Descriptive Gazetteer Entry for KIRDFORD

KIRDFORD, a village and a parish in Petworth district, Sussex. The village stands on an affluent of the river Arun, 4½ miles NE by N of Petworth, and 5 W by N of Billingshurst r. station; and has a post office under Petworth. The parish includes the chapelry of Plastow, and comprises 12, 275 acres. Real property, £7, 181. Pop. in 1851, 1, 955; in 1861, 1, 784. Houses, 342. The decrease of pop. was caused by the migration of young persons to towns. The property is subdivided. Shillinglee Park is the seat of Earl Winterton; Ifold, of John Napper, Esq.; and Ebernoe, of W. Peachey, Esq; Barkfold is occupied by Captain Barwell; and Sladeland, by J. Godman, Esq. Nearly one third of the land is under wood. A limestone of peculiar character, known as Sussex or Petworth marble, has been largely quarried, and is believed to have been worked by the Romans and the Normans. The living is a vicarage, united with the p. curacy of Plastow, in the diocese of Chichester. Value, £500.* Patron, Lord Leconfield. The parish church is chiefly early English, and has a large tower. The church of Plastow was rebuilt in 1856. There are national schools and a workhouse; and, at the census of 1861, the latter had 34 inmates.


(John Marius Wilson, Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales (1870-72))

Linked entities:
Feature Description: "a village and a parish"   (ADL Feature Type: "populated places")
Administrative units: Kirdford AP/CP       Petworth RegD/PLU       Sussex AncC
Place: Kirdford

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