HOUSE OF KNIGHTS HOSPITALLERS

21. THE PRECEPTORY OF POLING

The origin of the preceptory of Poling does not appear to be known, but in 1338 the lands of the Hospitallers in Sussex (fn. 1) consisted of the estate of Poling with lands in Combe and Offham, bringing in £13 17s. 3d. yearly, with other property in Ocklynge at Eastbourne, Midhurst, Up Marden, Islesham, and Rumboldswyke bringing the total up to £78 11s. 3d., inclusive of 40 marks for 'confraria,' that is to say alms collected in the neighbourhood. Against this had to be set £34 for the expenses of the establishment, which consisted of Peter atte Nasshe, knight preceptor, and his confrater Clement de Donewico, knight, a chaplain, a ' claviger' or steward, a cook, two attendants of the preceptor, and two clerks employed to collect the 'confraria,' of whom one had his board at the preceptory and was therefore probably collector in the immediate neighbourhood, while the other who did not board presumably worked the more distant districts. Besides these estates, the lands formerly held by the Templars at Shipley (worth 10 marks clear), and Compton (leased for 4 marks), had passed to the hospital, (fn. 2) but the manor of Saddlescombe, worth 100 marks, had not so passed, having been seized by the earl of Surrey. (fn. 3) In 1341 the Ocklynge estate was seized into the king's hand on the ground that the prior of the hospital was bound to find a chaplain to celebrate there, and to give alms to the poor twice in the week, but upon inquiry it was found that no such service was due, though brother Robert de Criel, who had held it for fifty years, had distributed such alms of his own free will. (fn. 4)

After the suppression of the priory of St. John of Jerusalem, the estates at Poling were given, in 1541, to the college of Arundel. (fn. 5)

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