Steyning (St. Andrew)

STEYNING (St. Andrew), a market-town and parish, the head of a union, and formerly a representative borough, in the hundred of Steyning, rape of Bramber, W. division of Sussex, 24 miles (E. by N.) from Chichester, and 49½ (S. by W.) from London; containing 1495 inhabitants. The name is supposed to be derived from the Steyne-street, an ancient road which passed through this part of the country from Arundel to Dorking. Camden considers the town to be the Steyningham mentioned in Alfred's will. It appears in the Saxon age to have been of considerable note, a church or monastery having been built here, in which St. Cadman was buried; and in the "Catalogue of Religious Houses," ascribed to Gervase of Canterbury, in the time of Richard I., mention is made of a dean and secular canons. It is certain that King Edward the Confessor gave lands to the monastery of Feschamp, in Normandy, which included this place; aud these being taken away by Earl Godwin, were restored by William the Conqueror. Some Benedictine monks from that house erected a priory here, which was eventually given to the monastery of Sion by Edward IV., and continued part of its possessions till the Dissolution. Speed says, the conventual church was dedicated to St. Mary Magdalene, and contained the sacred relics of St. Cuthman (Cadman), and Ethelwulph, father of Alfred the Great: here was also a parochial church in honour of St. Cuthman. Camden speaks of the market as well frequented in his time; but the town afterwards became reduced, and in the Magna Britannia, a century later, is mentioned as "a mean contemptible place, with hardly a building fit to put a horse in," and being said then to contain not more than 150 families. Since that period it has been considerably enlarged.

It stands at the foot of a lofty hill, near the river Adur, over which is a bridge; and consists of one long street, and two smaller ones brauching therefrom: it is supplied with water by a spring. The land in the vicinity is fertile, and the adjoining downs afford good pasturage for sheep. An extensive cattle-market is held on alternate Mondays; there is also a corn-market, and fairs take place on June 9th, September 19th, and October 11th: at the Michaelmas fair, a great number of Welsh and Devonshire cattle are disposed of, with cattle of other kinds, sheep, horses, hogs, wheat, seeds, &c. Here are two breweries, also a small parchment manufactory. An act was passed in 1846 for making a branch from the Brighton and Chichester railway to this place, four and a half miles in length. Steyning is a borough by prescription, under the authority of a constable appointed at the court leet of the manor; and petty-sessions are held on the market-days. It sent two representatives to parliament until disfranchised by the act 2nd of William IV., cap. 45; the members were at one time elected in conjunction with Bramber, but subsequently each town returned two. The parish comprises 3381 acres, of which 474 are common or waste land.

The living is a vicarage, valued in the king's books at £15, and in the gift of the Duke of Norfolk. The great tithes have been commuted for £260. 16., and the vicarial for £410; £15 also are paid to Magdalen College, Oxford: there is a glebe-house, and the vicarial glebe is valued at £80 per annum. The church consists of the nave of a large cruciform structure, and presents beautiful specimens of the Norman style. The interior was restored in 1831, and is magnificently enriched: at the east end, where the transept intersected, are clusters of columns and arches for supporting the former central tower. The present tower on the west, of more modern date, is of chequered flint and rubble stone, with buttresses at the angles. There is a place of worship for Lady Huntingdon's Connexion. The free grammar school was founded and endowed in 1614, by William Holland, a native of this place, and alderman of Chichester, who bequeathed for that purpose a garden and messuage called Brotherhood Hall, together with his manor of Festoes, &c, to pay from the proceeds of the latter £20 yearly to a master; the income is about £90 per annum. Brotherhood Hall most likely received its name from having been the hall of some guild, or fraternity, prior to the Dissolution; it consists of a centre with an arched entrance, and two wings. Steyning is the head of a poor-law union, which comprises 23 parishes or places, and contains a population of 14,353. In 1826, upon the removal of a barrow on the downs overlooking Steyning, in order to procure the flints, numerous skeletons were discovered, an urn containing burnt bones, and several brass coins of Roman emperors. John Pell, the mathematician, was educated here.

Transcribed from A Topographical Dictionary of England, by Samuel Lewis, seventh edition, published 1858.