Ripe's Millenium Sign

History of Chalvington and Ripe

A brief history of the parish

The Romans built a road from Pevensey along the higher ground at the edge of the estuary via Stone Cross to Polegate and along the foot of the South Downs to Selmeston.  At Polegate station and onwards it was called Farnstreet and went over the Cuckmere river to Selmeston via Berwick station.  At Selmeston, the Roman road ran north to Chalvington and Ripe, south to Newhaven and west to Lewes.

The existing roads follow the old field system.  For example, those north of Langtye Lane show a typical Roman layout.  There have been pottery finds at Poundfield Corner, Chalvington, and in several fields in Ripe. On the boundary of Ripe and Laughton, a local archaeologist has identified a Roman villa. 

There is a suggestion of Saxon occupation, as Chalvington draws from the Saxon, "Caelfa's Farm". The Shiplake hundred in the Rape of Lewes derives from the Saxon name "schepelawe" (1180), meaning "sheep pool". This included six manors, the names of which are still recognisable today.  (Rype), Caveltone (Chalvington) , Cetelingei (Chiddingly), Esthothelegh (East Hoathly) Lestone (Laughton) and Waldere (Waldron).

The Parish of Rype is probably descriptive of the ridge on which Ripe stands. "Riep" in German means "shore or slope" and in those days Glynde reach was a tidal estuary and would have extended to Ripe. There are still two streams flowing into the River Ouse at Glynde.  This is why the rock is greensand and several fields were used as saltpans.

Eckington was a hamlet, Heahingtun, or "farm at Heaha".  Fowler's Barn was named after John Fowler 1502. Sheeplands Farm was "sheepelands" in 1641 due to the dominance of the profitable wool trade which was possibly the reason for so many large houses in the area. 

According to the Sussex Archaeological society, Ripe was a place of some importance in the 14^th Century. It was then the centre of the barony of Mortain and three weekly manorial courts were held as early as 1364.  The manor of Ripe had the unusual custom of Borough English, whereby descent of the copyhold title to the property passed to the youngest son, daughter, brother or sister. A number of medieval names are still recognisable on maps of the local area. Lime Barnett existed in the 14^th Century. Originally Berners or Lime Burners.  Mark Crosse was then, and still is the boundary mark of the parishes of Ripe and Laughton.

Following the Norman Conquest, the parish appeared in the Domesday Book, although there was no mention of either church.