Slaugham

SLAUGHAM is a long parish, formed into four districts - viz., Handcross, Pease Pottage, Warninglid, and Slaugham, which are 2 miles apart, 4 north-west from Cuckfield, and 5 south from Crawley, in the Eastern division of the county, hundred of Buttinghill, union and county court district of Cuckfield, Lewes rape, rural deanery and archdeaconry, and diocese of Chichester. The church of St. Mary is an old stone building in the Decorated English style, with nave chancel, and side chapels, and contains several ancient monuments and brasses of the Covert and Morton families: it has recently undergone complete restoration, at a cost of £2,500: the interior is fitted with open benches. The register dates from 1655. The living is a rectory, annual value £460, with residence, in the gift of Warden Sergison, Esq., and held by the Rev. William Sergison, M.A., of Brasenose College, Oxford, domestic chaplain to the Lord Bishop of Chichester, and surrogate of the archdeaconries of Lewes and Chichester. There is a National school. A fair for pedlery is held here on Easter Thursday. The Baptists have a chapel here. Here are ruins of the once princely mansion of the Covert family, amongst which are several arches now remaining quite perfect, and portions of the extensive cooking departments: the. ruins extend over 3 acres of ground, now fenced in with a high wall. Warden Sergison, Esq. (lord of the manor), Edward Stanford and William Peters, Esquires, are the chief landowners. The neighbourhood is pleasant and contains, many gentlemen's seats - viz., Dencombe, High Beeches, Ashfold, Woodside, Colwood, Hyde, Tilgate, Handcross House, Slate House, the Hall, Broadfield, Slaugham Park, &c., The population in 1861 was 1,518; the area is 5,363 acres. [Kelly's Post Office Directory of Essex, Herts, Middlesex, Kent, Surrey and Sussex, 1867.]