(56) CHIDDINGLY, Parish Church
Early English aisles; chancel, rebuilt in 1864 - Nairn & Pevsner (471); Vidal (SAC 18 186-7), see 46F. Engraved external views of church from North-West in Lower (SAC 14 207), (BL Add. MS 5671 ff.41-2; 5677 f.50). State of repair reported as fine in 1686; in 1724, it was reported that John Fuller of Rose Hill will repair the chancel ceiling and that the South wing windows belong to Mr Henry Pelham and need repair (Ford); 1724 report (Ford). The Sackvilles held the manor in our period, but were commemorated at Withyham (302). Chiddingly Place was not a prominent gentry residence for long, soon degenerating into a neglected tenanted farm. In 1634, the whole Jefferay inheritance in Sussex was sold for £8300 to Sir Thomas Pelham of Laughton (C Whittick in ODNB on Sir John Jefferay). However, the church contains a very distinguished set of 17th-century monuments to the Jefferays in their different branches, including those from Sir John Jefferay's two wives, e.g. 56L-M.
56A Ledger for Sara PILBEAM, d. 1692
- North aisle floor, just inside North porch.
- 50(W) x 99(L)~Pitted; worn.
- M.I. (engraved) on pale freestone slab; head to West.
56B Ledger for James PILBEAM, d. 1728
- Nave floor, centre, opposite North door.
- 87(W) x 144(L)~Pitted; worn.
- M.I. (engraved) on black slab.
56C Mural monument for Richard JEFFERAY, d. 1600
- Nave, East end, on North-East pier, facing West, above head height.
- 72(W) x 100(H)~Fine; pigment traces.
- In alabaster; M.I. (engraved) on slate panel with arched top; above, a cherub; to sides, Death's heads and delicate ribbon work in relief; below, base mouldings and brackets; on the cornice, an achievement.
56D Mural monument for Margaret JEFFERAY, dated 1620
- Choir, North wall, above head height.
- 141(W) x 99(H)~Fine; some local losses below; pigment traces remain.
- Alabaster; above, 2 angels seated on scrollwork, flank a very large urn with a wreath on top and bearing a motto; below, 2 very small slate M.I. panels; between them, a cherub's head and keys on a ring; to sides, bright blue inlaid lozenge decorative.
56E Mural monument for Stephen FRENCH, d. 1666
- Sanctuary, North wall.
- 80(W) x 180(H)~Fine; pigment lost.
- An oval panel in slate with M.I.; otherwise alabaster; wreathed border; base moulding; skulls in corners; above, broken pediment with highly ambitious scrolls and large coloured achievement.
- Stephen French, d. 23 Jun 1666, aet 41 (or 43); eldest son John French, Esq., of Stream, and Anne, eldest daughter of John Sackville, Esq., of Selscombe; his wife, Susan, second daughter of Sir Robert Foster, Knt., of Fosters, Egham, Surrey; their issue - Anne, Elizabeth, John (died and buried at Wadham College, Oxford), Mary, Susan, Charity and Katherine (died in infancy).
56F Wall monument for John BROMFIELD, d. 1735/6
- Sanctuary, against South wall.
- 188(W) x 308(H: including base)~Excellent.
- Marble; white panel with grey-veined surround of fluted Doric pilasters, a frieze with triglyphs and a broken pediment with escutcheon and an urn in centre and flaming lamps flanking; generous panelled basement; M.I. panel (engraved, black lines in 5 blocks, from top: (i) and (ii) commemoration of parents, (iii) patronage, (iv) commemoration of daughter, (v) commemoration of son; below M.I., base moulding.
- John Bromfield, d. 30 Jan 1735/6, aet 52; his wife, Elizabeth, d. 6 Nov 1734, aet 42, daughter of John Weekes, Esq., of Westfield, Sussex; their issue - Elizabeth d. Jan 1790, aet 62, buried St. Anne's, Lewes, and John d. 30 Jan 1792, aet 65.
56G Ledger for Elizabeth FRENCH, d. 1718
- Choir floor, East end, against altar rail.
- 101 square~Worn but legible, North side damaged.
- M.I. (7 lines, engraved) in upper part of a slab; head to West.
- Elizabeth French, d. 10 Sep 1718, aet 72; second daughter of Stephen French, Esq., of Stream and his wife, Susannah.
56H Ledger for Anne and Thomas BROMFIELD, d. 1697/8 and 1710/1
- Choir floor, centre.
- 100(W) x 199(L)~Fine; cracks in East side.
- M.I.s (8 + 6 lines) either side of an escutcheon, fills surface of a black slab; head to West.
- Anne Bromfield, d. 19 Jan 1697/8; eldest daughter of Stephen French, Esq., and Susanna; and wife of Thomas Bromfield, Esq., of Lewes, d. 27 Jan 1710/1, aet 73, of Lewes; their issue - 2 sons.
56I Ledger for Mary FRENCH, d. 1695/6
- Choir floor, West end.
- 100(W) x 200(L)~Worn; legible.
- M.I. (6 lines, engraved) in upper 30% of a black slab; head to West.
- Mary French, d. 10 Mar 1695/6, third daughter of Stephen French, Esq., and Susanna, of Stream.
56J Ledger for William JEFFERAY, d. 1611
- Nave floor, centre, extreme East end.
- 69(W) x 162(L)~Cracked; very worn.
- M.I. (6 + 6 lines, engraved, Latin) at ends of black slab with blank centre; engraved head to West.
56K Ledger for Margaret SMITH, d. 1731
- Nave floor, centre, towards East end.
- 99(W) x 106(L)~Very worn; almost illegible.
- M.I. (8 lines, engraved) in upper part of very large freestone. slab; head to West.
56L Wall monument for Sir John JEFFERAY, d. 1578, and descendants, dated 1612
- South transept, South wall, facing North.
- 332(W); (H) inaccessible~Recently (1996) restored; local losses to figures.
- In alabaster and other decorative stones; standing effigies in arched niches, the female figure (right) with 1 foot on a skull, flanking recumbent figures above a kneeling figure; above, a semi-circular hood over a M.I. on slate; at top, arms; flanking, personifications of Toil and Rest; beyond, more arms; railing now raised on a wooden plinth.
- Sir John Jefferay, Knt., Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer, d. 23 May 1578; his first wife Alice Apsley (dates not given), sole daughter of John Apsley, Gent., of London; their only issue - Elizabeth, d. 6 Dec 1611; Elizabeth's husband Sir Edward Montagu, Knt., of Boughton, Northamptonshire; their issue - also Elizabeth, wife of Rt. Hon. Sir Robert Bertie, Lord Willoughby; their issue - Montagu, Roger, Peregrine and Katherine.
56M Mural monument for William JEFFERAY and his wife Awdray, dated 1612
- South aisle, South wall, near South transept, at head height.
- 92(W) x 186(H)~Restorations to left pilaster and elsewhere; gilding remains.
- In alabaster, marble and slate; an achievement on a cornice; below, a pair of shallow arches with a prayer-desk and male and female kneeling figures to left and right (2 adults, 2 sons, 2 daughters); framed M.I. panel between heavy moulded shelves.
- William Jefferay, Gent., d. 29 Oct 1611, aet 68; his wife, Awdray, sole daughter of Thomas Harvey, of London; their issue - 2 sons and 7 daughters living; first son Thomas.
56N Ledger for Thomas THUNDER, d. 1710
- Centre of nave floor, towards West end.
- 93(W) x 186(L)~Extremely worn.
- M.I. (11 lines, engraved) fill freestone slab; head to West.
- Illegible.
56O Ledger for Rev. Thomas BAKER, d. 1795
- Centre of nave floor, towards West end, West of 56N.
- 101(W) x 169(L)~Very good.
- M.I. (7 + 8 lines, engraved) biography and epitaph, fill black slab, head to West.
- Rev. Thomas Baker, vicar of Chiddingly and Alciston, d. 29 Dec 1795, aet 62.
56P Ledger for Thomas EADES, d. 1717
- Centre of nave floor, far West end.
- 103(W) x 199(L)~Very worn.
- M.I. (10 lines, engraved) in upper 30% of black slab; head to West.
56Q Mural monument for Rev. John HERRING, d. 1776
- North Porch, West wall, facing East, at head height.
- 99(W) x 79(H)~Fine; moss staining.
- In grey-white marble; M.I. (4 lines, engraved) in upper 30% of grey freestone slab with a moulded top; 2 simple corbels.
- Rev. John Herring, vicar of Chiddingly for 28 years, d. 28 Dec 1776, aet 67.
