A Bit of Crowhurst History

Extract from: The antiquarian itinerary, by James Sargant Storer

Published in 1816

CROWHURST

ORIGINALLY one of the many lordships possessed by
Harold , earl of Kent , in the reign of Edward the Confessor ,
after the Conquest was seized by king William , and given ,
with other demesnes , to Alan Fergant , Earl of Brittany and
Richmond , as a reward for his courage at the battle of Has
tings , from whom it descended to John , Earl of Brittany and
Richmond , who granted , out of this and other estates , one
hundred marks yearly for life , to Sir John Devereux .

At
the demise of his lordship , this and other estates devolved to
his sister Joan , the widow of Ralph , Lord Basset of Drayton .

The manor of Crowhurst at present belongs to Henry Cresset
Pelham , Esq . the descendant of a younger branch of that
ancient family , and who has a beautiful seat and park in
this parish , which commands a most delightful prospect of
the ocean and surrounding country .

The Church at Crowhurst , which is situated near a mile
and a half from Mr. Pelham’s residence , is a small edifice ,
and has nothing whatever to render it deserving of the notice
of the antiquary .

In the church – yard is a remarkable large
yew tree , measuring nearly twenty feet in circumference ,
which has a very majestic appearance .

At a short distance on the south side of Crowhurst Church
are some considerable remains of an ancient Chapel , or

Oratory , supposed to have been built by one of the lords of
this manor , and which have , for many years past , been
converted into small buildings for the use of the adjacent
farm .

In one of the walls is a fine pointed arched window
with trefoils , in tolerable preservation , which , from its
dimensions , may be concluded to have been formerly the
principal one in the building .

The accompanying engraving
represents the chief part of the ruins of this chapel , or ora
tory , and has a very pleasing and picturesque effect .

Crowhurst is a small parish , situated near seven miles to
the left of Hastings ; and , as a morning ride , is most
enchanting , particularly on proceeding to it through the
lanes behind Bo – Peep .