Almodington

Almodington is not named in Domesday Book but was presumably part of the Bishop of Chichester's Sidlesham manor, possibly represented by the 3 hides held by Gilbert in 1086. Hugh de Almodington held a knight's fee of the bishop in 1166. Walter de Almodington held 3.5 hides c. 1260 per the Aldingbourne park paling list.

By c. 1290 the hides were held under Sidlesham by the heir of Ernis de Almodington, probably John, a substantial taxpayer in 1296. Walter de Almodington held 3.5 hides in 1300 and 1310. Both he and his mother Clemence (widow of John) appeared in the 1327 and 1332 subsidy lists.

In 1337 Robert, son of Walter, recovered the manor against John de Almodington (elder and younger), John and Richard de Ernele, and Joan de Ernele. Robert then alienated it to Sir John de Arundel. Robert's younger brother John left widow Alice, who sued in 1367 for one-third of the manor. Their co-heirs Joan (wife of Thomas Shypwright) and Agnes (wife of Richard Rumbregger) claimed dispossession in 1397, though Sir John died before resolution.

Sir John de Arundel's widow Elizabeth received dower rights as Lady la Zouche. The next Sir John de Arundel died holding the manor of the Bishop of Chichester in 1422, leaving son John (aged 13). In 1428 the combined quarter and eighth knight's fee was in royal hands during the minority.

Almodington descended with the Arundel earldom. Henry, Earl of Arundel, settled it on his daughter Jane and her husband Lord Lumley in 1566. Demesne lands were demised by the earl in 1558 to Robert Tyll, whose daughter married William Rishton (died 1583). Robert Rishton died in 1623, holding these lands and Lee Park in Almodington.

Part of the estate passed with Robert Rishton's daughter Catherine in marriage to Richard Taylor, who died in 1633. On the death of his grandson John Taylor in 1700, this estate was sold to Sir Edward Turnour and descended to Earl Winterton. The earldom became extinct in 1962.