The hundred of Poynings

THE HUNDRED OF POYNINGS

containing the parishes of Fulking; Newtimber; Poynings; Pyecombe.

At the time of the Domesday Survey the hundred consisted of Fulking, Perching, Paythorne, Newtimber, Saddlescombe, Poynings, and Pangdean. (fn. 1) For the purpose of the subsidy of 1296 it was in two divisions, namely, Poynings, and Newtimber and Pyecombe, (fn. 2) while for that of 1327 the divisions were Saddlescombe with Poynings, Perching, Newtimber, Pyecombe. (fn. 3) In 1332 the divisions were Poynings, Perching, Newtimber, and Pyecombe. (fn. 4) Down to about 1619 these constituted the four 'boroughs' of the hundred, (fn. 5) Perching paying by far the largest amount for common fine, viz. 4s. 4d. against 2s. 2d. from Newtimber, 1s. 10d. from Pyecombe, and 1s. 8d. from Poynings. (fn. 6) Only Newtimber, Pyecombe, and Poynings were separately assessed for the county rate of 1624, (fn. 7) Perching then presumably being reckoned in with Edburton in the rape of Bramber. The four boroughs reappear, however, in 1651 (fn. 8) and 1823, (fn. 9) and the present-day divisions are Newtimber, Poynings, Pyecombe, and part of the ecclesiastical parish of Edburton, i.e. the civil parish of Fulking. (fn. 10)

The hundred of Poynings was given to Earl Warenne at the Conquest, (fn. 11) with the rest of the rape of Lewes, with which it descended, suffering the same partitions as the rest of the barony of the Earls Warenne.

In the early 17th century there was one constable for the whole hundred, and he was chosen annually from the four boroughs in turn in the following order: Poynings, Newtimber, Pyecombe, and Perching. (fn. 12) The court of the hundred was said in 1811 to have been held 'from time immemorial' in the porch of Poynings Church. (fn. 13)