Hidden Horsham - Howard Dudley
The History and Antiquities of Horsham

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situated in New Street, it much resembles the Independent’s in its exterior appearance.

“Richard Collier by his will dated Jan 23 1532, benevolently left a small estate, at Stratford le Bow in the county of Middlesex

Collyers in Denne Road

to be sold, and the product to be laid out in the purchase of a school house at Horsham, where he was born.”* The children enjoying the privileges of this charity, are annual-

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* Dallaway.

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ly selected by the vicar and churchwardens with eight of the most “honest” inhabitants, they are allowed to remain till the age of 14 and any number may at the discretion of the school wardens, be instructed in the Latin language. 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.” The charitable founder also bequeathed to the Mercers’ Company, a house and premises in Cheapside London, for the support of the master and usher, whose annual salaries are, £120 [2006:£8,689.30] for the former, and £80 [2006:£5,792.87] for the latter. The school house is situated in a peculiarly delightful and romantic situation, with a pleasant croft in front, extending to the east side of the church yard; the accompanying

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The British Schools

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wood-cut represents the west front of the building.

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 neighbouring indigent persons.

In the back lane, the members of the church of England, have instituted an infant school, which appears a very pleasant object in this hitherto neglected portion of the town.

The Royal British Schools are also well worth the inspection of the visitor: the boys are taught reading, writing, grammar, linear and perspective drawing &c.

To the North of Horsham, on Hurst hill,

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is 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 one splendid and princely edifice.

Chesworth, one of the oldest houses in the county, was formerly as before said, the residence of the noble family of Broase, this truly romantic structure is situated a little to the south east of the town, of which it is one of the chief objects of interest. The unfortunate Thomas duke of Norfolk, who fell victim to the malignant jealousy of

North Chapel

Chesworth House

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Queen Elizabeth, was apprehended here, A.D. 1571. It is said that the papers concealed by Higford, and which lead to his conviction, were discovered under the roof of this building. Several apartments of very spacious dimensions, but of whose existence the inhabitants were totally ignorant, were discovered through accident, by a maid servant about 20 years since. The chapel now used as a wash-house, is still quite perfect, and of great height: several niches for the statues of saints, and receptacles for holy water, may be discovered in the sides: through the falling of part of the wall, a few years ago, several Roman coins were dug up, from which circumstance, it has been by some persons imagined, that the place was originally a Roman villa.

To the west of the town, is Hills place, or rather the remains of an elegant residence,

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so called; it was formerly the property of the lords Irvine, and was considered a very handsome specimen of the domestic architecture of the age, in which it was erected

Hills Place, 1787

It was taken down a few years since, and no vestige is left to mark its site, save the remnants of a farm house in existence before the building of the mansion itself, and part of a wing added to the structure, on the marriage of lord William Ingram, one of the family.

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In one of the upper rooms, is a venerable escocheon, with the motto “in coelo quies” serving to exclude the wind from the antique chamber.

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 St. Leonard, contributes not a little to heighten the beauty, and diversify the scene of this truly delightful and extensive prospect.

At a short distance from the spot where this romantic view may be obtained, the ivied tower, and venerable battlements of Denne house, proudly rise upon the sight,

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The spot upon which this edifice stands, is particularly interesting, being generally supposed by antiquarians to be the site of a Danish encampment, during a conflict with the Picts, who made a choice of an opposite eminence, still retaining the name of Pict’s hill, while the one we have just described preserves the appellation of Denne (undoubtedly derived from Dane) hill. The estate formerly belonging to the family of Braose, was forfeited to the crown, with other lands, on the attainder of Thomas duke of Norfolk into whose possession it had fallen: in the year 1594, it was awarded by Sir William Covert and Sir John Caryll to James Boath, by whom it was sold five years afterwards to Stephen Barnham of London for £1250 [2006:£181,117.13]. Shortly afterwards however then two sons of the last mentioned persons, parted with it to Sir Thomas Eversfield for the sum of £5500 [2006:£796,915.39].

Denne House

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After passing through the hands of several of his descendants, it devolved to William Markwick esq, who took the name of Eversfield, and to whose grandson a minor it now belongs

Continuing along the London road from

Warnham Church

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Horsham, for about 3 miles, and then pursuing the road to the left, we arrive at the picturesque, secluded, and delightful little village of Warnham, bounded on the east by Rusper, west by Slinfold, south by Itching-

Warnham Church, monument of Sir John Caryl

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