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Eridge Castle [als Eridge House, Eridge Place] Eridge Park Eridge Green Eridge

Books and other documents
Published	Title, author and references
1766	The History of Tunbridge Wells by Thomas Benge Burr ⇒ p. 6
1810	Tunbridge Wells and its Neighbourhood by Paul Amsinck and Letitia Byrne ⇒ p. 21
1830	Guide of Tunbridge Wells ⇒ p. 70
1832	Descriptive Sketches of Tunbridge Wells and the Calverley Estate by John Britton, F.S.A. ⇒ p. 109
1835	The History, Antiquities and Topography of the County of Sussex by Thomas Walker Horsfield, F.S.A. ⇒ p. 402
1840	New Guide for Tunbridge Wells by John Colbran and edited by James Phippen ⇒ p. 151
1870	A Compendious History of Sussex - Volume I. by Mark Antony Lower, M.A. ⇒ p. 191
1883	Pelton's Illustrated Guide to Tunbridge Wells by J. Radford Thomson, M.A. ⇒ p. 139
1885	Cobbett's Rural Rides by William Cobbett ⇒ p. 285
1885	Southborough - Its Chalybeate Springs, Climate and Attractions as a Health Resort by E. Paget Thurstan, M.D., B.A., M.R.C.S., L.S.A. ⇒ p. 58
1909	English Homes and Villages (Kent & Sussex) also published as Tunbridge Wells and its Neighbourhood by Lady Hope ⇒ p. 4; p. 64
1927	The Sussex Highlands ⇒ p. 38

Historical records

1296	History			Eridge Castle [als Eridge House, Eridge Place]	Eeles' Frant
	�. a list of lands left in 1296 by the 7th Earl of Hertford, which contains the earliest reference to Eridge that can be discovered. Eregge. A grange pertaining to the Manor aforesaid [Rotherfield] with 100 acres of land worth yearly 25s, 100 acres of heather and fern there worth of the year 9s 2d; also fixed rents worth 8s 9d and a water mill

1344	History			messuage called Erugge	Eeles' Frant
	This was the hunting park, for which the Hundred of Rotherfield had been famous for generations and which in 1344, was described as follows: A chace containing 600 acres of which the pasture is worth by the year 25s �..a wood containing above 200 acres ..... within the said chace is a messuage called Erugge .....

1450	History			Eridge Castle [als Eridge House, Eridge Place]	Eeles' Frant
	The next landmark in the history of Eridge was its inheritance in 1450 by the [Nevill] family who have continued to own it in the male line from that date until the present ...

c 1525	History			Eridge Castle [als Eridge House, Eridge Place]	Eeles' Frant
	With a lack of any definitive evidence as to when the house [at Eridge] was actually built, it seems not unlikely that it may have been about 1525

1573	History			Eridge Castle [als Eridge House, Eridge Place]	Eeles' Frant
	In 1573 Lord Burgavenny had the honour of entertaining Queen Elizabeth at Eridge Place, and her six day stay there must have caused a great stir in the neighbourhood.

1590	History			Manor of Eridge	Pullein's Rotherfield
	Manor of Eridge with the capital mansion and park there The farm of divers demesne lands there called Inhams containing by estimation 60 acres, being formerly in the hands and occupation of the lord, now let to Henry Nevill, esq for £11 0s 0d yearly The farm of certain meadow there, part of the land Inhams of 6 acres let to Edward Nevill, esq., eldest son of the lord for £1 8s 0d yearly The farm of divers demesne land there called Hamsell Woods, Lambe pasture and Horse pastures of 110 acres to Thomas Weston for £13 0s 0d yearly The farm of a certain water mill situate within the park of Eridge so let to the said Thomas Weston for £13 0s 0d yearly The farm of certain other lands, woods, meadows and pastures called Laggerslande and Highdeane of 50 acres let to Robert Woody for £10 0s 0d yearly The farm of certain other lands there called Steelebridge meade and Slaughterhouse field of 16 acres let to Oliver Booby for £4 0s 0d yearly The farm of a cottage and two crofts of land of 2 1/2 acres adjacent to Christopher Mudge for £4 0s 0d yearly Farm of certain land called Pickstorckes and Hayfield of 10 acres to Nicholas Turner for £2 0s 0d Farm of 3 1/2 acres of meadow lying near le horse meadow near le fordge to Oliver Booby for £2 0s 0d Price of 1000 loads of marl dug in the wastes of this manor and sold to George Hosmer for 13s 4d

c 1604	History			Eridge Castle [als Eridge House, Eridge Place]	Eeles' Frant
	Shortly after Edward Nevill succeeded to the family estates, Eridge was formed into a separate Manor �. since the Lord of the Manor had taken up residence there

1606	History			Eridge-House	Burr's Tunbridge Wells
	Dudley Lord North was a distinguished nobleman in King James's court .... this young nobleman had reached his twenty-fourth year, when he fell into a lingering, consumptive disorder that baffled the utmost efforts of medicine .... and his physicians advised him to retire into the country, and try the efficacy of that last remedy, change of air, for the re-establishment of his constitution. His lordship, in the spring of 1606 made Eridge-House the place of retreat .... when, finding his disorder rather increased than diminished .... his lordship therefore, rejecting all sollicitation to remain any longer, abruptly quitted this retired mansion, and began his journey to London. His road lay directly through the wood in which these useful springs were concealed from the knowledge of mankind; .... he could not pass by without taking notice of a water, which seemed to claim his attention, on account of the shining mineral scum that everywhere swam on its surface, as well as on account of the ochreous substance which subsided at the bottom, and marked its course to a neighbouring brook. His lordship accordingly observed these uncommon appearances, the meaning of which he could not instantly comprehend; however, they induced him to alight from his carriage, in order to examine it more attentively; and at the same time he ordered one of his attendants to borrow a little vessel from the neighbouring hovel, that he might taste it: and the peculiar ferruginous taste of the water not only convinced Lord North, that it held its course through some undiscovered mine, contained in the dark cavities of the earth, but also gave him room to fancy, that it was indued with some medicinal properties, which might be beneficial to the human race. Some of the water was carried to London, the physicians were consulted upon its virtues, and .... the result of their inquiries proved so favourable to this hereto neglected spring, that they hasted back again to publish its valuable qualities, and to give their noble patient sufficient encouragement to try its efficacy, on the return of the vernal season [in 1607] Lord North returned to Eridge to add the power of the water to the purity of the air, and .... the success he met with more than answered his most sanguine expectations, ...... he returned to town so perfectly freed from all his complaints

1724	History			Eridge Castle [als Eridge House, Eridge Place]	Eeles' Frant
	William succeeded as 16th Baron in 1724 �� relinquished Eridge as the family seat having acquired Kidbrooke Park at Forest Row, and gradually the former house fell into a state of decay

1766	History			Eridge Castle [als Eridge House, Eridge Place]	Burr's Tunbridge Wells
	Eridge was then [1606] a hunting seat belonging to Lord Abergavenny, and has ever since continued in the possession of his noble descendants, though it is now reduced to a plain farmhouse. The building is an ancient Gothic structure, that appears, notwithstanding its present ruinous condition, to have been an agreeable retirement from the attendance at court. The situation is in the highest degree romantic, the gardens were elegantly disposed in the taste of that age, the soil is dry, the air pure and healthful, and no country can afford finer riding; so that, on the whole, one can hardly conceive an idea of a place more properly adapted to restore health to a consumptive habit: but then, to couterbalance these advantages, it was situated in one of the most savage parts of the county of Sussex, and, by its distance from all neighbourhood, secluded its inhabitants from all intercourse with the rest of mankind.

1785		Eridge House, Eridge by Samuel Grimm and James Lambert (The Burrell Collection)			The Burrell Collection
	Samuel Hieronymous Grimm (1733-1794), artist, was born in Switzerland, studied in Berne and Paris before moving to Covent Garden, London in 1768. Besides his work as a commercial engraver and watercolour painter he is best known for some 2,500 commissioned watercolurs of antiquities, historic buildings and landscapes in the British Library (MSS 15537-48). Throughout the 1780s he toured Sussex, sketching churches, monuments, castles, abbeys and houses of the gentry James Lambert, senior, (1725-1788) and his nephew James Lambert, junior, (1744-1799) were both landscape painters living in Lewes, Sussex. Between them they produced over 600 items, ranging from pencil sketches to large oils. William Burrell (1732-96), antiquary, was born in Leadenhall Street, London, educated at Westminster School and Cambridge University. He became Chancellor of Worcester and Rochester Dioceses, M.P. for Haslemere and a Commissioner of Excise. From 1780 he employed Samuel Grimm and the Lamberts to make drawings of all the notable antiquities and important houses in Sussex, which he bequeathed to the British Museum in his will. for more information refer to Sussex Views by Walter H. Godfrey and L.F. Salzman and Sussex Depicted by John Farrant, both published by the Sussex Record Society.

c 1790	Address	Repaired the old family residence at Eridge	Sir Henry Nevill, 2nd Earl of Abergavenny	Eridge Castle	www.thepeerage.com

c 1795		Part of the 1 inch to 1 mile map of Sussex produced in 1795 by William Gardner and Thomas Gream		Eridge

c 1800	History			Eridge Castle [als Eridge House, Eridge Place]	Eeles' Frant
	Henry, the 2nd Earl, who � set on foot plans to erect a new house round the remains of the old. The architect � was James Wyatt � one of the principal creators of the revival of interest in the Gothic form of architecture. In the house he built for Lord Abergavenny he included all the features associated with that style; the towers, the battlements and the pinnacles outside and an infinity of detail in the interior decorations with more than a flavour of ecclesiastical influence.

1809		Eridge Castle, Eridge by Paul Amsinck & engraved by Letitia Byrne	Letitia Byrne		Amsinck's Tunbridge Wells

1809		Eridge Castle, Eridge by Paul Amsinck & engraved by Letitia Byrne	Letitia Byrne		Amsinck's Tunbridge Wells

31^st Aug 1823	Diary entry			mansion	Cobbett's Rural Rides
	Here I am after a most delightful ride of twenty-four miles through Frant, Lamberhurst, Goudhurst, Milkhouse-Street, Benenden, and Rolvenden. By making a great stir in rousing waiters and "boots" and maids, and by leaving behind me the name of "a - noisy, troublesome fellow," I got clear of "the Wells," and out of the contagion of its Wen-engendered inhabitants, time enough to meet the first rays of the sun, on the hill that you come up in order to get to Frant, which is a most beautiful little village at about two miles from "the Wells." Here the land belongs, I suppose, to Lord Abergavenny, who has a mansion and park here. A very pretty place, and kept, seemingly, in very nice order. I saw here what I never saw before : the bloom of the common heath we wholly overlook ; but, it is a very pretty thing; and here, when the plantations were made, and as they grew up, heath was left to grow on the sides of the roads in the plantations. The heath is not so much of a dwarf as we suppose. This is four feet high; and, being in full bloom, it makes the prettiest border that can be imagined. This place of Lord Abergavenny is, altogether, a very pretty place; and, so far from grudging him the possession of it, I should feel pleasure at seeing it in his possession, and should pray God to preserve it to him, and from the unholy and ruthless touch of the Jews and jobbers; but, I cannot forget this Lord's sinecure!

c 1825		Part of the 1 inch to 1 mile map of Sussex produced in 1825 by Christopher and John Greenwood		Eridge Castle

c 1830		Eridge Castle, Eridge by T. Henwood and engraved by W. Westall			Horsfield's Sussex

6^th Sep 1831	Birth		Lady Isabel Mary Frances Nevill	Eridge Castle	www.thepeerage.com

1837		[North] Sussex by Thomas Moule		Eridge Castle	Thomas Moule
	Thomas Moule was a bookseller. He published a number of important works on heraldry and antiquities, including Bibliotheca heraldica Brittaniae in 1822. The English Counties delineated; or, a topographical description of England has a complete series of county maps and was published by Thomas Moule in 1837

1840		[North] Sussex by Joshua Archer, Pentonville, London		Eridge Castle	Dugdale
	Dugdale's England and Wales Delineated

1840		Eridge Castle			Colbran's Tunbridge Wells

6^th Jun 1841	Census	Earl Of Abergavenny, M, Head, age 86, born Sussex	Sir Henry Nevill, 2nd Earl of Abergavenny	Eridge Castle	1841 Census Frant, Sussex
6^th Jun 1841	Census	Caroline Hon. Nevill, F, age 75 to 79	Caroline Nevill [Walpole]
6^th Jun 1841	Census	Samuel Milward, M, age 70 to 74; occupation Servant	Samuel Milward
6^th Jun 1841	Census	Louis Berger, M, age 40 to 44; occupation Servant	Louis Berger
6^th Jun 1841	Census	Gabriol Berger, M, age 55 to 59; occupation Servant	Gabriol Berger
6^th Jun 1841	Census	John Cugny, M, age 34; occupation Servant	John Cugny
6^th Jun 1841	Census	Robert Waghorn, M, age 25 to 29, born Sussex; occupation Servant	Robert Waghorn
6^th Jun 1841	Census	Samuel Piper, M, age 18, born Sussex; occupation Servant	Samuel Piper
6^th Jun 1841	Census	Henry Filtness, M, age 20 to 24, born Sussex; occupation Servant	Henry Filtness
6^th Jun 1841	Census	William Arnold, M, age 30 to 34; occupation Servant	William Arnold
6^th Jun 1841	Census	John Siggs, M, age 30 to 34; occupation Servant	John Siggs
6^th Jun 1841	Census	Peter Clouks, M, age 20 to 24; occupation Servant	Peter Clouks
6^th Jun 1841	Census	Mary Ann Gifford, F, age 50 to 54; occupation Servant	Mary Ann Gifford
6^th Jun 1841	Census	Mary Card, F, age 35 to 39, born Sussex; occupation Servant	Mary Card
6^th Jun 1841	Census	Emma Acock, F, age 25 to 29; occupation Servant	Emma Acock
6^th Jun 1841	Census	Harriot Franklin, F, age 20 to 24; occupation Servant	Harriot Franklin
6^th Jun 1841	Census	Sophia Siggs, F, age 25 to 29, born Sussex; occupation Servant	Sophia Siggs
6^th Jun 1841	Census	Martha Wallis, F, age 40 to 44; occupation Servant	Martha Wallis
6^th Jun 1841	Census	Elizabeth Divall, F, age 20 to 24, born Sussex; occupation Servant	Elizabeth Divall

6^th Jun 1841	Census	William Scoles, M, Head, age 42; occupation Servant	William Scoles	Eridge Castle Stables	1841 Census Frant, Sussex
6^th Jun 1841	Census	William Davey, M, age 32, born Sussex; occupation Servant	William Davey
6^th Jun 1841	Census	James Page, M, age 34; occupation Servant	James Page
6^th Jun 1841	Census	Thomas Eldridge, M, age 18, born Sussex; occupation Servant	Thomas Eldridge
6^th Jun 1841	Census	Edward Beney, M, age 17; occupation Servant	Edward Beney

27^th Mar 1843	Death		Sir Henry Nevill, 2nd Earl of Abergavenny	Eridge Castle	www.thepeerage.com

12^th Apr 1845	Death		Reverend John Nevill, 3rd Earl of Abergavenny	Eridge Castle	www.thepeerage.com

20^th Sep 1849		Eridge Castle, Eridge by Rock & Co., London		Eridge Castle [als Eridge House, Eridge Place]	Private collection

1851	Directory entry	Abergavenny Earl, Eridge Castle		Eridge Castle	Post Office Directory

30^th Mar 1851	Census	Servant; occupation IN CARE OF THE CASTLE	Louis Berger	Eridge Castle	1851 Census Frant, Sussex
30^th Mar 1851	Census	Servant's wife	Elizabeth Berger
30^th Mar 1851	Census	Servant's daughter	Clara Berger
30^th Mar 1851	Census	Servant; occupation HOUSE SERVANT	Jane Jessup

30^th Mar 1851	Census	Head; occupation IN CHARGE OF the STABLES	Robert Jessop	Stable Yard, Eridge Castle	1851 Census Frant, Sussex

1867	Directory entry	Abergavenny Earl of, Eridge castle		Eridge castle	Post Office Directory
	Eridge Castle, an ancient seat of the Nevills, is in the form of a quadrangle, surrounded by an extensive park, and is one of the seats of the Earl of Abergavenny, who is the present head and representative of that family: Queen Elizabeth was entertained here for six days.

1874	Directory entry	Abergavenny Earl of, Eridge castle		Eridge castle	Post Office Directory
	Eridge Castle, an ancient seat of the Nevills, is surrounded by an extensive park, and is one of the seats of the Earl of Abergavenny, who is the present head and representative of that family: Queen Elizabeth was entertained here for six days. On the confines of the park are traces of an old English camp called Saxonbury Hill. The Earl of Abergavenny is lord of the manor and principal landowner

c 1875		Part of the 6 inch to 1 mile map of Sussex produced in 1875 by Ordnance Survey		Eridge Castle

1880		Eridge Castle, Eridge		Eridge Castle [als Eridge House, Eridge Place]	Pelton's Tunbridge Wells

3^rd Apr 1881	Census	Lord George M. Nevill, M, Head, single, age 25, born Yorkshire	Lord George Montacute Nevill	Eridge Castle	1881 Census Frant, Sussex
3^rd Apr 1881	Census	Lady Idina Mary Nevill, F, Daughter, age 15, born Yorkshire	Lady Idina Mary Nevill
3^rd Apr 1881	Census	Lady Rose Nevill, F, Daughter, age 14, born Yorkshire	Lady Rose Nevill
3^rd Apr 1881	Census	Lady Violet Nevill, F, Daughter, age 14, born Yorkshire	Lady Violet Nevill
3^rd Apr 1881	Census	Sarah Mayfield, F, Governess, single, age 28, born Ireland; occupation Governess	Sarah Mayfield
3^rd Apr 1881	Census	Benjamin Smith, M, Servant, married, age 37, born Hampshire; occupation Butler	Benjamin Smith
3^rd Apr 1881	Census	Charles Whiteman, M, Servant, single, age 30, born Warwickshire; occupation Groom	Charles Whiteman
3^rd Apr 1881	Census	Joseph H. Forty, M, Servant, single, age 26, born Gloucestershire; occupation Valet	Joseph H. Forty
3^rd Apr 1881	Census	Henry Pearsons, M, Servant, single, age 50, born Suffolk; occupation Under butler	Henry Pearsons
3^rd Apr 1881	Census	Thomas Cottington, M, Servant, single, age 18, born Rotherfield; occupation Footman	Thomas Cottington
3^rd Apr 1881	Census	Alexander Hickmott, M, Servant, single, age 22, born Frant; occupation Servant	Alexander Hickmott
3^rd Apr 1881	Census	Reginald G. Thomas, M, Servant, single, age 16, born Middlesex; occupation House boy	Reginald G. Thomas
3^rd Apr 1881	Census	Susan Vivish, F, Servant, single, age 43, born Kent; occupation Housekeeper	Susan Vivish
3^rd Apr 1881	Census	Mary Ann Stanage, F, Servant, single, age 33, born Ireland; occupation Cook	Mary Ann Stanage
3^rd Apr 1881	Census	Jane Stubbings, F, Servant, single, age 26, born Suffolk; occupation Ladies maid	Jane Stubbings
3^rd Apr 1881	Census	Bertha L. Robins, F, Servant, single, age 35, born Somerset; occupation Housemaid	Bertha L. Robins
3^rd Apr 1881	Census	Sarah Matthews, F, Servant, single, age 24, born Hampshire; occupation Housemaid	Sarah Matthews
3^rd Apr 1881	Census	Dora M. Cuthbert, F, Servant, single, age 20, born Yorkshire; occupation Housemaid	Dora M. Cuthbert
3^rd Apr 1881	Census	Ellen M. Empson, F, Servant, single, age 24, born Tunbridge Wells; occupation Maid	Ellen M. Empson
3^rd Apr 1881	Census	Mary Weston, F, Servant, single, age 24, born Buckinghamshire; occupation Kitchenmaid	Mary Weston
3^rd Apr 1881	Census	Sarah Wright, F, Servant, single, age 22, born Yorkshire; occupation Kitchenmaid	Sarah Wright
3^rd Apr 1881	Census	Margaret Crerar, F, Servant, single, age 19, born Scotland; occupation Kitchenmaid	Margaret Crerar
3^rd Apr 1881	Census	Helen Sales, F, Servant, single, age 17, born Frant; occupation Maid	Helen Sales

3^rd Apr 1881	Census	William Feniman, M, Head, single, age 18, born Middlesex; occupation Groom and gardener	William Feniman	Eridge Castle Stables	1881 Census Frant, Sussex
3^rd Apr 1881	Census	John Rodlam, M, Servant, single, age 28, born Wiltshire; occupation Groom and gardener	John Rodlam
3^rd Apr 1881	Census	Frederick Baines, M, Servant, single, age 23, born Middlesex; occupation Groom and gardener	Frederick Baines
3^rd Apr 1881	Census	Edward Howard, M, Servant, single, age 17, born Tunbridge Wells; occupation Groom and gardener	Edward Howard
3^rd Apr 1881	Census	George Reeves, M, Servant, single, age 16, born Sevenoaks; occupation Groom and gardener	George Reeves
3^rd Apr 1881	Census	George Stephenson, M, Servant, single, age 24, born Durham; occupation Coachman	George Stephenson

3^rd Apr 1881	Census	Ernest P. Edwards, M, Head, single, age 24, born Devon; occupation Servant	Ernest P. Edwards, servant	Eridge Castle Gardens	1881 Census Frant, Sussex
3^rd Apr 1881	Census	Charles J. Dicker, M, Servant, single, age 19, born Newick; occupation Gardener Journeyman	Charles J. Dicker
3^rd Apr 1881	Census	Frederick W. Randall, M, Servant, single, age 22, born Surrey; occupation Gardener Journeyman	Frederick W. Randall
3^rd Apr 1881	Census	Arthur Down, M, Servant, single, age 20, born Frant; occupation Gardener Journeyman	Arthur Down

1882	Directory entry	Abergavenny Marquess of, Eridge Castle		Eridge Castle	Kelly's Directory
	& of 34 Dover street, London w, & Carlton Club, London s.w Eridge Castle, an ancient seat of the Nevills, is surrounded by an extensive and well, wooded park, and is one of the seats of the Marquess of Abergavenny, who is the present head and representative of that family: on the confines of the park are traces of an old English camp called Saxonbury Hill; Eridge Rocks, situated here, are of immense size, and very picturesque: the grounds are open to the public on Thursdays from May to September inclusive

1889		Eridge Castle by Charles Reynolds & Co.			Private collection

23^rd Sep 1892	Death		Caroline Nevill [Johnstone], Marchioness of Abergavenny	Eridge Castle	www.thepeerage.com

1896		Eridge Castle			Private collection

1900		Eridge Castle			Private collection

c 1900		Eridge Castle, Eridge painted by Charles Essenhigh Corke	Charles Essenhigh Corke, artist and photographer		English Homes and Villages

c 1900		Eridge Castle photographed by Valentine's series			Private collection

c 1900		Eridge Castle photographed by Photochrom Co., Ltd			Private collection

c 1900		Eridge Castle photographed by J. Frisby, Uckfield			Private collection

c 1900		Eridge Castle			Private collection

1905		Eridge Castle			Private collection

1907		Eridge Castle, Eridge			Private collection

12^th Dec 1915	Death		Sir William Nevill, 1st Marquess of Abergavenny	Eridge Castle	www.thepeerage.com

1930		Eridge Park & Castle			Private collection

Currently The Weald is at Database version 10.1 - 8th April 2013 and contains information on 336,313 people; 9,000 places; 613 maps; 3,116 pictures, engravings and photographs; and 223 books