The Poynings who built a new town at Seaford
TO the east of Seaford, between the golf course and the Cuckmere River, and to the south of the Eastbourne Road is an area, which, on modern maps, is shown as Walls Brow.
However if you look at an older map, you will see it marked as Poynings Town (pronounced Punnings Town) – a name that lasted on maps until about 100 years ago.
The land was once part of the Chyngton Estate, which was owned by the DeWarenne family, who were given the land after the Norman Conquest.
The area was then acquired by the DeAquilla family. Gilbert DeAquilla was the Lord of Pevensey and the person who founded Michelham Priory. (By the way the word aquilla is Latin for 'eagle' which is why there is an eagle on the Seaford town crest)
I am not sure where the name Chyngton comes from – probably a settlement once owned by a family called 'Chin'. From 1395 the MP for Seaford was William Chyngtyn, but this was probably 'William from Chyngton'.
At some stage in the 14th century the land to the east of Seaford was acquired by Michael, the second Lord Poynings (1316-1379).
His father Thomas had become a knight after his brave actions in fighting the French came to the notice of the King, but he was killed in northern France in 1339.
Michael, although born in Suffolk moved to Sussex where he inherited land to the north of Brighton near Devil's Dyke. Michael had fought at the Battle of Poitiers in 1356 alongside Sir John Pelham, another well known local land owner. He also represented Sussex in Parliament, being summonsed on various dates between 1340 and 1368; he also held the post of 'Guardian of the Sussex Coast'.
He was married to Joan who died in 1369 and in order to provide her with a fitting location for her tomb, he donated 400 marks towards the rebuilding of Holy Trinity church at Poynings – just to the west of Pycombe on the busy A23.
The mid 1300s were a bad time for Seaford. The Black Death and frequent French attacks had virtually wiped out the town. Nearby Exceat had been abandoned by 1350 and the French burnt down the Vicarage at Sutton in 1368.
There were further outbreaks of pestilence during the1360s. At this time the Bailiff of Seaford appealed to Edward III saying that the town had for the most part been burnt down and devastated by pestilence and calamities of war.
On top of this James Archer, a thieving builder from Ashton (Alfriston) had been raiding the ruins to steal timbers, chalk and stones 'to the disfigurement of the town'.
Seaford was so poor that it could no longer afford to send its MPs to Parliament – William Chyngtyn was the last MP to represent the town until the 17th century.
The town was in a parlous state, even St Leonard's Church was in ruins, but local land owner Michael, Lord Poynings, had a grand but practical plan: He was going to move Seaford to a more safer place! Two miles to the east of Seaford he owned land that would be ideal.
As it was elevated the land would offer protection, as it afforded good views both over the mouth of the Cuckmere River and down into Seaford Bay, whereas to the north the town of Alfriston and the Weald could also be seen.
A settlement was begun, with roads and buildings but Michael died in 1369. His son, Thomas, the third Baron Poynings would possibly have taken up the task of building the new settlement. We certainly know that he retained an interest in Seaford as in 1421 (with Sir John Pelham) he was appointed a commissioner for sea-defences for the town.
Thomas's brother, Richard died in Spain in 1387 when he accompanied John of Gaunt to claim the Crown of Castile. When his son was killed at the battle of Orleans in 1446 the barony passed to his grand-daughter who married into the Percy family.
There was also a Sir Edward Poynings – probably from another branch of the family, who, at the time of Henry VII, was Constable of Dover Castle and a warden (but not Lord Warden) of the Cinque Ports.
He attended the Field of the Cloth of Gold with Henry VIII and fought alongside the King at the Battle of Therouanne in France.
He had seven illegitimate children, so when he died in 1545 the Poynings family name became extinct.
But had Poynings Town near Seaford become extinct too? Next week the story continues…
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Weather for Lewes
Saturday 26 May 2012
Today
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Temperature: 13 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 23 mph
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