Sharnden Old Manor

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: Mayfield, Sussex, England
Surname/tag: Weston

Overview

Co-ordination of references to Sharnden Old Manor near Mayfield in Sussex. Please feel free to add historical information, pictures, etc.

The following timeline has been created in the hope of clarifying Weston ownership and descent of Sharnden, but any events connected with the property should be added to it.

Old Sharnden Manor: Cl5 timber-framed building restored and refronted with red brick, grey headers and ashlar on ground floor and weather-boarding above. Tiled roof. Casement windows. Two storeys. Six windows. On the north the house is joined by a modern section to a former barn and two oasthouses now part of the house. The barn is probably Cl7 and faced with weather-boarding. The two round oasthouses are C19. Red brick. Tiled roofs retaining their cowls.^[1]

Timeline

17 Oct 1448: Thomas Weston mentioned in the Manor of Sharnden court rolls.^[2] Dr Matthew Tompkins in the Google Group soc.genealogy.medieval has most helpfully transcribed, translated and annotated this as follows:-

Et quod Johannes Galiett alienauit Thome Weston et ad vna[m] pecia[m] terr[e] in Maghfelde voc[atur] Connyscrofte qui fec[it] D[omi]no fidel[itatem]

And that John Galiett has alienated to Thomas Weston and to [sic] a piece of land in Maghfelde called Connyscrofte, who did fealty to the lord.

The 'and to' bit is odd. It may be some kind of clerical error, (omitting the following name(s), or miscopying 'et al[iis]', perhaps) unless it is a contraction of some phrase like 'et ad heredibus suis', but that isn't usually preceded by 'ad'

Two acres of land in Mayfield called Cony Croft had the entail on them removed by Captain John Weston in 1744.

18 Jul 1489: A William Weston is recorded as living at Sharnden and dealing in land denoted as once belonging to the 'at the Fords'. Feoffment (Indenture), and counterpart, from (a) John Wynter of Mayfield to (b) William Westone of Scharndenne in Mayfield. Consideration £11. Lands and tenements called 'le tenement quondam Forderis,' excepting land called Heighham, in Mayfield, which descended to (a) from his father John Wynter. Gift to (b) and his heirs in fee simple on condition that (b) pays £11 to (a), viz. 20s. on each feast of Nativity of St. John the Baptist until the sum is paid. (a) is to recover the premises if (b) defaults in payment. Witnesses: John Marten at Mote, Richard Rowse, Philip Averey, Richard Cowper and Laurence Marten^[3].

9 May 1506: William Weston mentioned in the Manor of Sharnden court rolls^[2].

21 Oct 1508: William Weston mentioned in the Manor of Sharnden court rolls^[2].

21 Oct 1509: William Weston mentioned in the Manor of Sharnden court rolls^[2].

19 Aug 1527: William Weston enters into a lease for the Manor of Sharnden from Chichester Cathedral ^[4][5]

8 Jul 1547: John Weston mentioned in the Manor of Sharnden court rolls.^[2]

23 Apr 1563: William Weston's son John extended the lease to Sharnden, his father being at that date already deceased.^[4]

1 Feb 1570: Lease for 80 years at annual rent of £3 18s. 4d: John Martesse, Principal of the Communalty of the Vicars of the Cathedral Church of Holy Trinity, Chichester, to Thomas Holney of Clyffords Inne, London, gent. Manor of Sharrenden in Mayfield, a fulling mill and 3 acres land on N of the mill and 8 acres pasture on S of mill. Reserving timber to JM. Reserving right of William Weston to the demesne by lease of 28 Aug 1527^[6]

25 Sep 1572: John Weston juror at the manorial court of Sharnden^[7]

18 Jul 1578: John Weston juror at the manorial court of Sharnden.^[7]

12 Dec 1581: John Weston juror at the manorial court of Sharnden.^[7]

30 Apr 1582: John Weston juror at the manorial court of Sharnden.^[7]

6 Jan 1583: John Weston juror at the manorial court of Sharnden.^[7]

24 Sep 1583: John Weston juror at the manorial court of Sharnden.^[7]

9 May 1854: John Weston of Sharnden buried at St Dunstan Church, Mayfield.^[8][9]

27 Sep 1586: William Weston juror at the manorial court of Sharnden^[7]

25 Sep 1584: Step-son Thomas Weston acts as juror on Margaret Weston neé Russell's behalf at the manorial court of Sharnden^[7]

21 May 1596: Richard Weller of Mayfield, Sussex, yeo., husband of Margaret, widow and executrix of John Weston v Thomas Holney, Thomas Baker, Abraham Langham, Richard Tichborne, Thomas Ainscombe and others. Validity of a lease of the manor of Sharnden, Sussex, held of the Principal and vicars of Holy Trinity, Chichester. Cf C78/109 no. 3.^[10]

Oct 1597: Wellar v Carleton. Plaintiffs: Richard Wellar. Defendants: George Carleton clerk and Avis Carleton his wife. Subject: For the performance of the will of John Weston deceased, who was possessed for years of the demesne lands of the manor of Sharnder, Sussex, and whose widow married the plaintiff. Submissions mention Richard's brother Alexander, clothier of Cranbrook and the death of his wife Margaret.^[11]

6 Apr 1598: Richard Weller deputised for by Thomas Weston at the manorial court of Sharnden.^[7]

18 June 1599: Richard Weller, who married the widow and executrix of John Weston v Thomas Ainscombe gent. and Henry Temes, who married Dorothy, widow and executrix of Thomas Honley. Validity of leases in reversion made by the principal and commonalty of the vicars of Holy Trinity, Chichester of the capital messuage, farm and demesnes of Sharnden in Mayfield psh, Sussex, made to John and William Weston and a lease of the whole manor to Thomas Honley. Cf C78/91 no. 5.^[12]

Sources

1. ↑ Grade II listing, ID: 296563 ,31 Dec 1982
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4} West Sussex Record Office: Cap/3/7/1
3. ↑ East Sussex Record Office: GLY/1616, 1617
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1} Weller v. Ainscombe, 18 Jun 1599, The National Archives, Kew: 21/W10/7
5. ↑ Weller v Holney, 21 May 1596, The National Archives, Kew: C 78/91/5
6. ↑ East Sussex Record Office: DYK 678
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6 7.7 7.8} Sharnden court book, Sep. 1572-May 1596. West Sussex Record Office: Cap/III/7/2
8. ↑ Mayfield parish register
9. ↑ "England, Sussex, Parish Registers, 1538-1910", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/QJD6-LGZN : 7 December 2017), John Weston, 1584.
10. ↑ Chancery final decrees for 1596
11. ↑ Wellar v Carleton, National Archives, C 2/Eliz/W23/54
12. ↑ Chancery final decress for 1599