Publications
The Eastern Rother, by Robert H. Goodsall, published 1961 (London: Constable) accessible at: & West Sussex Libraries & East Sussex Libraries
Review by G. D. J. [G. D. Johnston] in Sussex Notes and Queries, November 1961:The illustrations (by the Author) are excellent, but the letterpress is superficial and falls far below the standard of the Author's previous books on the Kentish Stour and the Medway. There are many omissions (space for which could have been provided by leaving out the quite extraneous matter at pp. 46-49 and 101-104) and mistakes or misleading statements. The most noticeable omission is of any reference to Rye New Harbour (the "canal" from Winchelsea to Cliff End is treated as part of the Royal Military Canal) and the formation of the Rock Channel and the ambitious scheme of diverting the Rother to join the Tillingham and Brede and reversing the direction of flow of their lower courses. Sir James de Echingham and Isabella Aucher are not mentioned (Knel's dam is identified with Spit's Wall) and the long drawn-out litigation (from 1630 to Lord Chancellor Clarendon's decree) as to the diversion of the Rother from north to south of Oxney is not dealt with and the diversion itself is dated (p. 81) as 1736 instead of 1636 (a misprint occurring in Hasted's Kent). Scots Flat (usually "Float") Sluice is merely mentioned (p. 93 but ignored at p. 125) with no reference to the riots here or to the trial at the Croydon Assizes. The date of Witherenden Bridge "perhaps a hundred years or more" appears from date stones to be 1799 (see S.N.Q. x. 62); Newenden Bridge is mentioned by name considerably before 1365 and the county boundary does not here run along the south bank (Sussex has always repaired half the bridge); "Wham" (p. 137 but not indexed) is usually "Iham"; Rochester Bridge never belonged to the City; Pound Bridge (p. 20) is not over the Rother, but over the tributary Furnace Stream; Udiam Bridge and its road were entirely new made under a turnpike Act of 1841 and another curious statement (p. 128) is that in 1289 Rye was incorporated as "The Royal Borough of Rye."
The Arun and Western Rother, by Robert H. Goodsall, published 1962 (196 pp., London: Constable) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 10237] & West Sussex Libraries & East Sussex Libraries
Review by G. D. J. [G. D. Johnston] in Sussex Notes and Queries, May 1963:The author says in his "Foreword" that the inevitable wind of change may well have rendered certain statements not now completely accurate: a similar condition can be applied to parts of the historic narrative. The text is to a considerable extent based on the Water Bailiff's MS. of 1638 (edited by Thomas Fowler) and on Hadrian Allcroft's Waters of Arun omitting later new light and criticism: in particular Sussex Notes and Queries does not seem to have been consulted.
The statements (p. 151) that the Town of Arundel has derived its name from the river and (p. 96) that the Rotherbridge took its name from the farm are no doubt mere slips but the reader is warned to receive many other statements with caution or doubt - for instance (p. 42) Affleden alias Dedisham Bridge still exists considerably above the Roman and later Alfoldean Bridges, bears the date 1710, and the road over it is given as an alternative route by the older road guides and the author mentions it at p. 43 without name; (p. 180) the towpath below Arundel was on the right (not left) bank; (p. 21) Tan Bridge, Horsham - which probably took its name from a tanyard - was only a clapper bridge until the Turnpike Trustees in 1764 rebuilt it to take the turnpike road to Steyning (not Worthing until 1802); (p. 49) the Wey and Arun Canal was wound up compulsorily (see the report in L.R. 4. Eq. 197) and not voluntarily; and why is Easebourne (the Mother Parish of Midhurst) described (p. 91) as its suburb?
Lodge Bridge or Lodsbridge is a very old name for the bridge over the Rother which the author calls Selham Bridge (correctly the name of the bridge over the tributary just east of the church): Lodsbridge and Lodsbridge Mill have always been in the parish of Lodsworth and not Selham, and the mill has not been demolished but converted into living accommodation.
Reference to the Society's Collections and Notes and Queries would no doubt have altered the Author's accounts of many of the bridges and of the various and shifting mouths of the Arun.
The illustrations however are excellent.
The statements (p. 151) that the Town of Arundel has derived its name from the river and (p. 96) that the Rotherbridge took its name from the farm are no doubt mere slips but the reader is warned to receive many other statements with caution or doubt - for instance (p. 42) Affleden alias Dedisham Bridge still exists considerably above the Roman and later Alfoldean Bridges, bears the date 1710, and the road over it is given as an alternative route by the older road guides and the author mentions it at p. 43 without name; (p. 180) the towpath below Arundel was on the right (not left) bank; (p. 21) Tan Bridge, Horsham - which probably took its name from a tanyard - was only a clapper bridge until the Turnpike Trustees in 1764 rebuilt it to take the turnpike road to Steyning (not Worthing until 1802); (p. 49) the Wey and Arun Canal was wound up compulsorily (see the report in L.R. 4. Eq. 197) and not voluntarily; and why is Easebourne (the Mother Parish of Midhurst) described (p. 91) as its suburb?
Lodge Bridge or Lodsbridge is a very old name for the bridge over the Rother which the author calls Selham Bridge (correctly the name of the bridge over the tributary just east of the church): Lodsbridge and Lodsbridge Mill have always been in the parish of Lodsworth and not Selham, and the mill has not been demolished but converted into living accommodation.
Reference to the Society's Collections and Notes and Queries would no doubt have altered the Author's accounts of many of the bridges and of the various and shifting mouths of the Arun.
The illustrations however are excellent.