Diary of John Margesson of Offington 1831-2
Born 1794 - died 1866 in Chelsea London
Baptised Feb 16th 1794 - St Mary’s Church, Offington
Studied at Harrow - 1802-1812
Trinity College, Cambridge- 1812-17 (readmitted)
Family Home - Offington House sold in 1816 by his brother William to J.T.Daubuz (London Merchant) including approx 850 acres of land
Brother and family was William of Offington and Van and Oakhurst and rector of Watlington.
Margesson Family estate included land on Leith hill and manor of Wotton.

1831

August 1 - Monday
I walked about Brighton for an hour or two and then started for Worthing - beautiful day.  I reached Worthing at half past 12 and drove to Parson’s Sea House Hotel.  After I had reposed in the hotel for a short time   I walked to Offington - every step revived a thousand recollections: the same birds still sing in the trees, and the same fields are waving with corn, just as I remember them thirty years since.

The general appearance of the country is such as I used to picture it when I returned from Harrow for the Summer holidays.   I walked up the hill as far as Cissbury ring:-  the view was beautiful on every side:- this is the most beautiful season of the year:-  every field is now bright with golden crops, and lively with the bustle of the reapers.

As I descended I met our old shepherd George Baker, who seemed glad to see me. The larks sang merrily, as if to welcome me;- but I almost fancied their melody ill-timed.   I could have asked the useless and foolish question- “how can all nature seem happy, when i am oppressed with care?” A greater misfortune can hardly be conceived than to return to the place of one’s birth, - after long years of absence- alone and like an exile.

August 2 -Thursday
At 11 a.m. I started for Mr Stanhope’s near Castle Goring:- I found him at home and walked round his gardens with him:-  he seemed to make much of a shrub called Elangnus, which comes from Persia; - this is usually considered to be a greenhouse plant, yet it seems to flourish in the open border.

I walked back to Worthing, and called on Mr Wood at the rectory near Broadwater.-  a violent thunder-storm burst just as I was leaving the house, and I took shelter under some trees at Broadwater Farm. 

In the evening I walked up Offington hill:- as soon as it became dark I heard a melancholy cry of the Curlew;- the partridges also were calling, and the sensations I felt were soothing and pleasant.-

August 3, Wednesday
I walked to Offington:- as I stood looking towards the house, from the bottom of the lawn, I heard someone call me by my name:-  it was Mr Stanhope, who was going to Worthing, to return my visit.  He had seen me pause several times, to observe the house, and guessed it could be only me.   We walked to Worthing together.   I wondered his sight was good enough to descry me from the road:-  but he only conjectured who it must be from the frequent pauses I made as I walked along.

At 2 a.m. I took a swim in the sea at Worthing:-  I went in a machine, and was made almost sick by the unpleasant notion of the vehicle.
Mr Stanhope and I took a luncheon, at my hotel, and we walked together to his house, where we dined at 6.

August 4- Thursday
I called again on Mr and Mrs Wood of Broadwater, and found them at home.- They gave me a kind reception, and invited me to dine with them tomorrow. The garden was blooming with flowers, many of which I had seen in the garden at Chiswick - The “Statice Latifolia” was new to me, and had a curious appearance- it was a marine plant.

In the evening I walked through Tarring, and up the lane to Offington.  There was a stillness in the air that was in harmony with my feelings:-  the humming of the beetles, as they started up from the turf, revived many a by gone recollection:-  the evening was lovely, and the setting sun brilliant. From the lawn I passed up the hill, - to the mill:- the larks were now at rest, and silent, but the Curlews were calling from the uncut corn, with a shrill and melancholy note.- this is the finest year in the memory of man:- just rain enough, but no more than enough.  The crops of every kind of corn are abundant; the hay was equally abundant, and all houses in the best order.  I returned by Tarring.

August 5 –Friday
I rose at 6 a.m. and walked to Offington:- the morning was dull:- I observed starlings in numbers on the backs of the sheep in the lawn:-  the sheep seemed to pay no attention to them.  I mention this circumstance because I thought it too early in the year for starlings to congregate.

At 11 a.m. I walked again to Offington, to see the house and gardens:-  Mr Wood persuaded me to go:-  I had a feeling of delicacy that made it unpleasant to call at a door that was closed against its legitimate owner.  However, my reception was kind in the extreme.  The house is as I left it, - the new furniture makes the rooms look smaller, but nothing else has been done.  The gardens are nearly as they were:- my own little garden, - that I cultivated as a boy, - had been destroyed,  - but the general appearance is the same.   The orchard too, the scene of many of my youthful exploits, is as I saw it last. The Fig trees were loaded with fine fruit;-  so too were the vines- every thing was blooming and gay.

After I had taken my leave, I walked in the wood for a couple of hours.  I heard the wood pigeon, and wood-pecker, both of which were old acquaintances. William Cave, our old gardener, came out to speak to me, he is still gardener, only much enfeebled.  At 5 I dined at the Rectory, Broadwater.   Mr Wood showed me the church, and I mounted to the beacon turret:-  the view was beautiful:-  passed a pleasant evening.

August 6- Saturday
I arose at 6 and walked to Offington, after breakfast I went to call on Mr Stanhope, but he was gone out for a walk.  I sat some time talking with Ms Burt, who is pleased with the silk gown I gave her.   I returned to Offington, and walked in the Wood, many of the old trees are gone, but young ones spring up in all directions - so little alteration has been made, that in the hovel where we used to keep tame rabbits, the hutches still remain.

At 4 I dined with Mr Henty of Tarring:-  I had met him yesterday and walked to see his horses - he will depart in September, with his whole family, for the Swan-River. The evening was pleasant, and a hundred old recollections were revived by the conversations at dinner.

August 7
Arose at 6 and walked up Offington hill - after breakfast I called again on Mr Stanhope:-  he invited me to dine, but I did not feel disposed to stay the whole day with him.  I returned by Durrington and Salvington, and encountered a violent shower;-  near Offington I met Richard Lindup, our old servant, in Tarring Lane.  I reached Worthing at 4.

In the evening I walked up to Cissbury, by the way of the chalk-pits- beautiful evening.

August 8- Monday
Arose soon after 6 - fine morning - I walked to the furze-field at Offington:-  met Mr Wood;- sultry day. At 2 I started for Brighton;- every thing has been fortunate in this excursion;-  and the weather heavenly.
 

August 9 Tuesday
At 11 a.m. I started for London:-  reached Jermyn street before 6, I met my aunt going to Brighton;- we saluted each other as we passed.......

1832

May 20 Sunday
Fine weather:-  I started for Brighton at 11, being desirous of having the house as soon as possible on account of the death of one of the family to which is belongs.  I reached Brighton at half past 5 and drove to the York Hotel on the Steyne.

May 21- Monday
At 10 a.m. I started for Worthing, and drove to parson’s “Sea-house hotel”. I soon afterwards walked to Mr Stanhope’s House, near Castle–goring, taking Offington in my way. The face of the country resembles paradise- at this season.

May 22- Tuesday
Beautiful day:- the Furze-field, near Offington, was bright with the golden blossoms of the furze.   A cuckoo was calling loudly in a tree in the avenue, immediately over my head;-  I walked near enough to see it distinctly, and examine it minutely.  The nightingales sang delightfully - Lord Surrey’s troop of yeomanry cavalry were exercising in the Broom-fields - I walked up the hill, as far as the mill, and then went to Mr Stanhope’s to spend the remainder of the day.  His man and I walked to see the garden of Castle Goring;- they are now used as nursery grounds, and are held by a man of the name of Bright - I saw some fine Geraniums.

In the evening I walked again in the Furze-field at Offington. I remarked that the fine young trees, planted with my own hand, had been lopped and pruned in the most savage manner. The old Elms at the back of Offington have also been shorn of their honours. The cawing of the rooks in the wood revived the memory of early days; these birds have much decreased in numbers- the rabbits have, on the other hand, increased in the furze-field.

May 23, Wednesday
Beautiful day. I arose soon after 6 and walked up Offington Hill;-  here I saw our old shepherd George Baker;-  the larks sang cheerfully, and all around seemed a paradise.

After breakfast I walked to Salvington Mill, and then went to see Mr and Mrs Wood, of the rectory, Broadwater;- they were gone on a tour. The day was hot, but a fine breeze blew from the sea.  This morning I did not forget to look at the spot where my poor little favourite dog Vixen was buried (immediately in front of the stables, under the old elms) - in February 1813.

After dinner I drove in a fly to Findon, where I had not been for years:- many new houses have been built, and the appearance of the place is much altered.

I walked on Offington hill again in the evening; the sun set bright. I sate down on the hill, and saw the sheep feeding below me.  The scene was delightful, as it revived a hundred recollections. I walked down to Broadwater with David Baker, son of George.

On Broadwater green I met Harwood our old coachman, who spoke with much feeling of our family misfortunes.  He related some anecdotes that distressed me-  Thomas Bowles our old gardener, who lived upwards of 40 years in our family, has been sent to the parish poor-house.  William Cave, also our gardener, and subsequently gardener to the new family, has been turned off by the present proprietor, after 40 years service on the estate.  I regretted my inability to relieve the distress of these ancient domestics of my family:-  but can do no more.  I remember these men as long as I remember my own name.

May 24 Thursday
I walked to Cissbury Hill:- misty in the morning - the yeomanry cavalry fired a great deal, being reviewed by Lord Surrey. I walked over to Sompting, to call on Mr Barker who is fast relapsing into second childhood.  He seemed pleased to see me.

Mrs Barker, his lady, died in the month of December 1825.  I returned over the fields by Lyon’s farm:-  beautiful day.

In the evening I drove in a fly to Offington, and walked up the hill. I talked to the Shepherds about the vineyards on the hill belonging to the Offington estate. The ridges of earth are visible, and the name still survives. I gazed on the scene around me with a feeling of intense enjoyment. - the fairy dreams of my early days seemed returned.  A hare ran rapidly past me and looked at my presence:-  however of the animal could have guessed the state of my feelings, she would not have felt alarmed at such an enemy.  The evening was lovely. As I returned towards Worthing, I met Lucy, Sam Harwood’s wife, looking remarkably well. She was my nurse 30 years ago.  Her daughter was with her - now a fine young woman:-  the last time I saw her she was an infant.

May 26 Friday
I passed the morning near Offington. I sat a long time on the stile leading out towards Salvington. There were races on the sands at Worthing - poor amusement at best, and in the present instance poorly contested!

In the afternoon I left Worthing for Clapham, and took up my residence at the “Coach and Horses”, close to Mr Stanhope’s.

May 26 Saturday
Hot day:-  I walked all over Mr Stanhope’s shrubberies and gardens, which are brilliant with blossoms of every colour.  All the shrubs that I sent him last November, have prospered even beyond my expectation. The “Ribes sanguineum” has been covered with flowers; and at this moment the “ciris siliquastrum” is bright with more blossoms than leaves. The leaves of this last sprout late.

A peach tree, planted by Mr Stanhope’s gardener in February of the present year, has 144 peaches in it (12 dozen) at the present time:-  of these, many must be thinned off, but all appear full sized for the season.

I walked over the downs to Findon, and saw John Paskins, our old huntsman, and his wife. He is now huntsman to Mr Richardson of Findon Place:- his father was huntsman to my father, and, I believe, to my grandfather.  

After this I followed a new road to the village, by the back of the “Gun Inn”, and returned through the street, and over the downs by another path, to Clapham.

May 27 Sunday
I started for Arundel at half past one:-  the preposterous house called Castle-goring presents the appearance of an ancient edifice, as sun through the trees.  At Arundel I drove to the “Norfolk Arms”:-  I walked in the park and around the castle. The whole scene was known to me, and had little interest to attach me to it.

May 28 Monday
At half past 10 I left Arundel for Ockley:-  the road was new to me:- from Bury Hill the view were beautiful:-  we saw the Isle of Wight distinctly.  On descending this long and lofty hill, we saw Amberley Castle, with the wild-brook near it.  Soon afterwards we saw Bignor park, to the left, a large white mansion. Stopham, apparently a poor place, was also to the left.  The only towns we passed were Pulborough and Billingshurst. We reached Ockley at 1.

November 3
.....On this day 16 years ago, I left Offington - for ever. As I stood before the court, and took a last look a last look at the mansion which had sheltered my infancy:- I wondered at my apathy at my being able to leave it without a tear. I had sported in the gardens and amongst the fine old elms, from my birth to my twenty second year;- and loved every weed that grew upon the walls better than I could find language to express.  My father and grandfather had loved it and possessed it before me- my great-grandfather bought it into our family by his marriage; although he did not live to inherit it.  To me it appears paradise!  Yet I left it without a tear, and almost without a sigh.  Vexation, misery, misfortune, had turned a paradise to purgatory

Just for interest:
Nov 7
...Lord Byron, speaking of Harrow, tells us, that he hated it for the first year and a half.......He was happier than I was - for I was sent there when just 9 years old; and had much more to dread and suffer than Lord Byron had.  I was taken from home, where I had every luxury, and was sent to Harrow to fag for the elder boys from morning till night and suffer privations of every sort............Lord Byron gives us the names of his friends and most cherished companions - I remember every one of them, and above all I remember Lord Byron himself.  At that time he seemed to me to be the most cruel of all the upper boys, and I rarely came in contact with him without suffering a blow or a hearty curse from him.  I had few friends:- my mind being chiefly engaged in thinking on home, There I had left my garden, my pony, my greenhouse, my domestic animals and pleasures of every kind.

 

Frontpage:
WMG (Lieutenant Colonel William Margesson)
My Uncle John, died at 4 Green’s Row Chelsea - died 1866 - born 1794 - 72 years. disease - cancer on the tongue- he was thus starved.  I was then quartered at Fleetwood on Leave of absence and with him constantly.   (note by WGM Findon Place 1875

In pencil: he was the most spiteful, sly and vindictive and wicked man I have ever met.  By his false accusations he drove away then our excellent governess Mad le Robert to the lasting shame of my father, since he knew that for a series of Libels against an undergraduate at Cambridge he had to accept a trial in court of Law and banishment from England for 10 years – and he chose the latter - after her departure when at Ockley he used to repeat to us children “mind you never write to her”.