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November 2005..... Findon Village can be seen in the valley below Cissbury Ring. |
THIS IS FINDON — www.findonvillage.com created by Valerie Martin, contains scenes from her home village of Findon, West Sussex, U.K.
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November 2005..... Findon Village can be seen in the valley below Cissbury Ring. |
THE LASSETERS AT THE GUN INN IN THE 1700s
Copyright Valerie Martin 2002
1701
The Gun Inn was mentioned in the Findon Parish Register. William Lasseter, described as "of the Gunn", died during the year 1701.
1702
This was the year when a wayward lad by the name of Thomas Ellis came to the notice of Findon inhabitants. He was not born locally but came from Wivelsfield and had gained an apprenticeship with "a gunsmith in Findon" - (which in all probability was William Lasseter of the Gun Inn). Thomas apparently travelled to Billingshurst where he was apprehended for carrying on a "dissolute, loose and bold" living. The result being an order for his return to the village of Findon where he was under apprenticeship - and where, no doubt, he enjoyed recounting his adventures to a captive audience during evenings at the Gun Inn.
1721
At Christmas, 1721, William Lasseter, landowner and holder of the Gun Inn, passed away. He had operated a gunsmith's shop at the property as well as officially running the inn and brewhouse.
1723
Mary Lasseter, (the third daughter of the above William Lasseter), married a London baker, William French from Westminster. Mary eventually inherited the Gun Inn. The property continued in the Lasseter-French ownership for several generations to come.
1725
Humphrey Drew of Westminster married Anne Lasseter of the Gun Inn, (Mary's sister).
The Lasseters were a down-to-earth family and a step lower in the social scale from the Findon upper classes of the day. They were a well-known and prominent local village dynasty with many branches of relations, from the mid-sixteenth century until the beginning of the nineteenth century. At least nine Lasseters were blacksmiths over the years and the name crops up time and time again in Findon history.
Another Lasseter who most likely frequented the Gun Inn at this time was John who was a maltster. It is known that when he died in 1725 he had seven shirts and seven neckcloths, numerous boots, shoes and spurs, plus a fiddle in a case (kept in his buttery). He also had a malthouse at Broadwater. The money owing to him at this time was realistically accounted for and divided into -
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Good debts on book - £50. |
and those he thought would never be repaid as -
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Desperate debts - £29
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He was obviously another no-nonsense and practical Lasseter.
1726
The surveyor, Jared Hill drew up a plan of Findon - and is the earliest detailed map discovered to date. The map is dated 1726 and is 26 in. to the mile and shows the principle roads still familiar today and indicates the Gun Inn positioned in the Square.
1734
The same William French of the Gun Inn was still in Findon. In the Sussex Poll Book of 1734, "William French of Westminster" is listed under Findon, along with John Cheale, (Norroy King of Arms)
, who had the lordship of the Manor of Findon and the manorial rights); William Crips; John Middleton; John Strate and Thomas Woolven. All men of importance in the village.
1744
Although the Lasseter-French line owned the Gun Inn, other landlords in fact, tenanted it over the years.
1747
There was a blacksmith named William Lasseter in 1747 who probably visited the Gun Inn belonging to his relations. This gentleman's experience in 1747 is re-lived with a maritime story -which sounds improbable for a Findon blacksmith of the day.
Continue if you would like to read about William Lasseter's last Christmas at the Gun Inn.
This is Findon Village — www.findonvillage.com is a continually growing record created by Valerie Martin exclusively for documenting life in Findon.
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E-mail: valeriemartin@findonvillage.com |
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