Bibliography - West Hoathly, Mid Sussex District, West Sussex
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Account of a Singular Stone among the Rocks at West Hoadley, by Thomas Pownall, published 1782 in Archaeologia; or Miscellaneous Tracts relating to Antiquity (vol. 6, article, pp.54-60)   View Online

The curious particulars which you had heard of, and had communicated to me, respecting the great pensile-Rock at West Hoadley, in Sussex, (called by the people Great upon Little), raised my curiosity, and determined me at a leisure day to make an excursion to view and examine it.

Parish of West Hoathly, by Thomas Walker Horsfield, published 1835 in The History, Antiquities and Topography of the County of Sussex (vol. I, rape of Lewes, pp.261-263) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 2396][Lib 3211] & The Keep [LIB/507380][Lib/500087] & West Sussex Libraries & East Sussex Libraries

West Hothly, by Mark Antony Lower, M.A., published 1870 in A Compendious History of Sussex, Topographical, Archaeological & Anecdotal (vol. II, pp.242-243, Lewes: George P. Bacon) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 8946][Lib 3315] & The Keep [LIB/500158]   View Online

Valuation of Stock at Ticaridge, East Grinstead, by J. C. S. [J. C. Stenning], published 1905 in Sussex Archæological Collections (vol. 48, notes & queries, p.159) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 2133] & The Keep [LIB/500266] & S.A.S. library   View Online

The Home of the Thatchers: Priesthawes, by Viscountess Wolseley, published 1925 in Some of the Smaller Manor Houses of Sussex (Chapter VIII, pp.130-146, London: The Medici Society) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 42] & The Keep [LIB/502119] & R.I.B.A. Library & West Sussex Libraries & East Sussex Libraries

The Dedication of West Hoathly Church, by Mary S. Holgate, published 1925 in Sussex Archæological Collections (vol. 66, notes & queries, pp.232-233) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 2151] & The Keep [LIB/500284] & S.A.S. library

The Surroundings of Philpots Camp, by Mary S. Holgate, published 1926 in Sussex Archæological Collections (vol. 67, notes & queries, pp.222-224) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 2152] & The Keep [LIB/500285] & S.A.S. library

West Hoathly Field Names, by A. C. Crookshank, published May 1927 in Sussex Notes & Queries (vol. I no. 6, note, pp.194-195) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 8950] & The Keep [LIB/500203] & S.A.S. library

Copyhold's near West Hoathly, by A. C. Crookshank, published August 1927 in Sussex Notes & Queries (vol. I no. 7, note, pp.226-227) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 8950] & The Keep [LIB/500203] & S.A.S. library

West Hoathly Field Names, by Ernest Straker, published August 1927 in Sussex Notes & Queries (vol. I no. 7, note, p.229) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 8950] & The Keep [LIB/500203] & S.A.S. library

The Stoneland Players, by S.C.M. Contributor(s), published 1928 in Sussex County Magazine (vol. II no. 9, article, pp.418-419) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 9327] & The Keep [LIB/500138]

Vineyard at West Hoathly, by Ernest Straker, published February 1928 in Sussex Notes & Queries (vol. II no. 1, reply, p.29) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 8951] & The Keep [LIB/500204] & S.A.S. library

A West Hoathly Overseers' Book, by Rev. J. P. Bacon Phillips, published 1929 in Sussex County Magazine (vol. III no. 12, article, pp.846-847) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 2307] & The Keep [LIB/500140]

Mediaeval Timber Houses at West Hoathly and Forest Row, by Ian C. Hannah, M.A., F.S.A., published 1930 in Sussex Archæological Collections (vol. 71, article, pp.107-133) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 2156] & The Keep [LIB/500358] & S.A.S. library

The Parish Church (St. Margaret), West Hoathly, by Ian C. Hannah, published 1931 (pamphlet, 11 pp.) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15812]

Philpots Camp, West Hoathly, by Ian C. Hannah, F.S.A., published 1932 in Sussex Archæological Collections (vol. 73, article, pp.157-168) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 2158] & The Keep [LIB/500356] & S.A.S. library

Relics of Balcombe Church at West Hoathly, by Ian C. Hannah, published May 1934 in Sussex Notes & Queries (vol. V no. 2, note, p.56) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 2204][Lib 8223][Lib 8862] & The Keep [LIB/500207] & S.A.S. library

West Hoathly Church, by Ian C. Hannah, published 1935 in Sussex Archæological Collections (vol. 76, article, pp.201-212) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 2161] & The Keep [LIB/500353] & S.A.S. library

Chiddingly Farm House, West Hoathly, by Ian C. Hannah, F.S.A., published November 1935 in Sussex Notes & Queries (vol. V no. 8, article, pp.243-244) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 2204][Lib 8223][Lib 8862] & The Keep [LIB/500207] & S.A.S. library

Addenda to the Account of West Hoathly Church in S.A.C., 1935 , by Ian C. Hannah, F.S.A., published February 1936 in Sussex Notes & Queries (vol. VI no. 1, article, p.23) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 12537][Lib 8863][Lib 8224] & The Keep [LIB/500208] & S.A.S. library

West Hoathly and the Island of Barbados. A London Merchant's Accounts , by Ursula Ridley, published May 1936 in Sussex Notes & Queries (vol. VI no. 2, article, pp.37-41) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 12537][Lib 8863][Lib 8224] & The Keep [LIB/500208] & S.A.S. library

The Priest House, West Hoathly, by Ursula Ridley, published 1938 in Sussex County Magazine (vol. XII no. 11, article, pp.730-733) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 2317] & The Keep [LIB/500183]

Mrs. Ridley has written a fluent and picturesque account of the Priest House for the use of visitors to that very charming structure, which is one of the latest additions to the buildings in the keeping of the Sussex Archaeological Trust. The house is the generous gift of Mr. J. Godwin King to the Trust after he had re-conditioned it completely.
West Hoathly and its friends have contributed freely to the collection of local and other objects which form a small museum and add to the interest of the building itself.
Mrs. Ridley's account of the later history of the house is based very largely on documents still existing, but she might have difficulty in substantiating her statement as to monks in residence at what is, after all, truthfully described as the Priest's house.

A List of Church Marks at West Hoathly, by Ursula Ridley, published February 1938 in Sussex Notes & Queries (vol. VII no. 1, article, pp.19-21) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 12536][Lib 8864][Lib 2206] & The Keep [LIB/500209] & S.A.S. library

Parish of West Hoathly, edited by L. F. Salzman, published 1940 in The Victoria History of the County of Sussex (vol. 7: The Rape of Lewes, pp.164-172, 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

Philpots Camp, by I. H. [I. Hannah], published November 1940 in Sussex Notes & Queries (vol. VIII no. 4, note, p.122) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 8865][Lib 2207] & The Keep [LIB/500210] & S.A.S. library

Tickeridge - a Fourteenth-Century Farm-House, by Reginald Thomas Mason, published 1941 in Sussex Archæological Collections (vol. 82, article, pp.65-72) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 2167] & The Keep [LIB/500347] & S.A.S. library

St Margaret's Church, West Hoathly, by S. L. D., published 1955 (pamphlet) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 5006]

West Hoathly Past And Present, published 1 January 1958 (32 pp., West Hoathly Parish Council) accessible at: British Library

Mill Place [near West Hoathly, but in East Grinstead parish], by R. T. Mason, published May 1962 in Sussex Notes & Queries (vol. XV no. 9, article, pp.317-318) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 8233][Lib 2982] & The Keep [LIB/500217] & S.A.S. library

William Blake, by Kathleen Raine, published 1970 (216 pp., Thames & Hudson Ltd., ISBN-10: 0500181136 & ISBN-13: 9780500181133) accessible at: West Sussex Libraries

This is a classic study of William Blake, a man for whom the arts were not an end in themselves, but expressed his vision of the spiritual drama of the English national being. This volume presents a comprehensive view of Blake's artistic achievements and a compelling and moving portrait of the life and thought of an extraordinary genius.

The Story of a Forest Village: West Hoathly, by Ursula Ridley, published 1971 (pamphlet, The Friends of The Priest House) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 10078] & The Keep [LIB/503842] & West Sussex Libraries

St Margaret's Church, West Hoathley, Sussex, published 1976 (pamphlet, St Margaret's Church) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 10277]

Aspects of the geomorphology of the sandstone cliffs of the central Weald: Report of an excursion to West Hoathly and Groombridge Saturday, 5 October 1974, by D. A. Robinson and R. B. G. Williams, published 1976 in The Proceedings of the Geologists' Association London (no. 87 issue 1, article, pp.93-99)   View Online

Aspects of the geomorphology of the sandstone cliffs of the central Weald: Report of an excursion to West Hoathly and Groombridge Saturday, 5 October 1974

Priest House, West Hoathly, by S Farrant, published 1984 (pamphlet) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 10001]

Field Notes: Courtlands Farm Bloomery, West Hoathly, Sussex, compiled by J. S. Hodgkinson, published 1990 in Wealden Iron Research Group (Second Series No. 10, report, pp.2-3, ISSN: 0266-4402) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 16400] & The Keep [LIB/506560]   Download PDF

Religious Survey 1851 - East Grinstead district, edited by John A. Vickers, published August 1990 in The Religious Census of Sussex 1851 (Sussex Record Society, vol. 75, pp.59-65, 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

East Grinstead district incl. Withyham, Hartfield, Forest Row, Worth, Crawley & West Hoathly

West Hoathly - Land Tax 1785, edited by Roger Davey, published 1991 in East Sussex Land Tax, 1785 (Sussex Record Society, vol. 77, pp.112-115, 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: East Grinstead, Worth, Crawley & West Hoathly, by June C. Barnes, published 1 April 1991 (vol. 18, booklet, 104 pp., C. J. Barnes & printed at Battle Instant Print Ltd., ISBN-10: 1870264177 & ISBN-13: 9781870264174) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 11108][Lib 11246] & The Keep [LIB/503434] & West Sussex Libraries & East Sussex Libraries

Estate Buildings at Brook House, by Pat Bracher, Ron Martin and W. R. Beswick, published 1993 in Sussex Industrial History (issue no. 23, article, pp.32-37, ISSN: 0263-5151) accessible at: The Keep [LIB/506527]   Download PDF

Brook House is a substantial mansion largely built during the last quarter of the nineteenth century by the Clarke family. The following articles outline the history of the family and the business that they operated. This is followed by detailed surveys of two notable estate buildings, a game larder and a gas house. To conclude there is a description of an acetylene gas producing plant formerly at Horam Church Hall which would have been similar to the one at Brook House which has not survived.

The Life of a Man: Ron Spicer 1929-1996, by Dick Richardson, published 1 March 1997 (64 pp., Country Books, ISBN-10: 1898941068 & ISBN-13: 9781898941064) accessible at: West Sussex Libraries & East Sussex Libraries

A short biography of Ron Spicer, Sussex herdsman & folksinger. Ron worked on a farm near West Hoathly all his life with a herd of Guerneys, and achieved his life's ambition - to win best of breed at the South of England Show - just before he died.

Stained Glass Windows of St. Margaret's, West Hoathly, by Kay Coutin, published 1998 (pamphlet) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 13836] & West Sussex Libraries

West Hoathly - 18c. Schools, edited by John Caffyn, published 1998 in Sussex Schools in the 18th Century (Sussex Record Society, vol. 81, p.265, ISBN-10: 0854450424 & ISBN-13: 9780854450428) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 13825][Lib 13828] & The Keep [LIB/500458][Lib/507864] & West Sussex Libraries & East Sussex Libraries

Field Notes: A bloomery in West Hoathly, West Sussex and Two bloomeries in Forest Row corrected to West Hoathly, East Sussex, compiled by J. S. Hodgkinson, published 2000 in Wealden Iron Research Group (Second Series No. 20, report, pp.2-11, ISSN: 0266-4402) accessible at: The Keep [LIB/506567]   Download PDF

West Hoathly School the Story So Far: A History of West Hoathly Church of England (Voluntary Controlled) School, by Basil Humphrey Cridland, published 23 November 2001 (104 pp., West Hoathly School, ISBN-10: 0954171500 & ISBN-13: 9780954171506) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 14610] & West Sussex Libraries

West Hoathly School the Story So Far: A History of West Hoathly Church of England (Voluntary Controlled) School, by Basil Humphrey Cridland, published 18 November 2006 (second edition, 120 pp., West Hoathly School, ISBN-10: 0954171519 & ISBN-13: 9780954171513) accessible at: West Sussex Libraries & East Sussex Libraries

New Mesolithic for the Weald? Recent investigations at Chiddingly Wood Rocks, by Mike Allen, Andrew Maxted and Richard Carter, published August 2008 in Sussex Past & Present (no. 115, article, pp.4-5, ISSN: 1357-7417) accessible at: The Keep [LIB/500475] & S.A.S. library   View Online

Mesolithic activity in southern England and Sussex typically includes 'open air' sites such as Iping, Selmeston and Rock Common, and rock shelter sites such as High Rocks or The Hermitage. Rock shelters often produce evidence of restricted activity that may be seasonal, with archaeological investigation usually limited to stratified deposits within the shelters or at their mouths. These sites do, however, potentially contain in situ artefact assemblages and good, stratified palaeoenvironmental data, while open-air sites and flint scatters may contain relatively large artefact and charred assemblages displaying patterning and spatial array, but often with little good palaeo-environmental and geoarchaeological context (e.g. Horsham, Halt, Streat, Iping). Rapid geoarchaeological research at a site at Chiddingly Wood Rocks, West Hoathly in the High Weald, West Sussex has demonstrated the presence of Mesolithic activity in topographical locations not previously expected.

Priest House: Antony Smith reflects on the Centenary, by Antony Smith, published August 2008 in Sussex Past & Present (no. 115, article, p.12, ISSN: 1357-7417) accessible at: The Keep [LIB/500475] & S.A.S. library   View Online

This year sees the 100th anniversary of the opening of the Priest House Museum, a timber-framed building in the picturesque West Sussex village of West Hoathly. Built by Lewes Priory in the early 15th century the house was modernised in Elizabethan times to create a substantial Yeoman farmer's house.

The hoopmaking Budgen family of West Hoathly, by John Howes, published September 2008 in Sussex Family Historian (vol. 18 no. 3, article, pp.126-128) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15860] & The Keep [LIB/508970] & CD SFH40 from S.F.H.G.

The Crawley Observer, of 13 February 1953, carried an article about my great-grandfather, William (Bill) BUDGEN, who was one of the last of a long line of hoop makers that came from West Hoathly. The BUDGEN family can be traced to the early 15th century in Nutfield, Surrey but by the 16th century the family had spread out to adjacent areas in Sussex and Kent. By the beginning of the 18th century them were several branches of the family well established in areas of Sussex including Frant, East Grinstead and Worth as well as the branch from which I descend, living in West Hoathly.

West Hoathly, St. Margaret - church monuments, edited by Nigel Llewellyn, published 2011 in East Sussex Church Monuments, 1530-1830 (Sussex Record Society, vol. 93, pp.383-387, 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

Old West Hoathly : the place and the people, by John Ralph, published 1 August 2012 (272 pp., West Hoathly Local History Archive, ISBN-10: 0957120508 & ISBN-13: 9780957120501) accessible at: British Library & West Sussex Libraries

Chiddingly Wood Rocks: Prehistoric occupation sites and a hermit's hideaway, by Sarah Hanna, published August 2012 in Sussex Past & Present (no. 127, article, p.6, ISSN: 1357-7417) accessible at: The Keep [LIB/500475] & S.A.S. library   View Online

A report by Mike Allen, Andrew Maxted and Richard Carter (SP&P 115, August 2008) drew attention to the potential of the High Weald for evidence of Mesolithic activity, and Richard Carter led a Society walk here in June 2010. This popular event was repeated twice, most recently in February 2012. Chiddingly Wood Rocks are an outcrop of sandstone on the southern edge of the High Weald at West Hoathly, West Sussex, visited by kind permission of the landowner. The first site encountered was a rock shelter named Adulam's Cave (perhaps from Cave of Adullam connected with biblical King David). The shelter was reputedly occupied by a hermit until early in the 20th century, and its chimney now houses a colony of bats. Although never excavated, flint tools were found there, and we noticed disturbance by animals and signs of recent fires under the rock shelter. Richard suggested the ledge outside was a possible site of prehistoric activity, while above the shelter the escarpment rocks form part of the defences of Philpotts Camp, a promontory hillfort.

The Budgen Family of West Hoathly, by John F. Howes, published December 2012 in Sussex Family Historian (vol. 20 no. 4, article, pp.183-188) accessible at: The Keep [LIB/508975] & CD SFH40 from S.F.H.G.

In the September 2008 Issue of Sussex Family Historian I discussed my BUDGEN ancestors from West Hoathly and their hoop making trade. Since that time I have accumulated extensive information on the settlement pattern of the family in West Hoathly, mainly from using land tax assessments. Although land taxes date from 1692, organized records for most places did not occur until 1780, when they were required to verify voting eligibility. Owners of freehold property that was assessed at £2.00 or above were entitled to vote. They were used this way until 1832, and while records were kept after this date they are considered unreliable. For a detailed review of land taxes assessments and redemptions, I recommend the introductory chapters of the Sussex Record Society Volume entitled East Sussex Land Tax 1785 (Sussex Record Society Vol. 77 1991). Enquiries I made at West Sussex Record Office (WSRO) in Chichester determined that for West Hoathly no records exist before 1780, at least not at WSRO. In addition to the 1785 assessments data has been published for the 1798 land tax redemption by Ancestry.co.uk. In order to gain a fuller picture of the BUDGENs from 1780 to 1832, I acquired selected copies of the assessments for West Hoathly from WSRO. These were the returns for 1780 (earliest), 1810, 1820 and 1832 (latest). Together with the published lists, this gave me a good range of dates over the 53 years from 1780 to 1832. From 1841 onwards, the censuses are a more comprehensive source of information along with the greater detail that appeared in the parish records.

Chiddinglye Solar Farm, Selsfield Road, West Hoathly (NGR: TQ35573306) - evaluation and watching brief reports, by James McNicholl-Norbury and Teresa Vieira, published November 2015 (Reading: Thames Valley Archaeological Services)   View Online

"The Fables of Witchcraft": New exhibition at the Priest House, by Antony Smith, published April 2016 in Sussex Past & Present (no. 138, article, p.10, ISSN: 1357-7417) accessible at: The Keep [LIB/507923] & S.A.S. library

Harriet Gladman Embroidery, by Geoffrey Barber, published December 2017 in Sussex Past & Present (no. 143, article, pp.10-11, ISSN: 1357-7417) accessible at: The Keep [LIB/507923] & S.A.S. library

Child's bed cover tells the poignant story of a yuong woman's life

West Hoathly Parish Register, published (no date) by the Sussex Family History Group and Parish Register Transcription Society (Ref: SXW172, CD-ROM)

Baptisms, Marriages and Burials 1606-1900. Indexed Transcription. Includes 35 photographs. Vol.172