Okehurst Estate

Deeds of the Okehurst Estate lying in the parishes of Billingshurst, Rudgwick, Slinfold, Pulborough and Wisborough Green in Sussex and deeds of property in Cranleigh and Ewhurst in Surrey,

A list of other properties that appear in the deeds that do not form part of the estate.

I. Baldwyns Farm.

II. Manor of Chithurst and lands in Wisborough Green, Chithurst and Alfold. Fitzhall estate in Trotton (Add. MSS. 1993; 2022; 2053), Iping and Chithurst; Ingram's Farm in Trotton (Add. MSS. 4268; 4270; 12,824; 12,828-37; 14,477; 12,840); Chithurst Farm in Chithurst; Great Steeds Farm in Nuthurst; Brockhurst and Bittles Farms in Lurgashall (Cowdray MSS. 1906; 5015); Staplehurst and Slicehurst Farm in Kirdford; farm in Stedham; Westland in Wisborough Green (Cowdray MS. 1226).

IX. Blackfriars in Rusper.

XI. Manor of Pulborough lands, in Rudgwick.

XIII. Manor of Pounds.

XIV. Woodsomes Farm (Lavington MSS. 224-5) and Harpshill Farm in Rudgwick; Gunshot Farm (Add. MSS. 4476; 4486) and Old House Farm (Add. MS. 4489) in Wisborough Green; Eastlands Farm in Billingshurst.

XV. Reddlands, Hadhurst and Withyatts in Billingshurst.

XIX. Highden in Washington (Add. MS. 4367) and Findon; Wappingthorne in Steyning; Staplefield in Rudgwick; Nyetimber in West Chiltington; Lackenhurst and Trawlers in Shipley; Balneath and Knowlands in Barcombe; Homewood in Chailey; Twineham Place in Twineham; Manors of Nyetimber, Balneath, Twineham and Hope; Advowsons of Twineham and Billingshurst; Great Tithes of Billingshurst. (See Wiston MSS.)

The collection is arranged under properties in sections, in chronological order. The property section with the earliest deed is therefore dealt with first. Where two or more properties are combined by purchase, then they have a separate section from that date on, for example Bignor, Spurland and Malham farms are sections I, II and III, but section IV is the three combined. A list of the property sections is given below, and with each is a note of any catalogue reference number of other deeds relating to that property, found in other collections in the Record Office. The Surrey deeds are dealt with in section XXIV.

I. Bignor Farm in Rudgwick, 1573-1839. (7 deeds) Lavington MS. 646.

II. Spurlands Farm in Billingshurst, 1597-1839. (11 deeds) Add. MS. 12,464. Cowdray MS. 1226.

III. Malhams Farm in Billingshurst, 1614-1803. (8 deeds) Add. MSS. 844; 845; 10,511-10,515; 10,522-10,524; 9,429-9,430; 10,530-10,532; 12,464. Cap. I/4/7/53; I/28/137. Cowdray MS. 1226.

IV. Bignor, Spurlands and Malham Farms in Billingshurst and Rudgwick, 1858-1877. (6 deeds)

V. Five Oaks Cottage, formerly Toms Field, in Billingshurst, 1622-1887. (20 deeds). Add. MS. 6619.

VI. Marles Farm in Rudgwick, 1637-1685/6. (10 deeds)

VII. Oses alias Woses, property in Billingshurst and Rudgwick, 1706-1707. (4 deeds)

VIII. Marles and Oses alias Woses in Rudgwick, 1719-1875. (34 deeds)

IX. Property at Five Oaks in Billingshurst, 1736-1873. (24 deeds)

X. Gingers alias Ginger Fields in Billingshurst, 1804-1828. (4 deeds) Add. MS. 1505. Lavington MS. 229. Wiston MS. 658.

XI. Southland Farm in Rudgwick, 1811-1890. (18 deeds)

XII. Cottages and waste at Five Oaks, Billingshurst, 1815-1896. (17 deeds)

XIII. Cottage in Billingshurst, 1817. (2 deeds)

XIV. Hoglands Farm in Rudgwick, 1866-1893. (19 deeds)

XV. Leverance, Shortloos, Slinfoldlands, Muttons, Ridges, Holmans and Jeans Farms in Billingshurst, Rudgwick and Slinfold, 1866-1867. (Also lands called Reddlands, Hadhurst, Withyatts and Oses alias Woses in Billingshurst and Rudgwick) (10 deeds) Lavington MS. 645.

XVI. Smails Farm in Wisborough Green, 1871-1898. (5 deeds)

XVII. Okehurst Farm in Billingshurst, 1877-1899. (3 deeds) Add. MS. 12,464. Wiston MSS. 657, 659.

XVIII. Cottage and New Pound Common in Wisborough Green, 1879-1901. (10 deeds)

XIX. Oakhurst, Rowners and Hope Farms in Billingshurst and Rudgwick, 1885-1904. (13 deeds) Add. MSS. 2177-2194; 2198-2204; 2209; 4367; 12,464. SP 172. Wiston MSS. 657, 659.

XX. Canal towing path and adjacent land in Rudgwick and Billingshurst, 1886. (1 deed)

XXI. Malham Estate including Malham, Brinkhurst, Lunns, Paplands, Loves, Trenchmore, Durbans, Little Brewhouse, Baldwins, Millgate, Smails farms and land at New Pound Common and messuages called Bryants and Hyfold in Wisborough Green, Rudgwick and Billingshurst, 1896-1907. (16 deeds) Add. MSS. 844; 846; 10,520; 12,464.

XXII. The whole estate; includes all properties in I-XXI in Wisborough Green, Billingshurst, Rudgwick, Pulborough and Slinfold, 1907-1912. (41 deeds) SP 354.

XXIII. Miscellaneous plans and correspondence relating to the estate, [c.1880]-1938. (8 documents)

XXIV. Property in Cranley and Ewhurst in Surrey, 1531-1902. (5 deeds)

The estate is based on Okehurst Farm in Billingshurst and a number of other farms in that and neighbouring parishes in West Sussex. It was built up by the Locke-King family between 1866 and 1901 and was sold by Hugh Fortescue Locke-King to Robert Shepley-Shepley in 1908. Shepley-Shepley sold it to Charles William Fielding in 1912.