HARTING
Harting is a large parish of 7,946 acres on the Hampshire border of Sussex, consisting largely of down and
woodland. The River Rother divides it from Rogate
on the north, and the southern border is on the South
Downs. The northern part of the parish was originally
heath land, West Heath and Ryefield being rabbit
warrens belonging to the lords of Harting and the
Abbots of Durford, respectively. The Midhurst
branch of the Southern Railway crosses this part of the
parish, with Rogate station just on the Harting side of
the boundary, close to the hamlet of Nyewoods and
West Harting village. East Harting is on rather higher
ground near Elsted. The church is at South Harting,
under the Downs, and on the Downs behind it are the
two parks of Up Park and Lady Holt. Torbarrow or
Tarberry Hill, an isolated conical hill, rising steeply
from under 300 ft. to just over 500 ft., between West
and South Harting, is mentioned in 1582 as a pasture
called Tarberie Hill. (fn. 1)
The earliest park at Harting was called Inlonde and
stood upon the hills. It was made by Henry Husee
before 1274 (fn. 2) with the permission of his lord John
Fitz Alan, lord of Arundel. From that time the lords
of Arundel no longer had free passage, when hunting,
through the land of Harting. (fn. 3) When Richard Fitz
Alan was a ward of the king, an attempt was made to
dispossess Henry Husee. (fn. 4) This park was stocked with
deer in 1332, and there was then a second park at
Harting known as Tullecombe. (fn. 5) In 1350 the park of
Harting to the north of the town, called le Netherpark,
was assigned to Katherine, widow of Henry Husee,
and her son Henry was to make an inclosure between
the park and the pond near the water-mill, which remained in his possession. The reference to the mill
seems to prove that Tullecombe and le Netherpark
were the same, as there was a water-mill in Tullecombe. Katherine also had estover in the park called
le Overpark in the south of the town of Harting. (fn. 6) This
park was called Uppepark in 1370, and Netherpark
occurs as Downpark in 1464. (fn. 7) When Nicholas Husee's
lands were divided, Uppepark was assigned to Henry
Lovell and Constance, and Down Park to Reynold
Bray and Catherine. (fn. 8) The Lovells also had Lady Holt in
West Harting, but there was no park there at that time.
Half the Down Park formed part of the jointure of
Frances, wife of Thomas Ford, only son of Edmund
Ford, (fn. 9) and it was eventually assigned as the Fortescues'
share of Edmund Ford's land. The Fords had Up
Park and Lady Holt or West Holt, (fn. 10) but must subsequently have exchanged Lady Holt with the Carylls,
who, after the building of Lady Holt House, made it
their principal seat and made a park there. An inclosed
ground called Middle Park was part of West Harting
manor in 1630. (fn. 11) The old manor-house of Edmund
Ford, called Harting Place, was, after the building of
Lady Holt, used as a school and poor-house. It was
taken down before 1800. (fn. 12)
Up Park, (fn. 13) on Harting Hill about a mile south of the
church, was built in 1685 and is a good example of a
mansion of that period. The original plan was a half-H
facing south, the wings, extending northwards, being
almost as long as the main south front. The greater
part of the court between the wings, behind the Saloon
which occupies the south range, is filled in with the
entrance hall and staircases. It is probable that, although the stairs are of the late 17th century, this was
done at a later date, perhaps about 1760 when the
interior was entirely remodelled and redecorated. In
1810 there were further additions of less height to the
north containing the kitchen and offices and having a
main entrance in the middle with a colonnaded portico.
The house is of two main stories, basement, and
attics. The upper walls are of a bright-red brick with
rusticated angle dressings of white stone, moulded stone
plinth, string-course, and cornice with enriched
brackets. Below the plinth the basement walls are of
a browner brick.
The south front has a slightly projecting middle bay
with a pediment of similar mould to the cornice and
containing an achievement of the Featherstonhaugh
arms. (fn. 14) The projecting bay contains the original main
doorway, flanked by Corinthian shafts that carry an
entablature and a scrolled-ogee broken pediment and
a scrolled blank cartouche. The lintel below the entablature is carved with a cherub and foliage. This
doorway opens into the Saloon. In the middle of the
east front is another doorway with a curved pediment.
The main windows are tall and narrow, with stone
architraves. That above the south entrance is eared
and flanked by tall consoles and pendants of fruit and
flowers. The basement has small windows, those to the
middle south bay being circular. The roofs are covered
with slates and have dormer windows with curved
pediments. The chimney-shafts finish with moulded
stone cappings.
The lower north extension is of stone and has a
portico with six Doric columns between two narrow
wings in which are round recesses intended for statuary.
The white marble chimney-pieces, doorways,
ceilings, &c., of all the principal rooms are of c. 1760,
but in the basement below the Saloon are four square
vaulted bays of 1685, with columns having moulded
capitals and bases similar to those at Stansted Park of
the same period. The north wall of these bays appears,
however, to be of earlier masonry and may be a survival
of the Elizabethan house which is said to have stood on
the site. In the large former entrance hall north of the
Saloon is the late-17th-century main staircase with
twisted balusters, &c., and next east of it a secondary
staircase of the same period with turned balusters. The
north room of the east wing was a chapel and had a
north window in which is some late-17th-century
Flemish glass.
North-east and north-west of the house are two separate symmetrical outbuildings (the present stables, &c.)
of the 18th century with brick walls, stone windows,
&c., and open colonnaded lanterns with leaded domes.
The original great stables are said to have stood east of
the house.
The principal group of buildings is the village of
South Harting, which has a main street, east of the
church, running approximately north and south.
Against the north side of the church-yard are preserved
the ancient stocks and whipping-post: the latter has
iron straps for three pairs of wrists at varying heights.
Many of the buildings are of local white stone with
brick dressings of the 18th century and later. A few
retain 17th-century features. Among these may be
mentioned 'Rosemary Cottage', near the north end on
the west side; but it has been so much altered as to
have almost lost its identity as a Jacobean house. The
north wall shows the original stone wall with brick
dressings, but the east front is faced with 19th-century
tiles in imitation of 18th-century brickwork. The
original central chimney-stack of the usual rebated type
is cemented above the tiled roof. 'The Malt House',
farther south on the same side, has a long back wing,
the former malt house, now a tea-room; it is of stone
with brick dressings. Inside are 17th-century first-floor beams, raised higher than the original level.
Opposite the last, a house with plastered walls has
a central chimney-stack, as has the next to the south,
which is of stone with a rebuilt front of 19th-century
bricks. The next shows some timber-framing in the
west front and has a massive projecting chimney-stack
at the north end. The next but one, opposite the
churchyard, is an almost completely timber-framed
house with a newly tiled roof and rebuilt central
chimney-stack.
Farther south a block of cottages of L-shaped plan
is mainly of brick and stone, but the south wing projecting to the west shows 17th-century timber-framing
in its north wall, with infilling of local white stone.
Beyond the village, to the south, on the west side of
the road are two attractive thatched cottages of timber-framing. The northern has plain square framing on
stone foundations and with whitened brick infilling.
The central chimney-stack, of 17th-century bricks, is of
rebated type. The southern is the earlier and has some
ogee-curved brace-timbers in the framing. The internal
chimney-stack has a modern shaft.
A cottage at the north end of the village, north of
the Elsted road, is possibly of 16th-century date but
much renovated. It has a jettied upper story on curved
brackets but the whole front of the lower story, including the brackets, is covered with rough-cast cement
and the upper story with tile-hanging.
At Turkey Island, ¾ mile east of South Harting, are
two thatched houses with walls partly of 17th-century
timber-framing and partly of later stone and brick;
another has stone walls and a central chimney of 17th-century bricks.
East Harting, north of Turkey Island, is a small
colony of dwellings around a rectangular loop of roads.
One of the largest houses is Penn Farm, near the north-west corner of the loop. It is perhaps of 17th-century
origin and is of L-shaped plan, facing north-west with
the wing at the north-east end projecting behind. The
end of the wing, on the front, has a jettied upper story.
The front and sides of the house are faced with false
timber-framing painted red. The back of the main
block is of stone and brick. The roofs are tiled and have
hipped ends. A central chimney-shaft of rebated or
panelled type, probably of the 17th century, is covered
with cement. A thatched cottage on the east of the loop
has similar false timbering but the central chimneystack, which is similar, is of 17th-century thin bricks.
At West Harting, about a mile north of the church,
are several ancient houses. One cottage on the west side
of the main road has been largely reconditioned. It
retains in the upper story of the east front, and the
north end, much of the original late-16th-century
timber-framing with curved braces to the angle-posts.
The lower story is of local stone with brick dressings
and has reduced window openings. The roof is tiled
and has a rebated chimney-shaft above it covered with
cement. Inside is a wide fire-place and chamfered
ceiling-beams. Another, north of it, has its lower story
of modern brick and the upper of 17th-century square
framing and has flush dormer-windows in the thatched
roof. The north gable-head also shows timber-framing.
A third, farther north, mostly refaced with modern
brick, shows a little 17th-century framing: the roof is
tiled.
Upperton Farm, about 3/8 mile east of the above, is
a house of rectangular plan facing south, with a small
wing and low additions behind. The east wall, inside,
is dated 1634 but it is probable that the house is of
earlier origin, perhaps late 15th century, and was
altered and enlarged in 1634. It had the usual onestoried hall, into which an upper floor was inserted,
with the central chimney-stack, in the 16th or 17th
century. The north end of the inserted cross-beam is
supported by a moulded bracket and the ceiling-joists
are stop-chamfered. Although the roof-trusses have
suffered in later alterations the heavy timbers that remain
suggest a medieval origin. There is a beam in the lower
story across the west face of the chimney-stack, that
bears no relation to the inserted ceiling. The stack has
wide fire-places of stone, the eastern with a stopchamfered cambered bressummer. The cross-partition
in the east half is of ancient timber-framing in both
stories and may have been the original east end. The
outer walls are of old coursed stone rubble with angles
and windows of thin bricks (probably 1634). The
front entrance has an ancient oak frame and triangular
arched lintel: the door, of moulded feathered battens,
is also ancient but was brought from elsewhere and the
frame of the doorway reduced to fit it. The western-most bay was heightened late in the 17th century and
its interior modernized. A rain-water head between
this part and the lower part is dated 1650. An upper
room has early-17th-century panelling adapted to fit
the room. The short back wing probably contained
a staircase, now removed. It is built of stone rubble
with angles of bricks thinner than those of the main
block and probably earlier. The central chimney-shaft
above the tiled roof is of rebated or panelled type.
There is also an ancient barn of black timber-framing
and brick.
Weston's Farm, on the west edge of the parish, north
of the Petersfield road, is a house, facing north, of
17th-century square timber-framing with straight struts
below the wall plates. The tiled roof has hipped ends
and a rebated central chimney-shaft. The interior is
said to have chamfered beams, and the fire-places have
been reduced.
The 'Old Manor House', once known as Woodman's Cottages, 3/8 mile west of West Harting, is a
mid-late 15th-century building of timber-framing.
Although it has been much renovated and enlarged in
recent years the front preserves its original form
externally. The old part is of rectangular plan, facing
north-east. It had a hall of one 12½ft. bay, and solar
and buttery wings, with jettied upper stories in front
carried on brackets and the ends of wide, flat joists.
The eaves of the middle part is supported by moulded
curved braces from the sides of the wings. The screenspassage was in the north-west buttery wing and has a
front entrance with a moulded frame and three-centred
arch in a square head with sunk spandrels. Most of the
timber-framing is replaced in the lower story with
brickwork, and the bressummers of the overhangs are
covered with modern boarding: the windows are
modernized. Internally the hall-site retains, in its end
walls, original moulded beams, and the upper parts of
the partitions (the sides of the wings) have very heavy
cambered tie-beams with king-posts and curved struts
above them. Below them are curved struts to the outer
posts. There was no middle truss. The usual upper
floor was inserted in the hall in the 16th century with
a chimney-stack in the 12½ft. bay, leaving the screenspassage intact behind it. It has a wide fire-place with
an oak bressummer. The roof, once thatched, is now
tiled, and the chimney-shaft has been rebuilt.
Nearby, to the east, are two or three 18th-century
cottages of stone, one dated 1731 with the initials M/IH;
also two old timber-framed barns with weather-boarded walls; one is thatched.
On the north boundary of the parish is a bridge (fn. 15)
across the River Rother, probably of early to mid-16th-century date. It runs north and south, the roadway
being just over 11 ft. wide, and has four semicircular
arches of about 12-ft. span with three broad square
ribs in the soffits and with an extra chamfered order to
the two middle bays on the east face. The piers, about
6 ft. wide, have V-shaped cut-waters on both faces
and are built of rough ashlar with chamfered plinths.
The walls above the arches are of irregularly squared
stone rubble. The parapets, 14 in. thick, have chamfered copings. One arch has a date 1924 in cement in
the soffit.
In 1086 there were 9 mills, yielding £4 1s. 6d., in
Harting, (fn. 16) which at the date of the Domesday Survey
included Rogate. In the 14th century there were two
mills attached to the manor; in 1332 one of these was
described as being in the park of Tullecombe. (fn. 17) This
is referred to again in 1350, as being in, or close to, 'le
Nether park', (fn. 18) mention being also made of 'the garden
of Gonnyldesmele'. (fn. 19) Both occur again, as Gonnelmelle and Parkemelle, in 1402, when there is also a
reference to Hurstmelle in West Harting, (fn. 20) where there
is still a large mill-pool on the stream that runs along
the western edge of the parish and then through Down
Park to join the Rother. 'Gunnyngs mill', as it was
called in 1453, (fn. 21) was probably the mill at the end of
Mill Lane, a short way north-east of South Harting
village. It is mentioned by the same name in 1582 (fn. 22)
and 1660. (fn. 23) In 1585 a mill called the New Mill at
Harting was supposed to be detrimental to the Queen's
Mill at Durford, as the people of Harting had been
accustomed to grind at Durford, when water failed
at Gunning Mill. The New Mill was at that time a
grist-mill, but it had been erected about 1525 as a
fulling-mill by John Hall of Petersfield, a clothier, and
converted into a grist-mill about 1563. Very old
inhabitants of Harting thought there had been a
grist-mill on the same site before the fulling-mill was
built. (fn. 24) This may possibly have been a reconstruction
of Hurst Mill, which is mentioned in a mortgage of
1697, which also includes a fulling-mill. (fn. 25) The mill
has been adapted in recent years for powering electric
lighting.
Parts of the waste called Westheath and Durford
Warren were inclosed by Sir John Caryll and Sir
William Ford before 1642, when they granted the
inclosures to Elizabeth Aylwin of West Harting,
widow. (fn. 26) There are also references in 1658 to land
lately inclosed out of West Harting Common, (fn. 27) and in
the following year to four meadows called Wilds
Nywood and Bartons Nywood inclosures. (fn. 28) These
seem to be referred to in a deed of 1664 concerning
land by Wicks Bridge (at Weeks Common) in East
Harting between the new trench carrying water to
Sir Edward Ford's Nywood Meades and the old
Brooke. (fn. 29)
Reynold Pole, afterwards Cardinal Pole, was presented to the rectory of Harting in 1526 by Henry Pole,
Lord Montacute, who was patron for that turn by
grant of Sir Roger Lewkenor and his wife Constance. (fn. 30)
Harting has had other incumbents of renown. In
1554 Edmund Ford appointed Dr. John Seton, who
figures in Foxe's Book of Martyrs. He was one of the
chaplains of Gardiner, Bishop of Winchester, and drew
up the articles of recantation signed by Benbridge.
Later he endured much persecution as a Papist and
died at Rome in 1567. (fn. 31) James Bramston, the poet,
became vicar in 1725. He published the Art of Politicks, an imitation of Ars Poetica of Horace, in 1729,
and this was followed by The Man of Taste. (fn. 32) James
Cookson, divine and writer, was presented to the
vicarage in 1796. (fn. 33)
Arthur Phillips, a musician who served Queen
Henrietta Maria as organist in France, later served as
steward to John Caryll the elder at Harting. (fn. 34) The
Rev. Gilbert White of Selborne, father of modern
natural history, lived at East Harting from 1754 to
1792. He was related to the Fords, and the bulk of
his property was at Woodhouse and Nyewood (fn. 35) on the
northern slope of East Harting. (fn. 36) This estate is said to
have come to him from his great-uncle, Oliver Whitby,
founder of the Blue Coat School at Chichester and
donor of the chalice in Harting Church. (fn. 37)
Emma Hamilton lived for a time in 1781 under the
protection of Sir Henry Fetherstonhaugh at Up Park. (fn. 38)
John Rickman, clerk of the House of Commons, who
drew up the plan for the first census, married Susanna
Postlethwaite of Harting in 1803, and was buried here
in 1840. (fn. 39)
Anthony Trollope, the novelist, lived for some time
at Harting at the end of his life; (fn. 40) and H. G. Wells
spent much of his boyhood at Up Park, as described
in his autobiography.
Coins and other objects of Roman date have been
found at various points, but the evidence for any settlement of that period in the parish is very slight. (fn. 41)
MANORS
Sixty hides of land at Harting were exchanged by Ethelwold, Bishop of Winchester, in 970 with King Edgar, for the
minster land of Ely. (fn. 42) According to the Chronicle of
Ely, Harting had been given to Ethelwold by his lord,
King Ethelstan. (fn. 43) Countess Gida, Earl Godwin's wife
and mother of King Harold, held HARTING of King
Edward the Confessor, and it was then assessed at 80
hides. In 1086 Roger, Earl of Shrewsbury, held it in
demesne and it was assessed for 48 hides. (fn. 44) Attached to
it were 11 haws at Chichester yielding 15s. When Earl
Roger's son Robert forfeited his estates Harting came
into the king's hands, and in 1130 Payn de Clairvaux
accounted for £81 6s. 8d. for two years' farm of
Harting, of which William de Pontarche seems to have
been the tenant. (fn. 45)
Between 1156 and 1166 William, Earl of Arundel,
gave to Henry Husee 2 knights' fees (fn. 46) which were
evidently in Harting, and were subsequently held of the
honor of Arundel. (fn. 47) On the death of Hugh d'Aubigny,
last Earl of Arundel of his line, in 1243 the overlordship
of Harting passed to his eldest sister Maud and her
husband Robert de Tateshall, (fn. 48) of whose son Robert the
manor was held in 1253. (fn. 49) His grandson Robert in 1303
inherited 3 knights' fees in Harting and Chithurst
held by Henry Husee, (fn. 50) and in 1341 these fees were
held of Alice, widow of William de Bernake, (fn. 51) who was
daughter of the eldest of Robert's coheiresses. By 1409,
however, Harting manor was said to be held of the
Earl of Arundel as of his manor of Walderton, (fn. 52) and
it was still held of that manor in 1555. (fn. 53)
Henry Husee, first lord of Harting, or his son Henry,
had remission of Danegeld in Sussex in 1154. (fn. 54) The
younger Henry founded a leper hospital at Harting and
also (before 1169) the Abbey of Durford. (fn. 55) He is said to
have died about 1174 in the Holy Land. (fn. 56) A third
Henry Husee, in 1190–6, confirmed gifts to Durford
Abbey made by his father, (fn. 57) and in 1194 he made an
agreement with the Abbot of Séez about the advowson
of the church of Harting. (fn. 58) Land in Sussex given to
him by the king was taken away in 1205, (fn. 59) but in 1208
the patronage of the Abbey of Durford was restored to
him, as well as the land of his brother Hubert. (fn. 60) He
died about 1213, when his son Henry paid 100 marks
for his patrimony in Wiltshire. (fn. 61) This Henry was in
arms against the king in 1216 but returned to his allegiance in 1217, (fn. 62) and died before 1 April 1235. (fn. 63) He
was succeeded by a son Matthew, called his heir, (fn. 64)
though there had been an elder son Henry who died
before his father, leaving a daughter Maud, who in
1239 unsuccessfully sued Matthew for 3 knights' fees
in Harting. (fn. 65) Matthew was in possession in 1242, (fn. 66)
and in June 1252 he obtained a grant of free warren in
his manor of Harting. (fn. 67) He died early in 1253, (fn. 68) and
his young son Henry succeeded. (fn. 69) At the instance of
Prince Edward the king granted licence to Henry
Husee in 1266 to build a crenellated house at Harting,
inclosing it with a dyke and a wall of stone. (fn. 70) In 1268
Maud, mentioned above, with her husband William
Paynel confirmed Harting manor to Henry. (fn. 71) He obtained in 1271 a grant of a weekly market on Wednesday at Harting and a yearly fair (fn. 72) there on the eve, day,
and morrow of SS. Simon and Jude, and a grant of free
warren there. (fn. 73) He died in 1290, when Henry his
son, afterwards Lord Husee, succeeded. (fn. 74) He was
visited at Harting in September 1302 by Edward I. (fn. 75)
He died in 1332, when seisin of his land was given to
his son Henry, (fn. 76) with whose consent a third of the
manor of Harting was assigned as part of the dower of
Isabel, widow of Sir Henry. (fn. 77) A settlement of the
manor was made in 1347 upon Sir Henry for life, with
remainder to his younger son Henry and his wife
Elizabeth daughter of John de Bohun of Midhurst and
their issue, (fn. 78) Mark the eldest son of Sir Henry having
died in 1346, leaving an infant son Henry. Sir Henry
Husee died in 1349 and Harting manor passed under
the settlement to his son Henry, (fn. 79) a third of the manor
being assigned as dower to Katherine (fn. 80) widow of Sir
Henry, and a very detailed account exists of her share. (fn. 81) She
had all the chambers near and
over the west door and a garden
near these rooms to the west, all
the chambers near and over the
east gate, except the prison, the
gates being held in common, and
the right to use Henry's bakery
and kitchen until he should build
another for her near the west
gate. Katherine was also to enjoy
parts of several gardens, a third of two dovecotes, the
part of the park to the north of the town called Nether
Park, a third of the woods and warrens and of the yearly
fairs. The well called Typut was held in common.

Husee. Barry ermine and gules.
Henry's land was extended for debt in 1370, and
the inquisition then taken gives a detailed account of
his part of the manor. The land was divided into that
above the down and that below the down. (fn. 82) Sir
Henry Husee died in 1383, and the manor passed to
his son Henry, then aged 22. (fn. 83) Ankaretta widow of Sir
Henry married (fn. 84) as a second husband Sir Andrew
Hake, and she had a third of the manor as dower. On
her death in 1389 this passed to Sir Henry Husee. (fn. 85)
Just before her death Sir Andrew and Ankaretta were
sued by Henry son of Mark Husee, mentioned above,
for a third of the manor, and in 1393 this Henry sued Sir
Henry Husee for the same. He claimed it under the
grant made by William and Maud Paynel to Henry
Husee in 1268. (fn. 86) He was not successful in his claim
to the manor, but he seems to have obtained from
Henry an annuity of 40 marks from Harting in
perpetuity. (fn. 87) On the death of Sir Henry Husee in
1409 Harting manor was delivered to his widow
Margaret, who had held it jointly with him. (fn. 88) She
complained in 1412 that her son Sir Henry Husee came
to Harting manor when she was in the parish church
at High Mass on the feast of St. Lawrence, and stole a
chest of muniments. (fn. 89) She married before 1412
Richard Biterley, with whom she was at that date
holding a third of Harting manor and an annuity from
the other two-thirds. (fn. 90) Sir Henry in 1430 obtained a
confirmation of the grant of free warren made to
Matthew Husee his ancestor. (fn. 91) He settled Harting in
1434 upon Constance his wife for life, with remainder
in tail male to his sons Henry and Nicholas. (fn. 92) He died
on 30 January 1449–50, when it was said that he held
no land in Sussex, as he had granted all his estate to
trustees in 1434. (fn. 93) His son and successor Sir Henry, in
May 1451, with the trustees, granted the demesne land
of the manor (fn. 94) for Sir Henry's life to John Husee, in
satisfaction of the annuity of 40 marks from the manor. (fn. 95)
In 1453 he settled the manor upon himself in fee tail
with remainder to his brother Nicholas in tail. (fn. 96) He
again conveyed the manor to trustees in July 1460 (fn. 97)
and died without issue soon after. His trustees leased
the manor in August 1464 to John, Earl of Worcester,
for his life. The earl shortly after assigned the lease to
Nicholas Husee, reserving to himself the two parks, Up
Park and Down Park, and the site of the manor when
he should choose to visit it; during these visits, Nicholas
Husee was to have two rooms in the manor-house. (fn. 98)
Nicholas Husee obtained a pardon in 1467 for all
debts to the king, incurred while he served the offices
of buyer, receiver, and keeper of victuals and equipment provided for the defence of Calais, the lieutenancy
of the castle of Guynes, and sheriff of Surrey and
Sussex. (fn. 99) Before July of the following year he had been
outlawed for treason and his lands forfeited, (fn. 100) but he
evidently again obtained pardon, for on his death in
1472 he held the manor of Harting. His heirs were
his daughters Constance aged 12, and Catherine aged
10. (fn. 101) Constance married firstly Henry Lovell and
afterwards Sir Roger Lewkenor, and Catherine married
Reynold Bray.
In 1478 Thomas Husee sued Sir Roger Lewkenor,
Thomas Hoo, and Thomas Bassett for the manor of
Harting. (fn. 102) Thomas claimed it as great-grandson of the
Henry son of Mark Husee, the claimant in 1389, and
recovered the manor against Sir Roger Lewkenor, (fn. 103) but
immediately took part in a conveyance of the manor to
trustees to the use of the coheirs of Nicholas Husee, (fn. 104)
and the manor was divided between them. Reynold
Bray and Catherine had land held by certain tenants in
East Harting, land in Rogate, Wenham, and Chalecroft in Harting with 15s. 2½d. from the Up Park, and
the hamlet of West Harting, except Bakersholt, Ladyholt, and Mereland. The rest of the manor was
assigned to Henry Lovell and Constance, the hundred
of Dumpford, the wood called Harting Combe and the
fair and advowson being held jointly. (fn. 105) From this time
the manor became divided into West, East, and South
Harting.
By Henry Lovell Constance had two daughters,
Elizabeth and Agnes. (fn. 106) Agnes married John Empson,
and Elizabeth married firstly Sir Edward Bray, (fn. 107) and
afterwards, before 9 February 1509, Sir Anthony
Windsor, (fn. 108) brother of Andrew, Lord Windsor, (fn. 109) by
whom she had two children Henry and Constance. (fn. 110)
Catherine and Reynold Bray had no children, but
Reynold appears to have acquired some title to the
manor of West Harting and land in Harting, in his own
right. This he left by will to his nephew Edmund
Bray in tail male, with contingent remainder to his niece
Margery wife of William, Lord Sandes, in fee tail. (fn. 111)
Sir Anthony Windsor before 1520 purchased the rights
of the Brays in WEST HARTING manor, and
apparently also those of John Empson and Agnes, (fn. 112) for
in 1548 half that manor and the estate acquired from
the Brays was settled upon Sir Anthony and Joan his
wife, (fn. 113) with remainders to his younger son Anthony and
to Honora and Edith Windsor, sisters of the younger
Anthony. (fn. 114) Sir Anthony died in July 1548. (fn. 115) Anthony
his son, 'a man of much simplicity', had no children,
and was persuaded to sell his right in West Harting
to Edmund Ford, in spite of the protests of his sister
Edith wife of Henry Mervyn, who was next in remainder under the settlement of 1548. (fn. 116) The sale to
Ford was made in 1559 by Anthony and his wife Joan,
and Lady Joan widow of Sir Anthony, who was in
actual possession. (fn. 117)
The other half of West Harting with the manors
of South and East Harting belonged to Constance
Lewkenor, and was settled in 1524 on her and her
grandchildren Henry and Constance Windsor, with
contingent remainder to Sir Henry Husee and Henry
Husee, esq., in tail. (fn. 118) Henry Windsor and his wife
Eleanor sold these manors in 1549 to Edmund Ford. (fn. 119)
Henry Windsor was an idiot from birth, and in 1550
an inquisition was made as to the king's rights. (fn. 120)
Henry died three years later, (fn. 121) and special licence was
given to Edmund Ford to take possession of the manor
of Harting and half of West Harting. (fn. 122) In order to
secure his possession Edmund obtained in 1560 a release of these manors from Henry Windsor's sister and
heir, Constance wife of Thomas Rythe, and also from
John Hussey, (fn. 123) the remainder man in the settlement of
1524.
Edmund Ford died in 1568 leaving two daughters
Magdalen and Dorothy, his coheirs, since his only son
Thomas predeceased him. (fn. 124) Magdalen married (fn. 125) a
cousin, John Ford, afterwards Protonotary of Court of
Common Pleas, and Dorothy married Francis Fortescue
of Fawkesbourn in Essex. Edmund had just before his
death granted the manor of West Harting to John
Ford, (fn. 126) probably for the marriage settlement, and in
1575 John Ford obtained a release from William, Lord
Sandes, who claimed the interest of Margery, Lady
Sandes, under the will of Reynold Bray. (fn. 127) When,
however, a division of Edmund's land was made in
1582, the Fords took East and South Harting (including Up Park and Ladyholt) and the Fortescues West
Harting, the capital mansion of Edmund Ford (called
Harting Place), and the advowson. (fn. 128)
John Ford died in 1583 leaving a son William aged
12. (fn. 129) Magdalen survived him and married Henry
Knyvett. In 1593 she assigned her life interest to
Edward Caryll, and a similar conveyance was made in
1598. (fn. 130) William Ford in 1597 married Anne daughter
of Sir Edward Caryll (fn. 131) and these conveyances may have
been for marriage settlements. Sir William Ford was
sequestrated as a Royalist in 1645. He was imprisoned
for 10 months in London House, but finally recovered
his estates. (fn. 132)

Ford. Azure three crowned lions or.

Fetherstonhaugh. Gules a cheveron between three ostrich feathers argent with a roundel sable on the cheveron.
He was succeeded by his son Sir Edward Ford, who
had been twice taken prisoner during the Civil War.
He was imprisoned in the Tower in 1644 but escaped
to the Continent. He was fined a third of the value of
his estates for his delinquency, but part of this was afterwards remitted. (fn. 133) He was an engineer of note and in
1656 devised an engine for raising the Thames water
into the higher parts of the city. Sir Edward died in
Ireland in 1670, and was buried at Harting. (fn. 134) His
only daughter Catherine married Ralph, Lord Grey of
Warke, and died in 1682. (fn. 135) Her son Ford Grey who
succeeded to Up Park was in June 1695 created Earl of
Tankerville. He died in 1701 at Harting leaving an
only child Mary who married Charles Bennet, Lord
Ossulston. Mary died in 1710; her husband was
created Earl of Tankerville in 1714, and her son
Charles, who succeeded as Lord Tankerville in 1722, (fn. 136)
sold East Harting manor, otherwise called Up Park, in
1747 to Sir Matthew Fetherstonhaugh, bart., the sale
including the engine house and engine, with its leaden
pipes for supplying water to the house, (fn. 137) and the timber
in the park, being computed to be worth the whole of
the purchase money. (fn. 138) Sir Matthew's son Henry who
succeeded him in 1774 died without issue at Up Park
in 1846, (fn. 139) and his widow bequeathed the estate to her
sister Frances Bullock, who took the name of Fetherstonhaugh. When she died in 1895 she left Up Park to the
Hon. Keith Turnour, who added Fetherstonhaugh to
his name, as did Admiral the Hon. Sir Herbert Meade
when he succeeded him in 1930 under the will of Miss
Frances Fetherstonhaugh. (fn. 140)
West Harting manor with the capital mansion which
had been Edmund Ford's chief residence passed on the
death of Francis Fortescue in 1588 to his son Edmund. (fn. 141)
Edmund sold it in 1590 (fn. 142) to Edward Caryll of Shipley.
Caryll also obtained conveyances of the manor from John
Fortescue in 1592, (fn. 143) and from William Cressweller son
and heir apparent of William Cressweller of Chichester
in 1599 and again in 1605. (fn. 144)
Sir Edward settled West Harting manor in 1604
upon his youngest son Richard, (fn. 145) to whom it passed on
the death of Sir Edward in 1610. (fn. 146) Sir Richard had
no children, and on his death in 1616 his elder brother
Sir Thomas had the manor. He also died without issue
male in January 1617, (fn. 147) and Harting then passed,
under a settlement made in 1613, to Sir John Caryll
of Warnham, grandson of Sir Edward's brother
Thomas. (fn. 148)
The Carylls (fn. 149) were Roman Catholics and Sir John
and his wife Mary were indicted at Sussex Assizes in
1627–8 for not having attended the parish church for
3 months. (fn. 150) Sir John forfeited two-thirds of his estates
as a recusant, but West Harting manor had formed part
of the marriage settlement of his son John and Catherine,
daughter of William, Lord Petre,
and was confirmed by the king
to Caryll's trustees in 1630. (fn. 151)
Sir John compounded for the
whole of his estate before the
beginning of 1637, and special
protection was extended by the
king to his son John, also a
Roman Catholic. (fn. 152) John Caryll,
the son, was fined heavily for
his part in the Civil War, though
he stated that he was forced by
Sir Ralph Hopton to go to
Arundel, where he was taken at the time of its
surrender, though not in arms. Harting Place was
sacked, having been made a garrison for the king by
Hopton, (fn. 153) and apparently he was eventually fined
£2,980. His father had died in 1652, (fn. 154) and John
himself died in 1681. (fn. 155)

Caryll. Argent three bars and in chief three martlets sable.
His son John, who was baptized at Harting 2
November 1625, had some fame as a man of letters, but
is chiefly noted for his loyalty to James II and his
family. He became Secretary to Queen Mary, second
wife of James II, and followed James to St. Germains
after the Revolution. He was in 1701 created by the
titular James III Lord Caryll of Durford. His estate
at West Harting was, at James's special request,
exempted by William III from confiscation, until it
was found that Caryll was implicated in the plot to
assassinate William III. West Harting was then forfeited, and Caryll's life interest was granted in 1695–6
to John, Lord Cutts, Baron Gowran. (fn. 156) This was redeemed by John Caryll's nephew and eventual heir,
John son of Richard Caryll, who had been administering the estate during his uncle's exile. (fn. 157)
The elder John Caryll died in France in 1711, (fn. 158) but
John his nephew entered into possession of West
Harting in 1697. By his correspondence with Pope,
covering the period 1710–35, Caryll's name is inseparably connected with that poet, (fn. 159) who made frequent visits to Lady Holt, a mansion built by Lord
Caryll about 1689. (fn. 160) John Caryll died in 1736 and the
manor passed to his grandson, another John Caryll, (fn. 161)
who ran into debt and had to sell Harting. John
Jolliffe purchased the manor of West Harting in 1757, (fn. 162)
apparently by foreclosure of a mortgage, (fn. 163) and in 1761
Jolliffe sold it to Charles, Duke of Richmond, (fn. 164) who
before the purchase was complete assigned his rights in
1761 to Sir Matthew Fetherstonhaugh, (fn. 165) who already
owned East Harting and had purchased from Caryll
the Bohemia lands in 1755, and in 1761 the Home
Park, Foxcombes, the disparked park near the church,
and Tarberry Hill, the capital mansion of the manor of
West Harting, the mill and mill pond. It was not until
1766–7, after the death of his wife and daughter, that
Caryll sold Lady Holt to the Duke of Richmond, who
assigned it to Sir Matthew Fetherstonhaugh. (fn. 166) Before
1770 Lady Holt had been completely demolished.
The land held by the Abbey of Durford in Harting
was sometimes known as the manor of Harting, though
it never seems to have included more than about 100
acres at Ryefield, Upperton, Cannonland, and Millcroft. (fn. 167) William, Earl of Gloucester (whose mother
was granddaughter of Earl Roger), and Hawise his wife
gave the monks the part of the moor which lay between
their tenement of Petersfield and the vill of Harting. (fn. 168)
The estate at Upperton was acquired from the lazar
hospital at Harting, to which it had been granted before
the Husees held Harting; (fn. 169) and another 4 acres in
'Upton' had been given to the lazars by Agnes wife of
Hugh Gundeville about 1171. (fn. 170) Abbot Valentine
bought all the land of the Prior of Burton Lazars, (fn. 171) and
made good his claim to it in 1248 against Walter de
Upton heir of Robert de Upton, a tenant of the
land. (fn. 172) In 1252 the abbot obtained a grant of free
warren in his manor of Harting. (fn. 173) It was said in 1279
that the abbots had never used free warren at Harting
though they had the right if they wished to do so. (fn. 174)
About 1270 Abbot John added various small estates
to the abbey's holding at Harting, partly by purchase
and partly, it would seem, by encroachment, for in
1270, after receiving of William Husee half an acre in
West Harting, the abbot agreed to stop all plaints
against William, if he would quitclaim all the encroachments they had made by the ditch round their garden
on the south side of the water of Durford and by the
ditch near his meadow. Husee also granted them the
sheep farm they had made upon the hills at West
Harting. Another encroachment made by 'a ditch
round the East ryefelde' was also allowed by William
Husee. (fn. 175) This was probably a ditch formed beyond
the bank on the east side of East Ryfield which later
records show was the boundary between the lands of
the abbey and the lords of Harting. Here, at a place
called Fower Oaks, the abbots held their courts, requiring their tenants at Durford to do suit there. (fn. 176)
The abbot's estate in Harting was valued at
£6 16s. 9d. in 1291, and the same in 1380. (fn. 177) At the
Dissolution it was called the manor of Harting, valued
at £19 8s. 7d. a year, besides perquisites of court. (fn. 178)
It was granted in 1537 to Sir William Fitz William,
Great Admiral of England, in tail male. (fn. 179) He died
seised of it in 1542, (fn. 180) but left no legitimate sons, and
the manor lapsed to the Crown. The site of the abbey
was granted in 1544 to Sir Edmund Mervyn, justice
of King's Bench, and though the manor is not mentioned in the grant, land in Harting and the woods
called Durford Wood and lez Shrubbes (8 acres) parcel
of Durford Heath and West Harting Heath are
specifically mentioned. (fn. 181) After Edmund Mervyn's
death Edmund Ford, who was then acquiring the
different interests in Harting, claimed Durford Heath,
also called West Heath and East Ryfield, as part of his
manor of Harting, and tried to prevent the Mervyns
from taking rabbits there. (fn. 182) This led to lawsuits between him and Henry Mervyn, son of Edmund Ford
prevailed upon Henry to renounce his claim to it, by
unfair means, as Henry stated in 1585. (fn. 183) When
Edmund was required in 1562 to show his right to the
manor of Harting he mentioned this manor which had
belonged to Durford Abbey, but did not show how he
acquired it, saying it was not the same manor as that
to which he had to show his claim. (fn. 184) The controversy
continued between Henry Mervyn and Francis
Fortescue. A commission was ordered in 1585 to look
into the matter. (fn. 185) It appeared that East Ryfield was
the abbot's rabbit warren in Harting, and had been
included in the grant to Edmund Mervyn. (fn. 186) It was
separated from West Harting Heath by a bank. No
more is found of this manor as a separate estate, and
it probably became merged in the manor of West
Harting.
CHURCH
The church of ST. MARY THE
VIRGIN
(fn. 187) stands on a knoll at the south
end of the village street. It consists of
chancel with north vestry, central tower with spire,
transepts, nave with north and south aisles, and north
porch; it is built of local sandstone ashlar and flint
rubble and is roofed with tile; the south face of the
tower is tile-hung and the spire sheeted with copper.

Parish Church of St Mary Harting
The whole existing fabric, except the porch, was
built c. 1300; a destructive fire in c. 1576 occasioned
extensive repairs and a complete new roof; (fn. 188) early in
the 17th century a south chancel, or rather tomb-house,
was added, but it became ruinous in the 19th. Early,
perhaps, in that century a brick north porch was built,
which was replaced by the present stone one in 1938.
The chancel (fn. 189) has a diagonal buttress of two gabled
stages at the south-east corner. In the east wall, over
an interior wall arcade, is a lancet triplet in 13th-century style; both were inserted in 1858 into a wall
previously blank; above them in the gable is a single
lancet of c. 1300 with moulded segmental pointed reararch. In the south wall (fn. 190) are two three-light windows
with intersecting tracery and moulded rear-arches;
between them is a priest's door with pointed head of
one moulded order resting on shafts with moulded
capitals and bases, the rear-arch is semicircular. West
of this is a recess in the form of a niche tomb; this has
a semicircular head and panelling of Elizabethan
design; in the back are several brass inscriptions commemorating members of the Ford family. In the north
wall is the vestry door with a pointed head of two orders,
the inner moulded; the mouldings are continued on to
the jambs without impost; the woodwork of the door
is in part ancient. West of this is a two-light window
with tracery of a design resembling that of the south
windows.
The roof (which bears the date 1577) (fn. 191) is in four unequal bays, and has five trusses. The four western are
all of like design; there is a tie-beam braced to wallpieces, these do not rest on corbels but have ornamental
endings; on the tie-beam are a king-post and a pair of
queen-posts of turned baluster form; under each of
these is a pendant, and they give rather needless support to a collar; the principals are little larger than the
common rafters, all of which are trussed with collars;
there are two lines of purlins on each side with X-shaped wind-braces between them; there is also a large
moulded wall-plate. The eastern truss has neither
collar nor posts, but otherwise resembles the rest.
While the roof is approximately Gothic in form the
ornamental details are Elizabethan.
The vestry has at each north corner a diagonal
buttress of one stage with gabled head. In the east wall
is a window of two trefoil-headed lights under a quatrefoiled diamond; in the north wall are three single lights
with ogee trefoil heads. In the west wall is a modern
exterior doorway with plain pointed arch. (fn. 192) There is
a flat plaster ceiling.
Flanking the chancel on the south formerly stood a
building of early-17th-century date (fn. 193) designed to hold
the Caryll monuments. It was still roofed in the early
19th century, being used as the village school, but is
now ruinous. The east wall has completely disappeared, and the south, against which stand the remains of the two Caryll monuments, is only about
6 ft. high.
The original east arch of the tower was of two
moulded orders, the nail-head moulding of the outer
being still visible on the west side. Later, probably as
part of the reconstruction after the fire, a crutch (fn. 194) was
inserted; this has semi-octagonal responds with very
plain bases; on them rests directly a pointed arch of two
chamfered orders. The north and south tower arches
are of the same design, and are probably crutches themselves, but no sign of the earlier arches is visible. East
of the southern is a rood-loft piscina with round trefoil
head. The west tower arch is of two moulded orders,
the outer dying away into the wall, the inner probably
originally carried on corbels, now resting on responds
of the same form and date as those of the crutch of the
east arch; possibly it was originally intended to crutch
this arch also. The floor joists of the second stage of the
tower are visible from below.
The upper stage of the tower has two (modern)
pointed quatrefoil openings on the east side. On the
north are two similar modern openings and, immediately over the ridge of the transept roof, an oblong
opening with segmental arch; as the transept roof was
lowered after the fire this must originally have opened
into it. Lower down and near the north-east corner is
a small lancet. On the west side are two small round
sound-holes, of uncertain date; between them, cut into
by the present roof ridge, is a trefoil-headed opening;
the south side is hung with red tiles, its only visible
opening resembles the central one on the north side.
The other three faces of the tower are now plastered;
remains of the weather-moulds of the pre-fire roofs
exist under the plaster. The broach spire is covered
with copper.
The south transept has a diagonal buttress of one
stage with sloping offset at each exterior corner. In the
east wall are two modern two-light windows copied
from the north window of the chancel. Between them
is the (17th-century) blocked doorway formerly leading
to the Caryll Chancel; this has a very depressed arch
on the west side, the stonework of the east side has been
removed. In the south wall is a three-light window (fn. 195)
with intersecting tracery and chamfered segmental
pointed rear-arch. The opening into the south aisle is
a half-arch, acting as a flying buttress, of two chamfered
orders dying away into a plain respond on the south
side. The roof (1577) has three tie-beams, a single line
of purlins with straight wind-braces, and trussed rafters.
The north transept has a pair of buttresses, each of
two stages with sloping offsets, at each outer corner.
The southern of the two former windows in the east wall
has been blocked; (fn. 196) the northern, of two lights, and
the three-light window in the north wall, have heads
of geometrical tracery; each has a moulded rear-arch,
and that of the north window rests on slender wallshafts with moulded capitals and bases. The doorway
in the west wall has a modern pointed arch with
mouldings of poor design, resting on moulded jambs
with nook-shafts (which carry nothing but a hollow
moulding); the rear-arch (c. 1300) is moulded, of segmental pointed form. The opening into the north aisle
has the form of a very asymmetrical pointed arch, its
crown being only about a foot from the south side of
its span. It is of two moulded orders; the north springing is from a semi-octagonal respond with moulded
impost and plain base; on the north side it butts directly
against the wall. The tower staircase stands in the
south-east corner of the transept and is of oak, the steps
being bracketed out from a central newel which rises
from floor to roof; this was made in about 1848. (fn. 197) The
roof resembles that of the south transept, but with
different spacing of tie-beams and stiffer trussing of
rafters; it is of 1577.
Each arcade of the nave originally consisted of three
similar arches, of one order and of pointed equilateral
form. The piers were octagonal, the sub-bases square,
the bases octagonal over bold chamfer-stops; instead of
capitals there were chamfer-stops in the form of pointed
trefoil arches; the responds had the form of half-piers.
The two western bays on each side preserve this form;
but into the eastern arch on each side a crutch has been
inserted, the arch being pointed, of two chamfered
orders, dying away into a semi-octagonal respond. (fn. 198)
The west doorway has a pointed arch of two orders,
the outer chamfered, the inner moulded, resting on
similar jambs without imposts; the rear-arch is pointed.
Above this is a (modern) window of four lights with
geometrical tracery. (fn. 199) The roof (1577) has trussed
rafters, a collar-purlin, braced king-posts, and tie-beams.
Its ridge is slightly higher, and its pitch somewhat
flatter, than that of its predecessor, the weather-mould
of which is visible on the east wall; the alteration was
due to the alteration of the aisle roofs.
The north aisle has a diagonal buttress at the west
corner and another (of 1577) opposite the second pier
of the arcade; each is of two stages with sloping offsets.
In the north wall are two square-headed windows of
three cinquefoil-headed lights each; they have extremely depressed four-centred rear-arches and are
evidently of c. 1576. Between them is the north doorway, a pointed arch of two orders with hood-mould;
the jambs are of like section to the arch and have no
imposts. In the west wall is a window of two lights
with uncusped pointed heads surmounted by a quatrefoiled diamond; the rear-arch is carried on wall-shafts
with moulded capitals and bases. On the east wall is
the weather-mould of the original roof which, like the
present, was continuous over nave and aisles, but was
of steeper pitch and had its eaves some 5 ft. lower; the
object of the change evidently being to make larger
aisle windows possible. The present roof (1577) has
a single line of purlins, strutted against the wall above
the arcade, wind-braces, and rafters.
The north porch (1938) has a pointed outer doorway to the north and a trefoil-headed light in each of
the east and west walls; it replaces a plain porch of
brick.
The south aisle resembles the north save that the
weather-mould of the former roof is only visible at its
extreme south end; the south door (now blocked) is of
smaller dimensions than the north and the design of its
jambs is simpler; west of it a modern lancet window
has been inserted.
The font (12th-century) has a square basin with
shallow panelling of round arches, resting on five
columns.
In the ruined Caryll Chancel are the remains of the
monuments, with badly damaged effigies, of Sir
Edward Caryll, 1609, and Sir Richard Caryll, 1616. (fn. 200)
In the south transept is a monument with a kneeling
effigy of a man and recumbent effigies of a man and a
woman, apparently commemorating John Cowper of
Ditcham, ob. 1620, his son John, ob. 1618, and the
wife of one of them.
The six bells are by Chapman & Mears, 1782. (fn. 201)
The communion plate includes a silver paten, apparently of 1638, with the arms of Ford, given to the
church in 1671 by Katherine, daughter of Sir Edward
Ford and wife of Ralph, Lord Grey; (fn. 202) also a chalice of
1675, given by Oliver Whitby.
The registers begin in 1567.
ADVOWSON
The clerks of St. Nicholas of Arundel held 6 hides of land in Harting in
1086 and had done so in the time of
King Edward. (fn. 203) They possibly served the church of
Harting. Roger, Earl of Shrewsbury, converted these
secular canons into a priory subordinate to the abbey
of St. Martin of Séez, and gave the church of Harting
to the abbey, for a brother of the Countess Mabel, who
was a monk there. (fn. 204) The Abbot of Séez released the
advowson in 1194–5 to Henry Husee, reserving a payment of 100s. which the abbot was accustomed to
receive yearly from the parsons of Harting and Rogate, (fn. 205)
of which 75s. came from Harting. (fn. 206) From that time the
advowson of the rectory descended with the manor, (fn. 207)
and was assigned with West Harting manor to the
Fortescues. (fn. 208) It was sold to Edward Caryll, (fn. 208) and
Richard Caryll presented in 1611 and 1613. (fn. 209) The
advowson remained in the possession of the Carylls,
though presentations were seldom made in their names
on account of their religious views; Oliver Whitby
presented for one turn in 1697. (fn. 210) In 1716 John Caryll
granted the presentation to an old friend, John Trevanion, intending the conveyance to be in trust for the
Carylls. The younger John Caryll, believing that the
advowson belonged to him, sold the next presentation
in 1738 to Lord Clancarty, but when the incumbent
died in the following year Trevanion appointed the
Rev. John Seager, prebendary of Salisbury, who relinquished another benefice in favour of Trevanion's
brother. The suit between Seager and Clancarty's
nominee lasted several years, but was finally lost by the
latter. (fn. 211)
The advowson was purchased with the manor by
Sir Matthew Fetherstonhaugh, and has since passed
with the manor.
The rectors of Harting appointed vicars who served
the cure. (fn. 212) In 1291 the rectory was worth £33 6s. 8d.,
and the vicarage £5 6s. 8d. (fn. 213) In 1341 the rector had a
house and garden worth 30s., arable land worth 20s.,
with meadow worth 10s., and pasture for 12 oxen in
the lord's meadow worth 12s., and tithes, among which
the tithe of cider was that year estimated at the surprising figure of £10. The vicar had a house and garden
worth 13s. 4d., arable worth 12s., and mortuaries and
oblations estimated at £3 6s. 8d. In addition he received of the rector a pension of 20s. and 5 quarters of
wheat, and as much of barley. (fn. 214) By 1535 the vicarage
was rated at £9 and the rectory at £26 13s. 4d. clear
of payments of £4 to the vicar, £1 6s. 8d. to the
college of Arundel, and £3 10s. to the Abbess of
Syon (fn. 215) (who had received the Sussex estates of Séez
Abbey).
Sir George Carewe, the rector, in 1537 granted a
lease of the rectory for 75 years to Henry Polsted at a
rent of £26 13s. 4d. In 1550 this lease came into the
hands of Edmund Ford, lord of the manor of Harting, (fn. 216)
and in 1554 it was agreed between him and John
Seton, the rector, that Ford should do all repairs to the
chancel and retain £6 13s. 4d. of the rent. (fn. 217) In 1568
Ford assigned this lease to Thomas Femer, by whom it
was assigned in the same year to Edward Bellingham
of Nytimber. Edward gave it by will to his wife
Elizabeth. She sold it in 1596 apparently to Edward
Caryll. (fn. 218) This lease ended in 1614, and in 1616 the
trustees of Sir Richard Caryll leased the parsonage at a
rent of £120 to William Ford, retaining the tithes of
the Warren or Middle Park and of the demesne lands
occupied by Sir Richard at his death. (fn. 219) About 1658
it was agreed between Sir Edward Ford and John
Caryll that Ford should have the great tithes of South
and East Harting, and Caryll the great tithes of West
Harting. (fn. 220) It was found in 1668 that the rector had
leased the tithes to Sir John Caryll and had made no
provision for the vicar: The bishop ordered that this
lease should be cancelled and a new one granted for
3 lives at the ancient rent of 40 marks, (fn. 221) the vicar to
receive £76 a year during the life of the present rector and
£86 thereafter, with the small tithes valued at £10. (fn. 222)
From 1835 onwards the sinecure rectory and the
vicarage were held in conjunction by the incumbent;
and on the death of the Rev. A. J. Roberts in 1949 the
sinecure rectory was abolished and the vicarage was
changed to a rectory.
There was a female anchorite at Harting in 1182,
when she received 43s. 4d. in payment of an allowance
of 2d. a week for that year and four years in arrear,
from the issues of the honor of Arundel. (fn. 223) She occurs
again next year but not later. (fn. 224)
CHARITIES
George William Frisby on 29 March
1934 conveyed a piece of land in this
parish to the Hackney and New College of Finchley Road, London, upon trust for an extension of the Harting Congregational Church Burial
Ground.
The charity of Frances Bullock Fetherstonhaugh for
a Nurse is now regulated by a scheme of the Charity
Commissioners dated 14 June 1935. The scheme constitutes trustees to administer the charity and provides
that the income, amounting to £61 6s. 8d. shall be
applied towards payment of the salary of a trained female
nurse for the sick poor of this parish and that if and so
long as it is not practicable to apply the income in such
manner then to apply the same under one or both of
the heads specified in the scheme for the benefit either
of the poor of the parish generally or of such poor persons resident therein as the trustees shall select.
The charity of Frances Bullock Fetherstonhaugh for
Poor Men. The endowment of this charity now consists of a sum of £265 3s. 4d. 2½ per cent. Annuities,
producing an annual income of £6 12s. 8d. which, in
accordance with the will of the testatrix dated 7 February 1894, is applicable for the benefit of four poor men
resident in this parish. The charity is administered by
trustees appointed in accordance with the provisions
contained in a scheme of the Charity Commissioners
dated 21 November 1916.
Feoffee charity. It is stated in the printed Parliamentary Reports of the Commissioners for Inquiring
Concerning Charities dated 1836 that in an Indenture
dated 19 June 1747 it is recited that divers messuages
cottages land and tenements had theretofore been given
and conveyed 'by certain pious and charitable persons'
to sundry other persons deceased, in trust that the rents
and profits thereof should for evermore be applied to
the use of the poor of the parish of Harting. The
endowment of the charity now consists of a sum of
£3,252 14s. 5d. 2½ per cent. Consolidated Stock producing an annual income of £81 6s. 4d. which is applied
for the benefit of the poor of the parish. The charity
is administered by a body of trustees consisting of life
trustees appointed by Order of the Charity Commissioners and four representative trustees appointed
by the parish council of Harting.