OXTED
Acstede (xi cent.); Ocstede (xiii cent.); Oxtede
(xv cent.).
Oxted is a parish and village 3 miles east of
Godstone and 20 miles from London. It contains
3,646 acres and measures fully 6 miles from north to
south and not more than a mile and a half from east
to west, and for the most part less. It is bounded on
the north by Woldingham and Chelsham, on the east
by Limpsfield, on the south by Crowhurst, which at
the time of the Domesday Survey probably formed
part of it, and on the west by Tandridge. It is of
the usual type with regard to situation and soil,
extending from the chalk in the north, which rises in
a bold escarpment above the Weald, across the Greensands on to the Wealden Clay in the south. The
views southward from the chalk are fine, and the sand
hills, though rising to no great height, are broken
and picturesque. The streams here flow into the
Medway. There are small wayside commons called
Broadham Green, Hurst Green, and Perry's Green,
but there is no record of an Inclosure Act or of
common fields.
Bell Inn, Oxted
An uninscribed British gold coin has been found in
Oxted, and is described by Sir John Evans. (fn. 1) Some
few flint flakes have also been found. North of
Barrow Green House is a barrow called the Mount.
It was excavated in 1869 by
some members of the Surrey
Archaeological Society, who
found no interment, and
because the natural sand rock
was in the interior of the
mound came rather too
hastily to the conclusion that
it was entirely natural. There
is, however, a distinct ditch
round it, showing that the
sand was dug out and piled
upon a natural knoll, and flint
flakes of human workmanship
were thrown out by the excavators. (fn. 2) The name, Barrow
Green, is as old as the 16th
century, and the mound is so
conspicuous that long ago it
may have tempted explorers,
who probably threw out any
remains which were there.
There is no natural explanation for the loose sand being
in a circular heap upon the
harder sandstone unless it
was piled up for some artificial purpose.
The village lies on the
lower slope of the hill rising
from a small stream running
north and south. The church
is to the north-east of the
village on the west side of the
road to Limpsfield. The
houses are generally of brick
or half-timber and in many
instances the fronts of the
half-timbered houses have been
renewed in brick in the 18th
and 19th centuries. To the
south of the church is a farmhouse with some 16th-century
chimney-stacks. In the village
is the Crown Inn, a half-timber building much
modernized, adjoining which is a row of 18th-century cottages entered from the road by a low
flight of stone steps. These and the cottages lower
down the hill stand high above the road, which
is here in a cutting. Lower down on the same side
is a two-story Georgian house with a whitewashed
brick front. On the north side of the road is the
George Inn, an 18th-century house of purple bricks
with red-brick dressings. Eastward is a row of 18th
century red-brick cottages with gardens in front.
The oldest house in the village is the Bell Inn,
which, though very much modernized, dates from
the 16th century. It was of half-timber stuccoed
over, with an over-hanging story on one side, and
has lately been restored with old oak on the lines of
the old half-timbering.
The National school was built in 1872, the
site being given to the rector and churchwardens
by the Earl of Cottenham. It was enlarged in 1902.
There is an institute and reading room with a library
of 500 volumes in the village.
The London, Brighton and South Coast railway
line from Croydon to East Grinstead, opened in
1884, enters the parish by a tunnel under the chalk
range and has a station at Oxted. The line divides
into two branches in the parish, to East Grinstead
and to Edenbridge respectively. The parish is
generally agricultural, but since the opening of the
railway line small houses and villas have begun to
spring up rapidly. The Oxted Greystone Lime
Company have chalk quarries and lime works in
the parish.
About three-quarters of a mile south of Oxted the
road to Crowhurst runs across Hurst Green. The
Green is of some extent, and from the north end runs
a road to Limpsfield, while at the southern extremity
the main road is joined by a by-road from Tandridge.
On the north side of the Green stands Sheppard's
Barn, a Tudor house to which a brick front was
later added. It has been recently restored, and
during the alterations an original king post was
found which has been used as a newel post for the
new staircase. Close to this house stood a ruinous
forge and an early 19th-century cottage out of the
materials of which a new house called Forge Cottage
was built. There are some 16th-century cottages
near the railway. Cottage property is much in
demand and there is a considerable amount of
building now going on.
Perrysfield House is the seat of Mr. Lewis Bahr;
Oxted Place of Mr. A. R. Bentley; Shrubhurst
belongs to the Burdett family; Woodfield is the
residence of the Rt. Hon. Sir Ralph H. Knox;
Greenhurst Park of Mr. W. Clayton Palmer; Stone
Hall of Mr. Metcalfe; Hammerwood of Mr. Esdaile.
MANORS
Before the Conquest OXTED was
held by Gida the mother of Harold.
Count Eustace of Boulogne acquired it
from William I, and was holding it in 1086. There
was land for twenty ploughs, but the assessment had
fallen from 20 hides to 4. (fn. 3)
Sub-feoffment of the manor in moieties was made
at an early date by one of the count's successors.
One part was held by a family who appear to
have taken their name from the place. (fn. 4) In the reign
of Henry III Roland of Oxted was found to be
holding three knights' fees in Oxted of the honour
of Boulogne, (fn. 5) and in 1278–9 another Roland, probably his son, claimed to have certain prescriptive
liberties belonging to the honour in his manor of
Oxted, viz. view of frankpledge, assize of bread and ale,
pillory, tumbril, gallows, infangenthef, outfangenthef,
waif, ancient warren in his demesne lands, and an
ancient park from time beyond memory. The jurors
appointed to inquire into the justice of his claims
deposed that he had possessed these rights time out
of mind, and that he had not usurped on the king's
lordship. (fn. 6) In 1290 Roland of Oxted was summoned
to Parliament as one of the knights of the shire. (fn. 7)
He died in 1291 seised of the manor of Oxted, for
which he owed suit at the court of Witham, (fn. 8) leaving
five daughters his co-heirs. (fn. 9) The eldest daughter,
Margery le Sauvage, had one son Roger, who died
under age and a ward of the king in 1299; he was
seised of one-fifth of the manor, part of his share
being the hall of the manor, the solar and two
chambers. His four aunts Alina, Clarice, Lucy and
Thomasina were his heirs. (fn. 10) The following year
Alina and her husband John de Hamme remitted to
the Abbot of Battle 50s. rent and suit of court. (fn. 11) In
1302 Thomasina sold her share to John and Alina
de Hamme. (fn. 12) John de Hamme was several times
knight of the shire for Surrey. (fn. 13) In 1299 Lucy wife
of John le Sauvage granted her moiety to her sister
Clarice and her husband Martin Sench. (fn. 14) On the
death of Martin, Clarice married Roger de Wellesworth, and in 1312 a settlement was made on them
and their heirs. (fn. 15) In 1316 John de Hamme and Alina
settled their share of the manor (with the exception
of the service of the Abbot of Battle above mentioned)
on themselves for their lives, with remainders to
Clarice widow of Roger de Wellesworth for life, and
to her son Roger and his heirs, with contingent
remainder to John her second son and John and
Roland Sench, the sons by her first marriage. (fn. 16) Alina
died in 1325 (fn. 17) and Clarice inherited her share. (fn. 18)
She probably died before 1341, as in that year Roger
and John de Wellesworth, the sons of her second
marriage, released all their right and claim in the
manor of Oxted to Robert de Stangrave, kt., and his
wife Joan, (fn. 19) who granted the reversion to Reginald
de Cobham of Sterborough, kt., and Joan his wife
and the heirs of Reginald, (fn. 20) Reginald granting that
for a year and a day after the death of Robert and
Joan their executors should have the manor with
administration of the goods and chattels and fruits of
the lands. (fn. 21) John Sench, son of Clarice and Martin,
had previously released his right in one quarter of
the manor and the reversion of another part after
Clarice's death to John Brutyn, probably a trustee
for Stangrave. (fn. 22) Joan died before 1359, when Sir
Robert de Stangrave and his wife Idonia were holding
Oxted. (fn. 23) Robert died seised the following year. (fn. 24)
The other half of the manor (see above) was held of the
honour of Boulogne by Henry de Cornhill of London, (fn. 25)
who died about 1195–6. Through his daughter
Joan, who married a Hugh de Nevill, it came to the
Nevills of Essex. (fn. 26) Manning and Bray's statement
that it passed with Joan daughter of Hugh de Nevill
to the Cobhams is evidently wrong, as in 1359 Sir
John de Nevill of Essex held four knights' fees in
Oxted and elsewhere. (fn. 27) Before this date the Nevills
subinfeudated this land to the Oxted family, who
held the other half, (fn. 28) so that the holding became part
of the latter's manor of Oxted, distinguishable only
by the tenure.
Sir Reginald Cobham died seised of the manor in
1361. (fn. 29) His widow Joan died in 1369 (fn. 30) ; her son
Reginald was her heir. (fn. 31) In 1408–9 Reginald (son of
the last-named Reginald, who died in 1403) granted
the manor, apparently in trust for his wife Elizabeth
Colepeper, to Thomas Colepeper and others. (fn. 32) His
eldest son Reginald predeceased him, leaving an only
daughter Margaret, wife of Ralph Earl of Westmorland. (fn. 33) The manor was settled on the earl and his
wife with remainder to Thomas Cobham, Margaret's
uncle and heir. (fn. 34) Margaret died in 1460, leaving no
children, (fn. 35) and her husband held the manor until his
death in 1485, when it passed to Anne, only child
and heir of Thomas Cobham, (fn. 36) who had married
Sir Edward Burgh. She died in 1526, and her
husband, who 'became distracted of memorie,' died
two years later, leaving a son and heir Thomas, afterwards Lord Burgh. (fn. 37) William the son of Thomas
Lord Burgh, who succeeded his father in 1550, (fn. 38) sold
the manor in 1578 to John Reade, (fn. 39) who in 1587
conveyed it to Charles Hoskins, citizen and merchant
tailor of London. (fn. 40) For the next two centuries it
remained in the Hoskins family, descending in direct
male line. (fn. 41) In 1768 Charles Hoskins died, leaving
an only daughter Susannah, (fn. 42) who died childless, her
aunt Katherine, wife of Legh Master, being her
heir. Mrs. Master died in 1807, and her son, the
Rev. Legh Hoskins Master, succeeded. (fn. 43) His descendant, Mr. Charles Hoskins Master, is now lord
of the manor. Oxted Court, the old manor-house,
is now occupied as a farm, and called Oxted Court
Farm. Barrow Green House is considered the manor-house.
Two mills are mentioned in the Domesday Survey (fn. 44)
and three in the inquisition on Roland of Oxted,
1291–2. (fn. 45) It appears that two of the mills had been
alienated from the manor before 1689, when they
were in the possession of Thomas Causton. (fn. 46) In 1712
only one is mentioned (fn. 47) as appurtenant to the manor.
Hoskins Party gules and azure a cheveron engrailed or between three lions argent.
Master. Azure a fesse battled between three griffons' heads razed or.
BARROW GREEN
BARROW GREEN (Barowe, xvi cent.) was a
capital messuage belonging to Richard Moushurst in
the beginning of the 16th century; he enfeoffed
Walter Vitull, who refused to make an estate to the
son Thomas Moushurst. (fn. 48) In 1621 William Albany
died seised of it, having settled it the previous year
on Sir Robert Albany in trust for his wife and
younger children. (fn. 49) It seems to have been acquired
shortly afterwards by Charles Hoskins, who died in
1657, for the epitaphs of two of his children in
Oxted Church describe him as of Barrow Green. (fn. 50) It
continued to be the family seat of the Hoskins and
Hoskins Master family till recently. It is still the
property of Mr. Hoskins Master, but is now let to
Mr. W. B. McGrath.
The house called Barrow Green, on the opposite
side of the road from the barrow which gives it its
name, is a three-storied house of red brick of the early
17th century, but much modernized by 18th-century
sash and bay-windows, inserted when the interior was
much altered and the staircase remodelled. In the early
19th century further alterations of a similar character
were made, and recently some additions have been made
to the house, which is of the [square-cornered capital-letter U-shaped] type, with a centre
facing south and eastern and western projections.
In the centre part is a large hall with large rooms
on either side. The east wing contains living and
bedrooms, and the west the kitchen and offices with
bedrooms over. Behind the hall are the principal
stairs. The south drawing-room, originally the hall,
retains some of its old panelling. The fireplace
opening is of stone with a straight-sided four-centred
head and moulded jambs. The carved oak mantelpiece, though somewhat tampered with, seems to be
in the main of original date. The shelf is supported
by nude figures, and the 18th-century centre-piece
is carved with the arms of Hoskins, party palewise, a
cheveron engrailed between three lions, with the crest
of a cock's head, and above it are the royal arms as
borne by the Stuarts. In the niches on either side
of the centre-piece are small allegerical female figures.
The side-pieces are surmounted by pairs of fretwork
obelisks with scroll-work between. At about two-thirds of the height of the walls is an entablature,
supported at intervals, where left untouched, by
fluted pilasters of a Doric character, but much
mutilated by 18th-century alterations. Above the
entablature are arched panels with grotesque telamones.
The whole panelling of the room is painted and
grained, making it difficult to distinguish between the
old work and the new. The whole of the south front
appears to have been refaced in the 18th century.
The present entrance hall is on the east front, but
probably did not become the principal entrance till
the 18th century. In its north wall is an elaborate
mantelpiece of Jacobean design, painted and grained
and much restored. The panelling here is of the same
type as in the drawing-room. The principal stairs
are a good example of early 18th-century work, with
elaborate balusters and carved spandrel brackets. The
floors of this and the entrance hall are paved with
large squares of stone with small lozenges of white
marble between.
Barrow Green, Oxted, from the South-east
The entrance to the back stairs from the lobby
behind the drawing-room still retains its original
moulded parts, head and three-panel door. The
stairs themselves appear to be of mid-17th-century
date; the rails are supported by stout widely spaced
balusters. The dining-room has good 18th-century
panelling. The fireplace has a bold oak architrave. The kitchen still retains its original openjoisted ceiling. The bedroom over the library on the
first floor has an original stone fireplace with moulded
four-centred head and jambs. The bedrooms over
the drawing-room and dining-room have also original
stone fireplaces of a more Renaissance character. The
bedrooms in the eastern wing have 18th-century
panelling. In the room at the northern end of this
wing is a fine grate of Adam type. The second or
attic floor is contained within the roof, which is gabled
at the east and west ends. Here some original detail
survives, in particular the doorway and door of a room
at the north-west of the main block. The eastern
entrance front still possesses its original triple gables
with octagonal finials and moulded brick parapet; the
chimney-stacks with their diagonal shafts rising between
the gables help to maintain, in spite of subsequent
alterations, the predominating Jacobean character of
this elevation. Against the west gable of the main
block, but placed to the south of its apex, is a chimney-stack with three diagonal shafts, the combination
forming a picturesque feature. The roofs throughout
are tiled. Portions of the garden wall running northwards from the north end of the east wing are of
narrow 17th-century bricks. On the south front of
the house are a modern flagged terrace and formal
garden.
A grant to Katherine Duchess of Bedford for life
of the 'manor of Oxted which was of the late Duke
of Buckingham, her former husband' was made in
1485. (fn. 51) This must refer to the lands in Oxted which
he held and his son after him (fn. 52) ; but there is no
further trace of this estate as a manor. It is probably
represented by the district called Staffords' Wood and
Staffords' Heath.
BURSTED (Bursted, xvii cent.; Bearsted, xviii cent.).
—In 1283 William of Oxted granted to the Prior
and convent of Tandridge 1 carucate of land of the
fee of Roland of Oxted. (fn. 53) At the time of its dissolution
the priory owned farms and rents in Oxted to the
value of £11 12s. 3d., (fn. 54) and courts were held there
by the priors. (fn. 55) After the Dissolution this manor
appears as the manor of Bursted or Oxted. It was
granted in tail-male to John Reade, (fn. 56) who died in
1545. (fn. 57) His son John sold the manor in 1576 to
Richard Bostock, (fn. 58) who in the following year sold it
to Edward Johnson. (fn. 59) In 1582 Johnson conveyed it
to Richard Hayward of Oxted. (fn. 60) He in his lifetime
conveyed it to his son Henry, (fn. 61) who settled it in 1592
on his wife Katherine with remainder to his son John. (fn. 62)
John settled it in 1613 on his (second) wife Elizabeth
Watts, daughter of William Angell, for life, with remainder to his heirs male; but apparently with the
intention of disinheriting his eldest son by his first
marriage, Humphrey, who had 'always been a disobedient child,' he made a fresh settlement in 1630,
giving Bursted, after the death of Elizabeth, to John
the second son of his first marriage, with remainder to
William the eldest son of his second marriage. (fn. 63) He
died on 1 March 1630–1, and his widow held a
court here in 1641. (fn. 64) In 1649 she with Sir William
Hayward and John made a fresh settlement of the
estate; it was confirmed to her for her life unless her
son died before she did, in which case the manor was
to be the jointure of Martha, the wife of Sir William,
and it was limited to Sir William and his heirs
male. (fn. 65)
Plan of Barrow Green, Oxted
In 1681 Sir William sold the manor to John
Burrough, (fn. 66) who in 1691 conveyed it to Michael
Edwards of Kingston. He in 1696 devised it by
will to his nephew Sir James Edwards, bart., in tail
male. (fn. 67) Sir James was succeeded in 1702 by his son
James, who in 1708 suffered a recovery (fn. 68) and in 1713
sold the estate, according to
Manning and Bray, to Sir
Joseph Jekyll, who died in
1738, leaving no issue. He
devised all his, real estate to
twelve of his relations; a
decree was passed for the sale
of his estates, but it was not
until 1753 that the sale was
effected, and this manor was
sold to John Godfrey of
Limpsfield, (fn. 69) who dying in
1757 devised it by will to
Marmaduke Hilton, a London
merchant. He left it in 1768
to Vincent Biscoe, who devised it to his second son Vincent Hilton Biscoe. (fn. 70)
It was purchased by Sir William Weller Pepys,
bart., (fn. 71) who died unmarried in 1845, his heir being his
brother, created Earl of Cottenham. The third Earl
of Cottenham, who died in 1881, was still holding it.
Hayward. Sable two bars argent with a talbot argent passant in the chief.
The manor of BROADHAM (Brodham, xvi cent.)
is found in the 14th century in the possession of
Battle Abbey, (fn. 72) having been probably included in the
grant of Limpsfield made to that abbey by William I.
It seems to have been granted by Battle to the priory
of Tandridge, for in 1535 it was in the occupation
of the Prior of Tandridge, who paid 12d. rent to
Battle. (fn. 73) It was granted with Limpsfield in 1538 to
Sir John Gresham, (fn. 74) who died seised 23 October
1556. (fn. 75) He devised it by will to his eldest son
William, (fn. 76) who died in 1579 (fn. 77) and left the manor to
his younger son Thomas in tail-male. (fn. 78) Thomas,
who was knighted at Whitehall before the king's
coronation, 23 July 1603, (fn. 79) received a confirmation of
the manor in 1615. (fn. 80) He died in 1632, having in
1630 settled the manor on his second son John (fn. 81)
and his wife Elizabeth. (fn. 82) This John, who is
described on his tomb as 'an obedient son of the
Church of England, a loyal subject of his sovereign,' (fn. 83)
died in 1643 without issue, and his brother Sir
Edward was his heir. (fn. 84) Sir Edward's son Marmaduke
was created a baronet 31 July 1660. (fn. 85) In 1664 he
suffered a recovery of the manor, (fn. 86) and by his will
dated 14 January 1695 he devised it with other
manors to his daughter Alice and his second son
Charles on trust to raise money for the payment of
certain debts and legacies, subject to which he left
the estates to them and their heirs as joint tenants. (fn. 87)
They sold part of the estates and paid the debts, and
in the partition of the remainder the manor of Broadham (with certain privileges named, goods and
chattels of felons, deodands, treasure-trove, &c.) fell
to Alice. (fn. 88) She died unmarried 30 January 1716–17, (fn. 89) having devised the manor to her brother William
Gresham of Limpsfield. (fn. 90) In 1719 William conveyed
it to John Blundell of Godstone. (fn. 91) William Hoskins,
lord of the manor of Oxted, brought a suit against
John Blundell in 1730 for payment of rent for lands
he owned in Oxted. John Blundell denied that they
were parcel of the manor and liable for the payment
of quit-rent. (fn. 92) John's brother and heir died intestate
in 1753, and the manor was divided among his three
heirs-at-law. (fn. 93) The shares passed through several
hands until five-sixths of the manor, partly by devise
and partly by purchase, became vested in Admiral Sir
Richard Hughes, bart., on whose death Mr. Bryant,
who had in 1796 purchased one-sixth, became sole
possessor. He surrendered it to the executors of the
Duke of Norfolk, who had a mortgage on it, and
from them it was purchased by Colonel Clayton.
After his death it was sold to Edward Kelsey, (fn. 94) in
whose family it still remains.
FOYLE (Foyllye, before xiv cent.; Fuyllye, xiv
cent.; La Foyle, xv cent.).
—In 1270–1 Nicholas de
Basyng and Isabel his wife granted to Richard le Gras
the sixth part of 3 carucates of land in Oxted and
Limpsfield to be held of Nicholas and Isabel and the
heirs of Isabel by the rent of one clove gillyflower
yearly. (fn. 95) Manning in his History of Surrey. (fn. 96) says that
by an undated deed Richard le Gras, the son of
Roger, granted to Geoffrey de Belpisond all his
manor of Foyle with all his lands and tenements in
Oxted and Limpsfield. Whether this was in trust is
not clear. A Roger le Gras died in 1304, leaving a
brother Nicholas, (fn. 97) but the manor next appears in
the possession of John de Watesham, who in 1362
granted to William de Staffhurst his manor of Foyle,
and in 1384 Margaret widow of the said John
released her dower and all claim therein to William
de Staffhurst, Roger Stalkyndon and others. In 1396
Roger quitclaimed the manor to John at Halle and
Joan his wife, daughter and co-heir of William de
Staffhurst, and to John Marchant and Margaret his
wife and to William Marchant and Catherine his
wife. (fn. 98) Margaret and Catherine are not described as
daughters of Staffhurst, but they undoubtedly were
so. In 1401 John Marchant granted to Stephen
atte Lee and Simon Dane all the lands in Oxted
which he had by feoffment of Stalkyndon, (fn. 99) and in
1406 John atte Halle and his wife quitclaimed their
share to Stephen. (fn. 100) Atte Lee and Dane in 1420
granted to Sir John Gainsford and others in trust for
him all lands, rents, services, &c., in Oxted called La
Foyle. Four years later all the parties except Gainsford reconveyed to Atte Lee, and in 1426 Gainsford
conveyed to him, reserving a road to his mill at
Crowhurst and a rent of 22s. (fn. 101)
A William atte Lee appears to have mortgaged the
manor to John Harling. (fn. 102) Later, at the end of the
16th or beginning of the 17th century it belonged to
William Harling of Oxted, from whom it was purchased by Robert Lord Buckhurst, (fn. 103) who seems to have
been acting for his father Thomas Earl of Dorset. (fn. 104)
The latter died seised in 1608; Robert died within
a year after, and his son Richard succeeded to his title
and estates. (fn. 105) In 1615 Richard, with Anne his wife
and Cecilia the widow of Thomas Earl of Dorset,
conveyed the manor to Francis Goston, (fn. 106) who in 1628
died seised holding the manor of Charles Hoskins as
of his manor of Oxted. (fn. 107) Francis his son and heir
suffered a recovery in 1636, settling it on his wife
Ann, (fn. 108) and died in 1642, leaving a son Francis, aged
five years. (fn. 109)
Later the manor seems to have been conveyed to
Anthony Farindon of Lingfield, whose son James sold
it to Thomas Streatfield. (fn. 110) He devised it in 1786 to
his wife for her life, with remainder to Henry
Streatfield of Chiddingstone in Kent. The widow
and Henry conveyed it to John Wells, a banker
of Wigmore in Bromley. On his bankruptcy in
1841 it was sold to William Leveson-Gower of
Titsey. (fn. 111)
STOCKETTS.
—In 1299 among the tenants of
Roger le Sauvage, grandson of Roland of Oxted, is
mentioned John atte Stockett. (fn. 112) In 1310 Robert de
Langenhurst and Alice his wife quitclaimed to John
atte Stockett and Matilda his wife for themselves and
the heirs of Alice one messuage and 50 acres of land
with 3s. 5d. rent in Oxted and Limpsfield. (fn. 113) John
atte Stockett is among the witnesses to a deed of
Richard atte Lee in 1321. (fn. 114) In 1345 John Stockett
granted to Sir Robert Stangrave and Dame Joan his
wife land lying between their wood on one part and
the Abbot of Battle's manor (Broadham) on the
other. Roger son and heir of John Stockett was
a ward of the lord of the manor of Oxted; the
bailiff charged, as paid for his commons going to
school, 10d. a week for thirty weeks, and 11d. paid
for cloth for one pair of hose, 1d. for sewing and 10d.
for two pairs of shoes. (fn. 115) John Stockett (probably a
son of Roger) granted 'the manor of Stocketts' to
John Alye and another in trust for himself and his
heirs; his son John died before 1471 and left an
only daughter Denise, wife of Robert Chapell. (fn. 116) She
left three daughters, co-heirs, viz. Elizabeth, who
married John Gens, Alice wife of John Ownstead and
Joan wife of William Banaster. They made partition
of the estate in 1515. (fn. 117) By the year 1577 William
Banaster's share had come into the hands of William
Causten; James Gens held a third, consisting of the
manor-house and 34 acres, and John Ownstead held
a third. Causten's share was still in the possession of
his descendants in 1690. (fn. 118)
The estate is now represented by the farm called
Stocketts. It came into the possession of the Hoskins
family, and was sold by the late Mr. Hoskins Master
to Mr. McNiven. The house, which stands back
from the east side of the Crowhurst road, is a small
Elizabethan house, the property of Mr. Young, and
is now used as a farm-house. It is of L plan and
faces east, with a south wing projecting westwards,
which appears to be a 17th-century addition. The
whole house is much modernized. It is two stories
high; the older part is of brick with stone window
dressings and has a stone-slated roof, but the south
wing is of half-timber and brick construction and is
roofed with tiles. The windows in the front wall of
the north wing are original and of five mullioned
lights; those of the bedrooms on the first floor on the
east retain a considerable amount of their original
glazing.
To the south-west of the building are a small pond
and the old stone malt-house.
CHURCH
The church of ST. MARY consists
of a chancel, nave, north aisle with a
modern north transept, a south aisle,
a west tower and a south porch. It is built of rubble
with chalk dressings.
The church appears to have been built about the
middle of the 12th century, but the only parts of
the original building now remaining are portions of
the nave walls and the ground-stage of the tower.
Late in the century the aisles and tower were added,
and about the year 1250 the chancel was rebuilt. In
the early part of the 14th century further alterations
were made, the aisles being widened and new windows
inserted throughout the chancel, while a little before
the middle of the next century new arcades were built
into the nave, the walls being at the same time
heightened and the south porch erected. From the
date 1637 placed in the east gable of the chancel the
church apparently underwent a restoration in the 17th
century, but no structural alterations were made to
the building from the time of the insertion of the
15th-century arcade until 1877, when it was completely renovated and re-roofed and enlarged by the
addition of the north transept.
The chancel walls have been plastered externally,
but on the north and south walls much of this has
worn off. The east wall was apparently cemented
over in the 17th century. At the east end of the
chancel the north and south walls have been projected
to form two-stage buttresses, and the east wall has
been treated in a similar manner. The buttress
at the east end of the north wall is considerably
restored, while an entirely modern one in two stages
has been built between the windows in the south wall.
The east window is modern and of four cinquefoiled lights, with an elaborate traceried head. It
was probably copied from the previous one, and may
contain some old stones.
In the north wall of the chancel are two 14th-century windows, each of two trefoiled lights with a
quatrefoil under a pointed head, with a ribbed rear arch
and internal moulded labels. In the east end of this
wall is a 13th-century Easter sepulchre with moulded
jambs and drop arch. In the west end of the wall is
a 13th or 14th-century pointed archway, opening
to a passage into the north aisle. The south wall is
lighted by two two-light windows similar to and of
the same date as those in the wall opposite. They
are much decayed, and the mullion of the westernmost one has been completely restored. Under the
sill of the first window is a 13th-century pointed
piscina with a shelf. The basin and hood moulding
have been cut off flush with the wall. To the west
of the second window, behind the backs of the quire
stalls, is a pointed priest's doorway with segmental
rear arch, now opening into the modern organ
chamber. West of this is a pointed recess with
a ribbed rear arch. In the back of it are two
four-centred trefoiled lights under a square head.
The chancel arch spans the full width of the
chancel, and is of the 14th century. Built into
the north wall towards the east end of the chancel
is an iron ring, from which possibly hung the Lenten
veil.
Plan of Oxted Church
The nave is in three bays with tall four-centred
arches of two double ogee orders, separated by a
deep casement. The piers are of three-quarter shafts
having moulded capitals and bases, the abaci and
plinths of which are octagonal, attached to each face
of an inner square having hollow-chamfered angles.
The outer order of the arches is continuous to the
responds. In the walls to the east of the east respond
can be seen the responds and the springers of the
arches of the small 13th-century arcades. The
responds had angle shafts with capitals carved with
stiff-leaved foliage and moulded attic bases. The
whole angle shafts, with capital and base, can be seen
on the north side of the north-east respond and on
the south side of the pier opposite. High up in the
east end of the wall of the south arcade is a threecentred rood opening, the stairs up to it being entered
through a four-centred 15th-century doorway in the
north-east corner of the south aisle.
In the east wall of the north aisle is a 14th-century
window of two trefoiled ogee lights with a quatrefoil
under a pointed head having a ribbed rear arch and
internal hood mould. In the north wall are two
large pointed windows, each of two lights, the tracery
of which is entirely modern, though the jambs are old.
Between these windows is a pointed arch opening
into the modern north transept; in the west wall is
a single cinquefoiled light of 14th-century date with
splayed inner jamb. Its external hood mould has been
cut off. In the wall to the east of the east respond
of the nave arcade is a small piscina, the basin of
which has been broken.
A 14th-century window similar to that in the east
wall of the north aisle, and formerly in a similar
position in the south aisle, has been reset in the east
wall of the organ chamber. The south aisle is
lighted from the south by two large pointed windows
filled in with modern tracery, though the jambs are
old and were apparently set in an older wall. In the
west wall is a two-light 16th-century square-headed
window having a segmental rear arch. Between the
windows in the south wall is an early 14th-century
pointed doorway having continuously moulded outer
jambs and a segmental rear arch. In the wall immediately over the doorway is a square-headed niche, and
by the east jamb is a mutilated holy water stoup. The
porch covering this doorway is of the 15th century.
In the spandrels of the south arch are quatrefoil
panels containing small escutcheons of Cobham. The
south wall is carried up into a pointed gable and
projects beyond the side walls to form buttresses to the
entrance archway, above which is a small 15th-century
image niche having continuously moulded jambs.
The buttresses have been considerably restored, the
east one having been almost entirely rebuilt in brick.
Set against the east buttresses is a sun-dial placed on
a baluster pedestal. It was erected in 1815, as stated
on a slab built into the wall above the dial. The
roof is modern and is covered with stone slates.
The tower is externally in one stage, being undivided by any string courses, and is surmounted by
a modern embattled parapet. Built against the north
and south walls inside the tower are 18th-century
galleries, with a staircase of that date in the north-west corner leading up to the bell-chamber. The
tower arch is pointed and of two chamfered orders;
the inner one stops at the springing, but the outer
order is continuous. Lighting the bottom stage from
the north is a small lancet having an external rebate
for a shutter and wide inner splays. In the south
wall is a similar light with a round head, and in the
west wall above a much-decayed pointed doorway of
two continuous hollow-chamfered orders, which
originally had a moulded label, now completely gone,
is a three-light modern window set in old jambs.
Lighting the ringing stage from the west is a small
trefoiled light of late 15th-century date, while in the
north, south and west walls of the bell-chamber are
modern two-light windows.
The north transept is of freestone, and has a gallery
approached from the inside by a wooden stair, and
externally by a flight of stone steps built against the
north wall of the aisle.
The roofs throughout the building are modern.
Both the font and pulpit are modern, but many of
the pews are of 18th-century date. An 18th-century communion table now stands in the tower.
In the four central lights in the head of the east
window are some fragments of 14th-century stained
glass portraying the symbolical representations of the
four Evangelists holding scrolls on which are written
in Lombardic capitals 'Johan,' 'Marc,' 'Lucas,' and
'Matheus,' respectively.
On the Easter sepulchre are traces of colour
decoration. The south door is a fine example of late
14th-century woodwork. The lower part is in six
panels, the four centre ones having trefoiled ogee
heads, while the upper part is occupied by vertical
tracery. In the heads of the four central lower
panels are small masks, now much worn, the outer
being bearded faces, the inner those of women
wearing the characteristic head-dress of the period.
In the north transept is a curious iron chest, probably of the 15th century, in the lid of which is a
remarkable locking mechanism. It bears traces of
elaborate painted decoration. In the churchyard
against the south wall of the chancel are two old
grave-slabs. Both have a plain cross extending the
full length of the slab carved on them, and are
probably not later than the 12th century in date.
In the floor of the chancel is a brass with the
following black letter inscription: 'Hic jacet Joh[anne]s
page quond[am] Rector hujus Eccl[esie] | qui obiit xiio die
mense Julii Anno d[omin]i Millõ. | ccccoxxviii cuius a[nimae]
propicietur ds Amen.' Above the inscription is the
lower part of the figure of a priest, broken across the
middle, in mass vestments. Another brass in the
floor of the chancel is inscribed in black letters:
'Orate Pro Anima Johanne Haselden que obiit
xxio Die | Mensis Octobris Anno Domini Millimo
cccc Octoagesimo (sic) Cuius Anime Propicietur Deus
Ame.' Above the inscription is the figure of a lady
dressed in the costume of the period with her hands
in prayer, while above her head is the matrix for a
shield. Below the inscription are the matrices of
figures of two children. The figure of the righthand child still exists from the waist downwards.
On the south wall of the chancel is a brass
inscribed 'Here lyeth enterred the body of Thomas
Hoskins | Gent second sonne of Sr Thomas Hoskins
Knight who | deceased ye 10th day of Aprill Ao Dñi:
1611. att ye age of | 5 yeares who aboute a quarter
of an houre before | his depture did of himselfe
without any instruction | speake thes wordes . . . &
leade us not into temptatiõ | but deliver us from all
evile . . . being ye last words | he spake. Here also
lyeth enterred ye body I of Thomas Hoskins gent:
the fifte sonne of Sr | Thomas Hoskins Knight who
deceased the 13th of | March Ao 1611 beinge halfe
A yeare of age.' Above this inscription are the brass
figures of a 16th-century woman and small girl.
Another brass on the south wall of the chancel has
the following inscription: 'Here lyeth interred the
body of John | Hoskins the fourth sonne of Sr Thomas
| Hoskins Knight who dyed the XIXth day of |,
July Ao Dñi 1613 | beinge of ye age of V yeres.'
Above the inscription is the brass figure of a boy.
On the north wall of the chancel is an elaborate
mural monument to John Aldersey, haberdasher and
merchant adventurer of London (d. 1616), and Anna
his wife. Within an arched recess are figures of the
man and his wife kneeling at a desk with an inscription
over. Below the large figures are, carved in relief,
their seventeen children, all kneeling, with their hands
in prayer. On a cartouche on the top of the monument is a shield of his arms, Gules a bend engrailed
argent between two cinqfoils or with three leopards'
heads vert upon the bend and the difference of a
crescent gules. On the pilasters at the sides of the
monument are the arms of the Haberdashers and the
Merchant Adventurers.
In the floor of the chancel is a brass inscribed
'Here lyeth the body of Mary Rand the | daughter
of Mr Thomas Sheafe of Crans | brooke & widow of
George Roberts of | Brenchly Gent & after the wyfe
of | Mr Ralph Rand Rector of Oxted whose | soule
was surrendered by her to God | that gave it, the
second daye of March | in the 72 yeare of her age
Ao; Do[mini]: 1638.'
Another brass in the floor of the chancel is
inscribed in memory of Joan, wife of Ralph Rand,
who died 14 August 1641, aged sixty-four. On the
north wall of the chancel is a brass in a marble
frame to Ralph Rand, who died in 1648, aged
eighty-eight. In the floor of the chancel is a stone
tablet to the memory of the wife of Charles Hoskins,
daughter of William Hale, who died 2 December
1651, aged forty-two, and to Charles Hoskins, son of
Sir Thomas Hoskins, who died 30 September 1657,
aged fifty-four. At the top of the slab is a shield of
their impaled arms. In the floor of the south aisle
is a sepulchral slab to Edmund, second-born son of
Charles Hoskins, who died in 1676.
In the nave floor are slabs to John Hoskins and
Philippa Rouse, daughter of Sir John Rouse of
Henham Hall, Suffolk, bart., who both died
1712; while in the floor of the chancel are slabs to
Sir William Hoskins, who died the same year, and to
George Bond, son of George Bond of Ogbourne
St. George, Wilts., by Elizabeth his wife, daughter of
Charles Hoskins of Barrow Green. He died in
1712, Elizabeth his mother in 1728.
On the south wall of the chancel is an elaborate
mural monument to William Finch, son of the Hon.
William Finch. He died in 1728.
There is a peal of five bells by Richard Phelps,
1729. The fourth bell is inscribed 'Ab omni fulgure
defenda nos domine Ricardus Phelps me fecit 1729,'
and the tenor has the following: 'Good folks with
one accord we call to hear god's word, we honour to
the king and joy to brides do ring, we triumphs
loudly tell & ring your last farewell R. P. Fo.
1729.'
The plate consists of a silver chalice of 1634 with
a cover paten of the same date; a chalice and cover
paten apparently of 18th-century date, but the hall
marks are quite illegible; an embossed plate inscribed
'The Rev. Dr. Cheyney Dean of Winchester';
two silver flagons of 1765, both with the same
inscription as the above plate; and a large dish
of foreign make enriched with repousse work of
Cupids and Bacchanals with a wreath of fruit and
flowers in the centre and the inscription 'The Rev.
Dr. Cheyney Dean of Winchester.' This basin has
the Nuremberg saw mark. There are also a chalice
and paten of 1885 which are used in the mission
room.
The plate inscribed 'The Rev. Dr. Cheyney
Dean of Winchester' was bequeathed to the church
by Catherine daughter of John Hoskins and wife of
William third Duke of Devonshire, to whom it had
been left. She died in 1777.
The registers are in four books: (1) baptisms 1613
to 1682, with a gap 1603–12, marriages 1555 to
1678, with a gap 1603–52, burials 1603 to 1682;
(2) all entries 1705 to 1799, marriages ending 1753;
(3) marriages 1755 to 1813; (4) baptisms and
burials 1800 to 1812. Baptisms and burials 1683
to 1704 and marriages 1679 to 1704 are lost.
There is a large Congregational chapel in Oxted,
built in 1905. At Hurst Green is the mission
church of St. Agatha. A site has been given and
money is being collected for building a much needed
church of larger size near Hurst Green.
ADVOWSON
A church on the manor of
Oxted is mentioned in the Domesday Survey. (fn. 119) The advowson was
appurtenant to that part of the manor of Oxted
owned by the family of Roland of Oxted, (fn. 120) and its
history follows that of the manor with the exception
that in 1794 Thomas Dyke presented to the living. (fn. 121)
In 1534, on the disolution of the priory of
Tandridge, the prior John Lyngfield was presented to
the living by Catherine Burgh, lady of the manor, (fn. 122)
and he is named as rector in the Valor Ecclesiasticus. (fn. 123)
CHARITIES
Smith's charity is distributed as in
other Surrey parishes. In the church
are also recorded:
1786, Mrs. Jane Linwood, £100; 1794, Mrs.
Jane Piggott, £150; and 1830, Lady Bensley, £50,
for the poor.
1832. Mr. William Peters, £200, for poor widows
not in receipt of parish relief.
1855. Mrs. Maria Sale, £100, for the poor; no
date is given in the church, but the gift was in 1855
by Charity Commission Report.
1892. Rev. C. M. McNiven, £50 to the poor,
£50 to the quire, £50 to the school, £50 to the
mission room, £50 to the reading room.
In 1887 a Queen Victoria Jubilee clock was put
up by £100 subscriptions and £50 from Mr. George
Marchant of Coltsford Mill.