Bibliography - Penhurst, Rother District, East Sussex
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Parish of Penhurst, by Thomas Walker Horsfield, published 1835 in The History, Antiquities and Topography of the County of Sussex (vol. I, rape of Hastings, pp.560-562) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 2396][Lib 3211] & The Keep [LIB/507380][Lib/500087] & West Sussex Libraries & East Sussex Libraries

Penhurst, by Mark Antony Lower, M.A., published 1870 in A Compendious History of Sussex, Topographical, Archaeological & Anecdotal (vol. II, pp.81-82, Lewes: George P. Bacon) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 8946][Lib 3315] & The Keep [LIB/500158]   View Online

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

Penhurst: Being Some Account of Its Iron Works, Manor House, Church, etc, by Rose Fuller Whistler, published 1888 in Sussex Archæological Collections (vol. 36, article, pp.1-18) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 2121] & The Keep [LIB/500254] & S.A.S. library   View Online

On the Traditional Site of a Town in the Parish of Penhurst, by Rev. Edward H. R. Tatham, published 1890 in Sussex Archæological Collections (vol. 37, article, pp.139-150) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 2122] & The Keep [LIB/500255] & S.A.S. library   View Online

Ancient Site called Towncreep, by Rev. Edward H. R. Tatham, published 1892 in Sussex Archæological Collections (vol. 38, article, pp.21-32) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 2123] & The Keep [LIB/500256] & S.A.S. library   View Online

A Correction to the footnotes on p.30 and p.31, by Rev. Edward H. R. Tatham, published 1892 in Sussex Archæological Collections (vol. 38, corrigenda, p.227) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 2123] & The Keep [LIB/500256] & S.A.S. library   View Online

Traces of an old Road near Towncreep, by Rev. Edward H. R. Tatham, published 1894 in Sussex Archæological Collections (vol. 39, article, pp.164-167) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 2124] & The Keep [LIB/500257] & S.A.S. library   View Online

Towncreep. Is It Mercredsburn?, by Henry F. Napper, published 1894 in Sussex Archæological Collections (vol. 39, article, pp.168-174) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 2124] & The Keep [LIB/500257] & S.A.S. library   View Online

Penhurst: A remote Sussex Church, by Eva Bretherton, published 1932 in Sussex County Magazine (vol. VI no. 1, article, pp.32-33) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 9325] & The Keep [LIB/500175]

Dedication of Penhurst Church, by R. H. D'Elboux, published May 1949 in Sussex Notes & Queries (vol. XII no. 6 & 7, article, p.149) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 8230] & The Keep [LIB/500214] & S.A.S. library

Penhurst Church near Battle, by Rev. J. D. Bickersteth, published 1963 (pamphlet) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 7233] & East Sussex Libraries

The Late Use of Bell-pits at Ashburnham, by C. F. Tebbutt, published 1977 in Wealden Iron Research Group (First Series No. 11, report, p.3) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 16400] & The Keep [LIB/506558]   Download PDF

Ashburnham Furnace, Penhurst, by David Crossley, published 1977 in Wealden Iron Research Group (First Series No. 12, report, pp.7-8) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 16400] & The Keep [LIB/506558]   Download PDF

An Aid to Ashburnham Navigation, by C. C. Ennever and C. F. Tebbutt, published 1977 in Wealden Iron Research Group (First Series No. 11, article, p.14) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 16400] & The Keep [LIB/506558]   Download PDF

It is, we think, well known how important navigation was to the business success, over a period of nearly three centuries, of the Ashburnham ironworks complex. This is briefly referred to by Straker (Wealden Iron p.372) when in 1664 the rights of navigation from Kitchenham Forge to Boreham Bridge were re-affirmed. From Boreham Bridge there were, of course, navigational facilities to the sea at Pevensey.

The Penhurst-Ashburnham Leat, by W. R. Beswick and C. C. Ennever, published 1981 in Wealden Iron Research Group (Second Series No. 1, article, pp.4-7) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 16400] & The Keep [LIB/506559]   Download PDF

It has always been known locally that a leat existed between the Ash Bourne stream at Penhurst and the Ashburnham Furnace site. Any relevant documents appear to have been lost, so it is expedient to record this unique feat of engineering.
The route of the leat has been found from those parts which are still visible, time and agricultural needs having taken their toll. Its rediscovery was assisted by the fact that it follows the 100ft contour line between its origin at Penhurst and its termination at Ashburnham, a distance of approximately 5000 yards. The leat would have been dug out of mainly clay soil to an approximate depth of 4ft 6in., with a variable top width of up to 8ft, probably less in many places.

East Sussex Census 1851 Index: Whatlington, Battle, Brightling, Dallington, Penhurst and Ashburnham, by June C Barnes, published March 1987 (vol. 7, booklet, 104 pp., C. J. Barnes & printed at Battle Instant Print Ltd., ISBN-10: 1870264061 & ISBN-13: 9781870264068) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 11236] & The Keep [LIB/503432] & West Sussex Libraries & East Sussex Libraries

Religious Survey 1851 - Battle district, edited by John A. Vickers, published August 1990 in The Religious Census of Sussex 1851 (Sussex Record Society, vol. 75, pp.18-27, 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

Battle district incl. Hollington, Bexhill, Catsfield, Crowhurst, Westfield, Sedlescombe, Ewhurst, Whatlington, Mountfield, Brightling, Dallington, Penhurst & Ashburnham

Penhurst - Land Tax 1785, edited by Roger Davey, published 1991 in East Sussex Land Tax, 1785 (Sussex Record Society, vol. 77, p.168, 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

Mystery of Town Creep, by Kathleen Richardson, published 1993 (36 pp., England Publishing) accessible at: West Sussex Libraries

Penhurst, A Sussex Hamlet, by Kathleen Richardson, published 1994 (England Publishing) accessible at: West Sussex Libraries

The builder of Penhurst manor house, by Jeremy Goring, published 2009 in Sussex Archæological Collections (vol. 147, article, pp.135-145) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 17254] & The Keep [LIB/500365] & S.A.S. library   View Online

This article aims to explain how a Sussex clergyman of relatively humble birth came to acquire a considerable landed estate - and why, as a childless old man, he chose to build upon it a fine house that he probably knew he would not live in for long. The strange story of John Gyles throws light on economic, social and religious developments in eastern Sussex in the first half of the seventeenth century and may serve to modify a number of popular assumptions.