Howard Dudley

“ The National School is held in the church porch, where great numbers of the younger children of the poor are instructed.
A very neat building, denominated Denne School, has been erected in a delightful situation, at the foot of the hill, from which it takes its name, for the education of the girls of the neigbouring indigent persons. ”

“ At the west end of the building is a large massy tower, lately put into thorough repair, this is surmounted by an octagonal spire, 230 feet in height, and formed of wooden shingles carefully fitted together. The great bell of this church is the largest in the county, and weighs nearly a ton and a half: the whole peal, consisting of eight, is extremely melodious.
On the 17th of November 1231, John de Braose granted the church of Horsham with all its appurtenances, to the prioress and nuns of Rusper, for their exclusive use ”

“ Having principally confined the limits of the foregoing account, to a circle of about 4 or 5 miles around the town of Horsham, we have omitted previously to notice the priory of Rusper, a building of great antiquity, and closely connected with that borough, by the endowment of the church to its nuns. Very little of the ancient edifice remains at present, I shall therefore insert a very brief account of the nunnery, as given by Sir William Burrell, in his interesting MSS. preserved in the British Museum. ”

“ At Tower Hill, is a spring, by whose waters every thing over which it passes is encrusted, in consequence of its depositing a small portion of carbonate of lime, with which it is impregnated in passing the limestone strata, through which it flows.
POPULATION
The population of Horsham, has of late years greatly increased, and at present amounts to nearly 6000. The following table will afford a view of its advance during the present century. ”

“ Still, notwithstanding, as respects the town, Horsham is greatly improving: the number of buildings which have been lately erected, and which are still erecting, are of a new and very handsome description: the streets are neatly paved, with the large flat stones procured from the excellent quarries in the neighbourhood; and the illumination of the streets by gas, which is being carried on with great spirit and energy, contribute very greatly to the general respectability p. ”

“ To prevent confusion or danger in case of fire, every cell is arched over with brick, and a separate room allotted to each debtor and felon. The chapel is in the keeper’s house, where prayers are read daily, and a sermon delivered every Sunday by the chaplain. ”

“ In the Roffy chancel is the beautiful monument of Mr Jamieson; the figure of the angel above, pointing upwards, is exquisitely p. 24sculptured, and deserves much attention. Dallaway mentions that there appear to have been two chantries and a brotherhood founded in this church, whose history is rather obscure, in some measure contradictory; the first he adds, “was built by Walter Burgess who in the year 1307, obtained a license to endow with 50 acres of land, a chaplain to celebrate divine service daily in the parish church of Horsham, for the souls of himself and his successors. ”

“ The northern side of the edifice, though perhaps not quite equal to the southern, appears to great advantage, though the modern windows, which have been subsituted in several instances for others of great antiquity, p. 7add greatly to diminish the general effect.
On entering the church by the eastern gateway, the interior of the structure appears to the highest advantage: the large and beautifully simple communion window, reaching almost from the basement to the roof, is by no means the least attractive object of attention ”

“ It is probable a similar wing was on the south aspect and thereby formed a Greek II. The ancient apple trees which cover the flank, render such an idea very problematical.” Near the building is a very deep well, said to have been used as a place of destruction for those members of the convent, who had dared to break their vows of chastity.
Near Mrs Delves tomb at Horsham, is the headless brass figure of an ecclesiastic, supposed from the letters T C in the cope, to cover the remains of Thomas clerk, a former rector. ”

“ It is expressly ordered in the will, that the children elected, should be the offspring of “poor people, in especial of the said parish, and next about the same, to be educated in reading, writing, arithmetic, and the principles of the Christian religion.” ”

“ To the North of Horsham, on Hurst hill, p. 34is Moated House, formerly belonging to the family of the Westons: this mansion was the residence of Robert Hurst ob. 1483, whose monument in the church, the reader will remember.
Nearer the town, is a very ancient building formerly belonging to lord Hoo and de Hastings, whose remains are interred in the church: a farm house at present the property of the duke of Norfolk alone marks the site of this once splendid and princely edifice. ”

“ The traditions among the inhabitants affirm, that a subterraneous passage connects this castle with the nunnery at Rusper, which is 8 miles distant, but no attempt has been undertaken to ascertain the truth of this conjecture. p. 57Passing over Tower Hill, an eminence near Horsham, we arrive at the village of Itchingfield, or Hethinfield as it was formerly called. ”

“ On a lofty eminence denominated Denne hill, the visitor may obtain a very beautiful view of the town of Horsham, with its adjacent hills behind, the interesting church appears by far the most conspicuous object in the wide extended landscape, while the small and winding branch of the river Arun, which takes its rise in the adjacent forest of of St. ”

“ The dimensions of the church are as below.
p. 9The roof is supported upon wooden ribs, crossed by others of the same materials: the joints are covered by ornamented plates of iron, of very grotesque descriptions: in the nave, the ribs are almost double the distance apart, of those in the chancel: the junction of the roof and walls, in the latter portion of the edifice, are adorned with curious little figures of horses, foxes, &c. ”

“ From the excellent slate quarries in the vicinity, slabs containing 100 square feet, and about 5 in thickness have often been raised. Several rare botanical plants are found in this parish, some indigenous, and others originally introduced by Dr. T. Manningham a former rector, well versed in that science.
The late eminent antiquary Mr. Warton, observes in his history of Kiddington, page 65, “About 5 years ago, (1775) on the edge of a lane in the parish of Slinfold in Sussex, four miles from Horsham, I saw several deep p. ”

“ Near Nuthurst in a very delightful situation, commanding extensive views of the sea and south downs, is Nuthurst Lodge, the residence of James Tuder Nelthorpe esq.: at a very short distance from the mansion, are the remains of an ancient castle or hunting seat, surrounded by an oute p. 56and inner moat, of a circular form, and traceable everywhere; the foundations of the walls are quite visible, and one apartment of a sexagonal shape is entirely perfect. ”

“ Warnham Court, a handsome mansion in the style of Elizabeth, and a very striking feature of the surrounding country, was erected about three years since, by Henry Tredcroft esq.: the house contains about 50 apartments, and is built of brick faced with stone: the grounds are tastefully arranged, and the park, though so recently p. 44laid out, assumes a beautiful and verdant appearance.
To the south of Warnham, is Field Place, the residence for several centuries of the family of Mitchell. The only daughter of the Rev. ”

“ There are likewise on either side of him discovered two great bunches, so big as a large footeball, and as some think will grow to wings, but God I hope will so defend the poor people in the neigbourhood, that he shall be destroyed, before he growe so fledge.—He will cast his venome about 4 roddes from him, as by woeful experience it was proved on the bodies of a man and woman coming that way, who afterwards were found dead, being poysoned and very much swelled, but not preyed upon. Likewise a man going to chase it and as he imagined to destroy it with two mastiff dogs as yet not p. ”

“ It is likewise discovered to have large feete, but the eye may be deceved, for some suppose that serpents have no feete, but glide along upon certain ribbes and scales, which both defend them from the upper part of the throat unto the lower part of their bellie, and also cause them to p. ”

“ For so this doth, and rids away as we call it, as fast as a man can run. He is of countenance very proud, and at the sight or heareing of men and cattle, will raise his necke upright, and seem to listen and looke about with great arrogancie. ”

“ In the chancel, is the curious and remarkable effigy of Thomas lord Braose ob. 1396. This noble and ancient family were formerly almost the sole proprietors of the county of Sussex. One of their residences was at Chesworth, an ancient mansion to the p. ”