From Kelly’s Post Office Directory of Essex, Herts, Middlesex, Kent, Surrey and Sussex, 1867
WORTH is an extensive and exceedingly pleasant parish, situate on the road from Croydon to Cuckfield, 8 miles north from the latter, and about 7 south-west from East Grinstead, and adjoining the Three Bridges station on the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway: there is now a branch line to East Grinstead from the Three Bridges station, on which there are two other Stations in this parish, viz., at Rowfant, and Grange Road, Crawley Down: it is in the Eastern division of the county, hundred of Buttinghill, union and county court district of East Grinstead, Lewes rape, archdeaconry and rural deanery, and diocese of Chichester. The church, which is very remarkable, and an object of great attraction, from the singularity of its appearance, is an ancient Saxon edifice, with small spire and 6 bells: it contains several monuments, and a fine toned organ has recently been added. The register dates from the middle of the sixteenth century. The living is a rectory, with the curacy of Crawley Down, yearly value £608 per annum, with residence, in the gift of G. Banks Esq., and held by the Rev. George Wilson Banks, M.A., of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge. All Saints is a chapel of ease at Crawley Down, of which the Rev. Henry Richard Gray, M.A., of Worcester College, Oxford, is the resident curate. Near the mother church is Worth Church school, a handsome stone building: another very capacious school, with house for master attached, has been built on Crawley Down. Here are two places of worship in connection with the Countess of Huntingdon’s sect, situated at Turner’s Hill and Copthorne. There is a Literary and Scientific Institution at Pound Hill. This parish is noted for the number of highly picturesque seats it contains. Among those which attract the attention and are the theme of general admiration are Tilgate House and Tilgate Manor, the seat of John Nix, Esq., jun., which, from their contiguity to the forest, the elegance of the Mansions, extent of well and carefully arranged grounds, aided by a noble and expansive lake, present a scene of almost unsurpassing beauty. Crabbet Park, the seat of G. Smith, Esq., with its magnificent and extensive sheet of water, and its admirably wooded grounds, is a truly delightful and picturesque spot. Rowfant, the seat of C. M. Lampson, Esq., is a beautiful mansion after the Elizabethan style of architecture. The Hall, the seat of John Nix, Esq., is a stately structure, lately reconstructed, and erected on a slight eminence, commanding a splendid prospect of the country around. Huntsland, the residence of J. R. Reeves, Esq.; the Grange, the residence of G. Lilley, Esq., and the Grove, the residence Edwin Martin, Esq. (the latter a splendid white stone mansion, presenting a noble and commanding frontage), are also seats here. Worth Park, the seat of Joseph M. Montefiore, Esq., recently erected, is a handsome building of red brick. The Rectory is beautifully situated on the gentle slope of a hill, and commands some very extensive and beautiful views. The Earl of Abergavenny and the executors of the late F. S. Blunt, Esq., are lords of the manor. The area comprises 13,400 acres, in 1861 the population was 2,988.
TILGATE FOREST and Old House Warren are in this parish. Copthorne, Turner’s Hill, Furnace, Blackwater, Malthouse, Miswell, Pound Hill, Three Bridges, Fen Place, and Munks are other places.
Parish Clerk, John Allcorn.
POST OFFICE, Crawley down.- John Brinkhurst, receiver. Letters arrive from Crawley at 8.55 a.m.; dispatched at 5.20 p.m. The nearest money order office is at East Grinstead
RECEIVING HOUSE, Pound hill.- Peter Brown, receiver. Letters arrive at 7 a.m.; dispatched at 7.10 p.m. The nearest money order office is at Crawley
RECEIVING BOX, Railway arch, Three Bridges, cleared 7.30 p.m.
INSURANCE AGENT.- Norwich Union Fire & Life, Peter Brown, Pound hill
Literary & Scientific Institution, Pound hill, Rev. G. W. Banks, M.A. president
Schools:-
Crawley Down National, James Gayleard Unison, master; Mrs. Martha Halson mistress
Worth Church, Charles J. Jacobs, master
HOTEL & POSTING HOUSE.- Fox Railway inn, Three Bridges, Edward Silvester
RAILWAY STATIONS:-
Three Bridges.- Henry Linn, station master
Rowfant.- Charles Moore station master
Grange Road.- George Wilkins, station master
PRIVATE RESIDENTS.
Banks Rev. George Wilson, M.A. Rectory
Fennings William, esq. Copthorne
Gray Rev. Henry Richard, M.A., [curate of Crawley Down chapel]
Hoare Rev. Wm. Henry, M.A. Oakfield
Lampson Curtis Miranda, esq. Rowfant
Latham George, esq. Worth lodge
Lilley George, esq. The Grange
Martin Edwin, esq. The Grove
Montefiore Joseph Mayor, esq. Worth park
Nix John, esq. Tilgate manor
Nix John, jun. esq. Tilgate manor
Reeves John Russell, esq. Huntsland
Smith George, esq. Crabbet park
Vardon Arthur, esq. The Cottage
COMMERCIAL.
Allcorn John, blacksmith, Pound hill
Back Mrs. timber merchant, Tilgate forest
Baker Elizabeth (Mrs.), shopkeeper, Turner’s hill
Belton James, farmer, Sand hill
Betchley John, assistant overseer &c. Turner’s hill
Brinkhurst John, nurseryman & grocer, Crawley down
Brooker John, farmer
Browker Edward, Crown, Turner’s hill
Brown Peter, grocer, Pound hill
Burnett John, shoe maker, Turner’s hill
Caffin Peter, farmer & miller
Chandler Benjamin, grocer & stone mason, Crawley down
Chapman John, shopkeeper, Copthorne
Chatfield Henry Roser, refreshment rooms, Three bridges station
Cheesman James, farmer
Cocks – (Mrs.), farmer, Turner’s hill
Dancy Michael & Richard, carpenters
Dench Samuel, carpenter
Ellis Isaac, draper, grocer & wine merchant
Franks Wm. beer retailer, Crawley down
Fuller Thomas, Red Lion, & carpenter, Turner’s hill
Fullex – (Mrs.), shopkeeper. Black corner
Gasson Thomas, farmer, Three Bridges
Gibbs John, farmer, West land
Gorridge John, farmer
Hall Michael, draper & grocer, Copthorne
Harber Wm. broom maker, Copthorne
Heasman Thomas, miller, Rowfant mill
Holdway Thomas, draper & grocer, Pound hill
Holman James, farmer, Copthorne
Humphrey Mary (Mrs.), shopkeeper
Humphrey (Mrs.), shopkeeper
Johnson Samuel, grocer, Turner’s hill
Kent Philip, carpenter, Three Bridges
Langridge George, Abergavenny Arms, Copthorne
Langridge Henry, shoe maker, Three Bridges
Langridge – (Mrs.), beer retailers, Three Bridges
Lawes James, grocer, Turner’s hill
Longley James, timber merchant, Turner’s hill
Longley Jas. jun. shopkeeper, Turner’s hill
Miles Thomas, farmer, Hedge court
Mitchell – (Mrs.), Plough, & brick maker, Three Bridges
Mitchell Thomas, Norfolk Arms
Moon John, shoe maker, Turner’s hill
Penfold John, farmer
Pepper William Reynolds, King’s Head, Pound hill
Potter Thomas, Blue Anchor, & blacksmith
Redford Mary (Mrs.), butcher, Pound hill
Sanford Thomas, shopkeeper
Sharp James, farmer, Froggs hole
Silvester Edward, Fox Railway inn, commercial & posting house, & coal merchant & brick maker, Three Bridges
Simmonds Jsph. shopkeeper, Crawley down
Smith John & William, wheelwrights, Crawley down
Snelling William, butcher, Three Bridges
Stanbridge John, farmer & miller, Fen Place mill
Stanbridge – (Mrs.), blacksmith, Turner’s hill
Stanbridge Thomas James, blacksmith, Crawley down
Steele Charles, blacksmith, Pound hill
Taylor James, bricklayer, Turner’s hill
Terry James, farmer, Hophurst lane
Tester William, Duke’s Head, & carpenter, Crawley down
Uridge Jane (Mrs.), beer retailers, Copthorne
Webb Charles, miller, Crawley down
Welfare – (Mrs.), beer retailer
Weller George, farm bailiff
Worth Literary & Scientific Institution (Rev. G. W. Banks, M.A. president), Pound hill
Wright Chas. nurseryman, Pound hill