Hamsey

HAMSEY is a parish, 2 miles north from Lewes, 10 from Brighton, and 46½ by road from London, in the Eastern division of the county, Barcombe hundred, Lewes rape, county court district, archdeaconry and rural deanery, Chailey union, and diocese of Chichester. The old parish church of St. Peter, standing on a picturesque knoll, has nave, chancel, and square tower; but, in consequence of the inconvenience of its position, a new church has been erected, also named St. Peter's, for the parish of Hamsey, in its hamlet of Offham: the building is in the Early English style, and consists of a nave, double aisles, and chancel: it has a square tower, with shingled spire, and greatly owes its origin to the munificence of the family of the incumbent. The living is a rectory, yearly value £570, with residence, in the gift of, and held by, the Rev. Sir George Croxton Shiffner, Bart., M.A., of Christ Church, Oxford; the Rev. Reynold Harwood is curate. The Cooksbridge station of the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway is in this parish, one mile north-west. The area is 2,761 acres, and the population in 1861 was 541.
OFFHAM is a hamlet, one mile west; NORTH END, one mile north; COMBE, a mile and a half west; HEWIN STREET, 2 miles north [Kelly's Post Office Directory of Essex, Herts, Middlesex, Kent, Surrey and Sussex, 1867.]