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The village Singleton is situated in the Lavant Valley, the site was originally called 'Sængel tun' the farmstead by the brushwood thicket. In the Domesday Book of 1086 the village was known as "Silletone" and was recorded as having three mills.
Before the Norman invasion Singleton was one of the areas richest and powerful manors. It belonged to Earle Godwine and his son King Harold II. The church of St Mary's was built in the 13th Century on top of the original Saxon church, indeed much of the church we see today including the tower is Saxon.
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In the middle Ages Singleton belonged to the Arundel Estate, it is only fitting therefore that there are two tombs for the Earls of Arundel in the village church. Thomas and William, Earls of Arundel who died in 1524 and 1544. One point of interest is the pilgrim graffiti that can be found on the entrance to the church.
Edward VII kept racehorses at Singleton and was a visitor during the Goodwood Races. And in 1915 Britain's first Women's Institute was started in Singleton.
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A short walk from the village of Singleton is the Weald & Downland Open Air Museum; any visitor to Sussex should not miss the museum. Occupying a 45-acre site the museum was founded in 1966 by J R Armstrong and opened to the public in 1971. The stated aim of the museum "is to save threatened buildings, and exhibit them in such a way as to help visitors appreciate the rich heritage of historic buildings in the region." This has been achieved magnificently.
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Watermill from Lurgashall, Sussex |
Display of plumbing equipment and techniques |
A Wealden House from Chiddingstone in Kent. |
Many of the buildings have been saved from dereliction or destruction by carefully dismantling them and bringing them to the museum. They are then reconstructed and restored to their original condition. There are nearly 40 buildings to visit. Country crafts are also preserved, such as Thatching, Milling and Charcoal burning. Along side these are the rare breeds and country walks around the grounds and a picnic area by the Millpond.
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Charcoal Burners camp. |
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Toll Cottage from Beeding, Sussex |
| Copyright © 1988–1999 Microsoft Corp. and/or
its suppliers. All rights reserved. http://www.microsoft.com/uk/MapPoint ©1998 NavTech B.V. All rights reserved. Based on Ordnance Survey electronic data; used with permission of the Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office. ©Crown Copyright 1997. |
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