The Weald of Kent, Surrey and Sussex
St. Margaret's Church      Buxted  
Parish records Before
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N/K

3778Christenings15933930316220629438554963658715521
826Marriages4610350192962701361421432411
244Burials31529141645244654322
 

Books and other documents
PublishedTitle, author and references
1835The History, Antiquities and Topography of the County of Sussex by Thomas Walker Horsfield, F.S.A.p. 367
1852Notes on the churches in the counties of Kent, Sussex and Surrey by The Rev. Arthur Hussey, M.A. ⇒ p. 210
1857The Church of St Margaret, Buxted by The Rev. Henry Rosehurst Hoare ⇒ p. 208
1870A Compendious History of Sussex - Volume I. by Mark Antony Lower, M.A.p. 94
1874Ecclesiastical History of the Deannery of South Malling by Edwin Hadlow W. Dunkin ⇒ p. 11
1929Buxted The Beautiful by K. H. Macdermott ⇒ p. 1; p. 24; p. 25; St Margarets p. ii

Historical records

1252HistorySt. Margaret’s ChurchBuxted The Beautiful
St. Margaret's Church was built in the middle of the 13th century and is reputed to have been consecrated in 1252, and no doubt it was due to the recent enrolment of Margaret among the saints that the church was dedicated in her honour. Local sandstone was used in the building of it and the plan included a nave, two aisles, north transept, chancel, tower and porch, with a vestry added later.

1281Occupation Rector of BuxtedReverend Roger de GraveSt. Margaret's ChurchBuxted The Beautiful

May 1281Occupation Rector of BuxtedReverend John de Sancto Martino LewenSt. Margaret's ChurchBuxted The Beautiful

1291HistorySt. Margaret's ChurchBuxted The Beautiful
In the Papal Registers under the date of 1291, a mandate was issued by the Pope to the Archbishop of Canterbury “to grant a licence, on the representation of John, Rector of Bocstede in the Dioc. of Chichester for building a chapel within the limits of his parish for the inhabitants of the town of Gelderegge (Gillridge) who in winter are hindered by floods and bad roads from coming to church and at present go to the neighbouring church of Withyhame, to the injury of the said rectory, it being exempt from the jurisdiction of the Bp. of Chichester and subject to the Archbishop.”

Dec 1298HistorySt Margaret'sBuxted The Beautiful
John de Lewes built the chancel of [St Margaret's] Church, wherein he was buried. The date of his death is unknown, but his tombstone still exists. Admonished in 1310 to reside in his rectory at Bocstede from which he had absented himself without just cause

Dec 1298Occupation Rector of BuxtedReverend John de LewesSt. Margaret's ChurchBuxted The Beautiful

Jun 1349Occupation Rector of BuxtedReverend Richard de DerbySt. Margaret's ChurchBuxted The Beautiful

1349 to 1351Occupation Rector of BuxtedReverend John de DerbySt. Margaret's ChurchBuxted The Beautiful

1351 to 1352Occupation Rector of BuxtedReverend John de HarewellSt. Margaret's ChurchBuxted The Beautiful

1352 to 1358Occupation Rector of BuxtedReverend John de SeverleeSt. Margaret's ChurchBuxted The Beautiful

Jan 1358Occupation Rector of BuxtedReverend William de GratyngdonSt. Margaret's ChurchBuxted The Beautiful

Feb 1361Occupation Rector of BuxtedReverend John AvenelSt. Margaret's ChurchBuxted The Beautiful

1361 to 1385Occupation Rector of BuxtedReverend Britellus AvenelSt. Margaret's ChurchBuxted The Beautiful

1385 to 1392Occupation Rector of BuxtedReverend John PrestSt. Margaret's ChurchBuxted The Beautiful

Jul 1392Occupation Rector of BuxtedReverend John WottonSt. Margaret's ChurchBuxted The Beautiful

Jan 1393Occupation Rector of BuxtedReverend John WattonSt. Margaret's ChurchBuxted The Beautiful

1399Occupation Rector of BuxtedReverend John LyntonSt. Margaret's ChurchBuxted The Beautiful

1399 to 1403Occupation Rector of BuxtedReverend William LullyngtonSt. Margaret's ChurchBuxted The Beautiful

1403 to 1426Occupation Rector of BuxtedReverend Roger SavageSt. Margaret's ChurchBuxted The Beautiful

30th Oct 1404Historythe church of BucksteadHorsfield's Sussex
William Heron, Lord Say, by his testament bearing date Oct. 30, 1404 (6th Henry IV), appointed Sir Robert Pebelow, Parson of Westbourne, Sir Piers, Vicar of Bourne, feoffees of the Brewose his lands, which fell to Elizabeth Lady Say, his wife, by inheritance, should deliver all those lands unto her next heir, on the Brewose his side, charging them as they could answer at the day of doom, to compleat an hospital which was begun at the church of Buckstead, of six or four poor men at least; and a chantry priest to govern them, the priest to have for his support ten marks, and every poor man five marks per annum.

Dec 1426Occupation Rector of BuxtedReverend Stephen OvertonSt. Margaret's ChurchBuxted The Beautiful

1446Occupation Rector of BuxtedReverend Thomas StokeysSt. Margaret's ChurchBuxted The Beautiful

1446 to 1447Occupation Rector of BuxtedReverend John KelyngSt. Margaret's ChurchBuxted The Beautiful

1447 to 1455Occupation Rector of BuxtedReverend William Kele, M.A.St. Margaret's ChurchBuxted The Beautiful

Dec 1455Occupation Rector of BuxtedReverend John ParkereSt. Margaret's ChurchBuxted The Beautiful

1501 to 1533Occupation Rector of BuxtedReverend William Rote, D.D.St. Margaret's ChurchBuxted The Beautiful

1533 to 1554Occupation Rector of BuxtedReverend William Levet, B.A.St. Margaret's ChurchBuxted The Beautiful

May 1545Occupation Rector of BuxtedReverend Richard ColyorSt. Margaret's ChurchBuxted The Beautiful

1554 to 1558Occupation Rector of BuxtedReverend Alban Langdale, D.D.St. Margaret's ChurchBuxted The Beautiful

1559 to 1573Occupation Rector of BuxtedReverend Thomas Fauden, D.D.St. Margaret's ChurchBuxted The Beautiful

1568HistorySt. Margaret's ChurchLower's Sussex
Earliest Parish Registers

1573 to 1613Occupation Rector of BuxtedJohn Langworth, D.D.St. Margaret's ChurchBuxted The Beautiful

Apr 1574Occupation Rector of BuxtedReverend John RidleySt. Margaret's ChurchBuxted The Beautiful

1611 to 1638Occupation Rector of BuxtedReverend John Tichborne, D.D.St. Margaret's ChurchBuxted The Beautiful

1638 to 1643Occupation Rector of BuxtedReverend Samuel Bernard, D.D.St. Margaret's ChurchBuxted The Beautiful

1643 to 1662Occupation Rector of BuxtedReverend Stephen StreetSt. Margaret's ChurchBuxted The Beautiful

1662 to 1673Occupation Rector of BuxtedReverend Roger Middleton, M.A.St. Margaret's ChurchBuxted The Beautiful

1673 to 1719Occupation Rector of BuxtedReverend Anthony Saunders, D.D.St. Margaret's ChurchBuxted The Beautiful

1719 to 1723Occupation Rector of BuxtedReverend Robert Wake, M.A.St. Margaret's ChurchBuxted The Beautiful

1723 to 1768Occupation Rector of BuxtedReverend William Clarke, M.A.St. Margaret's Church

26th May 1764HistoryBuxted ChurchBuxted The Beautiful
Thomas Turner's Diary
“ “Saturday, May 26. In the morn I went over to Framfeld, and, after taking an account of the gloves, hatbands, favours, etc., I set out for the funeral of Alice Stevens, otherwise Smith, natural daughter of Ben Stevens, at whose house she died. The young woman's age was twenty-eight years, and I think I never saw any person lament the death of any one more than Ben Stevens did for this poor girl, his daughter. As soon as it was possible we set out for Buxted Church, where she was to be buried with a large company of people, she being carried on men's shoulders; we arrived about twenty minutes past four, and where we heard an excellent sermon preached by the Rev. Mr. Lewson, curate of Buxted, from the 27th verse 9th chapter, Epist. Heb. – 'And it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.' The young woman was laid in the ground about fifty minutes past five.”

1768 to 1786Occupation Rector of BuxtedReverend Edward Clarke, M.A.St. Margaret's Church

1777St Margaret's ChurchSt Margaret's Church, BuxtedBuxted The Beautiful

1783St Margaret's ChurchSt Margaret's Church, Buxted by Samuel Hieronymus GrimmSamuel Hieronymus Grimm, topographical artistThe Burrell Collection

1786 to 1815Occupation Rector of BuxtedReverend Matthias D'Oyley, M.A., rector of BuxtedSt. Margaret's ChurchBuxted The Beautiful

1815 to 1820Occupation Rector of BuxtedReverend George D'Oyley, B.D.St. Margaret's ChurchBuxted The Beautiful

1820 to 1846Occupation Rector of BuxtedReverend Christopher Wordsworth, D.D.St. Margaret's Church

c 1836Historythe church [St Margaret's]Buxted The Beautiful
When the Earl of Liverpool was at Buxted Place he wished to remove the village elsewhere, so as to enlarge the park and render it more secluded. He accordingly offered to build new houses for the inhabitants anywhere in the parish they wished, if they would move, but the people refused, and stayed where they were. Lord Liverpool then declined to do any repairs to the property, and in course of time the houses fell into decay and became uninhabitable. The tenants had to move then, and the remains of the old village were swept away entirely. This was about 1836. Tradition has it that the Earl wished to remove the church as well, but public opinion was too strong for that vandalism, and the church [St Margaret's] stands to-day in its splendid isolation.

1846 to 1878Occupation Rector of BuxtedReverend Henry Kingsmill, B.A.St. Margaret's Church

1867Directory entrySt. Margaret's ChurchPost Office Directory
The church of St. Margaret is a large and very ancient stone building in the Decorated style, and consists of nave, north and south aisles, chancel and tower containing 6 bells: here is an inscription to the memory of John de Lewis, without a date: a tomb, inscribed 1308 has a cross, with a priest in his robes, and other symbols. The register dates from 1568. The living is a rectory, valued at £718 per annum, with residence, in the gift of the Archbishop of Canterbury, and held by the Rev. Henry Kingsmill, B.A., of Trinity College, Oxford

1874Directory entrySt. Margaret's ChurchPost Office Directory
The church of St. Margaret is a large and very ancient stone building in the Decorated style, and consists of chancel, nave, aisles, and tower containing 6 bells: here is an inscription to the memory of John de Lewis, without a date: a tomb, inscribed 1308, has a cross, with a priest in his robes, and other symbols: here are also two very fine stained glass windows, the work of, and presented by, Lady Catherine J. V. Harcourt. The register dates from the year 1568. The living is a rectory, valued at £718 per annum, with residence, in the gift of the Archbishop of Canterbury, and held by the Rev. Henry Kingsmill, M. A., of Trinity College, Oxford.

c 1875Buxted, Sussex - c 1875Part of the 6 inch to 1 mile map of Sussex produced in 1875 by Ordnance SurveySt Margarets Church

1878 to 1898Occupation Rector of BuxtedReverend John Philip Gell, M.A.St. Margaret's Church

1882Directory entrySt. Margaret's ChurchKelly's Directory
The church of St. Margaret is a large and ancient stone building in the Early English and Decorated styles and consists of chancel, nave, aisles, a lady chapel on the north side of the chancel, north porch and a tower, with short spire, containing 6 bells : in the church is an inscription to John de Lewis, without a date ; there is also a brass, with the effigy of a priest vested and the date 1308 ; there are 5 good stained windows, two of which were the work of and were presented by the late Lady Catherine J. V. Harcourt, to whom a stained east window has been inserted, there is a piscina and sedilia in the chancel, a piscina in the lady chapel and a pulpit of ancient carved oak ; the organ was the gift of Lady Harcourt : over the porch is a rebus of the Alchorne family, representing a woman churning; an ancient oak chest, about 5 feet in length, in which the church records were formerly kept, stands in the north aisle: in the church­yard is the family vault of the Baldock and D'Oyley families. The register dates from the year 1567. The living is a rectory, net yearly value, £830, with residence and 58 acres of glebe, let for £50, in the gift of the Archbishop of Canterbury and held since 1878 by the Rev. John Philip Gell M.A, of Trinity College, Cambridge.
...........
hours of service St. Margaret's Church, Rev. John Philip Gill M.A. rector ; 11 a.m. & 6.30 p.m

28th Aug 1898DeathSarah Ann JarrettSt. Margaret's ChurchBuxted Burial Registers

1898 to 1921Occupation Rector of BuxtedReverend George Slade Pownall, M.A.St. Margaret's ChurchBuxted The Beautiful

1902Buxted Park, ChurchBuxted Park, Church, Buxted photographed by Francis Frith
The Francis Frith Web Site The Frith archive was founded by Francis Frith, the pioneer Victorian photographer, in 1860 and today contains over 365,000 photographs of some 7,000 towns and villages throughout Britain. Taken between 1860 and 1970 these form a topographical record of Britain without equal and is recognised as probably the only photographic collection of national importance in private hands in Britain today.

The importance of the Frith archive is as a topographical and social record. It provides an amazingly detailed visual record of over 7,000 towns and villages, as well as illustrating the enormous social and structural changes which have taken place in Britain since 1860. Whilst some of the photographs are undoubtedly artistically outstanding, the real value of the archive lies in its scale. There is no other archive which can illustrate this period of British history so extensively or to such a high quality.

1905St Mary's ChurchSt Mary's Church, Buxted photographed by A.H. Homewood, Burgess HillPrivate collection

1921 to 1925Occupation Rector of BuxtedReverend Thomas Clayton Twitchell, D.D.St. Margaret's ChurchBuxted The Beautiful

1925Occupation Rector of BuxtedReverend Kenneth Holland MacDermott, L.Th., A.R.C.M.St. Margaret's Church

c 1926St Margaret's ChurchSt Margaret's Church, Buxted drawn by Colin M. MurrayBuxted The Beautiful

c 1929Interior of St Margaret's ChurchInterior of St Margaret's Church, BuxtedBuxted The Beautiful

c 1935St Margaret's ChurchSt Margaret's Church, BuxtedBuxted The Beautiful

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