21 Nov 2006
Transcribed by Stacey Gardner
Ardingly, formerly called “Erthingleigh” is a parish & village delightfully situated on an eminence commanding extensive views of the surrounding country, and on a Roman road and the river Ouse, with a station on the branch line of the L.B.&.S.C. railway from East Grinstead to Haywards Heath ½ miles south from the village, 6 miles north-east from Cuckfield, 3 ½ east from Balcombe station and 38 south from London, 8 from East Grinstead & 17 north from Brighton, in the northern division of the county, Buttinghill hundred, Lewes rape, Haywards Heath petty sesional division, union & county court district, rural deanery of Lewes (3rd division), archdeaconry of Lewes & diocese of Chichester. The parish is supplied with water by the Mid-Sussex Joint Water Board. The church of St Peter, erected in the early part of the 14th century, replaced an earlier building of the 11th century, known to have been built by William, Earl of Warren, an is an edifice in the Deorated style, and has a tower containing 5 bells; there is a recumbent figure of an ecclesiastic, 5 brasses of the ancient families of Wakehurst and Culpeper, several stained windows, some curiously rude stairs leading to the rood loft and an ancient screen; in 1908 an oak font cover, carved by the Ardingly Men’s Carving class, was presented to the church; the church was restored in 1853, and again in 1889, at a cost of £1,297; there are 280 sittings. The register dates from the year 1558. The living is a rectory, net yearly value £349, with residence & 7 acres of glebe, in the gift of and held since 1875 by the Rev. James Bowden M.A. of University College, Oxford. There is a Congregational chapel, with minister’s house; the chapel was erected in 1885, and has sittings for 170 persons. A small charity, the interest on £28 left by Mrs Haire, who died in 1876, and until 1881 in Chancery, now produces about 14s. yearly, which is distributed in bread to the poor not in receipt of parish relief. A reading room is open during the winter months. Hapstead Hall, in the centre of the village, and the property of H. H. Hett esq. is used by his permission for meetings, concerts &c. and will hold 300 persons. The recreation ground, provided as a memorial of the Jubilee in 1887 of Her lat Majesty Queen Victoria, is let by the present proprietor, Gerald Walter Erskine Loder esq. D.L., J.P., F.S.A. at a nominal rent, on a lease of 90 years from that date. Wakehurst Place, the seat of G. W. E. Loder esq. D.L., J.P. is an elegant Elizabethan mansion, erected in 1590 by Sir Edward Culpeper, and consists of a long block with boldly advanced gabled wings, the intervening space being relieved by other gabled projections carried up to form dormer windows; the central one of these contains the entrance porch, and the whole is lighted by mullioned windows and adorned with many small finials in the gables; the house contains some splendid specimens of oak carving, panelling &c. and adjoining is a private chapel for the use of the household and tenants. Hapstead House is the residence of Henry Herbert Hett esq. and Stonehurst, of John Stuart esq. G. W. E. Loder esq. who is lord of the manor, Lieut-Col. Stephenson Robert Clarke, of Borde Hill, Cuckfield, and Lieut-Col. Dudley T. H. Sampson, of Buxshalls, Lindfield, are the principal landowners. The soil is mixed; subsoil, clay & gravel. The chief crops are wheat, oats, beans & peas. The area is 3,831 acres of land & 10 of water; rateable value, £9,090; the population in 1901 was 1,346 in the civil and 1,311 in the ecclesiastical parish.
Parish Clerk, Alfred Neal
Post, M. O. & T. & Telephone Express Delivery Office Michael Cook, sub-postmaster. Letters arrive via Haywards Heath, at 7.15 & 11.50am & 7pm; dispatched at 10.35am & 7pm; Sundays, 11am; also T. & Telephone O.. 8.30 to 10am on Sundays
Wall letter boxes at the station, cleared at 9.55am & 6.15pm week days; Sundays, 10.20am; Wakehurst Lodge Gates, cleared at 8.50am & 6.15pm; Sundays, 10.15am & at the College, cleared at 10.50am & 6.30pm; Sundays, 10.30am
Pillar letter boxes The Street, cleared at 10.20am & 6.45pm on week days & at 10.45am on Sundays; Little London, cleared at 9am & 6.25pm; Sundays, 10.25am; Lywood, cleared at 10.45am & 7.10pm; Sundays, 11.10am
There is also a public telegraph office at the Railway Station.
Territorial Force
Officers’ Training Corps
Contingent of the Junior Division
Ardingly College, J. W. Bell, Capt.; Color-Sergt. Horace Page, instructor
Schools
St Saviour’s College, a Church of England school, for supplying education at a low rate to the sons of persons of small means & others with limited incomes, is situated on an eminence, about ¾ mile from Ardingly station, 3 miles east from Balcombe & 3 from Haywards Heath station, near the river Ouse & commands a most delightful & extensive view of the surrounding woodland scenery; the building is of red brick with stone dressing in the Early English style & comprises dining hall, infirmary, a chapel with cloisters, masters’ lodgings, class rooms & dormitories & will hold about 400 boys & there are at present (1911) about 318; this foundation is in connection with others of a similar character at St Nicholas, Lancing & St John’s, Hurstpierpoint; the bishop of the diocese is visitor & the Rev. Canon H. K. Southwell M.A. chairman of the governors. The Rev. Herbert Alexander Rhodes M.A. of Christ Church, Oxford, headmaster; Willing Manning Sprotson M.A. second master; Henry Blackman, John W. Bell, Henry T. H. Connett & Rev. William Borman Jacob B.A., R. Cunnington, A. H. T. Sith, A. M. Sutton, F. Cartwright, A. E. G. Burke, M. Smith, W. O. Hampton, A.G. Lowndes, J. de B. Saunderson & C. D. Martin, assistant masters;Rev. Arthur Richard Louis Nathaniel Bulkeley, chaplain; Richard Cunnington, sec.
Public Elementary (mixed & infants), erected in 1844, but subsequently enlarged & master’s house added, for 229 children; average attendance, 108 boys & girls & 38 infants; Ben Whitworth, master; Miss Isabel Pratt, infants’ mistress
Police Station, Charles Cheal, constable
Railway Station, Fred W. Hassall, station master
Private Residents
Bell John William, The College
Bowden Rev. James M.A. (rector), Rectory
Cartwright Frederick, The College
Cocking Mrs. The Mount
Connett Henry T. H. The College
Cinnington Richard, The College
Dege Jacob, West Hill Place (letters through Balcombe)
Dengate Rev. William Alfred B.A. The College
Elkin Rev. Jonathan Bevan B.A. (curate), Hapstead Villa
Griffin Everard J.F., B.A. The College
Hampton William Orr. The College
Hett Edward Keir, The Jordons
Hett Henry Herbert, Hapstead House
Holgate Wyndham M.A. The Knowles
Howe Rev. William George (Congregational), The Manse
Jacob Rev. William Borman B.A. (chaplain of Wakehurst & assistant ,master), The College
Loder Gerald Walter Erskine F.S.A., D.L., J.P. & Lady Louise de Vere, Wakehurst Place; & Abinger House, King’s Road, Brighton
Mellor John, Old Knowles
Rhodes Rev. Herbert Alexander M.A. (head master), The College
Scott Mrs. Lywood House
Smith Arthur Homersham T. The College
Sprotston William Manning M.A. The College
Streat Rev, Charles B,.A. (chaplain), The College
Stuart John, Stonehurst
Commercial
Allen George, baker
Ardingly Cricket Club (Walter Duffield, sec.)
Ardingly Football Club (Sidney John Munnion, hon. sec.)
Avis Betsy (Mrs), dress maker
Backshall William, beer retailer
Baker Arthur, head gardener to Henry Herbert Hett. Esq.
Bashford Arthur, blacksmith & farrier
Box & Turner,builders
Clifford Henry, baker
Constable Albert, head gamekeeper to Lord Cowdray, Park House (letters through West Hoathly, East Grinsted)
Cook Michael, stationer & sub-postmaster
Cottington Henry, farmer, Upper Lodge
Dennis William, farm bailiff to Gerald W. E. Loder D.L., J.P. Wakehurst Place
Elwess Harold, farmer, Burstye
Fairman Francis W. farmer, Standgrove Farm
Gould James, farmer, Lywood
Hapstead Hall (Edward Lee, caretaker)
Henley Louie (Mrs) dress maker
Holman Obed, farmer, New Knowles Farm
Home Counties Public House Trust Co. Ltd, Avins Bridge Hotel (J. Ault, manager)
Horticultural Society (a. W. Coates, sec.)
Luxford John, chimney sweeper
Mackellow Thomas, farmer, Hill House
Marker William, farmer, College Farm
Markwick Sarah Ann (Mrs.), farmer, Strudgates (letters through West Hoathley, East Grinstead)
Mitchell Obed, boot maker
Munnion Ernest Henry, builder, clerk to parish council, assistant overseer, assessor & collector of taxes
Munnion Henry (Mrs.), boot maker
Neal Alfred, head gardener to Rev. James Bowden M.A.
Palmer Gilbert John, farmer, New House (letters through West Hoathly, East Grinsted)
Parker Jesse, Greyhound Inn
Picknell William, Gardeners Arms P.H.
Plane Herbert Henry, grocer & draper
Plummer Henry, farmer, Bolney Farm
Prout James, farmer, Avins Farm
Reading Room (William Lovejoy, hon. sec.)
Robertson James, butcher
St Saviour’s College (Rev. Herbert A. Rhodes M.A. head master; Rev. Charles Streat B.A. chaplain; Richard Cunnington, sec;)
Sayers H. & Son, grocers & drapers
Simmonds Alfred, fly proprietor
Simmonds Annie (Mrs), temperance hotel
Stanbridge Thomas John, stone mason
Tester Herbert, farmer, Town House
Tyrrell George (Mrs), dress maker
Turner Frederick A. builder
Wickens James, Copyhold Farm (letters through Cuckfield)
Wyatt George William, head gardener to John Stuart esq.
21 Nov 2006 | Transcribed by Stacey Gardner |
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