Manor Profile
Barnham, West Sussex· Avisford Hundred· 1066 – 1997
Alnoth, a free man, held Barnham in 1066. William held it of Earl Roger in 1086. Perhaps from that date, and certainly from 1230 when William de St John had it, the manor descended as a member of Halnaker in Boxgrove. It passed through Robert de St John (fl. 1250-3), John de St John (fl. 1275, d. 1301), and thence in the direct line through John (d. 1329), Hugh (d. 1335), and Edmund (d. 1347) (VCH Sussex Vol. 5 pt 1, pp. 105-117).
In 1253 the manor was leased to Master Richard, the king's cook, and another for 14 years. In 1299 it was leased to the company of the Bonsignori of Siena for 16 years. Barnham continued to descend with Halnaker until the death of Thomas Poynings, Lord St John, in 1429, when it passed under a settlement of 1416 to Sir John Paulet, husband of Thomas's granddaughter Constance (VCH Sussex Vol. 5 pt 1, pp. 105-117).
John's son and namesake succeeded in 1437 and died in 1492. His son Sir John (d. 1525) was followed by William Paulet, created Lord St John in 1539, who exchanged the manor to the Crown about 1542 (VCH Sussex Vol. 5 pt 1, pp. 105-117).
In 1570 the reversion of Barnham was granted to William Howard, Lord Howard of Effingham. Courts were held in the names of Agnes Browne (widow) and William Browne in 1593, and of William Browne alone in 1596. Sir William Browne of Loseley (Surrey) held the manor in 1608. In 1629 he conveyed it to Sir William Morley (d. 1658 or 1659), after which it once again descended with Halnaker, from 1765 in the Lennox, later Gordon-Lennox, family, Dukes of Richmond (VCH Sussex Vol. 5 pt 1, pp. 105-117).
The demesne farm (201 acres about 1700) was sold separately to the Revd Thomas Musgrave (d. c. 1725). It subsequently passed through several private hands including the Page, White Thomas, and Crosbie families. By the early 20th century the demesne was farmed by the Forse family, who retained it into the 1990s. The separation of the demesne from the lordship did not affect the manorial title, which continued with the Halnaker estate under the Dukes of Richmond (VCH Sussex Vol. 5 pt 1, pp. 105-117).
| # | Name | From | To | Acquired | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alnoth | 1066 | held as free man | A free man held Barnham before the Conquest. | |
| 2 | William (under Earl Roger) | 1086 | Domesday tenant | Held of Roger de Montgomery, Earl of Arundel, at Domesday. | |
| 3 | William de St John | 1230 | held as member of Halnaker | Barnham descended as a member of Halnaker in Boxgrove from at least 1230. | |
| 4 | Robert de St John | inheritance | Fl. 1250-3. | ||
| 5 | John de St John | 1275 | 1301 | inheritance | Fl. 1275, d. 1301. |
| 6 | John de St John | 1301 | 1329 | inheritance | |
| 7 | Hugh de St John | 1329 | 1335 | inheritance | |
| 8 | Edmund de St John | 1335 | 1347 | inheritance | |
| 9 | Thomas Poynings, Lord St John(Lord St John) | 1429 | inheritance (Halnaker descent) | Last of the Halnaker-St John line. Manor passed under settlement of 1416 to the Paulets. | |
| 10 | Sir John Paulet | 1429 | 1437 | settlement of 1416 (married Constance Poynings) | Husband of Constance, granddaughter of Thomas Poynings. |
Honour of Halnaker
Barnham descended as a member of Halnaker in Boxgrove from at least 1230, owing service through the honour of Halnaker.
Source: VCH Sussex Vol. 5 pt 1, pp. 105-117
Bonsignori of Siena
commercial · lessees of manor · 1299 – 1315
The manor was leased to the company of the Bonsignori of Siena for 16 years in 1299.
CHURCH COMMISSIONERS FOR ENGLAND
charity · ecclesiastical_holder · 2011
Charity Commission 1140097
Boxgrove Priory
priory · held advowson · 1536
The advowson of Barnham belonged to Boxgrove Priory until the Dissolution.
Successor body to Ecclesiastical Commissioners (1836) and Queen Anne's Bounty. Manages historic episcopal and capitular estates.
216m from manor coordinates. Listed Building, Grade II.
452m from manor coordinates. Listed Building, Grade II.
463m from manor coordinates. Listed Building, Grade II.
VCH Closing Statement
“After Sir William Morley (d. 1658/9), the manor once again descended with Halnaker, from 1765 in the Lennox, later Gordon-Lennox, family, Dukes of Richmond.”
VCH Sussex, Vol. 5 pt 1, pp. 105-117
Short title: Dicker v Floate. Plaintiffs: Joseph Dicker. Defendants: Augustine Floate and Elizabeth Floate, his wife. Subject: copyhold held of the manor of Barnham, Bexhill etc, Sussex. Document type: Bill only.
Phillipps 36372
Charles, 4th Duke of Richmond, to Charles Rose of Barnham, husbandman. 29r. land inclosed and fenced off from the waste of the manor of Barnham (abuttals) with a dwellinghouse lately erected thereon.
Short Title: Gooch v Davie. Plaintiffs: John Gooch, yeoman. Defendants: William Davie the elder, William Davie the younger, Robert Belgrave, Henry Buller. Subject: inclosure of land in the manor of Barnham. County: Suffolk. Document type: Bill, answer, replication, commission, interrogatories, depositions.
Thomas Hows admitted on surrender of William Debnam to meadow (1½a.; boundaries specified) in Barnham. (Phillipps MS No. 35410)
Short title: Lewkenor v Lenne. Plaintiffs: Richard Lewkenor and others. Defendants: John Lenne and others. Subject: manor of Barnham, [Sussex]. Document type: [pleadings].
Thomas Sowton of Offham in South Stoke, yeoman, to Sir William Morley of Chichester, kt. To pay a heriot of £3 if Faintnot his wife shall die before the expiration of a lease for 7 years of Sowton's copyhold in Barnham. Witnesses: Nicholas Westbrooke and Thomas Bettesworth.
Manor of Barnham Hawkins: W. Stackwood.
Report concerning capitular property consisting of copyhold land of the Manor of Barnham, Wotton and Cranham, situated in the parish of Cranham, county of Gloucestershire and held by seven copyhold grants of the Manor of Barnham, Wotton and Cranham. Contains annotations.
Charles, 5th Duke of Richmond, to George Ruff of Barnham, carpenter. 36r. land inclosed from the waste of the manor of Barnham and planted with fruit trees, and 15r. garden, both bounded on the N. by the road from Chichester to Yapton.
Parish of Barnham. Includes manor descent, church, economic history.
village in West Sussex, United Kingdom. Type: village
male given name. Type: male given name
family name. Type: family name
village and civil parish in Suffolk, United Kingdom. Type: village
village in Norfolk, England, UK. Type: village
