All Saints Church

The Church of All Saints was built in the 1880's.  Messrs Carpenter & Ingelow of Regent Street, London were the architects.  Their design was Early Decorated style comprising nave, north aisle, chancel, tower, spire, vestries.  It was built from sandstone, lined with red brick on the inside and finished with stucco. The roof was to be covered with local tiles with crested ridge and the spire to be of timber, covered with oak shingles.  The builder was Mr. George Box of Ardingly.

Inside All Saints on the north wall, behind the font hangs the following Roll of Honour:

ROLL OF HONOUR

In remembrance of those who did their duty, even unto death, in the GREAT WAR 1914-1919

MAY THEY REST IN  PEACE 

Memorial Tablet / Plaques

The panelling on the north side of the choir bears a plaque which read as follows:

PRAEMIUM VIRTUTIS HONOR  Brig.Gen.Goland Vaholt Clarke CMG,DSO C.O. City of London Yeomanry 1915-17  C.O. 7th Mounted Bigade & 14, Cavalry Brigade 1917-19 Seventh son of Stephenson Clarke Born 25/11/1875 Died 27/8/1944 Maudlyn House Steyning.

Inside on the west wall of the church, a memorial tablet in marble and brass commemorating Captain John Gay Clarke, which was erected on 25th May 1916 and reads as follows:

In loving memory of John Gay Clarke Captain 9th Battalion Royal Sussex Regt 6th son of Stephenson and Agnes Maria Clarke of Brook House in this Parish who was killed in action in France near the Hohenzollern Redoubt on the 27th September 1915, aged 43 years R.I.P.

Located outside in the Churchyard of All Saints is the Great War Memorial which was unveiled and dedicated on Sunday 19th September 1920. The memorial is of Clipsham stone.  The foundation comprises an octagonal pedestal with two steps.  This supports a central column surmounted by a carved lantern, with a crucifix on its west face and the letters I.H.S. on its east.  The memorial was made by Messers Kempe & Co.

The three most westerly panels of the pedestal bear the inscription:

Remember ye with thanksgiving and honour before God and man these me of Highbrook who gave their lives for King and Country in the Great War, A.D. 1914-1919.

The three most easterly panels carry the names of the fallen:

BACKSHALL

Harry

Private 20702, 1st Battalion Border Regiment 29^th Division Killed in action near Ypres 17^th July 1918. Aged 37. Son of William Joseph and Emily Backshall of Burstow Bridge Cottage, Highbrook. Born in Ardingly and enlisted in Haywards Heath Formerly G/12683 Royal West Kent Regiment. Buried in Outtersteene Communal Cemetery Extension, Bailleul F.193

BROOMFIELD

Edward [William]

Lance Corporal G/2674, 7^th Battalion The Royal Sussex Regiment 12^th Division Killed in action at Cambrai 20^th November 1917. Aged 31. Son of Harry and Fanny Broomfield of Melbury Abbas, Dorset. Born in Ellingham, Hants and enlisted in Chichester. Employee of Mr. Stephenson Clarke at Brook House Commemorated on The Cambrai Memorial MR.17.

BROWN

Robert [Robinson]

Private G/7578, 9^th Battalion, The Royal Sussex Regiment. 24^th New Army Division. Killed in action at Hooge 12^th February 1916. Aged 36. Born in Richmond, Yorkshire and enlisted in Brighton. Son of Robert Anna Brown of Richmond, Yorkshire. Employee of Mr Stephenson Clarke of Brook House, Highbrook. Buried in Menin Road, South Military Cemetery, Ypres, Belgium. B.74.

BUCKMAN [BUCHANAN]

Reg[inald]

[Listed as BUCKMAN on war memorial and BUCHANAN on Roll of Honour] Bombardier 40859, 189th Brigade, The Royal Field Artillery. Died of wounds at home 17th October after discharge 7^th October 1917. Son of Mr and Mrs Buckman of Lywood Common. Employed by Mr Stephenson Clarke at Brook House. Also recorded on Ardingly Parish Church Memorial. Buried in Highbrook Churchyard

CLARKE

John Gay

[Listed as STEVENS on Roll of Honour not CLARKE] Captain, 9^th Battalion The Royal Sussex Regiment. 24^th Division. Killed in action at The Battle of Loos 25^th September 1915. Aged 43. Son of Mr. and Mrs. Stephenson Clarke of Brook House. Resident of Croydon. Commemorated on the Croydon Roll of Honour. Educated at Winchester. (Winchester College Memorial). Commemorated on The Loos Memorial MR.19.

Inside on the west wall of the church, a memorial tablet in marble and brass commemorating Captain John Gay Clarke, which was erected on 25th May 1916 and reads as follows:

In loving memory of John Gay Clarke Captain 9th Battalion Royal Sussex Regt 6th son of Stephenson and Agnes Maria Clarke of Brook House in this Parish who was killed in action in France near the Hohenzollern Redoubt on the 27th September 1915, aged 43 years R.I.P.

COZENS

Fred[erick Thomas]

Lance Corporal G/2753, 8^th Battalion, The Royal Sussex Regiment. Pioneer Battalion, of the 18^th Eastern Division. Killed in action during the German Spring offensive 23^rd March 1918. Son of Mr. and Mrs. Cozens of Pickeridge Cottages, Cob Lane, Ardingly. Born in Nash, Surrey and enlisted in Haywards Heath. Name also appears on West Hoathly and Ardingly Memorials. Buried in Chauny Communal Cemetery, British Extension. F.1893

DAY

Alexander [aka Alec]

Stoker 1^st Class K.8310, H.M.S. "Formidable", Royal Navy. Channel Fleet. Lost when the Battleship blew up off Sheerness 26^th November 1914. Aged 24. Son of Spencer and Isabella Day of Holly Cottage, Cob Lane. Regular Naval Rating.Commemorated on The Portsmouth Naval Memorial Southsea MR.3. Name also recorded at West Hoathly and Ardingly.

HOLMAN

Wilfred

Lance Corporal, 9th (Service) Battalion, Royal Sussex Regment. Died in England 11th October 1917. No further information currently. Not listed on CWGC or SDGW.

LANGRIDGE

Wallace

[Listed as William Langridge on records] Private 6364, 16^th Battalion, The Royal Defence Corps. [National Reserve] Died at home 25^th January 1918. Aged 58. Enlisted at Haywards Heath Formerly G/20647 Royal Sussex Regiment. Son of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Langridge. Husband of Emily Ethel Langridge 37, West Street, East Grinstead. Buried in Fort Pitt Military Cemetery, Rochester, Kent.

LAVENDER

Arthur

Sergeant L/9334, 2^nd Battalion, The Royal Sussex Regiment. 1^st Division. Killed in action at Richebourg L`Avoue 9^th May 1915. Born in Hastings and enlisted in Chichester. Regular Soldier. Commemorated on The Le Touret Memorial MR.22.

NEWNHAM

Harry [Henry]

Sergeant L/6817, 2^nd Battalion, The Royal Sussex Regiment. 1^st Division. Died of wounds near Arras 10^th March 1917. Aged 31. Son of William and Amelia Newnham of Lewes. Husband of Annie Beatrice Guy (Formerly Newnham) of Lywood Common, Ardingly. Platelayer with The London, Brighton and South Coast Railway Company. Born in South Malling and enlisted in Lewes. Commemorated on the Arras Memorial MR.20.

PACKHAM

Ernest

Shoeing Smith 13152, 6^th Dragoon Guards (Caribineers). Killed in action during the final advance 26^th August 1918. Aged 28. Son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Packham of Holly Farm, Pickridge, Cob Lane. Old boy of St. Wilfred's School Haywards Heath. Included on the memorials of Haywards Heath, Ardingly and West Hoathly. Born in Lindfield and enlisted in Battersea. Buried in Delville Wood Cemetery F.401

PEARCE

Percy

Corporal 391966, 1/9^th Battalion, The London Regiment (Queen Victoria's Rifles). 56^th London Division. Killed in action 25^th April 1918. Son of Alfred and Adelaide Pearce of Ashurst Villa, West Hoathly. Born in West Hoathly and enlisted in London. West Hoathly War Memorial. Buried in Buchoir New British Cemetery F.360

PREVETT, D.C.M.

Robert

Sergeant G/541, 7^th Battalion The Royal Sussex Regiment. 12^th Eastern Division. Wounded at Guedecourt during the Somme offensive and died on the 6^th October 1916. Aged 26. Son of Robert and Emma Prevett of Horncombe, Cob Lane. Born in Ardingly and enlisted in Brighton. Awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal (D.C.M.). Name also appears at West Hoathly and Ardingly. Buried in Dartmoor Cemetery F.188