ARCHIVE OF THE ALLFREY AND ANDREWS FAMILIES OF BANTONY IN SALEHURST

ALF

ARCHIVE OF THE ALLFREY AND ANDREWS FAMILIES OF BANTONY IN SALEHURST

1672-1926

The original depositor, Mrs Constance Mainprice of Bexhill, was one of the children of Emily, daughter of Frederick William Allfrey, who married James Walker Andrews in 1877

Frederick William was the third son of Edward Allfrey of Bryanstone Square, Middlesex who, with the aid of his father-in-law Robert Shedden, began to create an estate in Robertsbridge by purchasing portions of the Webster family's lands there (formerly the demesnes of Robertsbridge Abbey) in 1818 (ALF/4/1-4)

In 1821 Allfrey purchased the Bantony estate in Salehurst which had itself been put together by members of the Brabon family during the eighteenth century. The house, which was later to form the home of the Allfrey and Andrews families, was built by John Brabon between 1719 and 1725 and is depicted in a fine estate map of 1727 (ALF/5/1-37)

By his will of 1855 Edward bequeathed different portions of the Robertsbridge estate to his sons. He died in 1873 and after a cause in chancery the portions of the estate not already bequeathed to Frederick William Allfrey were conveyed to him (with indemnities) by his brothers in 1874 and 1876 (ALF/4/4, 7/32). Additions to the estate were made by Mrs Andrews as late as 1900

Edward Allfrey purchased the lordship of Robertsbridge manor in 1822 and the archive contains some correspondence relating to the manor, memoranda of manorial business and a copy of a portion of the map of the manor of 1734 (for which see ACC 4728). The court books and other manorial documents are retained by Sheppard and Son of Battle, solicitors, who acted for the Andrews family

Perhaps the most interesting part of the archive is a group of papers in Couchman v Brockhurst, heard at Lewes Assizes in 1821. The case turned on the local opposition to the activities of the trustees of the London to Hastings turnpike, led by SBP Micklethwaite, the other major landowner in the parish. The notes of the witnesses' evidence provide a superb view of the life of this agricultural but formerly industrial community (ALF/9/1-12)

Of the earlier origins of the Allfrey family the archive contains little. Two leases of 1752 and 1802 (ALF/1/1, 2/1) confirm that Edward Allfrey the purchaser of Bantony was descended from the Allfreys of Westdean and Friston Place and Berry's descent of the family (in Sussex Genealogies p245) from a Thomas Allfrey of Battle via a Francis Allfrey of Guestling is perhaps confirmed by George Allfrey of Westdean's ownership of Snailham in Guestling in 1752 (ALF/1/1)

ALF/1 Snailham in Guestling, 1752

ALF/2 Chambers Court in Litlington, 1802

ALF/3 House and land in Hailsham, 1772-1813

ALF/4 Abbey Farm in Salehurst and Ewhurst, 1672-1818, 1876

ALF/5 Silverhill estate in Salehurst, 1713-1821

ALF/6 Redlands Farm in Salehurst, 1672-1825

ALF/7 Star Farm in Salehurst, 1808-1856; 1874

ALF/8 Silverdale in Salehurst, 1726-1900

ALF/9 Goodgrooms in Salehurst: case-papers in Couchman v Brockhurst, Lewes Assizes, 1821

ALF/10 Robertsbridge manor papers, 1822-1826

ALF/11 Counterpart leases, estate papers and maps, 1824-1910

ALF/12 Andrews family papers, 1892-1926

English

• <famname>Allfrey family of Salehurst, East Sussex</famname>
• <famname>Andrews family of Salehurst, East Sussex</famname>

12 Series

Records are open for consultation unless otherwise indicated

Documents deposited July 1960 (ACC 394), January 1964 (ACC 594) and October 1965 (ACC 684), and by William Sturgess Trotter and Company, Caxton Street, London SW1, 13 October 1983 (ACC 4150)