Page 18 - ‘A Blaker Family History’ The family history of Joseph Blaker (1916-2007; ‘Joe’)

© The Blaker Society
© The Blaker Society

Saxon Font, St. Andrew’s Church, Nuthurst, Sussex

West Hoathly
Reason for Interest
Thomas Blaker (1703-1788) married Sarah Budgen at St. Margaret’s
Church, West Hoathly; April 1730,
Location
West Hoathly is a village in Mid Sussex, some 5.6km south west of East
Grinstead. It was originally a hilltop settlement in the High Weald, adjacent to the
dense Ashdown Forest.

History
West Hoathly was originally recorded by the Saxons as ‘Hadlega’ or ‘Hodlega’,
which meant ‘a heath covered clearing’. The recorded name then migrated to
‘West Hoathly’.

The parish has many medieval houses and farms. The oldest part of the village
lies in the street running approximately north and south, west of the church. The
Manor House is on the west side of the street opposite the church; it was built as
a dower house in 1627 by the Richard Infield of Gravetye, a local iron master. In
the centre of the village opposite St Margaret's Church is the 15 century ‘Priest
th
House’; it was turned into a museum by the Sussex Archeological Society in1935.

Standing 180 metres above the Sussex Weald, St. Margaret's Church has been the
focus of Christian worship for the communities of West Hoathly and Sharpthorne
for over 900 years. The foundations of this church were laid over 900 years ago,
when a Norman baron ordered it to be built here in 1090, a few years after the
Doomsday Book was compiled. He gave the church to Lewes Priory, which was in
charge of both church and people living here for over 400 years. The first
building was a small rectangular one, perhaps with an apse. Directly opposite the
entrance is the North Wall, which is part of the Norman Church. The sturdy
round pillars were made when the building was enlarged a hundred years later.
Nearly 200 years later the chancel was extended. Then the chapel was built on
the South side, and made into a full aisle at the end of the 14th century. The
tower appeared in the 15th century. Today, the church has a tower with a
perpendicular Gothic broach spire, a single-aisled, a chancel and a side chapel.

St. Margaret’s Church, West Hoahtly, Sussex

The terraced churchyard is a well-known viewpoint, with far-reaching views
across the Weald.

Lower Terrace of Churchyard, St. Margaret’s Church, West Hoathly, Sussex