THIS IS FINDON VILLAGE — www.findonvillage.com  created by Valerie Martin, contains scenes from her home village of Findon, West Sussex, U.K.

THE RUNNING HORSE

Copyright Valerie Martin 2003

The Great Findon Sheep Fair is held each year in September on Nepcote Green, although it is now treated as a quaint family outing and is not such a lively venue as in the past. 

Trying to stake a claim to a pitch in days gone by was a hazardous business for would-be vendors of the various colourful booths and amusements.  Frequently arguments would erupt and tempers flew.

A system was later devised whereby no one could stake out his or her pitch until a specified time of the day.  Claimants had the indignity of having to line up and wait for the whistle to blow.  With all haste they could then begin to peg out their sites.  I am told that some of the pegging would inevitably overlap and an argument would again ensue, followed by a fight.

The property on the south-west corner of Nepcote Green is from the early Georgian times in the 1700s and was probably two cottages originally.  At some date it became one property and it is said that the pre-Raphaelite artist, John Everett Millais (1829-1896), fell in love with the house on the Green during a visit in 1851.  Did he dabble with his palette and paint a picture of the house it is wondered? 

Later the property was known as The Running Horse public house.  Alas, the publican was not so keen on running around after his cliental and apparently he lost his licence in the process.

This is how it all came to a head.  It was during the time when the Great Findon Sheep Fair was at its height, and on hot days hordes of thirsty shepherds converged on Nepcote Green and were rampaging for refreshment.  When they exhausted the stock held in the bar, the weary landlord was forced to run up and down to his cellar to keep pace with supply and demand.  He apparently grew so bitter and tired that one day he lost his temper and slammed the pub door shut in their faces and refused to serve them.

In the process he also slammed the door on his own living.   The licensing authorities thought his excuse that the cellar steps were worn and they were too much for him to contend with, was feeble.   Officialdom was not impressed with the lazy licensee — and he promptly lost his licence and The Running Horse was no more a public house and reverted to a private residence known as Nepcote House

The brewery company's loss was to be the Findon Church's gain.  Nepcote House became the home of the Vicar of Findon, Reverend William Dennis Allen.

A local resident of Findon, Nellie Skinner, knew as much about Nepcote House as anyone.  She was born further down Nepcote Lane at St. John's Cottage before moving to live on School Hill in 1914.

She was little more than 12 years old when she left the school in the village in 1926 to become the servant of the Reverend Allen at his home. 

Nellie knew Nepcote House and its garden inside out.  She enjoyed more than anyone the far-reaching uninterrupted views from the bedroom windows as she did her chores.  Hard at work with her housework, she knew better than Millais the long upstairs landing that was accentuated by an arch.  Through the large window to the north she saw the Findon Downs stretching before her and in the distance the hurdles that the racehorses used for practice jumps. 

Nellie is usually remembered for being a friendly barmaid for nineteen years and pulling pints at The Gun, including the Second World War years.  But it was the ex-public house of The Running Horse that she knew inside out.

Continue if you would like to read about the Findon Sheep Fair — 1927.

THIS IS FINDON VILLAGE — www.findonvillage.com is a continually growing record created by Valerie Martin exclusively for documenting life in Findon.