OFF THE BEATEN TRACK IN SUSSEX ARTHUR STANLEY COOKE Witti one Hundred and sixty illustrations by Sussex artists :LO ICNJ :LT> 'CO CD CO OFF THE BEATEN TRACK IN SUSSEX BEEDING LEVEL. (By Fred Davey ) THE GATEWAY, MICHELHAM PRIORY (page 316). (By .4. S. C.) OFF THE BEATEN TRACK IN SUSSEX BY ARTHUR STANLEY COOKE WITH ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY ILLUSTRATIONS BY SUSSEX ARTISTS IN CUCKFIELD PARK (By Walter Puttick.) HERBERT JENKINS LIMITED 3 YORK STREET LONDON S.W. i A HERBERT JENKINS' BOOK Printed in Great Britain by Wyman & Sons Ltd., London, Reading and Fakenham, BOSHAM (page 176). (By Hubert Schroder, A.R.E.) PREFACE this volume tends to make our varied and beautiful county " " better known, it shall do well especially if it gives pleasure to those unable to take such walks. If it has, IF here and there, a thought or an idea not generally obvious, it may perhaps be forgiven the repetitions which are inevitable in describing similar details forgiven the recital of familiar facts, whether historical, archaeological or natural forgiven, where, by the light of later or expert knowledge, errors are apparent. Some of these blemishes are consequent on the passage of time necessary to cover so large an area by frequent personal visitation. Some thirty-seven rambles are described, about equally divided between the east and west divisions of the county. Although indications of route are given, chiefly for the benefit of strangers, it does not claim to be a guide-book. Its size would preclude such a use. Neither does it pretend to be exhaustive. Much more remains to be dealt with. Sincere acknowledgments are due to the various sources from which information has been gathered, the Sussex Archaeological Collections, as usual, having been largely drawn upon. Much of the interest of the book will be due to the number and variety of its illustrations, by twenty-five different pens. They are all reproduced from original black-and-white drawings. My thanks are specially given to the members of the Brighton Arts Club, present and past, no less than twenty of whom have con- tributed sketches. One of the past members, Mr. Arthur B. Packham, has been most generous with his work. A. S. C. The sheets of the one-inch Ordnance Map of Sussex are fourteen in number, running thus (parts, of course, dealing with Kent, Surrey and Hampshire) : 300 Arlesford. TVollon 'x!$" Bridge. TROTTON BRIDGE (page 160). (By ^rtAwr B. Packham.) CONTENTS WEST SUSSEX. CHAP. PAGE I FROM BRAMBER THROUGH ST. BOTOLPH'S AND COOMBES TO OLD SHOREHAM ... ... 17 II FROM STEYNING TO BUNCTON CHAPEL, AND BACK OVER CHANCTONBURY ........ 31 III FROM SHIPLEY THROUGH THAKEHAM AND WEST CHILTING- TON TO PULBOROUGH 43 IV FROM HANGLETON TO POYNINGS AND EDBURTON . 51 V FROM THE DYKE TO SOUTHWICK AND KINGSTON . 63 VI SHOREHAM AND ITS HARBOUR 74 VII LANCING OVER STEEPDOWN TO BRAMBER ... 90 VIII SOMPTING TO ClSSBURY AND WORTHING .... 96 IX FlNDON TO BURPHAM AND ARUNDEL .... IO6 X FROM GORING TO FERRING, EAST PRESTON AND Rus- TINGTON TO LlTTLF.HAMPTON 114 XI FROM FORD TO TORTINGTON, AND YAPTON, AND CLYMPING TO LlTTLEHAMPTON . .110 XII To AMBERLEY 128 XIII To PULBOROUGH 132 ix CONTENTS WEST SUSSEX continued. CH\P. PAGE XI V THREE DAYS IN WEST SUSSEX ..... 139 (From Arundel to Burpham, South and North Stoke, Houghton, Bury, Bignor, Sutton, Barlavington, Duncton, Burton, Woolavington, Grafiham, Heyshott, Cocking, Bepton, Didling, Treyford, Elsted and South Harting.) XV THE WESTERN ROTHER . i . 152 XVI To OVING, TANGMERE AND BOXGROVE PRIORY . 166 XVII To BOSHAM ......... 176 XVIII FROM BOSHAM TO ITCHENOR, WEST WITTERING, SIDLESHAM TO CHICHESTER ....... 186 XIX FROM MID-LAVANT TO KINGLY VALE, STOUGHTON AND THE MARDENS TO SINGLETON ...... 193 EAST SUSSEXi FROM ROTTINGDEAN TO TELSCOMBE, SoUTHEASE, RODMELL AND IFORD TO LEWES ....... 207 XXI FROM OVINGDEAN TO ROTTINGDEAN, AND NEWMARKET HILL TO BRIGHTON ....... 220 XXII FROM FALMER OVER KINGSTON HILL TO LEWES . .231 XXIII FROM FALMER TO PLUMPTON, EAST CHILTINGTON AND STREET ...;..... 243 XXIV FROM HOLLINGBURY CAMP TO CLAYTON AND HASSOCKS 250 XXV FROM PATCHAM TO DITCHLING BEACON AND DITCHLIXG 261 XXVI FROM LEWES TO BARCOMBE AND ISFIELD . 274 XXVII FROM SHEFFIELD PARK STATION TO FLETCHING . .283 XXVIII FROM LEWES THROUGH BEDDINGHAM, TARRING NEVILLE, AND DENTON TO NEWHAVEN ..... 289 XXIX FROM GLYNDE OVER FIRLE BEACON TO BISHOPSTONE . 303 XXX FROM BERWICK STATION TO BERWICK, ALCISTON, SELMESTON, CHALVINGTON AND RYPE . 308 XXXI FROM ARLINGTON TO MICHELHAM PRIORY AND HAILSHAM 314 XXXII FROM SEAFORD TO WEST DEAN, AND LITLINGTON TO ALFRISTON ........ 319 XXXIII Two DAYS IN EAST SUSSEX ...... 331 (From Pevensey to Wartling, Hurstmonceux, Dallington, Burwash. and Etchingham to Battle.) XXXIV HARTFIELD TO BOLEBROKE AND HOLTYE .... 343 XXXV To MAYFIELD AND ROTHERFIELD ..... 350 XXXVI TO ICKLESHAM AND WlNCHELSEA ..... 358 XXXVII To RYE .......... 369 INDEX .......... 377 SALVINGTON MILL. (By A. Jobson Brown.) ILLUSTRATIONS PAGE Seeding Level ...... By Fred Davey . ii The Gateway.Michelham Priory (frontispiece) By A.S.C. iv In Cuckfield Park By Walter Puttick v Bosham By Hubert Schroder, A .R.E. vii Cottage at Albourne By the late Joseph Diplock viii Trotton Bridge . By Arthur B. Packham ix Salvington Mill, Worthing By A . Jobson Brown . xi Beeding from Bramber in 1891 . By A.S.C. xvi Beeding Bridge . By Harold S. Percival.A .R.E. 18 Old Barn at Beeding By Fred Davey . 19 Beeding the River Bank .... Do. 20 St. Botolph's from River By Arthur B. Packham 21 St. Botolph's Church .... By Fred Davey . 23 Old Clergy House, Coombes By A.S.C. 25 " " Cottages by the Sussex Pad By Arthur B. Packham 27 Old Shoreham from the Marsh . By Fred Davey . 28 Old Shoreham Bridge and Church By Brook Harrison 29 Steyning Church (interior) By Gordon C. Galsworthy 32 Brotherhood Hall, Steyning By Arthur B. Packham 33 High Street, Steyning By Brook Harrison 35 Buncton Chapel (interior) . By A. S.C. 39 Shipley Chancel ...... Do. 44 Thakeham Street By Harold S. Percival.A .R.E. 47 Hangleton Place ..... By A.S.C. .50 Xll ILLUSTRATIONS "Dovecote, Hangleton Place By A. S. C. 53 Pcynings from the Dyke .... Do. r . 54 Poynings Church . Do. .56 Poynings Post Office in 1897 Do. ... 57 Edburton Church ..... Do. ... 5 Edburton Church (interior) By the late Joseph Diplock 59 Springtime and Sunshine at Southwick By A.S.C. 64 Kingston Church (interior) Do. ... 66 Old Forge, Southwick Green, 1897 Do. .69 Old Farm, Southwick, in Winter, 1891 Do. .72 Shoreham and Harbour from the Norfolk Bridge ....... By the late Louis Meaden . 75 . Shoreham from the Harbour . , . By Fred Davey . 76 The Basin, looking West . By A. E. Payne . -77 The Lock, Southwick .... Do. ... ;8 . the late So New Shoreham Church By Fred Earp , " Red Lion Inn," Old Shoreham By Brook Harrison . 84 "The Sussex Pad," Lancing Do. .87 . 88 Old Shoreham Church and Bridge By A.S.C. Lancing Church ...... By Douglas S. Andrews . 91 Lancing Church ...... By Miss E. Neve . 92 Sompting Church . By Walter Puttick . 97 Sompting Church (east view) By E. M. Day . .99 Burpham Church . By Arthur B. Packham . 112 Rustington Church . By A. S. C. 115 East Preston Church . Do. -117 . 122 Yapton Church . By Arthur B. Packham Clymping Church . By Louis J. Ginnett . .125 Old Cottage at Wick . Do. 127 Amberley . ...... By Fred Davey . .129 Amberley Castle . By Leslie Carter . .130 Old Place, Pulborough . By A.S.C. 134 Entrance to Old Place, Pulborough . Do. .136 New Place, Pulborough . Do. ... 137 Bury, from the Wild Brooks By Leslie Carter . .140 The Arun at North Stoke . By Douglas S. Andrews . 141 Houghton Bridge . By Frank Baker . .143 Near Houghton . By the late Joseph Diplock 144 Cottage at Bignor . Do. 148 Iping Bridge By Arthur B. Packham . 153 S. Wool Lane, Midhurst . By Douglas Andrews 154 Stedham from the River Bank . By Arthur B. Packham . 157 Stedham Church . Do. .158 Stedham Bridge . Do. 159 Chithurst Church . 160 ... Do. Old House, Chithurst . Do. 161. Trotton . 162 Church ...... Do. Boxgrove Priory Church . By Douglas S. Andrews . 165 ILLUSTRATIONS Xlll The Manor House, Oving . By Arthur B. Packham . 167 Oving Church ...... Do. 168 Boxgrove Priory Church . By Douglas S. Andrews . 171 Old Mill, Bosham By Fred Davey . .178 Bosham Quay and Raptackle By W. H. Bond . .180 Chichester Cathedral . By the late Joseph Diplock 187 West Street, Chichester . By Arthur B. Packham . 192 Singleton Church . By Douglas S. Andrews . 194 East Marden Church . By A. S.C. 198 Southease Church . By Arthur Ellis . 204 Interior of Rodmell Church By A. S.C. 206 Telscorabe ...... By Arthur B. Packham . 210 Southease from the Marsh Do. 212 Rodmell Church . By Arthur Ellis . .214 Rodmell Street . Do. 215 Iford Church in the Rain . By Arthur B. Packham . 217 The Saxon Church of Ovingdean By the late F. Earp . .221 Ovingdean Church . , By Arthur B. Packham . 222 Ovingdean Grange Do. 223 Ovingdean Church in 1899 By F. J. Sawyer . 224 Ruined Norman Chapel, Balsdean By W. H. Bond . 226 Farm, Braky Hollow . Do. 228 Lewes from the Water Meadows By the late Louis Meaden . 232 Palmer Street ...... By Louis J. Ginnett . 234 Yew Tree Cottage, Palmer Do. 235 Palmer Pond and Church . By Arthur B. Packham . 236 Southover House. Lewes . Do. 240 Plumpton Place . By A. S.C. 244 East Chiltington Church . Do. 247 Cottage at East Chiltington By Frank Georges . 248 Old Toll House, Ditchling Road, Brighton By Walter Puttick . .251 " The Forbidden Path," Roedale Do 252 Clayton Mills By A. S.C. 253 Clayton from the Down . Do. 256 Clayton Church ...... By Walter Puttick . 257 Clayton Church (interior) . Do. 259 Clayton Tower Mill Moonrise . By A. S.C. 260 Westmeston from the Down By R. G. Greysmith . 262 Jubilee Memorial, Patcham By Arthur B.