Deeds of Western House and two adjoining cottages in Plumpton

In 1863 Charles Buckwell of Brighton, banker's clerk, Daniel Buckwell of Lancing, gardener, and John Buckwell of Plumpton, yeoman, surrendered a messuage and cottage (1 rod) and piece of land (1 rod), both near Plumpton Green, and a piece of land (2 rods 5 perches), formerly part of the waste (W: the road leading to Wivelsfield) to John Anscombe (HIL/6/65/7). In 1891 Anscombe and his mortgagees sold the property, now a messuage, two cottages and buildings (shown in detail on a map), to Richard Jennings of Horley in Surrey (HIL/6/65/1), who immediately sold to George Carpenter of Oxted, baker (HIL/6/65/2). Within a month Carpenter had sold to J F Reeves of Plumpton Common, grocer, baker and confectioner (HIL/6/65/5). In 1894 he and his mortgagee sold to Mrs C A Larmer (HIL/6/65/9), who sold in 1907 to Howell Powell Edwards of Novington Manor, the property now being called Western House (HIL/6/65/10). He sold to William Wells of Plumpton, builder, in 1908 (HIL/6/65/11)

In 1920 Wells also purchased from A H Keevil of East Chiltington, dairy farmer, a piece of land (3 rods 10 perches) directly behind the property on the east (HIL/6/65/18). This was part of North Barns Farm, a freehold and Plumpton Manor copyhold farm which Keevil had purchased from Emily Norman of Chailey in 1919. She had inherited it in 1908 from her husband Joseph Norman of Chailey, veterinary surgeon, who had owned it in 1892 (HIL/6/65/19-20, which includes a map of the whole farm)

In 1923 Wells sold off a small piece of land on which Plumpton British Legion Club had been built to the Club (HIL/6/65/25)

William Wells died in 1930 and his wife Jane in 1950. In 1953 Wells' personal representatives sold to A V and M M Wells, farmers and Ellen A K Wells, spinster, of Stantons Farm, East Chiltington (HIL/6/65/30). Plumpton Parish Council owned the former British Legion Club by 1965, when they made an agreement, accompanied by a detailed plan, providing for the drainage of the hall (HIL/6/65/32)

The bundle contains correspondence and legal papers concerning a dispute between William Wells and Relph over the boundary between Western House and Beulah Villa, 1908-1910 (HIL/6/65/14)