A Bit of Hailsham History

Extract from: Sussex; being an historical, topographical, and general description of every rape, hundred, river, town, borough, parish, village, hamlet, castle, monastery, and gentleman’s seat in that county, etc, by Mark Antony LOWER

Published in 1834

Pages 126 – 127

HAILSHAM . A market town and parish in the
hundred of Dill and rape of Pevensey , 13 miles from
Lewes and 55 from London , which contains 168 houses
and 1278 inhabitants . Part of this parish is included
within the Liberty of Pevensey .

The town is small and
contains but few good houses .

The Church is a large
and ancient edifice with a stately tower .

It is mentioned
by Strype as having in the reign of Mary ” been spoyld

” by the inhabitants of the said town , whereof Thomas
” Bishop and John Fletcher , justices of the peace , made
” complaynt to Sir Richard Sackville , one of the coun
” cil . This the council styled a heinous disorder , and
” by their letters to the said justices willed them for
” the better punishment thereof , to call for the assist
” ance of Sir Nicholas Pelham and Sir Edward Gage .
” and to put them to such fynes as should be thought
” most meet and agreeable to the laws . “

The author , of England Illustrated , informs us that an
Abbey was built in this parish at a place called Hotte
ham ( Otham ) but that in consequence of the unhealthi
ness of the situation it was removed & fixed at Bayham ,
about the time of Richard I.

May not this be the
monastery mentioned by Speed , under the denomination
of Ockham which was a house of White Canons , and
dedicated to St. Laurence ?

Market on Wednesdays once a fortnight for cattle ,
corn , & c . considerable quantities of the former are sold
here for the consumption of the Brighton , and other
neighbouring butchers .

Here were barracks for a
regiment of infantry during the late war .