Ashurst, West Sussex Beggars Bush 1687

This site is now Beggars Bush Kennels, Spithandle Lane, Wiston, Steyning, BN44 3DY. The owner says the house is part C16, set in 12 acres of good grassland and 1 acre of woodland. The lane is shown at Geograph.

West Sussex Record Office, Wiston Archives contain a number of references. WSRO notes the importance of the Wiston Archives in part because they provide a record for the area between Storrington and Steyning, at both of which there are Beggars Bushes.

The earliest is Wiston/556/557 a mortgage dated 6 Jan 1687/8, from John Stone and James Pellete  to Edward Lukens of Horsham, tailor; “Messuage, lands and tenements called Baggers Bush (20a.) abutting W. on lands of Richard Bridger, N. on lands of Thomas Peper, E. on lane to Sweethill”.

The next reference is Wiston/560,561 a Conveyance and Release dated 30 Sept/1 Oct 1691 of Beggars Bush, Bonners (earlier Bonnards) with the Mead alias Steere Mead (48a). Wiston/568, the Will dated 4 Jan 1720/1 of Edward Burt of Wick in Woodmancote has it as Baggers Bush but must be the same place as it also includes Steers Mead. Variations of the beggars and beggers are not unusual in early record but variations of the initial e are, although I have encountered one place where they are used interchangably over a short period in a beggarly/baggarly place name.

Wiston ACC3412/3/612 contains a survey dated 1763 ‘A map of three pieces (or parcels) of land called by the names of Steers Mead, Bonners and Beggars Bush lying situate in the parish of Ashurst in the county of Sussex being part of the estate of Mr John Ingram surveyed by Thomas Ford at Ditchling’. (There is also a Beggars Bush at Ditchling). The Wiston Archives /5296/5982/6979 /7078 c.1825 refer to Lands Late Ingram’s. [Surveyor not stated, but almost certainly by William Figg.] “51a., being Beggarsbush, formerly Beggars Bush Farm and Burnett’s Farm, in centre of parish, and one field adjoining the River Adur in W. of parish”.

Wiston/2106 refers to two properties which were merged in 1833, that both bear the name of Beggars Bush, first, a Messuage with the buildings and lands belonging (50a.) called Beggars Bush, Bonners and the Mead alias Steers Mead in Ashurst., and second Tenement, barn and several closes of land (12a.) called little Peppers (after c.1780) but formerly Beggars Bush and Furzy Fields. Peppers and Sweeethill both appear to the north of the present Beggars Bush, and Furzefield Cottage to the E. This suggests that the name was applied to a larger area of land than the present site.

In 1905 it was still a part of the Wiston Estates, let to tenant farmers. In that year Henry Carter, who had held the tenancy since before 1901 (but not in 1891), died in the workhouse aged 77.

OS Grid

TQ172153

Sources

O.S. Gazetteer
Wiston Archives

Thanks

John Pile, Richard Childs, WSRO

Posted: April 25th, 2011 | Filed under: Places | Tags: Ashurst, Sussex, West Sussex | No Comments »