Exeter, in 1397, (fn. 11) and had reverted to Thomas FitzAlan, earl of Arundel, by 1400. (fn. 12) He settled it in trust for Holy Trinity hospital, Arundel, and his trustees were licensed in 1423 to grant it to the hospital, (fn. 13) which retained it until the Dissolution. In 1546 the Crown granted the manor to Sir Richard Lee, (fn. 14) who resold it in the same year to Edward Shelley. (fn. 15) It then descended with Warminghurst to Henry Shelley (d. 1623), who was said to hold two manors of Sullington, presumably moieties. He settled the reversion of one in 1609 on his son and heir Thomas, and that of the other in 1621 on his daughter Mary, who married Thomas Warneford. (fn. 16)

The Warnefords sold their manor in 1630 to Mary's brothers Ambrose and Henry Shelley. (fn. 17) Ambrose was said in 1652 to be one of three coparceners of the manor. (fn. 18) His manor passed to his son Henry (d. 1694), who left it to his widow Mary for life. (fn. 19) His son Edward Shelley, lord in 1697, (fn. 20) sold Sullington manor that year to Matthew White (d. 1702 or 1703). He left it to Grace Arnold, whose son George Arnold settled it in 1722 in trust for sale. (fn. 21) It seems to have been bought by Henry Shelley of Lewes, the owner in 1727. (fn. 22) It afterwards descended with his moiety of Thakeham manor until 1864, when it was assigned to W. W. Dalbiac, still lord in 1868. (fn. 23) In 1871 and 1882 G. C. Carew-Gibson was lord. The lordship has not been further traced, but was said in 1969 to belong to his family. (fn. 24)

Thomas Shelley mortgaged his manor of Sullington to Sir John Shelley in 1615; (fn. 25) Sir John (d. 1641) was described as one of the three coparceners in 1652. (fn. 26) No more is heard of that share of the lordship, although Sir John Shelley owned Sullington farm in 1767, (fn. 27) and sold it in 1789 to George Wyndham, earl of Egremont. (fn. 28) It thereafter descended with Coombes manor, G. F. Wyndham owning 719 a. in 1840, and Lord Leconfield 696 a. in 1910. (fn. 29) The tenant, Albert Hecks, apparently bought part of the farm in 1912 and the rest in 1920. He and his son and successor Bernard both died in 1951, and in 1952 the farm with 546 a. was sold to the Kittle family, which still owned it in 1983. (fn. 30)

The farmhouse was evidently the medieval manor house and consists of a central block, originally timber-framed, and north and south cross wings of stone and brick. The earliest part is the central block, with the fragmentary central truss of a late 13th-century open hall, perhaps built by Roger or John Covert. The hall was perhaps aisled. (fn. 31) It has a crown-post roof, apparently part of a 15th-century reconstruction; two bays survive south of the central truss. It extended south of the hall, perhaps over a chamber bay. In the earlier 17th century that bay was replaced by a long stone-built south cross wing, and a chimney was inserted into the hall north of the central truss. In the mid or later 17th century the northern bay or bays of the hall were replaced by a brick and stone cross wing. The house underwent many minor alterations in the 18th to 20th centuries, including replacement of most of the mullioned windows of the south wing.

Richard Shelley in 1623 had a house called BARNS with 107 a. including 40 a. of sheep down. (fn. 32) By 1727 Barns farm had passed to Henry Shelley (fn. 33) and thereafter it descended with Sullington manor until one of the Dalbiacs sold it to G. C. CarewGibson in 1869. (fn. 34) Gibson advertised it for sale with 124 a. in 1887 but was still owner in 1893. (fn. 35) It belonged in 1910 to Mrs. M. C. Summer. (fn. 36) In the 1940s it was acquired by a Mrs. Pepper, and in the early 1960s the farm was sold to the tenant, Mr. Turner, whose son owned it in 1983. The house passed c. 1968 to the Ede family, still owners in 1983. (fn. 37)

The earliest part of Barns Farm is the timberframed east range, later cased in brick, of four bays and dating from the 17th century. The roof incorporates much of its medieval predecessor. The range was extended southwards in the late 17th century, and in the earlier 19th century a large double-pile block was added to the west. A barrel-vaulted cellar north of that block may also be 19th-century.

Roger Covert in the 13th century subinfeudated a farm in CLAYTON (fn. 38) which was held in the 15th century by Alice Falconer. Her son John Falconer died without issue, and the land passed to his sister Agnes, who married successively Walter Bayne or Byne and John Sone. In the earlier 16th century it was disputed between on one side Agnes's grandson Robert Sone and, on the other, her son Richard Byne (d. c. 1530), and his son John. (fn. 39) Isabel, widow of Robert Sone, was confirmed in possession in 1556, (fn. 40) but it seems likely that the estate passed to the Bynes of Rowdell in Washington and descended with Rowdell to the Butler and Clough families. It was settled on Patty Clough in 1790, (fn. 41) and was offered for sale with Rowdell in 1799. (fn. 42) It was apparently acquired by J. Hooper, who left it to Hugh Fuller before c. 1830. (fn. 43) Another farm in Clayton was conveyed in 1785 by Joseph Standen's mortgagees to Henry Harwood, possibly as trustee for the Standen family. (fn. 44) By 1913 one or the other farm had become part of the Sandgate estate and was then offered for sale, with 97 a. in Sullington and other land in Thakeham and Washington, the last including the farmhouse. (fn. 45) In 1922 it passed with Sandgate to a Mr. Stacey. (fn. 46)

The core of the farmhouse, which in 1983 stood north of the Washington road and was known as Old Clayton, is medieval, with a crown-post roof, and was perhaps a cross wing to a hall since destroyed. It was extended to the west in the 17th century. A north range was built in stages in the 18th or early 19th century, and a front range parallel with the medieval one was added in the 19th century.

In 1473 Richard Mill (d. 1476) held a 30-a. estate at COBDEN, which he settled on his wife Margaret for life. It later seems to have passed to his son William, an idiot, who was alleged to have conveyed it to Nicholas Apsley. (fn. 47) Apsley held it when he died in 1547, leaving as heir his son John. (fn. 48) Another larger estate at Cobden was held by Ellis Prestall, possibly as lessee of Holy Trinity hospital, Arundel, and both his and Apsley's estates were said to have been conveyed to the hospital and later passed to Henry Shelley (d. 1623). (fn. 49) Henry settled the combined estate on his daughter Mary, (fn. 50) whose husband Thomas Warneford sold it before 1652 to Edward Goring, perhaps the same as the tenant in 1621 (fn. 51) and possibly predecessor of the Henry Goring of Cobden recorded in 1646 (fn. 52) and 1659, (fn. 53) who had died by 1669. (fn. 54) Another Edward Goring died in possession in 1683, having left the estate to his wife for life and ordered the sale of the reversion. After Chancery proceedings his creditors forced a sale. (fn. 55)

By 1702 what was called Cobden manor had passed to William Scrase, who settled it on his daughter Elizabeth's marriage to Nathaniel Tredcroft. Tredcroft obtained a decree in 1718 allowing its sale, probably to Thomas Hall. (fn. 56) It seems to have passed by 1736 to Elizabeth Knight of Chawton (Hants); she seems to have left it to Thomas May (later Knight), who in 1757 settled it on his son Thomas Knight, wrongly treated as owner in 1779. (fn. 57) He sold it in 1767 to William Frankland of Muntham in Findon. It descended with Muntham to F. W. Frankland, who sold it to Mary Goring in 1835. (fn. 58) She sold it the next year to a Mr. Gibson, (fn. 59) presumably G. J. Gibson, whose grandson G. C. CarewGibson was owner in 1878. (fn. 60) Gibson advertised it for sale with 714 a. in 1887. (fn. 61) It belonged to Gen. Godman of Highden in Washington in 1910. (fn. 62)

During the Second World War the farm was taken over by the army for bombing practice, which seriously damaged the farmhouse and nearby cottages. (fn. 63) They were uninhabited in 1983. (fn. 64)

Members of the Wantley family were mentioned in Sullington from c. 1275, and there were apparently two branches, perhaps with two houses, in 1327. (fn. 65) In 1327 Philip of Wantley settled on John of Wantley a house and yardland in Sullington for life, with successive reversions to John son of Emma Marreys, John of Wantley's daughter Maud, and Philip himself. (fn. 66) Another John Wantley in 1412 had lands worth £3 in Sullington. (fn. 67) That may have been the estate called WEST WANTLEY which was conveyed in the earlier 15th century by Roger Wantley (or Joydewyne) to John Bartlett. John's trustees in 1448 settled it on his son Thomas. (fn. 68) In 1550 it was settled on Thomas Bartlett of Billingshurst, with remainder to his second son William. (fn. 69) Thomas still held it in 1556. (fn. 70) It may have been the farm of Wantleys allegedly granted to Robert Michell in 1560. (fn. 71) The so-called manor of West Wantley was settled in 1633 on Archbishop Abbot, who died in that year, and in 1641 Richard and Anne Abbot sold it to Gregory Haines. (fn. 72) It was settled on Richard Haines, a publicist and inventor, on his marriage in 1654. He rebuilt the house in 1656 and died in 1685, leaving as heir his son Gregory. The farm was sold to Edward Shelley in 1692. (fn. 73) Shelley died in 1748, leaving West Wantley to his nephew Timothy. It then descended with Champions in Thakeham, passing to George King in 1850. (fn. 74) The Kings sold it in 1921 to Bede H. Pickard, still owner in 1983. (fn. 75)

As rebuilt by Richard Haines the house had a tall main block, of stone with brick and moulded brick dressings, symmetrically planned around a large stack with one room on either side and a twostoreyed porch. At the back was a low timber-framed service wing behind the east end. In the 18th century a second stone wing was added behind the west end. Further service rooms were added in the 19th century.

Another farm at Wantley descended with Michelgrove in Clapham from John Michelgrove (d. 1459) to William Shelley, (fn. 76) owner of EAST WANTLEY in 1556. (fn. 77) It may have been the manor of Wantley settled on James Graves in 1602. (fn. 78) The farm was settled in 1652 on the marriage of Richard Bridger. (fn. 79) He died in possession in 1699, and was succeeded by his son, also Richard, on whose death in or before 1730 East Wantley passed to his son John Bridger. (fn. 80) He and his son John sold it in 1760 to John Mordaunt, (fn. 81) who in 1764 resold it to Joseph Standen. (fn. 82) He by will proved 1780 left it to his widow Mary, and she by will proved 1784 left it in trust for sale; (fn. 83) Thomas Bennett of Farnham (Surr.) bought it that year. (fn. 84) Mary's son John Standen (d. 1819) remained as tenant, and seems to have recovered the property, since in 1822 it was settled in trust for Jane Downer, who later married John's son John Standen. (fn. 85) She was owner in 1842 (fn. 86) and died in 1846, leaving East Wantley in trust for sale. It was sold with 165 a. in 1853 to George King, and belonged in 1910 to R. M. King, whose family advertised it for sale with 115 a. in 1921. (fn. 87) In 1932 the house had been recently acquired by Dr. A. M. Mercer. (fn. 88) From c. 1971 the owner was Mrs. Dragonetti, who still had the house and 20 a. in 1983. (fn. 89)

East Wantley is an L-shaped house. The north wing is timber-framed, of c. 1600, and probably stands on the site of a medieval house whose rafters were extensively re-used in its roof. The taller west range dates from the mid or later 17th century. The house was later extended with outshuts to north and east, and cased in stone probably in the 18th century.

In 1796 and 1797 Sir George Warren of Poynton (Ches.) bought small pieces of land at SANDGATE, on which he built a cottage orné. (fn. 90) It descended to his daughter Elizabeth Harriet, Viscountess Bulkeley, and was settled on her and Lord Bulkeley in 1801. (fn. 91) In 1803 they sold it to Henry Shelley (fn. 92) (d. 1811). He left it in trust to Caroline Georgina, wife of Evelyn Anderson, (fn. 93) although it was not settled on her until 1822. The estate then included over 50 a. (fn. 94) She sold it with 110 a. to T. F. Hill in 1823; (fn. 95) he resold it to Samuel Bosanquet and his fiancée Sophia Broadwood in 1824, (fn. 96) and they sold it to G. J. Gibson in 1825. (fn. 97) It then descended to his grandson G. C. Carew-Gibson, (fn. 98) who sold it in 1888 to W. V. Felton. (fn. 99) He advertised it for sale, with 184 a. in Sullington and a further 351 a. in adjoining parishes, in 1913, (fn. 100) but was apparently still owner of the park at his death in 1916. In 1922 the estate was bought by a Mr. Stacey, the house by Miss A. Gaunt-Woefl, still owner in 1939. After the Second World War it passed to Hall & Co., excavators. (fn. 101)

The cottage orné was enlarged by Henry Shelley and again by G. J. Gibson before c. 1830, when as Sandgate Lodge it was a two-storeyed double-pile house with a third, parallel, range at the rear. (fn. 102) It was greatly extended in 1869 by G. C. Carew-Gibson in an Elizabethan style to the designs of W. M. Teulon. (fn. 103) By 1913 a conservatory had been added. The house then stood in a park of 78 a. with two ornamental lakes, and there were 250 a. of surrounding woodland. (fn. 104) It was used as a rest home from 1923, requisitioned in the Second World War, and demolished in the later 1940s. (fn. 105)

William Covert held an estate at BROADBRIDGE of Bramber rape in 1242. (fn. 106) The overlordship descended with the rape until 1580, (fn. 107) and the terre tenancy with Sullington manor until Margaret Covert's death in 1366 (fn. 108) or later. In 1350 the reversion after Baldwin le Moigne's death had been settled on Roger Covert (fn. 109) and in 1431 John Covert, perhaps Roger's great-grandson, made a settlement. (fn. 110) Broadbridge manor then descended with Ashington until 1695, (fn. 111) when John Morton apparently sold it to Richard Onslow of Drungewick in Wisborough Green. Richard was followed in 1719 by his son Denzil Onslow, who made a settlement of it in 1730. (fn. 112) That Denzil (d. 1765) was succeeded by his son Middleton Onslow (d. 1801) and he by his son Gen. Denzil Onslow (d. 1838), and the general's son Denzil. The last named sold Broadbridge in 1839 to Matthew Stanford, who was followed between 1859 and 1866 by his son William Matthew Stanford. (fn. 113) Stanford advertised the estate, then 512 a. including adjoining land in Warnham and Itchingfield, for sale in 1889. (fn. 114) No more is known of the manorial rights. Horsham urban district council bought Broadbridge farm in 1896. (fn. 115)

Broadbridge Farm is presumably the former manor house. The west end incorporates one bay of a large 15th-century cross wing on the east side of which one post from a possibly earlier hall survives. In the 16th century the north end of the wing was replaced by the western bays of a new short range alongside the hall. In the 17th century the hall was apparently demolished and the 16th-century range was extended eastward by three bays, re-using many of the medieval timbers. The south end of the cross wing was demolished in the earlier 20th century.

A small estate of 1 yardland in Sullington described as in West Easwrith hundred and Arundel rape, held by Ulward in 1066 and by Robert in 1086, (fn. 116) has not been identified with any later manor.

In 1242 the 4 knight's fees held by Stephen Power of Robert le Savage included land in CLAYTON. (fn. 117) That lordship in Clayton descended with Thakeham manor and continued to be held, like Thakeham, of Broadwater until the 15th century (fn. 118) or later. The Boys moiety of Thakeham manor included land in Clayton in 1730. (fn. 119)

The manor of Muntham in Findon extended into Sullington. (fn. 120)