Bibliography - Barcombe, Lewes District, East Sussex
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Parish of Barcombe, by Thomas Walker Horsfield, published 1835 in The History, Antiquities and Topography of the County of Sussex (vol. I, rape of Lewes, pp.221-222) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 2396][Lib 3211] & The Keep [LIB/507380][Lib/500087] & West Sussex Libraries & East Sussex Libraries

Barcombe, by Mark Antony Lower, M.A., published 1870 in A Compendious History of Sussex, Topographical, Archaeological & Anecdotal (vol. I, pp.25-26, Lewes: George P. Bacon) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 8946][Lib 3314] & The Keep [LIB/500159]   View Online

Ordnance Survey Book of Reference to the plan of the Parish of Barcombe, published 1875 (article, London: H.M.S.O. & printed at George E. Eyre and William Spottiswoode)   View Online

St Mary's Church, Barcombe, by Florence Harriet Dodson, published 1880 in Sussex Archæological Collections (vol. 30, article, pp.52-62) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 2115] & The Keep [LIB/500248] & S.A.S. library   View Online

A Roman Road from Barcombe Mills to the West, through Streat and Hassocks, by Ivan D. Margary, F.S.A., published 1935 in Sussex Archæological Collections (vol. 76, article, pp.7-34) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 2161] & The Keep [LIB/500353] & S.A.S. library

The Barcombe Mills - Buncton Roman Road, by W. D. P. [W. D. Peckham], published August 1937 in Sussex Notes & Queries (vol. VI no. 7, note, pp.218-219) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 12537][Lib 8863][Lib 8224] & The Keep [LIB/500208] & S.A.S. library

Barcombe Mills - Roman Pottery, by I. D. Margary, published August 1937 in Sussex Notes & Queries (vol. VI no. 7, note, p.219) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 12537][Lib 8863][Lib 8224] & The Keep [LIB/500208] & S.A.S. library

The Hundred of and Parish of Barcombe, edited by L. F. Salzman, published 1940 in The Victoria History of the County of Sussex (vol. 7: The Rape of Lewes, pp.79-83, London: Victoria County History, ISBN-10: 0712905898 & ISBN-13: 9780712905893) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 7398] & The Keep [LIB/500082] & R.I.B.A. Library & West Sussex Libraries & East Sussex Libraries   View Online

Sussex Church Plans LXXI: St Mary, Barcombe , by W. H. G. [Walter H. Godfrey], published August 1945 in Sussex Notes & Queries (vol. X no. 7, article, p.149) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 8228][Lib 2209] & The Keep [LIB/500212] & S.A.S. library

Hole House, Barcombe: a medieval farm, by Charles Frederick Tebbutt, published 1975 in Sussex Archæological Collections (vol. 113, shorter notice, p.189) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 6177] & The Keep [LIB/500316] & S.A.S. library

Religious Survey 1851 - Lewes district , edited by John A. Vickers, published August 1990 in The Religious Census of Sussex 1851 (Sussex Record Society, vol. 75, pp.74-95, ISBN-10: 085445036X & ISBN-13: 9780854450367) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 10578][Lib 13824] & The Keep [LIB/500452][LIB/507827] & West Sussex Libraries & East Sussex Libraries

Lewes district incl. Ditchling, Wivelsfield, Westmeston, East Chiltington, Streat, Plumpton, Hamsey, Chailey, Newick, Barcombe, Ringmer, Glynde, Beddingham, West Firle, Ripe, Chalvington, Selmeston, Alciston, Berwick, Newhaven, East Blatchington, Bishopstone, Denton, Tarring Neville, Piddinghoe, Telscombe, Southease, Iford, Kingston-near-Lewes, Stanmer, Falmer, Rottingdean & Ovingdean

Barcombe - Land Tax 1785, edited by Roger Davey, published 1991 in East Sussex Land Tax, 1785 (Sussex Record Society, vol. 77, pp.9-11, ISBN-10: 0854450386 & ISBN-13: 9780854450381) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 11681][Lib 13075] & The Keep [LIB/500454][Lib/507860] & West Sussex Libraries & East Sussex Libraries

East Sussex Census 1851 Index: Wivelsfield, Ditchling, Westmeston, East Chiltington, Streat, Plumpton, Hamsey, Chailey, Newick, Barcombe & Ringmer, by June C. Barnes, published 1 March 1992 (vol. 21, booklet, 108 pp., C. J. Barnes & printed at Battle Instant Print Ltd., ISBN-10: 1870264207 & ISBN-13: 9781870264204) accessible at: The Keep [LIB/503435] & West Sussex Libraries & East Sussex Libraries

Barcombe Gang, 1836-1839, by W. H. Johnson, published 1 June 1995 (30 pp., Downsway Books, ISBN-10: 0951856464 & ISBN-13: 9780951856468) accessible at: The Keep [LIB/502450] & East Sussex Libraries

A Neolithic polished axe from Barcombe, by Chris Butler, published 2000 in Sussex Archæological Collections (vol. 138, shorter article, pp.224-225) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 14509] & The Keep [LIB/500298] & S.A.S. library   View Online

From Iron Age roundhouse to Roman villa: excavations at Barcombe, Sussex, 2001-2003, by D. Rudling and C. Butler, published 2003 in Archaeology International (vol. 7, article, pp.17-21)   View Online

The first issue (1997/1998) of Archaeology International included an account by the Director of the Institute 's Field Archaeology Unit (UCLFAU) of excavations at the Roman villa of Bignor in West Sussex. Here he describes, with a colleague from the Mid-Sussex Field Archaeological Team (MSFAT), a major new research and rescue project at Barcombe in the Ouse valley in East Sussex

Barcombe Mills to Old Lodge Warren, East Sussex, by William Foot, published 2006 in The battlefields that nearly were: defended England 1940 (pp.89-98, Stroud: Tempus, ISBN-10: 0752438492 & ISBN-13: 9780752438498) accessible at: West Sussex Libraries & East Sussex Libraries

Barcombe Roman Villa: The elusive well is discovered at last!, by David Rudling and Chris Butler, published April 2008 in Sussex Past & Present (no. 114, article, pp.12-13, ISSN: 1357-7417) accessible at: The Keep [LIB/500475] & S.A.S. library   View Online

Last year was the seventh and final season of large scale excavations on the site of the Romano-British villa complex in Dunstalls Field, Barcombe, near Lewes, East Sussex. Following preliminary survey and trial excavations by the Mid Sussex Field Archaeological Team (MSFAT) in 1999 and 2000 (SP&P 93 p7), the main phase of villa investigations began in 2001 as a joint venture of research and training excavations by MSFAT and the UCL Field Archaeology Unit. In 2005 UCL ended its involvement with the project and was replaced by the Centre for Continuing Education (CCE) of the University of Sussex. (Annual reports on the first six seasons of excavations at Barcombe may be found in SP&P95, p6-7; 98, p10-11; 102, p4-5; 105, p6-7; 108, 12-13 and 111, 12-13).

Contrasting communities: Anglican ecclesiastical development in Barcombe and Hamsey in the nineteenth century, by Pamela Combes, published 2009 in Sussex Archæological Collections (vol. 147, article, pp.169-192) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 17254] & The Keep [LIB/500365] & S.A.S. library   View Online

Reflecting the general trend over much of Britain, the population of the Sussex parishes of Barcombe and Hamsey rose significantly throughout the nineteenth century. Clearly there were concerns that the locations of their ancient churches made it difficult for them to serve the developing communities. In both parishes new churches were built in what had become more densely populated areas. In Hamsey, the new church at Offham was dedicated in 1860 and the ancient church remained in use as a mortuary chapel. The change appears to have caused little local controversy perhaps because the rector was a member of the Shiffner family, by 1840 the greatest landowners in the parish. Although from as early as 1836 there had been plans in Barcombe to build a new chapel to the north of the parish, St Bartholomew's at Spithurst was not dedicated until 1880. That simple statement masks a story of parochial controversy that had wracked the parish community for over 40 years. The differing responses to similar circumstances reflect the underlying contrasts between the two communities. Hamsey was essentially a downland parish with an influential resident landowner, whereas Barcombe, a more complex and essentially Wealden community, lacked a dominant individual with sufficient power to implement change on his own terms.

Excavations at Barcombe: Hot bath discovered in Church Field, by David Rudling and Chris Butler, published April 2009 in Sussex Past & Present (no. 117, article, p.9, ISSN: 1357-7417) accessible at: The Keep [LIB/500475] & S.A.S. library   View Online

In 2008 a new research and training project was started in Church Field, Barcombe, East Sussex, adjacent to Dunstalls Field, site of the Roman villa excavated between 2001 and 2007 (see annual reports in previous issues of Sussex Past & Present). Previously, field walking, geophysics and test pitting in Church Field had indicated the presence of a Roman-period building, perhaps one with an underfloor hypocaust heating system.

Hidden Roman Waterways? Geoarchaeological research at Barcombe Roman villa, by Mike Allen, published April 2010 in Sussex Past & Present (no. 120, article, p.7, ISSN: 1357-7417) accessible at: The Keep [LIB/500475] & S.A.S. library   View Online

Between the Barcombe Roman villa (Dunstalls Field) and bath-house (Church Field) is a small ditched drain running from Barcombe toward the Ouse floodplain. Today it's an inconvenience as we have to cross the footbridge to go between these two Roman sites. But what was it like in Roman times; how did they cross between the villa and bathhouse? Perhaps the stream didn't exist then. . . or perhaps it, like some of the other small field-side ditches, were much larger water courses. If so, surely it is important to know a bit about the nature of these before we can really understand the villa and bath-house at Barcombe and the other Roman sites at Culver Farm. While we're on the subject of water, Church Pond next to St Mary's Church is large and auspicious, and clearly today a managed and landscaped feature. With the important Roman activity here, perhaps this water too was an important resource and factor in the choice of location here?

Barcombe, St. Mary - Church monuments, edited by Nigel Llewellyn, published 2011 in East Sussex Church Monuments, 1530-1830 (Sussex Record Society, vol. 93, pp.23-24, ISBN-10: 0854450750 & ISBN-13: 9780854450756) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 17926] & The Keep [LIB/500470][LIB/507876] & West Sussex Libraries & East Sussex Libraries   View Online

Romano-British Hanging Lamp: Rare lamp unearthed at Culver Farm, Barcombe, by David H. Millum, M.A., published April 2011 in Sussex Past & Present (no. 123, article, p.6, ISSN: 1357-7417) accessible at: The Keep [LIB/500475] & S.A.S. library   View Online

The Culver Archaeological Project, under director Rob Wallace, has been investigating the wider archaeological landscape surrounding the Roman villa estate at Barcombe. After exposing a 40m section of unknown Roman road in Courthouse Field during 2009, they concentrated in 2010 on a 40 x 20m open area excavation in the adjacent Pond Field. This exposed an area of industrial pits and ditches to the south side of the road where a corroded iron artefact with a 100mm diameter bowl at the end of a dog-legged bar was uncovered. The item was fractured into three pieces and had a large headed rivet/bolt adjacent.

Roman Baths at Barcombe: Complex Roman bathing arrangements revealed, by Chris Butler and David Rudling, published April 2011 in Sussex Past & Present (no. 123, article, p.9, ISSN: 1357-7417) accessible at: The Keep [LIB/500475] & S.A.S. library   View Online

Since 2008 we have been investigating a large Roman bath house located in Church Field, which lies between the villa site and St Mary's Church, Barcombe. The excavations in 2008, 2009 and 2010 revealed a structure in excess of 20 m long and 6 m wide and orientated north-east to south-west.
At the northern end of the complex is a rectangular furnace room (praefurnium) with walls made of mortared flints. This room had a Y-shaped linear cut at floor level, which ran from the furnace through its south wall, and continued outside the building as a 'ditch' to the main drain running along the south side of the baths. This cut had been blocked at the furnace end and could be either an air vent or more likely a drain, perhaps indicating that this room was not fully roofed.

Prehistoric Wetlands Discovery: A new Middle Bronze Age waterlogged site in Sussex, by Michael J. Allen, published December 2011 in Sussex Past & Present (no. 125, article, pp.6-7, ISSN: 1357-7417) accessible at: The Keep [LIB/500475] & S.A.S. library   View Online

As part of the geoarchaeological and hydrological study by Mike Allen, funded by a Margary grant from Sussex Archaeological Society, of the environs of Barcombe villa and bathhouse (see previous issues of SP&P for details of these excavations), a preliminary investigation was undertaken in a former tributary valley of the river Ouse at 'The Wilderness'. This steep-sided broad flat-bottomed valley is now heavily wooded but in the past was an important tributary of the Ouse that may have allowed access to the Roman bathhouse and villa by shallow-draught boats or barges.
Preliminary augering in November 2009 with assistance from archaeology students John Kane and Philippa Whitehall of Sussex University, indicated the presence of alluvium over rare important prehistoric waterlogged peats in the former channel. In November 2010, with the permission of the land owner through the kind auspices of Rob Wallace, Mike Allen directed a further group of Sussex University students (Andy Bradshaw, John Kane, David Millum and Jan Oldham) during the excavation of a small test pit (1.2m x 1.2m) to examine and sample the site. This revealed 70cm of alluvium over a 40cm thick peat deposit with hazelnuts, twigs and preserved leaves. The most astonishing discovery, however, was a large waterlogged oak stake over 0.5m long and more than 20cm in diameter and clearly cut into a point (Fig. 2) with adze marks clearly visible. We assume it formed part of a trackway or platform over the peat-filled channel, later buried under nearly 1m of Roman and medieval alluvium.

Palaeolithic hand axe found near Barcombe, East Sussex, by John Funnell, published 2012 in Sussex Archæological Collections (vol. 150, short article, pp.208-217) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 18615] & The Keep [LIB/500368] & S.A.S. library   View Online

Culver Archaeological Project: An intriguing first seven years, by David Millum and Rob Wallace, published December 2012 in Sussex Past & Present (no. 128, article, pp.4-5, ISSN: 1357-7417) accessible at: The Keep [LIB/500475] & S.A.S. library   View Online

For the last seven years the Culver Archaeological Project (CAP), under director Rob Wallace, has been investigating the historical environment of the Upper Ouse Valley in the parishes of Barcombe and Ringmer. In 2005 Rob had discovered a substantial Roman road running to the east of the Barcombe villa complex, heading north east through the fields of Culver Farm, where CAP's subsequent fieldwork has been undertaken.

Reflections on a Cold Plunge: Reporting on the final year's dig in Church Field at Barcombe, by David Millum, David Rudling and Chris Butler, published April 2013 in Sussex Past & Present (no. 129, article, pp.4-5, ISSN: 1357-7417) accessible at: The Keep [LIB/500475] & S.A.S. library   View Online

In October 2012 the bathhouse excavations at Barcombe were filled in, thus ending five seasons of excavations in Church Field and a total of 14 years of fieldwork for the Barcombe Roman Villa Project. It also marked the end of practical field archaeology at the University of Sussex whose Centre for Continuing Education (most recently, until its demise: Community Engagement) CCE - had joined the Project as partners of the Mid Sussex Field Archaeological Team (MSFAT) in 2006. Over the years many intriguing features have been exposed at both the villa and bathhouse sites. This article reports upon some of the most interesting discoveries and outcomes of the final, very wet, fieldwork in 2012.

Survey Reveals Roman Site: Substantial HLF Grant will enable further investigation, by David Millum, AlfA, M.A., published April 2013 in Sussex Past & Present (no. 129, article, pp.10-11, ISSN: 1357-7417) accessible at: The Keep [LIB/500475] & S.A.S. library   View Online

During early 2011 David Staveley conducted a magnetometer survey in a large field at Bridge Farm, Wellingham, near Lewes (TQ43301440) on behalf of the Culver Archaeological Project (CAP). He was looking for the Roman London to Lewes road that Ivan Margary had suggested ran down the east side of the Ouse at this point (Margary 1948). The initial results were so outstanding and unexpected that the survey was extended over the next two years as a clear picture of a substantial Roman settlement in a bend of the River Ouse emerged from the geophysical images. The location is just across the river from Culver Farm where a Roman road and industrial workings have been discovered just to the north east of the Barcombe villa and bathhouse complex (see Sussex Past & Present 128, Dec 2012).

Bridge Farm Excavation: A truly momentous first year, by David Millum and Rob Wallace, published December 2013 in Sussex Past & Present (no. 131, article, pp.4-5, ISSN: 1357-7417) accessible at: The Keep [LIB/507923] & S.A.S. library   View Online

The first year of excavations at Bridge Farm, Wellingham (near Barcombe Mills, East Sussex) proved to be truly memorable, not only for the archaeology revealed, but also for the terrific response from the 180 volunteers of all ages and experience who signed up for a total of over 1000 work days. During the six weeks of excavation an estimated 400 visitors had tours of the site and the five organised local school field trips attracted 150 pupils. The wide range of workshops gave 120 people the opportunity to share the knowledge of six specialists in subjects as diverse as handling human bones to recording pillboxes.

The Mills of Barcombe Parish, by Bob Bonnett, published 2014 in Sussex Industrial History (issue no. 44, article, pp.2-10, ISSN: 0263-5151) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 16389/44] & The Keep [LIB/507922]   Download PDF

The Button Factory at Barcombe Mills, by Mike Green, Stephen Green & Peter Cox, published 2014 in Sussex Industrial History (issue no. 44, article, pp.11-19, ISSN: 0263-5151) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 16389/44] & The Keep [LIB/507922]   Download PDF

Barcombe Mills Toll Rad, by Brian Austen & John Blackwell, published 2014 in Sussex Industrial History (issue no. 44, article, pp.20-22, ISSN: 0263-5151) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 16389/44] & The Keep [LIB/507922]   Download PDF

The Railway at Barcombe Mills, by Alan Green, published 2014 in Sussex Industrial History (issue no. 44, article, pp.35-43, ISSN: 0263-5151) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 16389/44] & The Keep [LIB/507922]   Download PDF

Bevern Stream Habitat Creation, Banks Farm, Barcombe Cross, Barcombe (NGR: TQ43001500) - watching brief report, by Sean Wallis, published July 2014 (Reading: Thames Valley Archaeological Services)   View Online

Tracing the Roman Road: Geophysics at Cowlease and Bridge Farms, by David Millum, published August 2014 in Sussex Past & Present (no. 133, article, pp.4-5, ISSN: 1357-7417) accessible at: The Keep [LIB/507923] & S.A.S. library   View Online

Culver Archaeological Project (CAP) organised a series of geophysical surveys in the late summer of 2013 using the magnetometer (MAG) kindly lent to the project by AOC Archaeology. Various volunteers from the summer kindly turned out in all weather conditions to help lay out the grids and lines and some were even able to take control of the MAG, although this did mean getting metal free which was often far harder than it seemed.

Bridge Farm 2014: A year of incredible rarities, by David Millum AlfA, MA, BA, published December 2014 in Sussex Past & Present (no. 134, article, pp.8-9, ISSN: 1357-7417) accessible at: The Keep [LIB/507923] & S.A.S. library   View Online

As reported in Sussex Past & Present 133 (p5), this summer saw the Culver Archaeological Project (CAP) excavating an area of the Romano-British settlement at Bridge Farm that showed an 18 x 6 metre rectangle of 13 round anomalies observed in a geophysical survey. The team believed that this presented a pattern of postholes for a substantial building and, if so, the first building to be excavated at the settlement.

Barcombe and Beddingham: Roman Villas from Wealden Iron?, by Ann Best, published 2015 in Sussex Archæological Collections (vol. 153, article, pp.63-71) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 18934] & The Keep [LIB/509033] & S.A.S. library   View Online

This paper puts forward the archaeological evidence to suggest that Barcombe and Beddingham Roman villas, and the Romano-British settlement at Upper Wellingham, were not only part of the immediate agricultural landscape, but also linked to the wider industrial landscape which had iron production at its core. It also explores how the economic results of an expanding iron industry could have provided the necessary wealth to support these Romanised houses and a substantial trading settlement in this rural location.

Bridge Farm 2015 Excavation: Aiming to clarify settlement changes, by David Millum, published April 2015 in Sussex Past & Present (no. 135, article, p.8, ISSN: 1357-7417) accessible at: The Keep [LIB/507923] & S.A.S. library   View Online

Following on from the outstanding success of the 2013 and 2014 seasons, the Culver Archaeological Project (CAP) have been negotiating over the winter with farmer Mark Stroude at Bridge Farm for access to part of the main settlement site, despite this being in the middle of his sweetcorn crop. The proposed area will target the junction of the London/Wealden 'Iron Way' with the bivallate enclosure and an east west internal road. It is hoped that this will answer some of the outstanding questions about the changes that occurred to the settlement during the late 2nd to early 3rd centuries.

The Bicknells of Barcombe Part 1, by Martyn Webster, published September 2015 in Sussex Family Historian (vol. 21 no. 7, article, pp.301-305) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15860] & The Keep [LIB/508953]

The following obituary was published in "The Times" on 31st October 1911: "By the death last Friday of Mr. Algernon Sidney BICKNELL, of Barcombe House, near Lewes, probably the last intimate friend of J. M. W. TURNER, the artist, has passed away. Mr. BICKNELL was the son of Elhanan BICKNELL, whose 'renowned collection' of pictures was dispersed at Christie's in 1862, whose Turner pictures are frequently referred to by Ruskin, whose residence at Herne Hill was a well-known resort of men famous in artistic and other circles, including Burton the traveller. Mr. A. S. BICKNELL, who was born in 1832, was a soldier, author, scientist, and traveller. . . .

The Bicknells of Barcombe Part 2, by Martyn Webster, published December 2015 in Sussex Family Historian (vol. 21 no. 8, article, pp.379-382) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15860] & The Keep [LIB/509026]

Barcombe House passed on the death of Rosa Louisa BICKNELL, widow of Algernon, in 1913 to her eldest son Maldion Byron BICKNELL, Lieutenant Colonel in the Royal Artillery in India for many years who retired from the army at this point at the age of 50 to take over the family estate which had been theirs since 1898.

Bridge Farm 2015: The London road and the enclosure ditches, by David Millum, published December 2015 in Sussex Past & Present (no. 137, article, pp.6-7, ISSN: 1357-7417) accessible at: The Keep [LIB/507923] & S.A.S. library

It has been another exciting year for the Culver Archaeological Project (CAP) at the Romano-British settlement at Bridge Fam, near Barcombe Mills, Lewes. For the 2015 excavation they targeted the intersection of the double enclosure ditches with the north running roadside ditches in the NE corner of the enclosed settlement. A 40m square trench was opened at the end of June for a six week dig. The excavation was to answer questions on phasing and reaffirm the date of the enclosure.

The Bicknell's of Barcombe Part 3, by Martyn Webster, published March 2016 in Sussex Family Historian (vol. 22 no. 1, article, p.40) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15860] & The Keep [LIB/509161]

The truly remarkable memoirs of Algernon Sidney BICKNELL deposited at The Keep which have been evaluated in parts 1 & 2 of this account are of such a scale and minute detail of description that it would take many a long day for anyone to properly absorb them all in one reading, or indeed more than one reading.
. . .
The last words must therefore rest probably with the best evaluator there ever will be in the person of A.S.BICKNELL's eldest son and heir Maldion, taking the form of copious manuscript notes at the end of the memoir upon the death of the subject. It is very clear that he wanted to get a lot off his chest and what is reproduced here is but an expurgated version. Father and son despite their many differences nonetheless lie buried beside each other in Barcombe churchyard.

Bridge Farm Update: Yet another legacy of the remarkable Ivan Margary, by David Millum, ACIfA, published December 2016 in Sussex Past & Present (no. 140, article, p.6, ISSN: 1357-7417) accessible at: The Keep [LIB/507923] & S.A.S. library

1841 Census vol.08 - Wivelsfield area, published (no date) by PBN Publications (Ref: BPCH, CD-ROM)