NEWTIMBER
Niuembre (xi cent.); Nytymbre (xiv cent.); Newtimbre (xv cent.).
The parish of Newtimber covers a long strip of land,
3½ miles in length from north to south, and ¾ mile
broad, having Newtimber Hill, which is close on 700 ft.
in height, in about the centre of its area of 1,721 acres.
South of Newtimber Hill is the Downland portion of
the parish, with the hamlet of Saddlescombe, which
houses most of the population of 154 recorded in 1931.
Newtimber Place, in its park, and the parish church lie
at the foot of the Downs north of the hill. The summit
of the Downs is all sheep pasture, but there is arable
land in Saddlescombe and in the north of the parish.
The parish was traversed by a trackway of remote
antiquity, probably dating from the Early Iron Age,
and subsequently utilized by the Romans, in whose day
a road came from London southwards through the
Weald, to cross the Downs by way of the saddle between the Dyke Hill and Newtimber Hill on its way to
the mouth of the River Adur. This old track passes
between Newtimber Place and the church, skirts Newtimber Hill in a deep bostal, after which its route, now
followed by the western boundary of the parish, climbed
the Downs by way of the Dyke Valley.
Another old road enters the parish from Pyecombe
over the col between Newtimber Hill and Cow Down
and descends the coombe to Saddlescombe. Thence it
climbs the Downs southwards, by a deep bostal, in the
direction of Brighton, the modern road from which
appears to follow its course as it nears Saddlescombe;
it by-passes the hamlet and skirts Newtimber Hill to
meet the old track-way to Newtimber Church. From
the modern road another descends steeply to Poynings.
A road now runs at the foot of the Downs between
Poynings and Pyecombe, and the north-east side of the
parish is traversed by the road from Brighton to London
by way of Hickstead and Crawley. This road, first
opened in 1810, has since that date formed the main
London-Brighton road.
The earliest signs of the occupation of the parish are
to be seen on Newtimber Hill, where there are medieval
strip-lynchets. (fn. 1) These are believed to overlie earlier
prehistoric fields. The medieval settlement, however,
appears to have been at Saddlescombe, a small hamlet
surrounding a green, and now consisting of the manorhouse, to-day a farm-house, with a large farm adjoining it on the east, and a few cottages surrounding the
green.
Saddlescombe Manor-house
Very little of antiquity remains in the building of
Saddlescombe manor-house. (fn. 2) The main block, facing
south, is of 18th-century date. The oldest portion,
which now forms the east wing of the manor-house,
consists of an L-shaped building constructed chiefly of
chalk and timber with some brick. The longer wing,
running north and south, probably represents a medieval hall of about 38 ft. by 18 ft. (internal dimensions). It contains the present scullery and the two
storerooms adjoining it on the north, from which it is
separated by a large chimney-stack dating from about
1500. The chamber above the scullery contains a wellcarved fire-place in good freestone, with a four-centred
arch and deeply incised spandrels. The fire-place below
has been rebuilt during the 16th century, when its enlargement cut into the earlier bread oven on its east
side. The present fire-place has a chamfered brick
four-centred arch of wide span. Over the old oven is a
small room about 5 ft. square, contrived in the thickness
of the stack at about first-floor level, but approachable
only from the flue of the ground-floor fire-place. The
stack is at present surrounded by a building of two
bays, built in flint with brick quoins, and apparently of
the 17th century. The first floor is heavily timbered.
On the west side of the first floor, next the stack, is the
splayed reveal of a blocked window of medieval appearance. From the conjectural hall there projects eastwards
a small building of two bays in length, the division
being marked by a truss, with curved struts forming
a flat arch beneath the tie-beam, of rather unusual
design. This wing has a width inside of about 13 ft.,
increased now to 18 ft. under a lateral extension of the
roof. Its eastern end is of timber and tile-hung, a treatment which often indicates that the building was
originally longer and has been shortened. On the other
hand, there is a very heavy oak timber, some 7 ft. 6 in.
up, in this wall, with a large splay on its upper surface,
which may well represent the sill of an eastern window.
The position of this wing, pointing east from the hall,
suggests the chapel which, with the hall, is mentioned
in manorial records.
The establishment of the Templars and of their
successors the Hospitallers at Saddlescombe was clearly
always a small one, and although there are no structural
features which can be dated as early as the 14th century,
it is at least possible that this building represents
approximately the original lay-out of the preceptory.
In the centre of the village green is a deep well,
covered by a square timber well-house inclosing a
'donkey-wheel'. The apparatus consists of two wheels
similar to the wheels of church bells, their rims joined
by lengths of board to form the circular platform upon
the inside face of which the animal walked as the wheel
turned. The axle is supported by a heavy timber
framework similar in construction to a bell-cage. The
whole is perhaps of 16th- or 17th-century construction,
and is not now in use.
Newtimber Place (fn. 3) stands within its park in the northern part of the parish and is surrounded by a moat, the
plan of which is approximately square at its outer edge.
The island, however, is D-shaped, the curved side being
on the east, and the house standing on the side opposite.
The entrance was probably on the west, where the
present bridge leads to the back door of the house. This
part of the building, the north wing, is apparently the
oldest part of the house, and consisted originally of a
large late-16th-century farm-house, built of flint, with
heavy stone quoins and a strong plinth of the same
material. No old windows remain, but the original
entrance was probably on the site of the door, now
covered by a modern porch, at the foot of the present
back stairs. This door gave access to the lower end of a
large hall of three bays, at the farther end of which was
a fire-place, behind which was the chief parlour, also
with a fire-place. There was apparently also a lower or
dining parlour, represented by the present dining-room,
at the lower end of the hall. Late in the 17th century
the house was considerably enlarged by the addition of
the east wing, with its fine front, and the new buttery,
now the butler's pantry, and the grand staircase. The
old dining parlour was retained, and next to it was
planned a new 'front hall', with a drawing-room beyond at the south end of the new wing. The entrance
door was joined to the new staircase by a passage
cutting off the lower end of the old hall, which became
the kitchen, and the old private parlour became the
scullery. Beyond this a new room was built, with three
small gables overlooking the moat. The whole of the
old building was re-faced, and its windows re-designed
to match more nearly the new wing. In modern times
the drawing-room end of the wing has been extended
to the moat and a door has been made through the
central window of the east front and covered by a
porch. This front has a facing of squared flint. The
quoins are of stone, but the window surrounds are in
fine brickwork with gauged flat arches. There is a
projecting string at first-floor level, and a strong plinth.
The modern porch mars what would otherwise be a
fine front. The north front of the house is similar in
appearance, but the brickwork is not so good and the
window arches are very flat three-centred. The flint
facing on this side is not squared. The original entrance has had a later door inserted and is now covered
by a modern porch, and another door has been made
next to the large chimney-stack, to give access to the
present kitchen and scullery. The west gable of the old
house is surmounted by a small 17th-century bell-cote,
corbelled out from the wall-face. Below this is a low
17th-century building having three low brick gables
rising above the moat with a window, having a threecentred arch, beneath the central gable. The south
front of the house is of the 19th century and later. The
two gables covering the staircase and the adjoining
block are faced with tile-hanging imitating brickwork.
Within the house, the most interesting feature is the
fire-place in the front hall, probably removed from the
old private parlour. This dates from about 1600, and
has a pair of caryatids, the whole of very coarse design
and crudely executed. Within is a cast-iron interior of
late-18th-century design. The staircase is very fine and
dates from about 1680; it has an open well, and the
balustrade has heavy turned balusters. The staircase
hall was improved at the end of the 18th century,
when two new doors, with fan-lights over, were made
to give access to the front hall and to the passage to the
front door. At the same time a similar door was provided between the front hall and the passage. The
paintings which cover the walls of the front hall probably date from this period or shortly after.
Outside the moat at its north-west angle is an
octagonal pigeon-house, built of flint-faced rubble with
brick dressings and contemporary with the 17th-century alterations to the house. The roof is pyramidal,
tiled, and surmounted by a small cupola. It holds about
850 nests, and the potence is double, supporting a
ladder at either end. (fn. 4) South of the pigeon-house are
contemporary stables.
On the London Road, east of the church, is Redhouse Farm, a half-timber structure, now covered with
stucco and with imitation Tudor windows inserted in
the old walling. It is of early-17th-century origin and
has a hall and two parlours, all raised over cellars. The
first-floor beams are stop-chamfered. The cellar under
the upper parlour has an old trellis partition. There is
a large outshut aisle, containing the kitchen, at the lower
end of the house. The main stack is an insertion, and
the original stair has disappeared.
Manors
The earliest mention of NEWTIMBER
is in 960, when lands there were restored to
Wulfric the thegn by King Edgar. (fn. 5) It
was held by Aelfech of King Edward the Confessor, and
in 1086 Ralph de Chesney held Newtimber as 10 hides
of Earl Warenne. (fn. 6) This formed part of the 14 knights'
fees held by his descendants, the family of Say, owners
of Hamsey and Streat (q.v.). The overlordship descended with the rape, but in 1439 7 of the fees went
to Edmund Lenthall and the other 7 to the Duke of
Norfolk. (fn. 7) Eventually the overlordship of this manor
came into the hands of the Dukes of Norfolk. (fn. 8)
The mesne tenancy was long retained by the Say
family and by 1284, at least, Newtimber was held of
William de Say as half a knight's fee. (fn. 9) In 1367 the
manor was held as of the manor of Hamsey, (fn. 10) and in
1395–6 7¼ knights' fees, in Newtimber among other
places, were settled on Elizabeth de Say and her husband Sir William Heron. (fn. 11) Of these Sir William died
seised in 1404, (fn. 12) after which time nothing further appears to be heard of these knights' fees. (fn. 13)
Bartholomew de Capella was holding land in Newtimber in 1248 (fn. 14) and this may have been the manor
later held by his daughter Joan and her husband John
de Bohun of Midhurst who in 1281–2 leased it to John
de Bocking and his wife Alice for the term of their
lives. (fn. 15) John de Bocking appears still to have been in
occupation of the manor in 1296. (fn. 16)
Meanwhile, John de Bohun had settled his Sussex
lands on Anthony Bec, Bishop of Durham, for life. (fn. 17)
John died in 1284, (fn. 18) his sons John and James in 1295
and 1306, (fn. 19) and finally the Bishop of Durham in 1311, (fn. 20)
after which the manor reverted to the Bohuns, being
held in 1316 by Joan widow of the elder John de
Bohun. (fn. 21) Her grandson John son of James de Bohun
was holding Newtimber at his death in 1367, (fn. 22) and his
son John, (fn. 23) who in 1428 was holding the manor as half
a knight's fee, (fn. 24) died in 1433, leaving as heir his son
Humphrey. (fn. 25) Humphrey died in 1468, (fn. 26) and his son
John was dead by 1494, leaving two daughters, Mary
wife of Sir David Owen and Ursula wife of Sir Robert
Southwell. (fn. 27)
Say. Quarterly or and gules.
Bohun of Midhurst. Or a cross azure.
The manor was then divided and Ursula and Sir
Robert Southwell were dealing by fine with their moiety
in 1508. (fn. 28) Newtimber was still divided in 1523, (fn. 29) but
eventually Ursula and Robert died without issue. (fn. 30)
The other half of the manor was transferred by Sir
Henry Owen son of Mary Bohun and Sir David Owen,
in 1520 and 1522, to Thomas Cheyne and others. (fn. 31)
Parnell sister of Thomas Cheyne married Richard
Bellingham, into whose family
this moiety subsequently passed. (fn. 32)
His son Edward lived at Newtimber and probably built the
house there. (fn. 33) He died about
1589 and his son Richard died in
1592 holding the whole manor
which passed to his son Edward. (fn. 34)
Sir Edward died in 1640, (fn. 35) and
after the life-interest of his son
Thomas Bellingham, who died in
1648 or in 1649, (fn. 36) the manor
passed in accordance with Sir Edward's will to his
grandson Edward Woodcock. (fn. 37) Woodcock's claim to
the manor was challenged by a younger branch of the
family as heirs male, in the persons of Edward, John,
and Walter Bellingham, who in 1660 appear as defendants in a fine for Newtimber. (fn. 38) Nevertheless, the
ownership remained with the Woodcocks until Ursula,
daughter of Edward Woodcock, and her husband Pury
Cust sold the manor in 1681 to Thomas Osborne. (fn. 39) He
was succeeded in 1710 by his son Thomas, who died in
1727, (fn. 40) and from whom it passed to his eldest son
Leighton Osborne, (fn. 41) who with his wife Elizabeth in
1741 conveyed the property to Nathaniel Newnham. (fn. 42)
On the death of Newnham's wife the manor went to
George Lewis Newnham his eldest son, who died in
1800. (fn. 43) His son and heir John Lewis Newnham in
1832 sold the manor to Charles Gordon. (fn. 44) In 1909
Mr. Sydney Charles Buxton, later Earl Buxton, bought
it from the Gordons. (fn. 45) He died early in 1935, and the
Countess Buxton is now lady of the manor. (fn. 46)
Bellingham. Argent three hunting horns sable.
SADDLESCOMBE [Salescome (xi cent.)] was
held as 17 hides by Ralph de Chesney of Earl Warenne
in 1086. (fn. 47) Before the Conquest it had been held by
Godwin the priest of Earl Godwin, and formed part
of the manor of Bosham. (fn. 48) The overlordship descended
with the rape at least until 1344. (fn. 49) At a subsequent
date the manor was held of the king in chief. The
connexion with the Chesney and Say families appears to
have persisted until at least 1404 when William Heron
died seised of knight's fees including Saddlescombe. (fn. 50)
Towards the end of the 12th century Geoffrey de Say,
son of Alice de Chesney, (fn. 51) had granted the manor to the
Templars in exchange for the manor of Greenwich in
Kent, which he had previously given to the order. (fn. 52)
It was, therefore, seized by the king in 1308 with other
property of the Templars, (fn. 53) and after the dissolution of
the order in 1312 Saddlescombe was granted to the
Knights Hospitallers, (fn. 54) but John de Warenne, as overlord, interfered with the transfer and in 1315 obtained
licence to grant it for life to his illegitimate son Thomas
de Nerford, (fn. 55) who sub-let it to John de Brewose. (fn. 56) The
manor was subsequently acknowledged to be the right
of the hospital and the prior himself in 1342 demised it
to Thomas Nerford and his wife Alice for their lives. (fn. 57)
Sir Thomas died in 1344 (fn. 58) and his widow, presumably
some time after 1376, granted her estate to Richard,
Earl of Arundel, who after her death in 1395 continued
to occupy the manor as tenant-at-will of the successive
priors of the hospital. (fn. 59) The manor was taken into the
king's hands when Arundel was attainted in 1397, but
was restored in 1398 to the prior of the hospital (fn. 60) who
in 1428 was holding it as half a knight's fee. (fn. 61)
Knights Templars. Argent a cross gules and a chief sable.
Knights Hospitallers. Gules a cross argent.
After the dissolution of the order in 1540 (fn. 62) the manor
was granted as 'Sadlescombe and Blakefeld', in fee to
Sir Anthony Browne, the owner of Poynings (q.v.). (fn. 63)
In his family the manor continued to descend. (fn. 64) His
son Anthony Browne, 1st Viscount Montagu, died
holding it of the king in chief in 1592. (fn. 65) His son having
predeceased him, the manor was held, presumably as
dower, by his daughter-in-law Mary, afterwards Lady
Gerard, who outlived her son Anthony, the 2nd Viscount Montagu, and was dead by November 1637. (fn. 66)
Her grandson Francis, 3rd viscount, held the manor, (fn. 67)
which continued to descend with the title. (fn. 68) In 1792
the 9th and last viscount, Mark Anthony Browne,
leased the manor-house and farm to Stephen Byne, (fn. 69)
and in 1797 he died. (fn. 70) The manor then appears to have
passed to his distant cousin Elizabeth Mary Browne
sister of the 8th viscount, who with her husband William
Stephen Poyntz (fn. 71) in 1825 conveyed it to George
O'Brien (Wyndham), Earl of
Egremont. (fn. 72) On his death in
1837 the property passed to his
eldest son George Wyndham
Ilive, subsequently Wyndham,
the 1st Lord Leconfield. (fn. 73) He
died in 1869 and it passed to his
son the 2nd baron, who died in
1901. His son and successor
sold it in 1921 to Mr. Ernest
Robinson, whose family had
held the farm since 1854. (fn. 74) In
1926 the Brighton Corporation
bought the hamlet.
Wyndham, Lord Leconfield. Azure a cheveron between three lions' heads razed in a border wavy or.
A 'fee' of Saddlescombe was held by Ralph son of
Savaric and after his death was confirmed by Henry II
to Geldwin son of Savaric his brother. (fn. 75) In 1361 this
land was confirmed to John de Bohun of Midhurst, at
that time tenant of Newtimber. (fn. 76) The subsequent
history of this fee is unknown.
Church
The church of ST. JOHN THE
EVANGELIST stands on the opposite
side of the road to Newtimber Place, and
about 300 yards south-east of it. It consists of a nave
and chancel under one roof, west tower, north chapel,
and a vestry on the south side of the chancel. The
building shows flint facing with stone dressings.
The nave and chancel are probably of the 13th
century or possibly earlier, but were so restored in 1875
as to obliterate all old features. (fn. 77) The west tower was
added in 1839 to replace a timber bell-cote, and was
restored at the end of the century. The north chapel (fn. 78)
also dates from 1839 and the vestry from 1893. The
pulpit is formed of panelling of foreign appearance, and
somewhat altered, but believed to be Elizabethan, (fn. 79)
arranged to form a polygonal front, the whole raised on
a modern stone base.
There is one 18th-century bell by Thomas Lester,
undated. (fn. 80)
The church plate consists of a silver communion cup
of 1839; a paten of 1709; a silver flagon of 1896; a cup,
paten, and flagon of Sheffield plate; and a pewter almsdish dated 1719. (fn. 81)
The registers date from 1558.
Advowson
By 1281–2 John de Bohun was
holding the advowson of Newtimber,
which was not included in the grants
to John de Bocking or to the Bishop of Durham, (fn. 82) and
the advowson subsequently descended with the manor,
being shared during the time when Newtimber was
held in moieties. (fn. 83) In 1839 it was left by Charles
Gordon in trust for his younger son Arthur Pitman
Gordon, (fn. 84) who was succeeded by his daughter Mrs.
Ethel Hort. The rectory was united with that of
Pyecombe (q.v.) in February 1933, when it was
arranged that patronage of the joint benefice should be
exercised alternately by Mrs. Hort and the Lord
Chancellor. (fn. 85)