A strange and sad place
I wonder if anyone remembers the old Manor House which stood to the east of the windmill? It was demolished by the Council in the mid/late 1950’s and flats built. I remember, as a very young child, going into the old manor house with my parents, Eric and Hilda Holden, who were well-known local archaeologists. I think my father would have been surveying, photographing and drawing the house to preserve a record of it. I remember it was in a very dilapidated condition with holes in the ceilings, and I can recall the damp, mouldy smell. In the grounds, which were very overgrown, there was a well which we weren’t allowed to go near unless accompanied by our parents. To a child, it was a strange and sad place.
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Hi, you would not happen to still look at this site? Do you know of any image of the old place?
Thank you. You have saved me from coming to see if the West Blatchington Manor House still exists. My Scrase direct paternal forbears lived there from at least the late 1400s until sometime in the 1700s. Edward Scrase moved to Broyle, wherever that is, and his son my great grandfather was a surgeon in Lewes. I wonder how many more generations of older sons of Scrases continued to farm in W. Blatchington.
Dear Pamela, I helped your parents strip out the manor house – I was only 11 or 12 at the time and had previously, at the age of 10, been allowed to join in the Hangleton village dig after finding an important piece of pottery on the dump that had been missed by the archaeologists. The manor house experience gave birth to a passion for restoring ancient houses, which I’ve done several times – archaeology on a vertical plane I call it – peeling back the accretions of centuries to discover the original structure beneath. I still have photos of blocked mediaeval arches and windows we found at the manor. Many years later I met your father by chance at Singleton at the Hangleton cottage. He subsequently sent me a signed copy of the report of the dig with my find illustrated. Such a nice man; he was so encouraging of my archaeological ambitions at such a tender age. With very best wishes, Paul Lewis.
Editor’s note: Hi Paul – if you would like to scan your photos and write up a description – I would happily publish them on the site. I am sure lots of people would be interested to see them.
jennifer@mybrightonandhove.org.uk
Are your pictures online anywhere, Paul?
Hi. A strange one but I am directly related to the Nevill family (who I believe owned the manor for a time?), but through an extremely complicated childhood and family history I know very little about my maternal family. Does anyone have any good resources about the manor – pictures, stories, history etc? I am so intrigued to find out more about a family I know so little about and the history behind them! Thank you, Dan
I lived in Hangleton and remember my father discussing it, he was a builder and interested in archaeology, I can relate stories he said about it but I would be interested in discussing it with you and seeing any photos. I think it’s such a shame actually in demolition. I think old houses should be restored and preserve the past thank you.
My phone number is 07930275133.
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