Estate of Henry Shelley of Lewes

The principal title deeds appear to relate to ground now incorporated in the grounds of The Shelleys, Lewes to the east of the building. There is the conveyance of the main buildings and ground in 1663 to Henry Shelley, and working eastwards there are successively messuage and gardens

(1) called Chauntry House (1641) finally conveyed to Shelley in 1725 (see bounds in AMS3017)

(2) messuage which is conveyed to the Duke of Newcastle in 1736 (see bounds in AMS3029)

(3) tenement which is conveyed to Thomas Sergison in 1736, with bounds at that date disconcertingly stated as E. on property of Henry Shelley (compare with bounds in AMS3029) and W. on The Rose

Apparently then three small tenements must have existed between the present Shelleys and the Grammar School, but their descriptions do not fit in easily with the list of properties given by John Rowe (Sussex Record Society, vol.34, p.15) or Mr.Walter Godfrey's description of the High Street (Sussex Archaeological Collections, vol.93, pp. 17 - 21). The suggestive endorsement 'Sichlemore's House' (AMS3039) for the title of (2) above becomes misleading when related to No.134 High Street 'known as Miller's [which] was conveyed to John Sichlemore, miller, by the Earl of Chichester in 1808' (S.A.C., op.cit., p.17)

The remainder of the deeds relate to Shelley property in West Sussex and London, with copy wills of two 17th cent. Henry Shelleys, a 19th century farm account book, and some interesting miscellanea

The depositor's ancestor George John Dalbiac married Eleanor Shelley in 1806, and the last of that branch, Cordelia Shelley died in 1854 leaving her property to her nephews D'Albiac (S.A.C. op.cit. p.19)

• <famname>Shelley family of Lewes, East Sussex</famname>
• <famname>D'Albiac family of Lewes, East Sussex</famname>

Deposited per National Register of Archives on 16 July 1957.