The Story of Shoreham
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"Shoreham crowned with the great of years" -A. C. SWINBURNE The Story of Shoreham By Henry Cheal Hon. Curator and Librarian to the Sussex Archaeological Society Illustrated by Arthur B. Packham Hove Combridges 1921 PREFACE To very many people the study of the past seems to be a valley of dry bones which they are more than content to leave unexplored. Indeed, it is said to be one of the peculiarities of the average Englishman that he knows little or nothing of the history of his own town or village, or even of his own country, although it is the most interesting in the world. To all those my Fellow-townsmen " To keep the past alive for us is the pious duty of the historian." who fared forth to the Greatest War known to History. So says a well-known writer, and in so far as this small corner of England is concerned, my aim has been to clothe again the And to the memory of those dry bones of history with life. Gallant Heroes who fell, nobly fighting in the Cause of Freedom and justice, Recent researches at the Record Office and elsewhere have this Story of Shoreham is dedicated. added not a little to our knowledge of the earlier history of this ancient Sussex sea-port. The Patent Rolls, Close Rolls and Assize Rolls have been carefully examined and Shoreham cases copied from them. The Assize Rolls for the reigns of Henry III. and the first three Edwards contain many references to our subject, but are, on the whole, somewhat disappointing. Most of them relate to disseisin of lands, but beyond the names of the parties concerned in the disputes and that the property was in Old or New Shoreham- as the case may have been-we learn nothing of its precise situa tion. To give all such cases in detail would mean a monotonous repetition which it is well to avoid, and therefore, they have been used somewhat sparingly. On the other hand full use has been made of those cases dealing with the privilege of Sanctuary, and those of assault and robbery, which are of considerable interest. Extracts will be found from Wills at Somerset House, the State Papers and other sources of historical information preserved at the Record Office, the British Museum and elsewhere. vii viii PREFACE Among numerous published works, to which reference has CONTENTS been made and from which I have freely quoted, are the Sussex PREFACE ... ... ... ... ... ... ... vii. PAGE Archaeological Collections, the Victoria History of Sussex, CHAPTER 1. ...1 Social England, History of the Blaker Family (W. C. Renshaw), The Adur Valley and its Ancient People-A Stone- Science in Arcady (Grant Allen), the Dictionary of National age " Sheffield "-A British Prince-Traces of the Roman Occupation-The Saxons--Steyning a Port- Biography, etc. Also certain MSS. relating to the history of Bramber Castle--Sele Priory-Ancient Bridges. the family of Poole of Old and New Shoreham, to which, by the CHAPTER II. .. ... 18 The Town and Harbour in the Middle Ages- courtesy of Capt. Herbert Ross Hooper, I have been allowed free Changes in Coastline-The Origin of New Shoreham- access. Havoc Wrought by the Sea-Situation of the Mediaeval Harbour - Decline of the Town - Excused from For many biographical details of the Shoreham M.P.'s and Taxation-Revival of its Industry-Old Roads into the Town. notes on the Parliamentary History of the town I am indebted CHAPTER III. .. .. .. ... 35 to Mr. John Patching, of Lewes. My thanks are also due to Old Shoreham-A Royal Manor-Held by Princes• Mr. Burton Green, :fir. A. F. W. Eade and Mr. E. F. Salmon. of Wales-Shoreham Marsh-The Ferry-The Timber Bridge-Picturesque Cottages-Former Water-mills The Story of Shoreham has been written during the somewhat and Windmills-Ancient Litigation. scanty leisure of the past few years. I am conscious that, CHAPTER IV. ... ..• .. 50 Old Erringham-Held of fing Edward the whatever measure of success it may meet with, will be due in no Confessor-Early Records-Will of John Cobye- Bellingham Family-The Old Manor House-The small degree to the clever pen-work of Mr. Arthur B. Packham, Chapel-A Restless Spirit-New Erringham House- whose pictures illustrate its pages, and to whom I am indebted An Old Coach-road. many practical suggestions and much valuable assistance. CHAPTER V. ... ... 63 for Old Shoreham alias " Ruspar "-Buckingham Family in Early Deeds-Blaker, Monk, and Bridger HENRY CHEAL. Families-Buckingham House. CHAPTER V I. ... ... 69 New Shoreham-The Manor and the Town-De Braose and De Mowbray families-Former and Present Government of the Town-Fairs and Markets-Market Houses -Suspension Bridge -Inns -Old Houses- Place-names-Bungalow Town. CHAPTER VII. ... ... ... .. 82 Grants to Ancient Religious Houses - Knights Hospitallers and Templars-Carmelite Priory-Its Gradual Ruin by the Sea-Hospitals of St. Catherine, St. Saviour, and St. James. CHAPTER VIII. ... 91 The Ancient .. Ferry at New Shoreham-The " Marlipins " - Forgotten Street-names - Old-time Traders-Custody of the " Cocket "-Wool-trade- " Owlers." ix x CONTENTS CHAPTER IX. ... 102 Scenes in the Market Place-Assault and .Robbery -Murder- The Church as a City of Refuge- Revenge for Piracy. CHAPTER X. .. ... ... 114 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS A Gateway to the . PAGE Sea-King John's Visits to the Town "Maritime Traffic-Thirteenth Century OLD HOUSES FORMERLY IN HIGH STREET ... ... Frontispiece " Ship-carpenters" -Piracy-Ships for the Wars of Edward III.-A " Pilgrim " Ship-An Action Fought ON THE RIVER ADUR ... ... ... ... ... ... 3 off SOMPTING CHURCH ... ... ... ... ... ... 8 Shoreham-Recommendations for " Defence The Royal Fugitive-The King and the Quaker. HIGH STREET, STEYNING ... ... ... ... ... ... 11 CHAPTER XI. .. ... 136 BRAMBER ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 13 Privateering-Prize Ships-Loyal Privateers- BEEDING CHURCH AND SITE OF SELF PRIORY FROM THE RIVER 14 Smuggling-Custom Houses. SHOREHAM ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... I8 CHAPTER XII. .. ... 147 COAST-LINE MAPS-13TH TO 19TH CENTURY ... ... ... 20-21 Ships of Shoreham-Revival of Industry in Elizabeth's Reign-Ships for East India Company-A LANCING ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 24 Relic of the Shipwrights' Art-A Seventeenth Century KINGSTON PARISH CHURCH ... ... ... ... ... 33 Builder and his Ships-Men-of-War-Later Builders COTTAGE BACKS, OLD SHOREHAM ... ... ... ... 36 -The Last of Her Kind-Concrete Ships and " Mystery"Towers -The Harbour in Modern Times-Oyster COTTAGE AT OLD SHOREHAM ... ... ... ... ... 37 Industry Steam Packets-War's Effect on Harbour COTTAGES IN MALTHOUSE LANE, OLD SHOREHAM ... ... 40 Trade. CHURCH AND BRIDGE, OLD SHOREHAM ... ... ... ... 41 CHAPTER XIII. ... ... 164 OLD COURT CUPBOARD AT OLD SHOREHAM ... ... ... 43 The Churches of Shoreham-Scanty Documentary HOUSE AT LITTLE BUCKINGHAM ... ... ... ... ... 45 History-St. Nicholas, Old Shoreham-Saints in a Window-An Elizabethan Captain and his Family- AT LITTLE BUCKINGHAM ... ... ... ... ... ... 46 " Rizpah "-The Parish Clerk and the Sailor King- OLD ERRINGHAM, WEST SIDE ... ... ... ... 51 The Church of St. Mary de Haura-The "Atonement" ARMS OF BELLINGHAM ... ... ... ... ... ... 52 of William de Braose-The Ruined Nave-Chantry Property-Memorial Inscriptions-Vicars of Old and OLD ERRINGHAM, SOUTH END ... ... ... ... ... 54 New Shoreham-Lancing College The Free Churches REMAINS OF MEDIEVAL BUILDING AT OLD ERRINGHAM ... 57 -The Church of St. Peter (R.C.). EXTERIOR AND INTERIOR OF OLD BUILDING AT OLD ERRINGHAM 58 CHAPTER XIV. ... ... ... 207 PLAN AND ELEVATION OF OLD BUILDING ... ... ... 59 Parliamentary History-Payment to Members in NEW ERRINGHAM . .. ... ... ... ... ... ... 61 Early Times-Eighteenth Century Bribery and Corrup- tion-Extravagance at Elections-List of the Members for New Shoreham-Biographical Notes. ARMS OF BLAKER ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 64 ABMs OF MONK ... ... ... ... ... ... 65 BUCKINGHAM PARK IN 1782 ... ... ... ... ... 66 CHAPTER XV. .. .. .. .. ... 245 Coaching Days-The .Carrier and his Cart-Open- ARMS OF BRIDGER ... ... ... ... ... ... 67 ing of the Railway-Shoreham in the Fifties-The AT SHOREHAM ... ... ... ... ... ... 73 Swiss Gardens-Some Old Customs. THE SHOREHAM SHILLING ... ... ... ... ... ... 75 CHAPTER XVI.... ... ... 258 THE SADDLER'S SHOP, EAST STREET ... ... ... ... 77 Aviation-The Military. Camp-Memorials to the OLD COTTAGES, FORMERLY ON SITE OF CATHOLIC SCHOOL ...79 Fallen. INDEX ... ... ... ... ... .. ... ... 265 xi iii LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS THE FERRY ... „, PAGE . 80 SEAL, OF THE HOSPITAL OF ST. SAVIOUR „, " ROGER DEMANDED FREIGHTAGE FOR THE FERRY 89 ... 92 HIGH STREET, SHOREHAM ... ... CHAPTER I. THE COCKET ... ... 93 99 " BEAT, AND KNOCKED HIM TO THE GROUND" THE ADUR VALLEY AND ITS ANCIENT PEOPLE-A STONE-AGE THE ASSAULT ON SIR RICHARD DE 104 " SHEFFIELD "-A BRITISH PRINCE-TRACES OF THE ROMAN OCCUPA- PESHALE'S HOUSE TION-THE SAXONS--STEYNING A PORT-BRAMBER CASTLE SELF ISABEL CLAIMS THE PRIVILEGE OF SANCTUARY 107 „, 109 PRIORY-ANCIENT BRIDGES. " THEY WERE THROWN OUT OF THE BOAT " „, THE KING'S 112 RETINUE ACCOMPLISHED THE LONG JOURNEY Although you will doubtless find many people who will tell FROM LINCOLN TO SHOREHAM IN SAFETY . „ you that any attempt to re-construct the period prior to Caesar's KING CHARLES' COTTAGE, SOUTHWICK ... 115 arrival in these islands is quite hopeless and mere foolish guess- .., 132 " FELL DOWN UPON HIS KNEES AND KIST MY HANDS " •.• work, it will be necessary for our purpose to say something •• 134 " THE FISH PRIZE LIES AT WASTE AND SAVOURETH " concerning it. The Adur Valley was the centre of a primitive „, 139 " THEY OFTEN DRINK THEIR MAJESTIES' HEALTH " civilization and the Story of Shoreham begins far back in that ... 140 YE OLDE " SUSSES PAD " INN .-, distant past usually termed Pre-historic. 142 as one writer remarks-" we have still much to learn THE CUSTOM HOUSE AT NEW SHOREHAM (IN 1830) ... It is true . 145 about the race on whose shores the Roman conqueror planted his OLD CHIMNEY-PIECE, SHOREHAM ... ... 148 eagles, but enough is known to tell us that Caesar descended THE BARQuE " BRITANNIA " ON THE STOCKS AT THE OLD SHIPYARD upon a country which had already been the scene of repeated ... .. ... .. 157 invasions and successive conquests, so that in the men who OLD SHOREHAM CHURCH ..