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Edward
Lightmlaker and the School
Twenty years after the death of his uncle, Edward
died and in his will provided for a school to be founded in Horsted Keynes. He
left minute instructions as to how the school should be run. The instructions
make fascinating reading for modern educationalists.
Read the 300 year history of the School
Sussex Iron Industry
The Pigotts, whose memorial tablet we
saw on the south wall of the chancel, were iron smelters. Their foundry is
mentioned as early as 1507 and closed in 1664. It was near the Mill House. The
iron industry flourished in the Weald of Sussex during the 16th and 17th
Centuries. Iron ore and the wood to make charcoal to smelt it were to be found
in abundance in this part of England. Later coal was used to smelt iron and so
the industry moved to areas where both coal and iron ore were readily available
in the Midlands and North.
Visit a local hammerpond.
Giles Moore
Giles Moore was the Rector of Horsted
Keynes from 1655 until 1679. We know more about him than any of the other
Rectors of the parish because he kept a kind of diary which he called his "Day
Book". This was really a record of his expenditure but he also recorded remarks
which are interesting.
The first part of his incumbency here was during the
Commonwealth period when the Parliamentarians under Cromwell ruled the country.
He was pleased when the Monarchy was restored and Charles II sat on the throne.
"1660 23 April This being King Charles ll Coronation, I gave my namesake
Moore's daughter then marryed ten shillings and the fiddlers sixpence".
A labourer at that time earned 10 pence a day. Giles Moore was a generous man,
often not taking the fees for marrying young couples and on some occasions
taking the fees and then giving a present of much greater value. He did not
always get on well with his wife. "I gave my wyfe 15 shillings to lay out at
Sr. James Faire at Lindfield, all which she spent except 2 shillings and 6 pence
which she never returned to me."
Read all of Giles Moore's Book
Lord Stockton
(Harold Macmillan)
One of the Senior Statesmen of the
Twentieth Century, Harold Macmillan (later Lord Stockton), lived in this parish
and regularly worshipped in this Church for many years. He held senior
government posts during and after the Second World War and served as Prime
Minister from 1957 until 1963. Lord Stockton died in I986 and is buried,
together with many of his relatives, in the eastern section of the churchyard. A
number of visitors come to see their graves each week. Their plot is at the
tower end of the Church surrounded by a hedge.
Tombstones
The earliest tombstones still to be seen in the
churchyard were put up in the 17th Century. Perhaps the oldest of all is near
the main entrance. It is a copy in stone of the earlier wooden grave boards but
no date can be deciphered on the stone. Very thick stones with rounded tops are
of a slightly later date. Some of these look rather rusty; they are made from
the local sandstone which contains a lot of iron. One of these is situated
beyond the east end of the Church. It records the grave of Obedience Lucas. This
lady was mentioned in Giles Moore's Day Book. Some of the 18th Century stones
are decorated with cherubs; this was a popular decoration at the time.
An interesting 19th Century stone, near the path and not far from the large
yew tree, records a road accident. Accidents on the roads were rare in those
days. The fastest form of travel was on horseback and the fastest horse drawn
vehicles travelled only about as fast as you can run. It was possible to hear
the horses' hooves and the turning wheels minutes before the danger appeared. In
those days children could safely play on the roads of the country villages.
See some of the more interesting tombstones.
Dating the Parts
It is possible to tell the age of
various parts of ancient buildings by the style of the architecture; the shapes
of windows and doors, the curve of arches and the shapes of pillars help to
determine the date when the various parts of the church were built.
Saxon before 1066
There is some rather specialised evidence which indicates that the base of
the tower and perhaps the north door are of Saxon date i.e. before 1066 but
certainly a Norman Church stood on the present site.
Norman 1066-1190
Norman work is recognised by rounded doorways and windows and by rounded
arches. Rounded arches exist under the tower and high up on the west face of the
tower. The remains of Norman windows can be found on the south wall of the nave.
This Norman church was probably cruciform (built on a cross plan) with a
central tower with transepts to north and south, a nave to the west and a
chancel or apse to the east.
Early English 1190 - 1300
The present chancel was built during this period and the south transept was
replaced.
Look for the narrow lancet windows over the altar and in the north wall of
the chancel, also those of the vestry. The pointed door to the vestry is also
typical of this period.
Decorated Period 1300 - 1350
Windows, doors and arches built during this period were s611 pointed, but
wider. See the chancel arch which replaced the low, round Norman arch.
The windows in the south wall of the nave are of this period as also is the
high pointed arch near the organ. This arch led into a north transept which was
built at this time, as also was the Marie de Bradehurst chapel which was
demolished in 1850. This chapel was positioned between the east wall of the
vestry and the south wall of the chancel, the wide pointed arch between it and
the chancel has now been filled in and supports two memorial tablets.
Perpendicular Period 1350 - 1550
Only two windows in the church are of this period, the large window in the
west end of the nave and a small square-topped window in the south wall of the
chancel. Windows at this time were wide with nearly flat tops and divided by
several mullions.
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