ISSN 0307 2568 Sussex Archceological Society Newsletter

Twenty-Three Edited by Alec Barr-Hamilton, 226 Road, , BN3 7LP 778629

December, 1977 Published by the Society at Barbican House, Lewes

HONORARY AREA REPRESENTATIVES SUSSEX ARCHAEOLOGICAL (as at 7th October, 1977) COLLECTIONS Volume 114 (1976) We are very grateful to the following Members of the Society who All members who joined the Society before 1 st October. 1976, have agreed to act as Honorary Area Representatives. should have received this volume. Should any members not have They would be pleased to help Members with any Queries that they done so, would they please contact the Hon. Membership might have on local or general archaeological/ historical matters Secretary. and may be contacted at the addresses or telephone numbers given below. Chichester and Mr. F.G. Aldsworth, 124 Whyke Road, SUSSEX ARCHAEOLOGICAL Immediately North Chichester, West Sussex, P019 2JG. (Chichester 82904) COLLECTIONS Volume 115 This volume is extra to the Society's annual series. It is the Hartingl Midhurst Area Mrs. A.M. Booker, Butts Hay, Didling, Midhurst, West Sussex. definitive account of the excavations conciJcted on Rookery Hill, Bishopstone, between 1967 and 1975, when evidence was found Cuckfield Area Mr. D. Caplan, The Old Cottage, of Neolithic occupation, of a farming community of the Iron Age and Whitemans Green, Cuckfield, West Romano-British periods, and an extensive Anglo-Saxon Sussex. (Haywards Heath 54301) settlement. The volume contains 320 pages, which include 111 Hastings Mr. D.C. Devenish, Museum and Art figures, 21 plates, 23 tables and an index. Copies are ava ilable both Gallery, Cambridge Road, Hastings, in hard cloth bindings and in paper covers, which are offered to East Sussex. (Hastings 435952) members of the Society at the substantially reciJced prices of £3.50 East Grinstead Area Mrs. Mary Francis, Jessamine and £2.50 respectively, if collected from Barbican House; plus 60p Cottage, Talbot Road, Lingfield, more, if posted. An order form is enclosed with this Newsletter. Surrey. (Lingfield 833388) Mr. P.D. Wood, Applecross, Ashhurst Road, East Grinstead, West Sussex. (East Grinstead 23742) BAR BICAN HOUSE LI BRARY - Hassocksl K eymer Area Mr. Simon P. Garrett, 35 Church TWO-WEEK CLOSURE Mead, Keymer, , West The Museums, Library and Muniments Committee has agreed that Sussex. (Hassocks 2181 ) the Library in Barbican House shall be closed from 9th-21st Mayfieldl Wadhurst Area Mrs. Jocelyn Gibb, Mousehall, January, 1978, inclusive, for cleaning, stock-taking and some Tidebrook, Wadhurst, East Sussex. reorganisation. (Wadhurst 2367) Mrs. Meryl Smith, the Hon. Librarian, would be very grateful if Brighton Mr. K.A. Goodchild, 17 Fairview Rise, members would volunteer to help her. Could they please contact , Brighton BNl 5Gl. her by telephone, or in writing, as soon as possible. (Brighton 507613) J . ~ . Wigg. Hove Mr. E.W . Holden, 5 Tudor Close, Hove, Secretary East Sussex. BN3 7NR . (Brighton 738307) Bognor and South of Mr. R.J . Lintott, 17 Sandymount MEMBERSHIP CARDS, 1978 Chichester Area Avenue, Bognor Regis, West Sussex. In order to save postage: those members who pay by Banker's Winchelsea Captain H. Lovegrove, CBE, RN, Order may use their 1977 membership card until 30th April. 1978; Nesbit, Winchelsea, East Sussex. their 1978 cards will be sent with the April 1978 Newsletter. (Winchelsea 302) Buxtedl Area Mrs. D.M . Meades, Huggetts Farm, High Hurstwood, Uckfield, East Sussex. ( 3131) ANNE OF CLEVE'S HOUSE GARDEN Steyning Mr. F.W . Payne, AshbtJrton, Steyning, This Autumn sees the successful completion of the first phase of West Sussex. (Steyning 813248) the Tudor Knot Garden. This represents the first project undertaken Bexhill. Sf. Leonerds, Mr. A .G. Scott, 36 Clinton Crescent, by the Friends of Anne of Cleves' House, a group formed in 1975 to together with Battle, Area St. Leonards-on-Sea, East Sussex. promote and improve the Museum. Despite the serious setbacks of (Hastings 437264) the dry summer of 1976, which killed all the newly-planted trees, Eestbourne Area Mr. K.W. Suckling, Little Corran, 272 most impressive progress has been made to transform the area of Willingdon Road, Eastbourne, East rough grass, behind the Museum. into an attractive. terraced Sussex BN20 9JR. (Eastbourne garden, laid out to a simple but effective plan. Four small beds. 51060) plantild with herbs and flowers. appropriate to the Tudor period and outlined with box hedges. are laid out on two grass terraces. Ashdown Forest Area Mr. C.F. Tebbutt, The Pheasantry, bisected by a brick-paved walk. An upper. paved terrace allows Wych Cross, Forest Row, West access to the Museum store rooms; and a grass alley. lined w ith Sussex. (Forest Row 2321) pyramid box. leads down from the covered carriageway on the east West Chilringtonl Mrs. J.C. Saunders Jacobs, Firlands, side of the house. Pulborough Area West Chiltington Common, The garden was planned largely by Mr. Stephen Moore. who has Pulborough, West Sussex. (West also proved tireless in fund-raising for the project. A very generous Chiltington 3197) donation from the Friends of Lewes and further grants from Lewes Aree Mrs. B.M . Westley. 18 St. George's Town and District Councils. together with money raised by the Gardens. Church Walk. Worthing. Friends from other sources. have virtually financed the work (total West Sussex. (Worthing 31758) £650) and it is hoped to develop. the northern end of the garden.

122 once further money can be raised. A small group of Friends has EXCAVATIONS 1977 been involved in planting and weeding the flower beds but it is now hoped to attract more volunteers from the Lewes area, so that NINE Archaeological Society people can be made indiviciJally responsible, one for each of the Stratham Moated Site, Henfield TO 201 137 nine beds that will eventually. be laid out; a planting scheme and At the northern end of the enclosure, a section was cut through the plants will be supplied. Any donations, whether financial or of the kiln building rA') in order to impose various checks and to establish following plants, to help complete the second stage of the garden, a pottery sequence; during this operation, there was found the base would also be most welcome: of a domestic oven of the 'squatter' period (c.1350-1450). Dianthus barbatus (Sweei William) At the south-east, part of the kitchen building rH') was re­ Primula vulgaris (Primrose) excavated so that the purpose might be determi ned of the feature of Nepeta (Catmint) tiles, placed compactly uPon their sides upon the floor; and it Thymus (Thyme) appeared that this was to lay a slip-resistant floor surface (c.1350- Paeonia (Peony) 1450). Cowslip The prinCipal activity of the season, however, was the excavation of Mr. Stephen Moore, 103 High Street. Lewes (Tel : 4158), would be an area of the northern half of the southern arm of the moat, pleased to hear from anyone willing to help. It is hoped to allow immediately adjacent to the southern wall of Building '0 ', some public access to the garden, once it is well established and security 14m east-west by 4m north-south and having a maximum depth of problems have been overcome. 2.5m. Following the removal of trees which grew about the moat, Fiona Mareden the southern face of that building was completely exposed and found to consist of six courses of chamfered greensand blocks, with a projection of 1.5m into the moat. It was approximately 2m high and 5m wide. Building '0' had probably been a small two-storied tower, set at the south-west corner of Building 'B', to which it may KINDRED SOCIETIES have been an addition; it had been erected after the moat had been Our many kindred Societies present a generally vigorous picture. in use for some time. The Worthing Archaeological Society is experiencing resurgence, Abutting the stonework on each side were the partially collapsed with a renewed vitality and a large increase in membership; the remnants of two front-braced timber revetments, running east­ Brighton jIInd Have Society has maintained its unbroken record of west. These had protected from erosion the clay moat bank that, in . excavation; the busy Lewes Archaeological Group, besides its turn. had protected the flanks of the forward projection of the recent symposium, includes excavation, courses on archaeology, building, which had been erected upon the natural clay. The field walking and surveys among its current activities. The Sussex timbers survived in a remarkable state of preservation. At the moat Industrial Archaeology Society was recently honoured by the bottom, not Quite parallel with the stonework, and partially award of the first of the Grants under the Grant Aid Certificate excavated last year, lay a base-plate, 8.5m in length and with 15 scheme initiated by Industrial Past. In its latest Newsletter. the mortises in its upper surface, terminating at its western end in a Eastbourne Local History Society gives a nominal list, with scarf joint which indicated that, in its original position, it had had an nicknames, of the surprisingly numerous late 17th and early 181h­ extension. This timber may have been associated with a landing century Eastbourne fishermen, pleasure-boatmen and stage, the presence of which was suggested by other evidence. lifeboatmen; while Bulletin No. 21 of the East Grinstead Society, Many of the timbers had been re -used. which was a Special Jubilee Edition, topical and informative, Sections of the base-plates and of all types of superstructure were maintained its high standard. Our sister Society of Surrey keeps us removed to the Weald and Downland Open Air Museum for their advised of its progress in its frequent Bulletins, from which we immedaite preservation and ultimate dendrochronological learn that. recently, it made a foray into our territory at Warnham. examination and conservation. It may prove possible to arrange for the re-erection and display of a complete section of the revetment. comprising base-plate, toe, toe-pile, brace, brace-peg, upright and plank. Sections of the moat. at both east and west ends of the cutting, gave a cl ear picture of its history, Among the small finds were interesting THE ROMANS IN SUSSEX examples of 13th/ 14th century pottery, together with a medieval shoe sale and small, wooden trough. On Saturday, 15th October, the eighth one-day Annual Conference Alae Barr-Hamilton was held at the Haywards Heath College. The change of venue took this event, for the first time, into West Sussex. Once again, it was a 'full house' and the attendance, the Quality of the speakers and the excellent arrangements reflected the careful planning and untiring Chichester Civic Society Excavations efforts of the Conference Secretary, Mr. Ken Suckling, to whom we Committee are greatly indebted. Discussion periods were animated and Chichester produced both penetrating Questions and stimulating answers. In the absence of Professor Wilkes who, unfortunately, was Sites Oblerved indisposed, the Chair was taken by Mr. Peter Drewett, Director of During the past year, the centre of Chichester has been torn up by the Sussex Archaeological Field Unit. contractors laying surface water drains and new gas mains. This The first paper was presented by Mr. Alec Down who, in his clear, has provided a rare opportunity to observe long sections through forthright and cheerful style, told of his excavations of the Roman the streets w ithin the historic core of the city and we are most villas at Chilgrove and Up Marden. The two Chilgrove villas had grateful to the Chichester District Council, and their contractors showed standard development and each had suffered a disastrous Geoffrey Osborne ltd., and to Southern Gas, w ho gave us every fire in the 4th century. Chilgrove 2 had produced a mosaic that is facility for observation and recording. The end result has been a unique in the area of the Roman Empire, being ornamented by nine considerable increase in our knowledge of Roman Chichester and is summarised below:- circles of chalk tesser with decoration which, as yet. has not been explained; and a floor in an adjoining room which had an equally North Street A wall, almost certainly belonging to the temple mysterious device. of Neptune and M inerva, was found just north Mr. Owen Bedwin then described his recent excavations at of the junction w ith Lion Street; this was Chanctonbury Ring, where the imminent replanting of parts of the tile-bonded and c.0.85m w ide. A narrower wall famous clump had afforded a rare opportunity to examine the site, joined it. at right angles, from the east side. The albeit progress being impeded by tree-roots and the debris of World position of the building, on the east side of the War II battle training. The areas excavated within the rampart had Roman street and within a few feet of the spot yielded many sherds of very small, possibly votive, vessels, while where the famous CogiciJbnus inscription was coins belonged either to the 1 st. or 3rd and 4th centuries. A single found, although short of absolute proof, is, section was made of the rampart and ditch, the former having, at nevertheless, a strong indication that the that point, an internal retaining wall of chalk blocks. For this there inscription was in a primary position when it is no known parallel and it may represent ostentation in relation to was found, in 1723. the Romano-British temple, which is known to have existed upon Further south, and in front of the Assembly the site in a situation approximately central to the enclosure. The Rooms, was another substantial north-south primary fill of the ditch was of the early Iron Age with, immediately wall but this was not parallel to the temple wall above, a sterile stratum, overlying which was one indicating and must be part of a much larger bu ilding lying Romano-British occupation. beneath the Assembly Rooms. Mr. Martin Bell dealt with Rural Settlements on the South Downs, Further south still, in front of the market, was a and, speaking with conviction and clarity, gave a comprehensive paved area, c.0.30m below the modern street and up-to-date exposition of his subject, examining the several surface; this may well have been the medieval facets of rural life and death. market place and it sea led a large Roman Moving from the general to the particular, Mr. David Rudling then hypocaust. The hypocaust extends across the gave an account of his recent work on the Romano-British site at road and the building to w hich it belongs has its Frost Hill, Beachy Head. western boundary below the west pavement of The final paper, showing originality of thought and an impressive North Street. Later w orks by Southern Gas and grasp of his subject. was given by Mr. Christopher Green, on the the District Council uncovered two sections of Romano-British Pottery InciJstry in East Sussex. With informative east-west walling. one below the road and the illustrations, V\It1ich included AfricarT analogies, he brought a fresh other beneath the pavement in front of the approach to thIS study. market

123 At the north end of North Street. the gas main release the land for excavation in advance of its transfer to the trench cut through part of a masonry wall District Council. The Council, in turn, have co-operated with us at constructed of squared limestone blocks. This every stage, with the result thjlt the project is now well advanced may have been part of the west guard tower of and should be completed by the deadline of 31st December. It Northgate but there was so much disturbance would not have been possible to complete the excavation without a by modern services that it was not possible to full -time team of diggers, and this was achieved by means of a come to any firm conclusions. grant from the Manpower Services Commission, which is South Street Part of the Roman Southgate was seen and providing work for six unemployed young people, under the Job recorded; this was just west of Rumbelows. In Creation Scheme. In addition, the work is supported by our usual addition, five massive sections of walling were team of skilled volunteers at weekends-and vacation times. The located further north, all aligned east-west and results are summarised below:- constructed of greensand ashlar. The most The excavations covered the area previously occupied by Bell northerly section was just south of the Cross House, Nos. 4, 5 and 6, Chapel Street and the northern part of the and runs below the Midland Bank. Central Girls' School. Cellars, below Bell House and the houses West Street The gravel spread wh ich covers the centre part north of it. were found to have destroyed all layers down to the early of the Roman town was located in a pipe trench Roman but trial excavations have shown that the earliest levels are dug in front of the Dolphin and Anchor; this still intact below the cellar floors. sealed a rubble layer, probably from a destroyed Post-medieval: Little activity has been recorded from the 14th to building, and a sherd of Antonine samian was 18th centuries and what documentary sources there are suggest found below this in a layer of dirty clay. that the land was used for agriculture for most of the time. Part of the ground plans of two large buildings has been plotted. These had East Street A number' of lateral sections through the substantial stone-packed pQst-holes and may have been barns. A Roman street were recorded and a large considerable amount of carbonised wheat grain was found over sandstone block, probably a base for a column, much of the site, some of it above the late Roman floor levels. This was found set in the gravel of the street on the was often in association with charcoal and might derive either from north side. A number of fragments of masonry burnt thatch or, less likely, from stubble burning. were found some years ago when the Post Office cut a service trench up the north side of Medieval: There is virtually no evidence for medieval domestic East Street and this latest discovery suggests occupation on the site. Very few pits produced any medieval glazed that there was a large bu ilding nearby, on the or coarse wares and the small sample recovered was mainly north side of the street. heavily abraded, possibly by the plough. Th is confirms the impression gained elsewhere on the Chapel Street sites. Crane Street Part of a Roman tile-bonded wall was found, aligned east-west, and the medieval street Late Saxon: There was heavy occupation of the area in the Saxon surface located in several places. period and, while most of the activity is assigned to the 10th, 11th and early 12th centuries, there is a small group of pottery which St. John's Street The town wall foundations were seen where might be pre-10th century. While structures are difficult to identify the road joined Market Avenue and, at the north because of later disturbance, the number of late Saxon cess-pits end, fragments of human skeletal material and three wells - two of which were timber-lined - testifies to were found. These were expected, as the pipe continuous occupation over a long period . One of the most trench cut through land which was formerly interesting and important finds was the discovery of no less than part of the Blackfriars cemetery. The massive six pottery cla mps, cut into the destruction levels of the late Roman chapel walls, seen on the Adcocks site as house. Five of the clamps were close together and at least one cut running below St. John's Street. had been through an earlier one. The sixth was at the north end of the site robbed out at this point. and nearly all below the section; this has not been excavated. The Newtown A north-south Roman street was found, thus scale of the pottery production indicated by the number of clamps in confirming observations made several years a small area suggests strongly that it was commerical, as opposed ago when service trenches were dug further to the sporadic making and firing of domestic coarse wares that south. would be practised by a small, self-sufficient community. The It can now be seen from the operations in North Street that the wares were of typical, oxidised, gritty fabrics, some w ith organic Roman Forum is most likely to lie within the corner formed by the tempering as well, with cooking ' pots, spouted pitchers and Dolphin and Anchor and other properties on the north side of West spouted, shallow bowls being the main production lines. They date Street. and the large Roman buildings below North Street which from c.early- l1 th century and were still being produced a century have their western boundaries below the west pavement of that later. It is likely that production began in the pre-Conquest period street. The presence of Antonine samian, below possible and may have had its origins in the demand for domestic wares destruction levels sealed by the gravel spread, confirms evidence which would have arisen with the increase in the number of from two other points below the gravel in the north-west quadrant settlers after the establishment of the Saxon burh early in the and it must mean that the landscaping of the central area of the 10th century. Two unusual triple-spouted storage vessels were town is now considerably later than we thought and was being found, both with grid-stamped rims and shoulders and one With carried out well on into the second century. applied finger-impressed strips. While single-spouted pitchers are common, triple-spouted vessels have been, hitherto, unknown in Sites excavated Chichester and parallels are being sought elsewhere in the south of Eastgate: Work on this site revealed the following features:- England. (i) An early Roman well, with large amounts of 1st-century Roman: The area immediately south of the present site was ponery in the top fill, including imitation Gallo-Belgic occupied in late Roman times by the Roman cross-roads and the pedestal beakers. southern part of a large town house (House 2) which is now thought to extend northwards as far as Providence Chapel. The Roman (ii) A deep Roman cess-pit, very rich in 2nd-century wares street runs at an angle northwards along the east side of our and just east of the well. present site and all but the south end was destroyed by the cellars (iii) A late 4th-century well with massive amounts of late, below Bell House. A total of nine rooms was found, including part of colour-coated, stamped wares from Oxford and the New a tessellated corridor with caving along the walls and a simple Forest and with many items of Roman jewellery and geometric design at one end. More pieces of the fine, polychrome cams. mosaic, first recorded in 1973, were also discovered in later pits. It now seems certain that the area outside the Eastgate and south of The remains were badly eroded, first by the intensive Saxon Stane Street must have had domestic occupation from at least the occupation and, later, by 16th and 19th-century cess-pits and wells laner part of the 1 st century up to the late 4th century and every but it could be seen th.t the part of the house that we were opportunity should be taken to examine areas outside the East excavating was one of the seryice areas, with a courtyard, re­ Gate, in particular those further east from the site reported here, to surfaced on at least one occasion, coming in, on the east side, from test the extent of this hitherto unsuspected Roman suburb. the street. Three large latrine pits, one timber revened, were found Chapel Street: Work commenced, in January, on the last-but-one in the courtyard. On stripping the floor levels of the later house, it section of the Chapel Street sites, where previous excavations, on was found that an earlier building (Phase 1) lay below and that, at the site of the Central Girls' School, Clemens Yard and Gospel Hall, some time, probably in the early 4th century, the house had been from 1968- 1.974, showed continuous occupation from A.D.43 to rebuilt on almost the same plan, with the masonry footings of the early 5th century, and intensive late Saxon occupation on the line of later house on the same alignment and alongside the gravel the Roman cross-roads found below the school. Analysis of the footings of the earlier phase. This earlier building was probably half Roman pottery showed that there was a significant amount of or three-quarter timbered and it is known, from the excavations Arretine and early Gallo-Belgic wares present in the lowest levels, below Gospel Hall, that some, at least. of the partition walls together with a small amount of Atrebatic pottery and a number of between the rooms were of clay. This earlier house did not extend early Iron Age coins. Some of the imported wares could be up to 30 eastwards as far as the north-south street and, at the north end of years old at the time of the conquest and, although rio structures the site, more of th~ Roman garden, first noted in 1973, was found have yet been identified, the possibility that the Chapel Street sites below the make-up for the ~th-century floor levels. Three mortar might be peripheral to a pre-i nvasion Atrebatic settlement cannot bases, roughly in line, extended from north to south along the east be ignored. For this reason, excavation of the remaining 750 sq.m. side of the Phase 1 house. One· was sealed by the later gravelled on the west side of Chapel Street was highly desirable, in order courtyard and another was incorporated into the wall of the Phase further to explore the possibility of an Iron Age settlement and also 2 building. They may have been the bases either for fountains or to examine, more closely, the late Saxon development pattern. The small statues and are similar to the one found below Gospel Hall. land is owned by the Post Office at present but is due to be acquired A small number of ovens was found below the Phase 2 courtyard by the District Council and developed as a housing complex. Such and these may represent the cooking arrangements for an earlier development would, inevitably, destroy all the archaeological building, pre-dating the Phase 1 house, as one of them is cut by a layers and, with typical generosity, the Post Office agreed to mortar base (see above).

124 At the time of writing (October, 1977), the layers below the Phase 1 shown to be of remarkable interest and is composed of a great house are being carefully trowelled off and slots belonging to archway of Caen stone butt-built against the 11 th-century work to timber buildings are being excavated. A number of items of the south and across an arched aperture in the north flintwork wall. legionary equipment. mostly from the lorica segmentata (the The great arch itself was subsequently in-filled with well-dressed segmented cuirass worn by 1 st-century legionaries), have been chalk blocks, as were a series of arched openings in the original found but it is stressed that, at the level at which they are walls, for a purpose and at a date still to be determined. During the appearing, they are probably re-deposited. The buildings excavation in this area a series of worn but otherwise undamaged associated with the military occupation of A .D.43 are known to lie inlaid and glazed floor tiles was recovered as well as a finial in the below. Among the more spectacular finds of this period are a form of a faun-like, grotesque head sculptured in green sandstone. co mplete legionary gladius, with part, at least, of the scabbard, and Undercroft of 12th-century Dormitory: The whole of the area of a 1st-century ring intaglio in translucent green chalcedony this extension has been cleared and the original floor level portraying a satyr, seated, playing a set of double pipes. established. Further dating evidence for the threatened early Alec Down collapse of the southern end of the dormitory block has been provided this year by pottery recovered from holes dug into the undercroft floor to hold massive timbers, erected at the time, to support the roof arches. The suspected cause for t his instability has also been confirmed Eastbourne Natural History this year. In the area aga inst the outer wall to the west and against the north wall of the 12th century Reredorter, the grid of trenches, and Archaeological Society which revealed the existence of the stonemasons' yard, has had to Eastboume, Church Street be excavated to depths of some 2m, in order to reach the 'natural '. During June and July, 1977, excavation of part of the site of the Old In the trench against the north exterior of the Reredorter, the Jesus House and Vicarage, situated to the south of St. Mary's or iginal stone door-sill of a double-leafed entry has been located at Parish Church, was undertaken. a depth of 1 m below the present surface. The 'natural', beneath The site is known to have been built on early in the 13th century and that, was not reached until the overall depth was 1.40m. This it is hoped that a useful quantity of medieval pottery will be 'natural' (which extended beneath the water table of the late collected; and that the work will shed some light on the medieval summer) consists of decayed vegetable matter and esturine silt. development of the town and its early post-medieval history. and is viewed, at present, as the old shoreline of the tidal salt marshes of the 12th ce ntury. Into it. beneath the line of the north So far, the foundations of the Jesus House have been partly wall, wooden pile-work had been driven to a further 1 m in an 'exposed, together with others, unsuspected, of the 13th or 14th attempt to consol idate the ground upon which the masons then centuries. Associated with these remains, were quantities of slate proceeded to build their mortared flint and chalk rubble wall and encaustic floor tiles, worked sandstone and metalwork which footings. included a large number of small pins, some lace ends and what are, probably, a token and some jettons. Almost inevitably, a few stray flint artifacts from the Mesolithic have been recovered along this shoreline. Earlier features included a stone-lined sewage pit; and two, later, associated pits contained numerous animal bones. The Great Drain: This, in the 12th century Reredorter, and the A sandstone, steined, post-medieval w ell has been excavated to a earlier drain in the 11 th century latrine block, has remained water­ depth of nine metres and appears to have been cut through an filled until recently, when the main source for the water was earlier, chalk-lined medieval feature, which may also be a well. diverted away from the Pr iory site in the course of the new by-pass road works. Excavation has now been resumed in the larger sewer During the coming Winter and the Spring of 1978, it is hoped totally at the w estern end of the building, and the recoveries to date to excavate the site. include a complete, still corked, early salt-glaze 'greybeard' jug and Lawrence Stevens further leather footwear from the immediate post-Dissolution period. Laymens' Cemetery: In September, a re-Iaying of the gas main in Priory Crescent, which lies w ithin the northern boundary of the Pr iory, revealed a total of eight graves, existing some 65cm Lewes Archaeological Group beneath the present road surface, in the solid chalk of the Lewell, Eastgate TO 418103 Southover ridge. The skeletal remains were largely undisturbed, In advance of rebuilding operations, three small pilot areas are except for some of the skulls. These have been recovered, arid the being excavated with the obj ect of identifying and confirming nature of the graves recorded, together with the location of part of. medieval activity or occupation at the eastern limit of the town, the footi ngs of the Great Gate at the western end of the Crescent. including the controversial position of the town wall and the and the footings of the northern boundary wall at the eastern end. medieval causeway and wharf outside the east gate. Burials have been encountered in various of the gardens of houses in Pr iory Cresce nt in the past. but the extent of the cemetery as Cutting 'A ' was selected to disclose the ditch associated with the revealed now , so close to the main gate and so far north, is of Green Wall. A culvert, built in 1806 to reveal this ditch, has been considerable interest. found, which suggests that the wall was westward of its plotted Richard Lewis position but investigation is continuing. Cutting 'B', to discover the position of the causeway, was very restricted by existing buildings but has produced a quantity of 13th-century pottery, overlying a mortared, chalk structure, sufficient to warrant further investigation. Cutting 'C', adjacent to the river bank has, so far, disclosed the foundations of the building shown on Figg 's map of University of London Institute of 1799 and work is proceeding. Archaeology Plumpton, Roman Villa Site Sussex Archaeological Field Unit This site has been under observation by one of our members for the past three years but is now being systematically investigated by the Alciston, 81ack Patch TO 494033 Group. The considerable quantity of building material and pottery, Preliminary excavations of this extensively plough-damaged and the foundation outlines, suggest a small villa or farmstead. Middle Bronze Age settlement site, located three huts and an Field-walking will continue but, although there are no plans for associated fence line. The principal hut produced pottery, flintwork, excavation, deeper ploughing is causing serious damage and future animal bones, loom weights and three bronze objects; this hut action is being discussed at the appropriate level. partly overlayed an earlier one containing very few artifacts. The Ringmer, Medieval Pottery Kiln TO 462127 excavation w ill continue in 1978. The proposed excavation, announced in Newsletter No. 22 has had P.L. Drewett to be postponed in favour of the Eastgate project (above). Finds from previous field-walking are being analysed and further field-walking will continue during the W inter. Beachy Head, Frost Hill, Bullock Down TV 672 960 E.W . O'Shea As part of a multi-period Downland project, the excavation was carried out of a Romano-British settlement; it yielded traces of three timber buildings, two lines of post-holes that are interpreted as fence lines, part of a feature thought to be the stoke-hole of a corn-drying oven and a number of isolated post-holes. An initial Lewes Priory Committee examination of the pottery suggests that the site was occupied Lewell Priory, Southover TO 414094 throughout the Roman period. It is planned, next year, to follow-up the results of this summer's work by opening up a much larger area, The 1977 programme of work continued mainly in the areas w ith the aim of obtaining a more meaningful settlement plan and reported upon towards the end of last year (Newsletter No. 20). site history. These notes therefore follow the same sequence of headings. David R. Rudling Basement of 11th-century 'Necessarium': Total excavation of the self-contained south-eastern basement was begun in a full week at Easter and a total of some 77m3 of dead mortar and building debris Beachy Head, Bullock Down, Heathy Brow TV 691 937 was removed, leaving a critical 50cm above the original floor level Further excavations, of the Neolithic open settlement site, revealed ~till to be excavated as time and weather allow. The present level is. concentrations of early Neolithic pottery, together with flint waste, greatly below that of any previous excavation, and t he well­ scrapers, serrated blades and a pol ished, flint axe. No features preserved north herringbone flintwork wall, of 11th-century date, were located. is revealed to almost its full height. The west wall is also now P.L. Drewett

125 Beachy Head, Bullock Down, Kiln Combe TV 573 964 restoration of the water pump at Coulters haw , Petworth. A survey The excavation of the northern building terrace on the Medieval of w indmill remains has been undertaken and, as a result. the site at Kiln Combe was completed during 1977. A rectangular flint ­ Council has agreed to contribute to current restoration on Halnaker footed building, containing an oven and hearth, was totally Tower-mill , Shipley Smock-mill, Clayton 'Jill' Post-mill and Clayton excavated, together w ith four outbuildings. All appear to date from 'Jack' Tower-mill. Work is now in progress on Palmerston's Fort of the 15th century, although occupation of the site goes back to the 1B57 at Shoreham Beach, in an attempt to render the present 13th century. The survey of Iron Age, Romano-British and Medieval structure safe from furt her decay and to make it more fields on Bullock Down was completed. comprehensible to the public than at present. Th is work is being P.l. Drewett financed by the Manpower Services Commission (J ob Creation Programme), the Department of the Environment. Adur District Cou nci l, W est Sussex County Council and local business interests. Chanctonbury Ring, West Sussex TO 139 121 An archaeological and historical input has been published in Three areas were excavated in side Chanctonbury Ring hill-fort in Chichester District Council's Local Plan for the Manhood area and a advance of tree replanting and a section w as cut through the hill­ management scheme for the control of future activities on Iping fort's univallate defences. Its construction was dated by pottery to Common acknowledges the features of archaeological interest in the early Iron Age, after which it was abandoned until its re-use as a the area. Romano-British temple site. A hard-packed chalk floor, Surveys have been undertaken in several areas of t he County and corresponding to one corner of the temple, was uncovered. Large the following sites have been recommended for scheduling:- amounts of Romano-British pottery were found, including many sherds from vessels of small diameter, presumably votive vessels. Late Bronze Age Settlement. Cock Hill, Patching Court Hill Enclosure, Ea st Dean One of these, about 4cm high, was found intact_Th e evidence from Halnaker Enclosure, Boxgrove the pottery and the coins suggests use of the temple throughout the Torberry Hill-fort, Harting Roman period, though mostly in the 3rd and 4th centuries A.D. Borough Farm Roman Village, Pulborough Some Neolithic flintwork was also recovered but there were no Duncton Roman Villa Neolithic features. Owen Bedwin Medieval Site at Old Erringham, Shoreham M onkton Deserted M edieval Settlement, W est Dean Chilgrove Ch ap el Site, West Dean Ha.ting Beacon, West Sussex SU 808 183 Durford Abbey Remains, Rogate During the second season at Harting Beacon, two areas of the hill­ Petworth, Site of M edieval House fort w ere excavated; (1) the western entrance, (2) an area 30m x Wephurst Glassworks, Kirdford 15m in the south-east corner, adjacent to the area excavated in Amberley Lime Kilns 1976. Littlehampton Fort The w estern entrance consisted simply of a gap in the univallate Much of the iniative for these schemes has, so fa r, come from defences. It had been considerably disturbed by previous individuals and groups who are not directly concerned w ith excavators but undisturbed silts from both ditch terminals yielded archaeology. It may be that a few more l o ·~ al societies w ould like to early Iron A ge pottery. Two large entrance post-holes were found; become involved in similar schemes but requ ire a small grant to both had been filled w ith domestic rubbish. enable their project to get off the ground. The County Cou ncil has a limited allocation for accepted cou ntryside amenity and In the area inside the south-east corner of the hill-fort. only one conservation schemes. shallow pit and a single post-hole were found. Owen Bedwin Details are available from:- Wealden Iron Research Group Th e County Planning Officer (Ref. FGA), West Sussex County Council, Pipping ford, Cowpark TO 452309 County Hall, The excavation of the 1 st-century bloomery site on the army Chichester, training ground is now complete. Three furnaces were found, bu ilt West Sussex. F.G. Aldsworth in oval pits so that their low er parts have been preserved; they appear to be of unusual type and are be ing studied by M r. Henry Cleere. The working area shows many features which it is difficult to interpret; these include an anvil site, surrounded by hammer sca le. Numerous post and stake-holes seem to make little sense. The associated pottery appears to be typical of the late Iron Age and some sherds have the characteristic cu rvilinear decoration. CURRENT EXCAVATION Eastbourne Natural History Director: Lawrence Stevens. C.F. Tebbutt and Archaeological Society Continuing until May, 1978. Eastbou rne, Jesus House Site TO 598 495 Medieval & Post-Medieval Particulars obtainable from ARCHAEOLOGICAL CONSERVATION IN The Excavations Secretary, WEST SUSSEX 1976-77 M iss Rita Poole, 62, The Risings, Eastbourne. (Tel : Rece nt visitors to Highdown and Cissbury may have noticed that 762770) scrub has been cleared from both sites. Th is has mea nt that the archaeological features are now more clearly visible and the threat (See, also, separate note in this of damage by root growth has been removed. These are two of the Newsletter) schemes that West Sussex County Cou ncil has been concerned with during the past two years in an attempt to conserve its archaeological and historical heritage. In addition to actual conservation on sites, this involvement includes identif ication and survey, the recommending of sites for scheduling as Ancient Monuments and the recognition of features of interest in Planning FORTHCOMING ARCHAEOLOGICAL Documents. WORK At Highdown, clearance has revealed the position of the trenches Beachy Head, Bullock Down dug in 1 B57-67 and 1939-47. A new survey has been undertaken Intensive field walki ng of ploughed fields, overlying Neolithic, Iron and this will form the basis for a series of new period plans of the Age and Romano-British sites on Bullock Down, will take place site, which may be used in Worthing Museum's proposed from 2nd-6th January, 1978. Informal talks on field survey publication on the Anglo-Saxon cemetery site. At Cissbury, techniques, the identification of objects and the analysis of results, clearance has been concentrated on the area of the Neolithic flint will precede each day's work. Volunteers should meet at 10 a.m. at mines at the south end of the hill-fort. It is hoped that the National the Natural History Centre on Beachy Head . If you would like to help Trust will continue to maintain both areas free from undergrowth. (any period from a day to the full week), please inform Mr. P.l. The South Downs Preservation Trust has taken leases on the Drewett, Institute of Archaeology, 31 -34 Gordon Square, London barrow cemeteries at Heyshott Down and at the Devil's Jumps, WCl H OPY, who will provide further details, when available. Treyford. With financial and other help from the County Council, the former has now been cleared of scrub and work on the latter has commenced. It is hoped that limited access will be made available to both sites from the South Downs Way. The County Council has also grant-aided the restoration of barrows on Sullington Warren by the Sandgate Preservation Society. LEWES ARCHAEOLOGICAL GROUP Additional financial support has been provided to the Chichester TRAINING COURSE Excavations Committee, for the landscaping and erection of an information board at the site of the Chilgrove 2 Roman Villa, at Two further 'evening courses in archaeological practice will be West Dean, and to the Goodwood Estate for the erection of an promoted by the Group, commencing January, 1978:- information board at The Trundle at Singleton. 1. A Study of Field-walking, Processing of Finds and On the industrial side, grants have been provided to the Weyand Interpretation of Results, by David Freke. Arun Canal Trust for the restoration of Malham Bridge, Wisborough 2. The Drawing of Pottery and Flint Artefacts, by Lisbeth Green, and to the Sussex Industrial Archaeology Society for the Drewett.

126 For further experience in surveying, as a follow-up to last year's Mr. Atkinson is a well-known authority on his subject and his little course, a survey is being carried out around Norton Manor Farm, book is quite encyclopaedic, giving aphabeticallists of makers with Bishopstone, to trace possible house platforms and other features towns, dates and other relevant information, a list of published of the shrunken medieval village. Details of all courses are available papers for reference, details of pipe manufacture and a wealth of from Mr. V. Horne, Hon. Secretary, 5 Ferrers Road, .Lewes (Lewes helpful illustrations which show, clearly, the development of size, 3103). type and decoration of these humble artefacts. He brings us close to the life and times of the pipemaker, who was often poor and illiterate. His work is a valuable contribution to Sussex archaeology and both he, and Crain Services, are to be congratulated upon having made so much information available, in so ready a form, at so modest a price. INLAND UNDERWATER ARCHAEOLOGY A . 8 -H . I was interested to read your publication concerning the Royal Peter Drewett (Ed.), Rescue Archaeology in Sussex, 1976, 59pp, Military Police at Chichester Barracks, who made an appeal to 11 plates, 32 figs, (Institute of ArChaeology, London, 1977) from members who had wells or ponds to enable their diving SQuad to M iss Cartwright. Institute of Archaeology, 31-34, Gordon Square, maintain their practice dives. London WC1 , price 80p inc. postage (cheques should be made . On two occasions, recently, the divers headed by Sergeant-Major payable to the Sussex Archaeological Field Unit) . David Holland and Sergeant-Major Jim Griffiths attended with all With the promptness that we have come to expect from the Sussex of their equipment at my home at , where they went Archaeological Field Unit, this interim report, reprinted from down myoid well. On the second occasion, David Holland, Bulletin No. 14 of the Institute of Archaeology, University of accompanied by Corporal Cheyne Robb and John Hackett (a London, summarises rescue operations undertaken during 1976 in civilian) and Bill Beckinsale (of the Merchant Navy) camped out in the counties of East and West Sussex. one of my fields for the weekend, thereby giving them the The report covers 15 excavations of sites ranging in date from the maximum time available on the site. A number of small articles Neolithic causewayed enclosure at Offham Hill, near Lewes, to the were recovered but the purpose of this letter is to thank publicly, 16th/ 17th-century blast furnace at Maynard's Gate, through the columns of your publication, those members of the . 11 of the excavations undertaken during the year diving squad who came to render me assistance by going down my conform to four research projects which are to operate for a period well to investigate the contents at the bottom; and thoroughly to of five years at the end of which time the situation concerning recoml'flend them to any other members who have similar projects threatened sites w ill be re-assessed in terms of academic 'in mind. These men used their own time in which to undertake the priorities. The four projects are summarised in the publication and work and their cheerful manner and the extreme amount of the Unit must be congratulated in taking this approach which, in a patience which was displayed were really a credit to these young period of economic restraint, is clearly a sounder approach than men and the Regiment they represent. digging a site simply because it is threatened or because it is there. P.W .C . White The first project is concerned with Neolithic and Bronze Age settlements and their territories. Following a brief summary of the four main classes of Neolithic site in Sussex, Peter Drewett outlines the results of his excavations at Offham Neolithic causewayed enclosure, a Neolithic open settlement on Bullock Down, Beachy UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHAMPTON Head, and a barrow cemetery at Slindon. Since several Some members, particularly those resident at the western end of causewayed enclosures have recently been investigated, one West Sussex, may be glad of the opportunity to attend the following suspects that a new interpretation of their function may be non-residential day and weekend courses that have been arranged forthcoming and we await his final report to see how he interprets at the University:- the discovery of complete and disarticulated human bones at this and other sites. His trial trenches on Bullock Down were aimed at Day Courses Aspects of Antiquity. On investigating one of the ever-increasing number of concentrations Wednesdays, at 7.30 p.m. in Lecture of Neolithic flintwork on the South Downs, some of which are Theatre 1, Medical and Biological thought to be open settlement sites. A probable working floor, w ith Sciences Building, Boldrewood pottery, is indicated in the area being investigated. The barrow (entrance off Bassett Crescent East). cemetery at Gumber Farm, Slindon, is one of a number of sites The three remaining meetings, listed found by Robin Upton, of Slindon, during ploughing over the last below, are part of a series which five years (see s.A.C. Vol 114, p.327 (1976)). The oval mound is commenced in October and can be shown to be a residual mound of clay-with-flints, of which other attended at a fee of 75p for each examples have since been found, but the round barrow appears to lecture. date to the Bronze Age. 11 January Cadbury Castle and the Legend of Peter Drewett's second project is concerned w ith a multiperiod Camelot Professor Leslie Alcock - survey based on Bullock Down, Beachy Head, where intensive Professor of Archaeology, University fieldwork and selected excavation IS plotting the continuous of Glasgow. development of one piece of landscape from the Mesolithic through 8 February The Somerset Levels: Archaeology in to the present day. In 1976 excavations were undertaken on a a Waterlogged Landscape Dr. John double-Iynchet trackway, a Romano-British marling pit. and a Coles - Reader in Archaeology, deserted Medieval farmstead. University of Cambridge. Owen Bedwin is concerned with the study of pre-Roman Iron Age 8 March The Early Bronze Age of settlement in relation to economy and environment and in 1976 he China Professor William Watson carried out excavations on three sites. At North Bersted he has School of Oriental and African further excavated part of a 'dispersed' settlement. including a Studies, University of London. network of field drainage ditches and an isolated hut, which was Industriel Archaeology the subject of a trial trench by Mike Pitts in 1975. At the hill-fort on 28 January Education for Inrustrial 8eacon Hill, Harting, he dated the timber-revetted rampart and Archaeology 2.30-6.00 p.m. ditch to the early Iron Age and is continuing to examine the function University Centre, Building 14. Fee £1 . of the fort, having produced 3 four-post structures, 1 six-post 11 February Inrustrial Archaeology - Recent structure, and 3 pits. At Upper Beeding he excavated a spur-dyke, Developments in Wessex 10 a.m.- due to be destroyed by chalk quarrying, which comprised a 5.30 p.m. University Centre, Bu ilding continuous ditch accompanied by a discontinuous bank. 14. Fee £2. The fourth project is concerned with the origin of Sussex towns and Weekend Courses David Freke summarises his recent thoughts on this subject and Friday 3 February­ Rural SeNlement in Southern reports on excavations. At Seaford an area to the south-west of the Sunday 5 February Britain (Tudors to 20th Century) At 11 th-century church provided evidence to suggest that it was first the University. Course Organiser: D.E. occupied in the 13th-century, and at Friars Walk, Lewes, the Johnson, M .A . Fee £4.25. earliest occupation outside the eastern defences of the late Saxon burh was of the 12th-century. At Blackfriars Barn, Winchel sea, excavations, in advance of restoration by the National Trust. were confined to clarifying the form of a probable merchant's house of the 14th century. Four rescue excavations, undertaken in 1976, did not conform to BOOKSHELF the Unit's research projects but the sites were felt to be worthy of D,R, Atkinson, Sussex Clay Pipes and the Pipemakers attention. At Ranscombe Hill, South Mailing, Owen Bedwin (Eastbourne, Crain Services, 1977 l, 6Opp, 3 plates, 12 other illus., recovered, from the Lewes by-pass roadworks, part of a Romano­ 95p. postage and packing 15p (32'!,'lb discount on orders of over 20 British farmstead which included a corn-drying oven, and at copies). Crowborough he investigated the remains of a 16th- and 17th­ Archaeologists in Sussex frequently find fragments of clay pipes; century blast furnace at Maynard's Gate. David Freke carried out a often these are featureless bits of stem which seem to delight in small excavation at the Old Clergy House, Alfriston and at SI. appearing in levels from which their absence would have been Thomas a Beckett Church, Pagham, he started to investigate an preferred. Few, however, can have appreciated the extent of the area beneath the present nave of the 11 th-century church which information that can be gleaned from an identifiable piece or that a produced evidence for an earlier structure. The latter excavation pipe bowl can be dated with certainty to within 20 years back to continued in 1977 when part of the head of a Saxon stone cross c.1590. was found re-used in the fill of a grave.

127 As an interim report the material is well presented and provides surviving members of each class). The subscribers were able to both the amateur and the professional archaeologist w ith much assign nominees and they were classified by age into Class 1, 2 and food for thought. 3 shareholders. Dividend payments were advertised and the F.G. Ald8WOrth recipients were required to apply for payment and to give proof of residence, attested by the parish priest. E.. t Grin~.ad Society. East Grinstead Town Trail (East The project was managed by a committee of 55 members (trustees). Grinstead, the Society. 1977), A3. folded to A5. illus., price 1Op. The papers contain a list of these and of additional members Described in the introdJction as covering the ancient town and periodically appointed to vacancies caused by deaths or other modern conservation area, this town trail offers a delightful ci rcu msta nees. introduction to the rich variety of historic bu ildings along the High Tenders. and other notices re repairs, or to subscribers concerning Street. Attractivelv presented. and well laid-QUt, w ith a bt: ief payments and other important questions. were advertised in the historical note. it comment:; on individual buildings which are following newspapers: Lewes Journal. London Gazette (a Copy of numbered on a bird'soeye sketch. Th is guide is a good example of one such issue is among the papers). General , the town trail, which IS aimed at explaining the architecture of Brighton Herald (after 1825) and, occasionally. the Hampshire buildings. It emphasises the variety which can be found w ithin the Chronicle. centre of many towns. There is a promise of more trails to look The tolls, initially. ranged from V2d. for foot passengers and sheep forward to. Such efforts do much to eneourage a greater or hogs, to 9d. for a cart and 6/ - for a coach and six horses. These understanding of, and sympathy towards, townscapes and deserve were to be substantially reduced (abolished in some cases) to be well supported. following the deaths of all the nominees. when the' ownership of Sue Farrant the bridge would revert to the Earl of Surrey. Meetings of the committee were initially held alternately at the Dolphin and Star inns at New Shoreham. Later, they always took place at the latter. Several detailed bills for dinner, etc .. are to be found among the documents. OLD SHOREHAM BRIDGE 17 July. 1780 (The volumes and papers referred to, below, by Mrs. Meryl Smith Tenders for building the bridge received. Only two are recorded. are part of a large accession received from Messrs. HowleN and That accepted was submitted by a London surveyor. Joseph Clarke, the Brighton Solicitors. in 1961. This consisted mainly of Hodskinson. at a cost of £4.227. This figure was afterwards the court books of the manors of Keymer. Atlingworth and increased, due to problems in constructing the foundations. Brighton. together with several boxes of deeds. most of which have The overall length of the bridge was 500ft. width 12ft with recesses been calendared. but the Shoreham Bridge papers remained of 3ft along part of the length. It was supported by 232 piles. There unsorted. I am grateful to Mrs. Smith for remedying this situation. were stone causeways of 320ft on the west and 200ft on the east. • - K. W. Dickins. Han. Curator of Deeds) 26 May. 1782 First General Meeting following the passing of 'An Act (21 George The surviving papers consist of the four volumes listed below. III) for building a bridge over the River Adur at or near Old Shoreham together w ith several bundles of vouchers. letters and other in the County of Sussex'. Subscriptions collected. documents relating to the wooden toll bridge built across the Adur near Old Shoreham in 1781 . They span the period from May. 1780. 22 March. 1782 when preliminary meeting was held to discuss the propose Is for First day of collecting the tolls. financing, bu ilding and managing the bridge. until July. 1846. 29 September. 1783 when the trustees closed the accounts following the opening of the First dividend paid. Dividends to the 24 June. preceding, were Brighton-Chichester Ra ilway; and they contain a complete and always approved at the General Meeting held in July and paid on 29 detailed record of the meetings of the committee and of the September. The dividends were. initially. 4W*,. then 6%. rising to associated accounts. 12'12 % by 1796. 18% by 1804 and over 20% after 1815. Following a The papers appear to have been in the possession of either the query in 1845, the clerks estimated the total dividends from 1783 to treasurer or the clerk to the committee at the time ofits dissolution 1845 at approximately £60.000. - John S. MacWhinnie and Thomas Anree. They worked in July. 1802 partnership with Somers Clarke and. at the back of the Minute Decision to auction the collection of the tolls on an annual basis. Book. several letters to the latter were found; these letters all dating May. 1803 from around 1872. have no connection with the bridge. First auction held. The income from the auction rose from £975 in 1803 (£900 in 1804) to £1 .925 by 1829. Contents:- 1821 -1823 1. Minutes of CommiNee prior to building the bridge In 1821 . unusual weather conditions caused damage to the river This contains the minutes of meetings held between 30 May, banks and exposed the foundations. Following further 1780 and 18 November. 1780. These are duplicated in the deterioration, major repairs were thought to be necessary by 1823 main Minute Book. and the minutes contain several surveyors reports, including one 2. Minute Book compiled by Captain Clegnam. giving detailed information This contains a full record of proceedings of the committee regarding the structure of the bridge and its defects. throughout the period 1780 to 1846. It lists the members of In 1823. a proposal was put fo(Ward by some citizens of Worthing to the committee and provides a detailed record of those who move the bridge. It was rejacted by the Earl of Egremont and attended meetings and of the people employed by them to withdrawn but. as a result. it was decided not to carry out the maintain the bridge and ensure its profitability. repairs proposed by Clegnam at a cost of over £1 .000. Instead, the 3. D"bentures committee arranged to contract out the maintenance of the bridge This contains transcriptions of legal documents. such as deeds on a three-yearly basis. assigning nominees and extracts from the wills of subscribers 1829 and nominees. Under the tontine. it was clearly important to A new bridge was proposed by the trustees of the Shoreham ascertain when any nomineee died. Shares could be sold or Turnpike Road. It was not favoured by the Earl of Egremont but the otherwise disposed of but this was only valid during the life of plan was supported by the then Duke of Norfolk who. in fact. the original nominee. undertook the financing of the new suspension bridge himself. He 4.' Accounts Book did, however. agree to protect the rights of the nominees. This includes both a record of subscriptions paid and of the 1830 accounts of the bridge from 1781 to 1846. The accounts are Trustees agreed to accept an annuity of £1,200 p.a. from the Duke given in great detail until 1803, when management of the of Norfolk to compensate for the opening of the new bridge. There bridge passed into the hands of lessees. are several letters concerning this which indicate a certain amount The Accounts and Minutes together provide a wealth of of dissatisfaction with the terms. The trustees had, at first, asked information relating to wages. professional fees and material for an annuity equal to the average dividends over the previous ten costs. as well as the various taxes levied during the period, years (approximately £1 .7(0). particularly from 1780 to 1803. 1 May. 1833 New bridge opened. The annuity was paid from June. 1833. 1840 Important Oat.. and Additionallnforrnation: The Duke of Norfolk wished to reduce the annuity on account of 30 May. 1780 insufficient receipts. The surviving nominees refused consent. First meeting of the committee to discuss proposals. tolls to be 1843 charged, etc. The bridge was designed to replace the ferry. already Application for Brighton-Chichester Railway. in existence. which was leased to Samuel Shergold (who became 1844 Treasurer and a subscriber under the new scheme) and William Following negotiations. in which the Duke of Norfolk agreed to Green (also a subscriber). An annual rent of £20 was paid to the support the claims of the nominees. it was agreed that the survivors Earl of Surrey (subsequently Duke of Norfolk) as proprietor of the would be paid £10,000 in lieu Of the annuity. bridge. 24 November. 1845 The scheme was financed by 50 subscriptions of £100 each. There Brighton-Chichester Railway opened. was no limit on the number of shares an individual could hold. The dividends were distributed under a system of ·tontine'. with benefit 9 February. 1846 of survivorShip. (Tontine indicates a scheme under which Shares of £10.000 paid to 8 surviving nominees. subscribers or their nominees are classified and the dividends are 24 July. 1846 calculated proportionately by class before being shared among the Accounts audited and closed.

128 WHAT SORT OF SCHOOLMASTER SUSSEX MATERIAL IN THE UNIVERSITY AT WISBOROUGH7 OF LONDON LIBRARY In Sussex Notes and Queries, Vol 15 (1958-62), p273 is printed, The Goldsmiths library hold the Raistrick Collection of Railway under the heading 'An Early Schoolmaster', an entry from the Close Plans, which includes prospective plans for Sussex. There is a Rolls for 12 December 1386, a license to Peter Marke a Lombard to catalogue. Most of them refer to the 1840's. make a letter of exchange for 10 marks payable to W illiam The manuscript collection includes MS 250, Account book of rents 'scolemaystre' of Wysebergh. due to Francis Naylor for lands in various parts of Sussex, 1743- It may be doubted whether this is, in fact, a reference to a 1772, MS 214 Stewards account for Sheffield Park and Farm, 1770- schoolmaster teaching at Wisborough, as claimed (presumably by 1787, MS 638, Account book of Tho. Raikes, merchant. includes G.D. Johnston, the editor of s.N.Q, as the note is unsigned), for the land in Sussex, 1802- 1BOl'l. MS 188 is a speech by the Recorder of following reasons:- Chichester to James I, in which he petitions the king to allow a 1. The original document must be in Latin and it is not easy channel to be cut from the sea to the city, the expense of which to see any reason that William's occupation should be could be defrayed by a license to export corn. given in the vernacular when there was a regular (While looking for Brighton material in London, I came across the medieval Latin term for it. magister scolarum foregoing. which may be of interest to others though not. at 2. 1386 seems a late date to refer to someone by christian present, to myself) name alone w ith note of occupation but no surname, Sue Farrant especially a name of some status. 3. One would expect the description 'schoolmaster' to be used for someone engaged in something rather more CORRECTION: NOT REDHOT advanced than what must have been the elementary (Reference: J. Pettitt, 'No Match for the Smith', Newsletter No. 21) teaching needed by the comparatively few children of a The writer wishes to retract part of a statement in his article. He small village. stated that he saw his uncle, Ebb Duplock, make a nail redhot by 4. Financial dealings on the scale involved here seem rather hammering and so ig nite sulphur to avoid using a match. Redheat beyond the means of most schoolmasters in most periods in iron and steel is c.850oC; SUlphur ignites at c.260oC. There of history. would be no need to reach red heat. It seems to be more likely t hat 'Scolemaystre' is W illiam's surname. Th e writer does not retract his description otherwise though, no In the SUbsidy Roll of 1332 (Sussex Record Society, Vol 10 (1910), doubt, memory has r.ose-red spectacles. p263) 'Alice Ie Scoulmaystr' is recorded at Ecclesden, some 13 J . Pettitt miles south of Wisborough. In his study of the development of occupational surnames in three hundreds of West Sussex published in The Genealogists' QUERY: GILL AND 'GHYLL' Magazine, Vol 16, No.8 (December, 1970), pp404-425, Mr. F.L. Heron's Ghyll (near High Hurstwood, Buxted - Grid Ref. TQ 484 Leeson, in listing Alice Ie Scoulmaystr' in 1332, was unable to give 272) shows a variant spelling of 'gill'. The Oxford Dictionary defines any exa mple from the Sussex marriage index or any modern form. this as 'a deep, rocky cleft or ravine, usually wooded and forming Invited to comment on the suggestion that William at Wisborough the course of a stream'. The name is common in Cumbria and might be another of the same name, Mr. Leeson states that C.W . Sussex; in the former area it goes back to Norse immigrants. 8ardsley- in his Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames (1 901) W .O. Parish in A Dictionary of the Sussex Dialect (1875) makes no gives John Scolemastre in 1416 as the latest instance of the name mention of 'gill' except as an element in the Sussex surname (and modern instances in New York). He also notes that the Oxford 'Gilham' (p142); in his companion, A Dictionary of the Kentish English Dictionary gives 1225 as the earliest occurrence of the Dialect(1887), he has an entry, dn p.63, which ends with a synonym word 'schoolmaster' to describe the occupation, so that it could 'a beck'. 'Beck' is another Norse word (actUally meaning 'stream' have given rise to the surname, though the authorities (Ekwall, not 'valley') and is common in Cumbria but not, the writer believes, Reaney) hold that all the names related to 'school' are derived from known in Sussex. the Old Norse 'scali', Middle English 'scale' or 'scole', meaning a The spelling 'ghyll' is, the Oxford Dictionary says, due to temporary hut. Wordsworth; one is justified in calling it a pseudo-medievalism. M ,J . leppard (Query: are there other 'ghylls' in Sussex? More pertinently, the Sussex dialect has some intereting loanwords, but how did 'gill' get into the county?). further References P.H. Reaney, A Dictionary of British Surnames (1958 ... 1976) derives Gilham from Guillaume. Eilert Ekwall, in The Oxford Dictionary of English Place-Names SOME REFERENCES TO FARMS IN (1936 ... 1974) says 'gill' is common in NW but does not note for SUSSEX IN THE PELHAM PAPERS Sussex. A.H. Smith, in English Place-Name Elements (1956), Vol 1; 'gill' is IN THE BRITISH LIBRARY common in the regions settled by Norwegian Vikings; no mention During the minority of Thomas Pelham (who became the first Earl of Sussex. of Chichester in 1801), the steward or bailiff of the property A . Mawer and F.M . Stenton, The Place-Names of Sussex (1930); corresponded with a guardian, James Pelham. A volume of letters note several 'gill' elements but do not mention Old Norse 'gill'. to James from John Streetre has survived as 8 .L. Add MSS 33086 J . Pettitt for the years 1745-50. The Wealden property in Chiddingly, Burwash, Ardingly, Cuckfield and lindfield are frequently mentioned, giving the names of the tenants. Deans Farm, in DIARY Piddinghoe, also occurs and a few references to House. lewa. Archaeological Group Correspondence about the purchase of Wales Farm, Plumpton, in Friday, 20th January Trading Network in Europe John 1736 is in B.L. Add MSS 33085 ff. 496-505. in the first Millenium Be Alexander

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