Hidden Horsham - Howard Dudley
The History and Antiquities of Horsham

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dence denominated Stroud park, belonging to --- Commerell esq.: the grounds around the house particularly deserve attention, and the sweetly retired situation of the fishing house, erected upon the banks of a lake surrounded by the majestic and noble trees for which this district is so justly celebrated, whilst the deep silence which pervades the whole, interrupted only by the rippling stream beneath, and the delightful choir of the feathered songsters, combine to render it, in every sense of the word, a most enchanting and delightful scene.

By taking the road to the left hand, on Broad-bridge heath, and again turning to the right at Lion’s Corner gate, the village of Slinfold, to which the hamlet of Stroud belongs, soon appears in sight. “Fold” observes Mr. Dallaway, “is a termination fre-

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quently belonging to parishes within the weald and in distinction to ham seems to be applied to those which were first cultivated in square inclosures, after the removal of timber and underwood. This observation belongs to the early Saxon era; and it

Slinfold Church

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is evident that the name of almost every village or farm within the district is derived from them”.

The church built at the end of the village, was erected at the formation of the parish by bishop Ralph in 1230. It has a nave and north aisle with a small sepulchral chapel appendant. In this portion of the church which belongs to the manor of Dedisham, is a curiously sculptured female figure,

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destitute of any inscription, but traditionally said, to belong to a member of the family of Tregoz. There are also two other mural monuments, with small alabaster effigies of women in the ancient dress of their times. The first of which we give a sketch,

Slinfold Church, small alabaster effigy

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appears particularly “en bon point,” and is represented kneeling on a cushion, in the act of prayer. The following inscription, now almost illegible, appears beneath

The remaining monument is to the memory of mistress Jane Blount, ob. 1614.

In the pavement is a large slab of Sussex marble, with the inscription to the memory of Richard Bradbridge gent., and Denys his wife, with their children ob. 1633.

The tower is massive, and like all those in the Weald, is surmounted by a spire of shin-

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gles supported upon four upright beams of a length and diameter seldom seen:

This parish which is bounded on the east by Warnham, west by Rudgewick and Billingshurst, north by Rudgewick, and south by Itchingfield, approaches nearer in form to a circle than any other, and is intersected in several directions by 3 turnpike roads. 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. Mannington 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

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fissures in the Stane street, a Roman road going from Arundel, if not from the seaside through Dorking to London. The dorsum is not intended for heavy carriages consists of sea gravel and sea pebbles abounding on the Sussex coast, above 3 feet deep, and 7 yards long: these minute materials must have been amassed with prodigious labour.

Springfield, a handsome brick mansion to the north of the town, is the property of Francis Scawen Blunt esq., who now rents it to ---- Thornton esq.

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Inns at Horsham

Coaches.

Coaches pass daily to and from London, Brighton, Worthing, Windsor, Oxford and Reading. The Horsham and London Star Coach leaves the Swan inn West Street, at 7 o’clock every morning, and reaches the old Bell inn Holborn about a quarter to 12: from thence it starts the same afternoon, at a quarter past 3, and arrives at Horsham by 8.

Gas

The streets are now well lighted with gas, considering that this is the first year of their illumination. The ga-

Map of the country four miles around Horsham

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meter is erected at the back of Albion Terrace, another specimen of the improving state of the town. The good people of Horsham have lately been much annoyed by the dirty condition of their streets, occasioned by the insertion of the gas pipes, even to such an extent as almost to merit the ancient epithet of the county, as we find in a very old verse, or rather ryhme of the peculiarities of each shire.

Essex ful of good hoswifes
Middlesex ful of shyves,
Kentshire hoot as fyre,
Sussex ful of dyrt and myre

Plants

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Saurian Remains

The strata around Horsham, (which is situated in the Wealden formation) are celebrated for the abundance of the exuviae, of large saurian animals. Many of the bones of the Iguanadon, an enormous reptile, which was formerly an inhabitant of these districts, are now in the possession of Mr G. B. Holmes, of Horsham, by whom these particulars are obligingly communicated. The animal which more nearly approximates to it, than any other now in existence, is the Iguana Cornuta a native of the tropical parts of America, and from its resemblance to which it has received its name; but more particularly on account of the teeth of the Iguanadon, which resemble those of no other animal than the Iguana, of which one species (the Cornuta,) has, like the Iguanadon, a single horn. If we take the Iguana as our model, and attempt to reconstruct the enormous Iguanadon in just proportion, from the relics which have been frequently exhumed, we shall produce a monster 100 feet in length, which there is every reason to believe is not an exaggeration. Besides the Iguanadon, we find the bones of the crocodile, the Plesiosaurus, the turtle, and other amphibious reptiles; with the carbonized remains of monocotyledoneous plants, arborescent ferns, and palms, &c.

Water

The water around Horsham is of a very superior quality, and extremely abundant. It is intended shortly to sup-

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