taxation of Pope Nicholas (A.D. 1291), Hamsey is rated at £13s. 6d. 8d.

The church is well situated on a piece of land gently rising from the surrounding country. The river Ouse flows around and near it; and with the help of a cutting or canal, insulates it from the adjacent landscape. The outline of the church is a nave and chancel, with a solid western tower well covered with ivy. From its richness of colour, it must attract the attention and please the taste of every one possessed of the least portion of artistic feeling, or sensibility to the charms of a rural landscape.

The church was, in all probability, built by the De Says, in the 13th century. The nave and chancel are of that date; and the letter S, reversed over the piscina, in the south wall of the chancel, is considered as a proof of this origin. The tower-a restoration or erection of the 15th century-is so well built of stone that it will stand for ages. The nave and chancel (of flint) are of the Early English character, and have not been injured by repairs. The east window is an insertion of about the period when the tower was built; in other respects, the church remains without alteration.

In the patent roll of 1396-7 (20 Rich. II.) we find a notice of sacrilege in this church, by William, the parson of the church of St. John-under-the-Castle, of Lewes, and other persons. They were charged with going by night into the parish of Hammys-say; and on the highway, at a place called Le Wyke, they took William Payn, of Baldesden, who was riding there, and robbed him of 10s. in silver. On the same night he (William, the parson) entered the close of John Pycombe, in Hammys, put a ladder to the window of the house and broke it, with the intention of stealing the goods, but fled on an outcry being raised by Pycombe's wife, and the arrival of the neighbours. He stole a chalice belonging to the parishioners, worth 30s., out of the church. He also entered the house of Henry Brigge, in the parish of St. Nicholas, Lewes, and stole a brass pot, sixteen tin vessels, three bushels of wheat-malt, and six bushels of barley-malt; and in a desert place, called Bobbelegh, and in his own manse, he held meetings with unknown persons to plan

robberies: for all of which, nevertheless, he obtained the king's pardon.

With the exception of a neat altar tomb, with a well finished canopy or arched recess over it, there is little of architectural interest within the church.

The chancel arch is a plain semi-circle; and to the south of it there is a narrow opening, also with a semi-circular head, which, at first sight, might be taken for a hagioscope, but which could not have been so used,-inasmuch as the host, when elevated, could not have been seen from the floor of the nave.

This, "The Founder's Tomb, or the De Say Tomb," has excited the curiosity of many antiquaries. Mr. Elliott, a lawyer and antiquary of the last century, writing to Sir William Burrell, the 30th March, 1777, has these remarks:

"The space of the left wall, within the communion rails, is occupied by a very handsome raised monument, enriched with Gothic ornaments, of which I have procured a drawing, by Lambert, jr. It has been too often whitewashed, so as to impair the neatness of the carving. There is no inscription to denote the person to whom it was erected. The shields in

front are quite plain and smooth. I am inclined to think it was set up between the reigns of Henry 6th and Henry 8th, within which periods the profusion of Gothic ornaments were in the height of their reputation, and began to decline: a period too late probably for any of the family of De Say to be buried there, as they had been long ennobled, and by grants and alliances in other counties, which occasioned several changes in their places of abode. There have been other families of note in this parish, viz., Rivers

11 68

Mr. Elliott visited the tomb the 7th August, 1776.

The tomb itself may have been erected as early as the 14th century, at the close of which the De Says connection with the manor ceased. This outline of tomb may be found as early as the 13th and as late as the 16th century. The work of the canopy, however, is certainly (as Mr. Elliott conjectures) of the Tudor period. In the opinion of at least one able critic,69 the canopy was erected more than one century after the tomb was completed. In the absence of date, arms, or inscription of any kind certainty cannot be attained; but from its position and tradition, which assign to it the name of "The De Say or Founder's Tomb," the probability is that it was erected to one of that family. Some difficulty, in coming to this conclusion, will be removed if it be admitted that the canopy, or upper part, is of a different date from the body of the tomb.

If, however, we enquire, to what other family than the Founder's this interesting monument was erected, Mr. Elliott's conjecture as to the Rivers family is certainly incorrect. They were not connected with Hamsey until the early part of the 17th century, James Rivers, first of them, having died, vitâ patris, 8th June, 1641.70

In the parish church of Selmeston, there is an altar tomb so exactly like the one at Hamsey that they could scarcely have been erected independently of each other. The one at Selmeston, as the inscription indicates, was put up in 1532, to the memory of "Dame Beatrice Braye, sometime the wife of Sir Edward Braye, and daughter of Ralph Shurley, of Wiston, and wife of Edward Elderton."

68 Burrell MSS., No. 5698. 69 Edwin Nash, Esq., F.S.A.

70 Hasted's Kent: Rivers' pedigree.

The next likely family to the Founder's is, I apprehend that of Lewknor. Edward Lewknor died seized of the manor of Hamsey, A.D. 1528." Richard Lewknor, of Trotton, took possession of Selmeston, in right of his wife, shortly before 1546. Again, Edward Lewknor owned the advowson of Hamsey, and presented Thomas Helior, Clerk, 13th June, 1555 (2 Mary Tudor). Further, Thomas Lewknor, B.A., was presented to the Rectory of Hamsey by the Bishop of Chichester, jure devoluto, 21st March, 1563.

In the chancel of the Church of Kingston-by-Sea, near New Shoreham, there is an altar tomb, the body of which is a precise fac-simile of that at Hamsey; and it is equally without inscription or arms. It is known as "The Lewknor Tomb," temp. Henry 7th."

These coincidences, and the fact that the Lewknors held the manor of Hamsey for about a century and a-half, may lead us to conjecture that the tomb at Hamsey was put up in memory of some member of that family: possibly to the one who was Groom Porter to Edward 6th, and who died in the Tower, 1556.74

Within the communion rail lie several of the Rivers family. One slab is inscribed: "Here lieth buried the body of Sir Thomas Rivers, Bart., who departed this life Dec. 8, 1657." On another slab is inscribed "C. R., May 2, 1655." [This is Charity, wife of James Rivers.] For James, buried Dec. 16, 1692, Nizell, Jan. 11, 1694, no inscription is visible. On the east end, over the communion table, is a marble monument, with this inscription :—

The Arms of Shore-Ar., between a chevron, three leaves vert. Crest, a Stork reguard: holding in its dexter claw a pebble on the Sea Shore.

On the south wall of the chancel is a mural monument to the Rev. John Wenham, Rector, who died 12th August, 1773, aged 33.

Arms-Party per pale, ar., and gu. on a chief az. a lion passant guardant ar.

The following monuments commemorate the Bridger family:

At the east end of the nave:

Dame Rebecca Bridger, wife of Sir John Bridger, Knt., of Coombe, and co-heiress of John Elliott, Esq., of Croydon, who died 25th Dec., 1803, aged 79.

Also, to Sir John Bridger, Knt., who died 15th Dec., 1816, aged 83.

The following monuments commemorate the Shiffner family:

On the north wall of the chancel:

To the memory of Henry Shiffner, Esq., of Pontrylas, Herefordshire, M.P. for Minehead, who died 30th May, 1775.

Also, to Mary, his wife, daughter and co-heir of John Jackson, Esq., Governor of Bengal, 1747; and of Elizabeth Bellenden, his wife, who died 12th March, 1814, aged 78.

Also, of Thomas Shiffner, youngest son of the above Henry and Mary Shiffner, who died 28th Feb., 1800, aged 32.

Also, to Isabella Harriet Shiffner, relict of the above Thomas Shiffner, who died at Budleigh Salterton, May 22, 1845, aged 74. She was buried in the Parish Church of Budleigh Salterton, Devon.

On the south wall of the chancel:

To the memory of Sir George Shiffner, Bart., of Coombe, son of Henry Shiffner, Bart., of Coombe, son of Henry Shiffner, of Pontrylas, Herefordshire, who represented Lewes in four Parliaments. He died 3rd Feb., 1842, in the 80th year of

his age.

Also, Mary, his wife, daughter of Sir John Bridger, Knt., of Coombe, who died 1st June, 1844, aged 79 years.

On the north wall of the chancel:

To the memory of Captain John Bridger Shiffner, of the 3rd Foot Guards, son of George and Mary Shiffner, of Coombe, who fell mortally wounded in repelling a sortie of the Garrison at Bayonne, April 14, 1814, at the early age of 25.

76 Burr. MSS., 5698.