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

ROYAL VISITORS TO FINDON — UP UNTIL 1800

Copyright Valerie Martin 2006

Published in Along the Furlong in August 2006

Findon is rich in history and searching through the data I have discovered a good smattering of royal visitors who apparently came to, or through, the rural community over the centuries.  Also, some royal connections to the village.

There was a Manor at Findon during the time of the last Anglo-Saxon King, Edward the Confessor, who reigned from 1043 until 1066.  Harold, son of Godwin, and brother-in-law of King Edward, held the Manor. Harold would often have called with his retinue at Findon during the 11th century, either on hunting forays or "progresses". He would have made such a "progress" with his family and entourage to oversee his lands, and would have gradually toured across the country from one manor to another in those days.

The earliest king who may have come to Findon was King John in the early 13th century, (reigned 1199-1216).  As well as putting his signature to the Magna Carta, he frequently travelled between Arundel and the then thriving port of Shoreham.   This immediately makes me deduce that he may have used the ancient road over the downland, which would have led him and his retinue through Findon.  We shall never know for certain.

In the fourteenth century, King Edward I, (reigned 1272-1307), nicknamed "Longshanks", conqueror of Wales, and well known for his warring with Scotland, visited Findon. Edward spent a night at the Manor of Findon during a state progress across Sussex and very conveniently issued a Parliamentary Writ, bearing the date of 19th June, 1305. This document leaves us positive proof of his presence in the village. This was two years before his death on 7th July 1307 at Burgh-on-Sands in Cumberland.

King Henry VIII, (reigned 1509-1547), also had Findon connections.  In 1534, he granted the Manor of Findon to Sir Christopher Hales and Sir Richard Rich.   During the 33rd year of his reign, Henry was lavishly entertained at nearly Michelgrove, (off the present Long Furlong A280 road).  He had granted Michelgrove by that time to Judge Shelley.   Sir Richard, the son of Judge Shelley, wrote —

He also spoke of the “greate chere” the King had during his Michelgrove visits. 

After the battle of Worcester in 1651, Charles II, (reigned 1660-1685), made his escape from Racton to Shoreham where he embarked for France.   Did he come over Houghton Bridge and pass through Findon on his way to Bramber Bridge?  Or did he, to avoid the Findon cottages, go by a route further to the north, along the old prehistoric track at North End and running along the ridge of Chanctonbury?   No one can answer that with any certainty.

There is a story that has been passed down that the Great Protector in the seventeenth century, although not an actual royal visitor as such, spent some time at Muntham Court.  This belief rests upon an extremely shadowy foundation and I cannot find verification of any authentic stories of his visits to Findon.  

By pure coincidence, William Frankland who purchased Muntham Court in 1805, considered Oliver Cromwell to be his ancestor.  So greatly did Frankland pride himself on this descendency that he directed that a series of family portraits were to be preserved for his successors, as heirlooms.  At the head of the collection of paintings at Muntham was one of the Protector in full armour.

John Cheale, (1699 -1751), was the first owner of Findon Manor to be buried in the parish, (his predecessors having used it only occasionally, and chiefly for sporting purposes).   His nephew, William Green, inherited the property after his death and became the next Lord of Findon Manor.  He was a sporting character and appears to have only occupied the Manor House and its immediate surroundings and did not farm the land.  The frontage of the house was altered, the stables and kennels on the east side improved, and the main building was extended westwards to include a ballroom for entertaining. 

The seaside and its attractions had hardly been "invented" when, at some era before 1786, (the date when William Green died), the Prince of Wales, George Augustus Frederick, (later to became King George IV), and a bevy of his society friends visited William Green at Findon and went out shooting.  

It is said that the Prince during one of his trips brought down a partridge in the Findon area sheltered by Church Hill, West Hill and the ridge of the Downs, known as Rogers Farm.   Back in the nineteenth century, there was a village man who could proudly point to the actual spot in the field where the deed was executed.   That information has since been lost.

Deirdre Farquharson who lives at Rogers Farm has informed me (via Bert Jordan of the Findon News) that Rogers Farm has been so called since the early 1500s.   She bought the farm with her husband in the 1960s and they decided not to change the name.   When their son, Andrew, was still at Lancing College, he was researching some old maps he found that Rogers Farm was shown on a very old ordnance survey map.  Findon was not really an ideal place for such a royal shooting party but perhaps it was the best within travelling distance, there being no rough shooting or coverts to hold game for any length of time.  

Nevertheless, the Prince was more than likely entertained with a fine party at Findon.  He was well known for getting into debt and excesses in gambling, drinking and fornication.   His Findon visits were prior to the time he started showing signs of insanity and telling all and sundry that he had been a soldier and fought at the Battle of Waterloo.    Needless to say, George's indulgent lifestyle seriously damaged his health.

On 1st August 1798, Princess Amelia, youngest daughter (and 15th child) of King George III and sister of the Prince of Wales, the future King, arrived in Worthing.  She must have travelled by coach and I guess she came through Findon as did other members of the Royal Family.  She was sent to the coast to cure her lame knee by sea bathing.  Worthing, just to the south of Findon, started to acquire a genteel reputation, which it has had difficulty in keeping ever since.    I guess it was the lure of the sea-water that did it for the Princess, not for recreational boating and pleasures.

Young Amelia was a physically delicate girl, in poor health and seeking a respite from claustrophobic London.  The Royal Family’s doctors advised a course of seawater bathing for the affliction of her knee, and Worthing, probably because of its mild climate and accessibility, was chosen for her deteriorating condition.  The resort was recommended to her in lieu of Brighton because of the easy beach and extensive sands — (it was only in the last century that the sand became covered with the familiar pebbles of today).

A court official at the palace had been less than diligent in arranging the royal visit.  Too late, her retinue discovered that Worthing lacked a single property even remotely suitable for a princess and her ladies.  The best the town could offer was to lodge the royal party in two adjacent houses close to the sea and have them rapidly converted into one.

A gentleman by the name of Mr Strynger, (who had served as a governor of the Bank of England), lived at Summer House in Worthing.  When he learned of the Princess’s hurriedly adapted holiday accommodation, (and the fact that it lacked any kind of garden), he quickly curried royal favour and offered his grounds for the exclusive use of the Princess.  Very soon the Princess was relaxing under her pretty parasol on Mr Strynger’s elegant lawns.  If you live locally and have occasion to walk down Montague Place, think of Amelia — as the tarmac and pavements are the site where she once sat.

The above is a sketch of Worthing seafront executed at the time of Amelia’s visit, showing Montpelier Terrace on the left, and the Summer House, where she spent a lot of her time, with its grounds extending to the edge of the beach, and Bath Buildings.   There was no seafront roadway at this time and Worthing could only be described as rather a straggling village.  The Summer House has long-since been demolished.

On the day following Amelia's arrival, the Derbyshire Militia, 120 strong, arrived from Clapham Common and encamped nearby to serve as her bodyguard.

Accompanying the Princess was Fanny Russell, a Lady of the Bedchamber and distant aunt to William Frankland of Muntham Court in Findon.  It would be nice to think that the two relatives met each other during that summer — but this idea is just wishful thinking on my part.    It is of course possible that the royal party may have dropped off to see William for refreshments en route.  A nice story, even if I cannot confirm it.

On Sunday 7th August 1798, nearby Worthing was illuminated in honour of the birthday of Princess Amelia on the 8th.   Soldiers put on a parade for her and afterwards she ordered that the troops —

"who had paraded so smartly for her be regaled with a sufficient quantity of bread, cheese and ale."

As Amelia celebrated a birthday on 8th August 1798, the local churches rang their bells.   HMS “Fly”, a sloop stationed locally to guard the coast, fired royal salutes offshore.   It was answered by a volley from the Militia drawn up on the beach — and was heard all over Findon.   In the evening, more illuminations lit up the skies. 

During the Princess's visit, news reached Findon of Nelson's great victory over Napoleon's fleet in the Battle of the Nile.   The immediate result of the battle was the collapse of Napoleon’s invasion.  The villagers of Findon again heard further gun salutes from the HMS "Fly".

It must be mentioned that several times while Amelia was staying in Worthing her brother, the future King of England,  rode or drove over to see his sister from Brighton.

Amelia's health did improve, but despite this, nearby Worthing did not become an overnight success as Brighton had done with her brother.  This was mainly due to the fact that there was no easy access to Worthing — the roads were non-existent at the time and the only approach was by an ancient track across the Findon Downs.

During the Second World War, a very stout iron door in the old cellars of 6 Park Crescent, was given up for scrap to assist in the war effort.   It was believed back in 1942 that Princess Amelia might have stayed at the house and the door barred access to a vault or strong room to house her jewels.   A nice thought.

In the early 1800s there were two routes into Worthing for visitors from north of the Downs.  One was via Sompting and the other via Findon.    Worthing was just a smattering of houses and cottages along its one road — known as Worthing Street.   The coast was already beginning to be popular and bottled seawater from Sussex was transported to London and sold to those unable to visit the seaside.   Until this date, the coast had been inhabited mainly by fishermen and maybe visited by Findon farmers who harvested the seaweed and brought it inland to fertilise their fields.  People did not care to actually live by the sea in those days.   It was shunned and deemed as bleak, desolate and hostile, and ripe for enemy raids in time of war.  Also, the haunt of notorious smugglers.

Quite a dramatic change came to the nearby Worthing area over the next couple of decades.   From a little fishing community in the Parish of Broadwater, it was transformed into a most fashionable place.

The local guidebooks of the era published in 1826 (yes, they did have guidebooks) noted ―

Continue if you would like to read Royal Visitors to Findon — From 1800.

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