EAST CHILTINGTON
Childeltune, Childetune (xi cent.).
East Chiltington, formerly a chapelry of Westmeston, is now a parish of 2,500 acres to the east of
Plumpton. It lay entirely in the Weald and its altitude
varied from 100 ft. to 196 ft. at one point in the
north-east, until by the East Sussex Review Order
of 1934 detached parts of Chailey and Westmeston
parishes were added to it on the south, including Warningore, Allington House, and a portion of Downland
running up to 648 ft. Various lanes cross it, running
north from the main road to Lewes at the foot of
the Downs, and east from Streat; and the road from
Wivelsfield to Chailey passes through the north of the
parish. The church is in the centre of the parish,
where the lane from Streat meets another coming from
the south. Chapel Farm is to the west of the church
and Stantons Farm to the south, while Wootton Farm
lies farther east. The railway line from Haywards
Heath to Lewes runs across the centre of the parish,
and the nearest station is Plumpton, a mile north-west.
The Chailey Institution is in the north of the parish.
The soil is loam, sand, and clay, and the chief crops
are wheat, oats, peas, beans, and turnips. This ecclesiastical parish was attached to Westmeston until
1909, when it was transferred to Plumpton.
A thatched cottage, on the west side of Chiltington
Lane, towards the north end, shows timber-framing
and a repaired 17th-century chimney-stack with wide
oak-lintelled fire-places.
Lower Burrells, farther down on the north-east side,
is an attractive timber-framed house. The main range
of three bays dates from the first half of the 17th century,
and, not long after, wings were added, projecting north
from the end bays, making a half-H plan. The south
front shows timber-framing in wide panels over
Georgian brick. The east front displays work of two
periods: the earlier range has a gable-hipped roof and
a jettied first-floor, now underpinned by a brick wall;
the wing has slightly different levels, and oblong panelling above a band of close studding over a brick base;
the window spacing is original. In the north, or yard,
elevation the decorative close-studding is carried on
between wider panels above and below, and there is
diagonal strutting, also ornamental, below the hipped
gable. The west wing is contemporary, but the gable
has plain prick-posts between the tie and collar; below
the tie the wall is faced with late-17th-century brick.
The hall occupies the two east bays of the main block,
separated by a moulded beam, (fn. 1) and a third of the end
bay is divided off by original partitioning, which contains an internal window with diagonal bars. The
roofs are now floored at tie-beam level, but retain a
strutted king-post over the centre of the hall.
Upper Burrells, farther south, is an early-17thcentury house of three bays. A circular plaque on the
front with S B 1735 (for Susannah Bradford) provides
the date of its refacement in brick, with some tilehanging at the south end. The west front is patterned
with vitrified headers, and each bay has a long white
panel common to both floors containing three-light
sash windows, of which the side lights are narrower.
Original timber-framing shows internally, especially in
the upper story. There is an 18th-century staircase,
in one straight flight, and cupboards of the same date.
Farther south, on the east side, is a dilapidated cottage (Nos. 42 and 43). It is timber-framed with later
brick-nogging or brick facing, and contains two wide
fire-places, the western one now curiously placed at
right-angles instead of backing; the eastern one has a
four-centred head with moulded lintel. These were
probably late-16th-century insertions into an early16th-century house. The next cottage (no. 41) has
timber-framing in wide panels, and a repaired early17th-century chimney-stack.
Wootton Farm is a thatched house of three bays,
perhaps of 16th-century origin. The south front is
partly refaced with 17th-century brick and has [E/TI] 1652
above an 18th-century door. Original timber-framing
with wide curved struts appears at the east end (fn. 2) and
in the north wall east of a 17th-century chimney-stack,
which serves a great oak-lintelled fire-place, now unused. The hall is now subdivided, but a moulded beam
shows that it was originally of two bays, in the eastern
of which wide baulks are visible above the old joists.
'White House', to the east, is a small early-18th-century
brick house with rusticated entrance and tiled hipped
roof; the cellar has a barrel vault resting on great blocks
of masonry.
Chapel Farm (fn. 3) lies south-west of the church. The
present house is evidently a part only of a much larger
building that occupied the site. The existing fabric is
chiefly of the first part of the 16th century, but there
is insufficient evidence to identify the rooms in relation
to the original plan. The main block is of three roof
bays, lying north and south, of three stories (including
the attic) and having at the north end a cross-wing
projecting eastward. From the east wall of the main
block a newel stair projects, square in plan, and at the
south end of the same wall is a small eastward wing,
of which the first floor is modern. (fn. 4)
Of the north wing, the southern exposed wall of its
eastern projection is of Tudor brickwork with a large
projecting stone chimney with plinth. The fire-place
within this on the ground floor has a wide fourcentred moulded stone arch with plain spandrels and
moulded jambs of early-16th-century character but
much damaged. Its east wall on the ground floor is
oak-framed and brick-nogged and joins at its northern
end an earlier and ruined stone wall that continues
some distance beyond the wing to the east. The gable
end of the wing overhangs the ground story with
heavy projecting joists of the first floor and a bracket
on the south-east corner post. The north-east angle
rests on the ruined wall below. From the evidence of
the oak framing of this wing on the first floor there was
formerly a projecting oak window looking east. The
whole wing comprises four bays, the two easterly being
occupied by the drawing-room on the ground floor
and the room over. Both contain Elizabethan panelling. A part of the next bay is occupied by a stair of
about 1600, the landing of which is approached by a
four-centred oak archway with hollow chamfer. The
remainder of the third bay and the fourth form a bedroom in the north-west angle of the house. The wall
posts between the third and fourth bays retain the
tenons of the heavy braces or spandrel-pieces that
formerly made an arch beneath the tie-beam.
The main block of the present house has very little
to indicate a definite date. The rooms below were
never open to the roof, which is occupied by the
original attics, separated by heavy oak framing. From
the evidence of the collar beams, the curved windbraces, and the general character of the framing, the
date is just pre-Elizabethan. The roof plate is cut to
allow access from the newel stair, which, however, is
not much later than the building it serves. It is faced
with early 2-in. bricks in English bond.
The most important feature in this part of the house
is the fine stone fire-place in the 'Old Kitchen', that
is the chief apartment to the south on the ground floor.
This is of similar detail to that in the drawing-room but
larger and much more elaborate, having vine ornament
boldly carved in the spandrels. It is in situ, dating from
the first part of the 16th century. (fn. 5) Externally the stack
is taken up to form a rude gable under the shafts, a
rebuilding of the first half of the 17th century. The
'Old Kitchen' contains Elizabethan panelling.
The south end of the building is tile-hung over thin
bricks. The roofs are modern, but used to have Horsham slates. The windows are renewed throughout. (fn. 6)
The Chaloners formerly owned Chapel House, and
the younger branch of the family lived at Stantons, (fn. 7)
a long building, dated 1570, (fn. 8) consisting of five bays,
the two western sharing a central chimney-stack with
wide lintelled fire-places. (fn. 9) The north porch, central
to the early house, is two-storied. A bay to the west,
with external stack, was added early in the 17th century,
and there is a recent annexe at the east end. The central
staircase (fn. 10) was inserted in the late 17th century, and
the porch bay elaborated into an entrance hall. The
staircase branches to east and west; it has square newels,
turned balusters, moulded hand-rails, and in the west
part a latticed dog-gate with spiked top. The old
entrance door remains, with small moulded styles and
original knocker. The south front shows flint and sandstone, with some Sussex marble and brick quoins, and
there is 18th-century brick and tile-hanging to the west
bay. Stop-chamfered ceiling-beams are exposed on
both floors, and on the first some are ogee-moulded,
suggesting two-bayed rooms originally. There is a
cellar under part.
Across the lane west of the house there is a 17thcentury barn, timber-framed in square panels above
later brick, part being weather-boarded.
Manors
At the time of the Conquest, and before
it, there were two manors of 'Childeltune'
or 'Childentune' in Streat Hundred. The
larger of these had been held by Fredri of King Edward
for 7 hides and in 1086 was held by Earl Warenne for
5 hides and 1 virgate, the rest being in the Count of
Mortain's rape. Robert de Pierpoint was the earl's
tenant and 'a certain knight' held 2½ hides of Robert. (fn. 11)
A second manor had been held of Edward the Confessor for 2 hides by Godric. By 1086 Godfrey de
Pierpoint was holding it of Earl Warenne for 1½ hides,
the rest having been joined to the Count of Mortain's
rape. (fn. 12) It seems probable that the smaller manor later
developed into the manor of EAST CHILTINGTON
or CHILTINGTON FERRING, and that it formed
part of the 10 fees in Portslade, Aldrington, and Ovingdean, the overlordship of which fell to Edmund Lenthall in the division of the barony in 1439 (fn. 13) and subsequently to the lord of the manor of Portslade, in whose
hands it was found as late as 1631. (fn. 14)
Beatrice de Pierpoint, presumably heir of Godfrey,
married William son of Rainald de Warenne, (fn. 15) illegitimate son of the second earl, and their daughter
evidently brought the fee in marriage to Hubert de
Burgh, with the manor of Portslade (q.v.). It was
granted in dower in 1247 to Margaret, third wife of
Hubert de Burgh and sister of Alexander, King of
Scots, as ½ knight's fee. (fn. 16) It continued to descend with
the manor of Portslade, (fn. 17) passing through Hubert's
granddaughter Hawise, the wife of Sir Robert de
Grelle, (fn. 18) to their daughter Joan, and her husband John
la Warr, and his descendants. (fn. 19)
Alfred de Feringes, mentioned in 1247, (fn. 20) is the
first known sub-tenant, and seems to have been succeeded by Simon de Feryng, who had a son, John de
Palyng, but demised the manor for life to Master John
de Fering. (fn. 21) Master John was still in possession of the
manor in 1280, holding it 'of the inheritance of Emma'
wife of George de Barenton, (fn. 22) but in 1283 John the
son of Simon and Amice de Ferring recovered it from
him. (fn. 23) A Richard de Ferryng was living in 1327 and
1341, (fn. 24) and he and his widow Agnes, who was alive
in 1356, appear to have left two daughters, Isabel the
wife of John atte Nasshe, and Agnes atte Stone, whose
son Thomas atte Stone shared the reversion of the
estate with Isabel. (fn. 25) One moiety remained in the
family of atte Stone until about 1440, when it seems
to have been conveyed by Thomas atte Stone to John
Wodye. (fn. 26) In 1491–3 a John Wody and Agnes his
wife conveyed what is described as the manor of FERRING to William Covert. (fn. 27) He was not holding it
at his death in 1494, but his son John died seised of
half the manor in 1504, leaving three infant daughters. (fn. 28)
In 1510 John Wody and Anne his wife conveyed a
moiety of the manor to Richard Culpeper, (fn. 29) John
Chaloner of Cuckfield, and others. John Chaloner in
1520 left the (? whole) manor of Ferrings to his son
Nicholas, (fn. 30) who held it as ½ knight's fee of the manor
of Portslade, and who died in 1566, when it appears to
have passed to his son Richard, who died in 1610. (fn. 31)
Richard's son and heir Nicholas died in 1613 (fn. 32) and was
succeeded by his son, also Nicholas. (fn. 33) He held the
manor no longer by military service but in socage, by
rent of 8d. a year, by charter of the lord of the manor
of Portslade. (fn. 34) He died in 1646 (fn. 35) and the manor descended in the family of Chaloner (fn. 36) until 1729, when
Richard and Thomas Chaloner sold the manor to
David Fuller. (fn. 37) In 1827 it appears in possession of
William Coast and Margaret his wife. (fn. 38) The seat of
the manor at this time seems to have been Chapel
Farm. (fn. 39)
Feringes. Argent two gimel bars with a lion passant in the chief all gules.
Chaloner. Azure a cheveron argent between three voided lozenges or on the cheveron a trefoil sable.
What appears to have been the Nasshe moiety of
the manor of Chiltington was conveyed in 1356 by
John atte Nasshe and his wife Isabel to Nicholas de
Wylcombe, (fn. 40) who was already holding land there. (fn. 41)
In 1392 this was settled on Nicholas Wylcombe's son
Robert and his wife Alice, with contingent reversion
to Robert's brothers John and Peter. (fn. 42) Peter appears
to have succeeded his brothers and through him the
manor of CHILTINGTON alias STANTONS (fn. 43) came
into the possession of John Ledys, son and heir of Alice,
formerly wife of Peter Wylcombe, (fn. 44) and he held his
first court in 1449. (fn. 45) The manor remained with
John's descendants, the feoffees of William Ledys
holding courts there in 1503 and 1505 and those of his
son John in 1529. (fn. 46) John was five years old at the time
of his father's death in 1515 or 1516, (fn. 47) and his mother
Anne married Henry Roberdes, who took charge of the
manor till John's majority. (fn. 48) In 1548 John and Agnes
Leedes conveyed the manor to Nicholas Chaloner, (fn. 49)
who had inherited Chiltington Ferring. Stantons
passed to his younger son Nicholas, (fn. 50) who died in
1612, and his son Francis, at his death in 1624, was
holding Stantons of Walter Dobell as of his manor of
Westmeston. (fn. 51) Stantons passed from father to son in
this branch of the Chaloner family until 1714, when
Nicholas Chaloner, great-grandson of Francis, (fn. 52) sold
it to Michael Marten. (fn. 53) The latter was succeeded by
his son John, to whom his mother Ann Marten released
her right of dower in Stantons in 1736. (fn. 54) He died in
1741, and his son John left the manor in 1797 to
John Marten Cripps son of John Cripps and Mary
Wood niece of John Marten. (fn. 55) John Marten Cripps,
of Novington and Stantons, died in 1853, (fn. 56) and was
succeeded by his son Capt. Rush Marten Cripps, who
died in 1885, when the property was sold to H. Powell
Edwards. On his death in 1916 it passed to the
present owner, Colonel H. I. Powell Edwards, D.S.O. (fn. 57)
Leedes. Argent a fesse gules between three eagles sable.
Cripps. Or a cheveron vert with five horseshoes argent thereon.
NOVINGTON Manor first appears in 1258, when
it was in the possession of Robert de Pierpoint (fn. 58) lord
of Westmeston. (fn. 59) It descended with the manors of
Westmeston and Streat (q.v.) (fn. 60) until it was sold by
George Goring to George Luxford in 1610. (fn. 61) The
latter died seised of Novington in 1631, leaving a son
John, (fn. 62) and it remained in the Luxford family (fn. 63) until
the second half of the 18th century, when it passed by
the marriage of Mary Luxford to William Hassell, and
subsequently to their daughter
Ann Hassell, who was holding
it in 1786. (fn. 64) It was shortly afterwards acquired by John Marten
Cripps of Stantons.
Luxford. Or a pile azure with three boars' heads or thereon.
WARNINGORE [Venningore, Wantungor' (xi cent.);
Wanighore (xiii cent.); Wanyngore (xiv to xvii cent.)] lies
mainly in the parish of Chailey,
but the farm of that name was
transferred in 1934 to East
Chiltington. (fn. 65)
Before the Conquest it was held of King Edward
the Confessor by four alodial tenants for 3½ hides. Part
of this was subsequently attached to the Count of
Mortain's rape and by 1086 Earl Warenne was holding the remaining 3 hides, his tenant being Hugh son
of Golda. (fn. 66) The 7 knights' fees of which Warningore
formed part descended under the overlordship of the
Earls of Surrey, passing to the Bergavenny third of the
barony in 1439, (fn. 67) and continued in that family until
at least 1543.
The manor descended in the family of Plaiz with
the manor of Iford in Swanborough Hundred (q.v.).
It came eventually into the hands of Sir John Dalyngrigge, who, when in 1396 he was obliged to sell many
of his goods, retained the live and dead stock of this
manor, with five horses for riding. (fn. 68) Warningore continued to be held with Iford, descending in third shares
to the infant heiresses of Sir Roger Lewknor on his
death in 1543.
From this time its descent takes a separate course. In
1588 Constance, one of the daughters, and her second
husband Edward Glemham were holding a moiety of
the manor, (fn. 69) and in 1599 Constance, now a widow,
was sharing the whole manor with Sir Ralph Bosvile,
grandson of Katherine Lewknor by her second marriage
with Wyndham Morgan, and John Mill grandson of
Katherine and her first husband John Mill. (fn. 70) In 1616
the whole manor was conveyed by John Mill and his
wife Amy, Constance Glemham and her son Anthony
Foster and his wife Elizabeth, to William Prise, (fn. 71) probably for a settlement on Constance, who died seised of
the whole manor in 1635. Her son Anthony Foster
was her heir, (fn. 72) and the manor was subsequently held,
like Camoys Court in Barcombe (q.v.), in sixths by his
heirs, Morgan and David Jefferyes, Robert Rochester,
Anthony Browning, Walter Bockland, and Henry
Watkinson. (fn. 73) In 1654 five of these conveyed the whole
manor to Peter Bettesworth, (fn. 74) but before 1671 it had
come into the hands of Matthew Grace, who sold it
in that year to John Wheeler. (fn. 75) Warningore is next
heard of in 1711, when it was held by the Rev. William
Rootes of Chailey. (fn. 76) Later it came into the possession
of the Mansell family and in 1740 was held by the
Hon. Christopher Mansell, (fn. 77) who became Baron
Mansell on the death of his nephew Thomas in 1743–4. At his death it passed to his brother Bussy Mansell,
who died in 1750, (fn. 78) and from this date it follows the
descent of Newick Place (q.v.), (fn. 79) the present owner
being Mr. Gilbert E. Sclater of Newick.
A chapel of Warningore is mentioned in 1287, (fn. 80)
and also in 1303 and 1396, (fn. 81) but there is no further
trace of it.
The custom of Borough English obtained in the
manor. (fn. 82)
The manor of WOOTTON [Wodetona (vii cent.);
Odintune (xi cent.); Woodton, Wotton (xvi-xviii
cent.)] was given by Ceadwalla, King of Wessex, to
Theodore, Archbishop of Canterbury, in 687. (fn. 83) It
remained the property of the Archbishops, and was
appropriated to the clothing of the monks of Christchurch. Before the Norman Conquest it was assessed
at 6 hides, but by 1086 1½ hides which lay in East
Grinstead had been attached to the Count of Mortain's
rape. (fn. 84) During the 15th century the manor was leased
by the Prior of Christchurch to the Prior of St. Pancras, Lewes, at a yearly rent of £10 13s. 4d. There
was then a hall with a low chamber at the south end and
a small kitchen, a thatched grange, a tiled granary, and
a small thatched stable beside the entrance gates. The
stock accompanying the lease consisted of 4 oxen, a
cock, and 2 hens. (fn. 85) In 1535 the manor was valued
among the possessions of Christchurch, Canterbury, at
£13 6s. 8d. (fn. 86) After the Dissolution it became the
property of the Dean and Chapter
of Canterbury Cathedral (fn. 87) and
still remains so. It was leased
from time to time to many different families, (fn. 88) until in 1716 it
was let to Henry Pelham and
subsequently to his son Thomas,
and to the Earls of Chichester,
his descendants, (fn. 89) with whom it
still remains.
Dean and Chapter of Canterbury. Azure a cross argent charged with the letters I/X sable.
There was also 1 hide in
Wootton, formerly held by Godric of King Edward the Confessor, which in 1086 was held
by Nigel of William de Warenne. No one lived on
it. (fn. 90) Nigel gave this hide of land to the priory of St.
Pancras at Lewes and the grant was confirmed by
William de Warenne II. (fn. 91)
Church
The chapel, now parish church, of unknown dedication, is built of sandstone
rubble; the roofs are tiled.
The nave dates to the early 12th century. A west
tower was added c. 1200. The chancel was rebuilt
later. The church was restored in 1889–90. (fn. 92)
The chancel (16 ft. 2 in. × 15 ft. 10 in.) presents
few original features. The east wall with its diagonal
buttresses is modern, but a 15th-century cross is re-used.
The north wall is probably a 14th-century rebuild and
has a chamfered plinth. The south wall is contemporary, with a modern two-light window. The chancel
arch was rebuilt 1889–90.
The nave (36 ft. 6 in. × 18 ft.) has a north wall,
c. 3 ft. thick. At its east angle is a 12th- or 13th-century
buttress in two stages with restored top chamfer and
some brick repairs. The west buttress is built with the
west wall, possibly rebuilt with the tower. A lean-to
coal-store blocks the outside of a 12th-century doorway
with elliptical rear-arch and plain jambs. Opposite,
in the middle of the south wall, is a contemporary doorway, also with similar rear-arch but loftier, and with
a slight chamfer in the head; the outer arch is later and
equilateral. West of it is an original window; it has a
loop 6 in. wide with chamfered semicircular head, a
semicircular rear-arch, and hollow-chamfered jambs.
A modern two-light window probably replaces a similar
loop east of the doorway. The east buttress is built
with the east wall of the nave, and is of two chamfered
stages without a plinth; the west buttress is similar.
The old wall-plate is visible externally.
The PARISH CHURCH EAST CHILTINGTON
The west tower (9 ft. 8 in. × 11 ft. 2 in.) is of early13th-century date and of two stages undivided externally; it is finished with a pyramidal cap. It is also built
in sandstone rubble, but less well coursed. There are
no buttresses or external entrance. The tower arch is
of two chamfered obtuse-pointed orders, of which the
outer is probably of 14th-century date, the inner with
its corbels modern. There is a modern screen dividing
it from the nave. The north wall has a contemporary
chamfered lancet with a segmental-pointed rear-arch.
There is a similar lancet in the south wall, restored
externally. In the west wall is a modern window of
three lancet lights. The top stage has, to north, a
loop with semicircular rebated head, and a restored
loop in the south and west walls; on the east are two
rough slits.
The nave and chancel roofs are partly of 17thcentury date. The chancel has a tie-beam and later
queen-post struts. The nave has three 17th-century
chamfered ties with similar struts; the middle tie is
marked on the east face—N C I C 1669. The tower
ceiling is modern. The floors are of modern
tiles and wood, there is a step at the chancel
arch and another at the altar rail.
The altar fittings include re-used and
restored panelling. There are 18th-century
Commandment tables, over the chancel
arch; in the vestry is a late medieval crucifix,
re-set, dug up in what, since 1908, has been
the churchyard. There are mason's marks
on the internal jambs of the doorways to
the nave. The pulpit is dated 1719.
There is one bell, 1769. (fn. 93)
The plate includes a cup (1662 hallmark), paten (1739), and another with no
date mark, a flagon and two glass cruets
with silver mounts, and a pewter alms-dish
(1737 inscription). (fn. 94)
The registers date from 1651.
There is a yew south of the church; it
has lost its head, and has been filled with
two tons of concrete to preserve the rest.
East Chiltington was a chapel of ease to Westmeston
from at least 1291 (fn. 95) and so remained until 1909, when
it was annexed to Plumpton. (fn. 96)
Charity
Richard Parsons by will in 1611 gave
the Pit Croft, containing 1½ acres, the
rents thereof to be applied to the lame
and impotent poor of Chiltington. The land was sold
in 1904 and the endowment is now represented by
£232 19s. Consols producing £5 16s. 4d. annually in
dividends which are applied for the benefit of the poor
in accordance with the provisions of a Scheme of the
Charity Commissioners dated 25 Feb. 1910.