Hidden Horsham - Howard Dudley
The History and Antiquities of Horsham

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Previously to the reformation, St. Leonard’s forest contained two chapels, one of which is mentioned as early as the year 1320. No traces of either remain at the present day.

Proceeding from Horsham along the London road, and passing Thornton ville, a collection of houses lately erected by the person resident at Springfield, we arrive at Coolhurst, the delightful and elegant mansion of the Marchioness of Northampton; the vicinity of this seat was lately rendered particularly interesting by a romantic and beautiful glen called Dubbin’s Green, one of the wildest and most secluded spots in the district, but it is greatly to be lamented, the enclosing of the adjacent common, has almost entirely destroyed the beauty of the scenery, and robbed the visitor of a

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truly rural and picturesque treat. Continuing along the turnpike road for some distance, and then inclining to the right, the pretty little village of Nuthurst, with its mo-

Nuthurst Church

dest spire peeping amidst the lowly cottages

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which constitute the single street is display before the sight. To the east of the parish is a portion of St. Leonard’s forest, and a part of the parish of Cowfold: to the west Horsham, and part of Broadwater; to the north another portion of the forest; and south Cowfold. The district is peculiarly rich and beautiful, abounding in springs of excellent water in every direction. The church, of the time of Edward III, and dedicated to St. Andrew, is in the early style of English architecture, with a low tower, containing three bells, and surmounted by a low shingled spire, at the west end. The roof in pannelled in a similar manner to the church at Horsham; the ribs and knots of two pannels are gilt and painted. The communion window contains remnants of stained glass, representing the Salvator Mundi, and two angels scattering in-

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cense. The monumental inscriptions are to the memory of Joseph Tuder esq. of Sedgewick park, 1774: Rebecca Nelthorpe his niece, 1784; William Nelthorpe esq., 1791: Elizabeth Nelthorpe 1801; Eliza Sarah wife of James Tuder Nelthorpe esq. of Nuthurst lodge, died at Paris 1826, and was interred in the cemetery of Pere la chaise. John Aldridge of New Lodge, 1803: John Warburton Aldridge son of the above, 1801: Samuel Aldridge 1773: Sophia Aldridge 1769. The font is plain and octagonal.

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 outer

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and 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. About 40 years farther on, surrounded by copse wood, and overhanging trees, is a small well of circular form, and surrounded by cut stone overgrown by moss: a flight of winding steps, leading to it, from an adjacent eminence, adds a peculiarly romantic and pleasing effect to this venerable work of antiquity, which is known by the name of Nun’s Well. No account is to be found of its history, though it may perhaps have belonged to the neighbouring castle. 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 con-

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jecture. Passing over Tower Hill, an eminence near Horsham, we arrive at the village of Itchingfield, or Hethinfield as it was formerly called. The earliest notice of this place, is to be found in an ancient deed A.D. 1233, when “Hugh de Mabel and Susanna his wife, sold to Robert atte Feching, one messuage and a half a carucate of land, at Hethinfield”. The parish is bounded on the east by Horsham, south by Shipley, west by Shipley, and north by Slinfold, and contained in 1831, 349 inhabitants. The church is dedicated to St. Nicholas is of the time of Henry III, or Edward the I. Its exterior is particularly rustic especially the low tower at the west end, which is formed of entire trunks of trees fastened together by wooden bolts. Against one of the walls of timber in the belfry is an ancient painting representing Moses receiving the ten command-

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ments on mount Sinai, it was most probably used as a kind of altar piece.

Itchingfield Church

In the chancel is a mural monument to the memory of Richard Wheatly gent, ob. 1668, and some members of his family, who were nearly allied to the Mitchells of Field place.

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There is also another inscription to the memory of the Rev. Alexander Hay, former rector of this parish, 1724, also several of his children. Dallaway mentions that after the Scotch rebellion in 1715, some of the attained persons took refuge in the woods of Itchingfield, and were permitted to reside with their countryman Alexander Hay; indeed we can hardly imagine a more suitable place for concealment, than the parsonage house, situated as it was at that time, in the centre of a dense forest, through which there was hardly any passable road.

The last monumental inscription is for the Rev. Thomas Lavender a most exemplary minister of this parish, for upwards of 60 years, he died in the year 1776, at the age of 86.

The font is modern, but particularly neat and handsome; one of a very ancient des-

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cription, was lately dug up in the churchyard.

Proceeding along the turnpike road to the west of Horsham and passing Farthing

Farthing Bridge

Bridge, of which the annexed wood-cut is a representation, we reach Broad-bridge Heath, a delightful, picturesque, and salubrious plain, so called: by pursuing the centre road, the visitor will arrive at Stroud, a small hamlet about 3 miles from Horsham; it is chiefly remarkable for the elegant resi-

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