Horselunges Manor

Horselunges Manor is a moated timber-framed house of Grade I importance, built at the end of the 15th century by John Devenish (died 1477) or his son Sir John Devenish (died before 1518). It was restored in 1925 by W H Godfrey for the owner R P Rowe. The building ranks among the finest timber-framed structures in the county, comparable to Great Dixter at Northiam and St Mary's at Bramber. What survives today is only part of one side of what was originally a larger, possibly quadrangular house. The original hall has disappeared, likely demolished in the early 16th century when alterations were made to the existing building.

The main front faces east and is close-studded with plaster infilling, comprising two storeys with five windows. The first floor oversails on a heavy moulded bressummer with brackets underneath; these brackets have miniature shafts beneath them that divide the front into bays. The roof is hipped and tiled with a pentice on the west side.

The ground floor contains four restored window bays set on stone bases, each with two tiers of eight lights with wooden mullions and transoms. These windows have moulded wooden cornices at their heads that connect to the overhang above, and contain stained glass of heraldic design copied from originals that survived elsewhere. None of these windows open. Only one ground floor window to the right of the main doorway remains unrestored and was probably inserted in the early 16th century. To the north is a smaller modern window. The main doorway is a wide 4-centred archway with carved spandrels; a smaller matching doorway stands to the north. At the north end is a blocked carriage archway, presumably the former gate-house, with similar spandrels, now containing a modern window.

The first floor displays five restored oriel windows of eight lights each, projecting on brackets with restored gables above. One flush modern window of six lights is also present. The south wall is tile-hung. At the north end, a small modern passage connects the house to 18th-century stables of red brick with tile-hanging above.

The Great Parlour contains a magnificent open-timbered ceiling with moulded beams and a wide restored fireplace, which was moved from the centre of the room where it had been inserted with a partition in the early 16th century. The Great Chamber above features an open roof with tie-beams and arched braces, plus a fine original door. The staircase, probably inserted in the early 16th century, is built around a solid newel containing cupboards and is screened from the entrance lobby by a partition with borrowed lights featuring wooden mullions, diamond-shaped leaded lights, and old green glass.

To the south-west of the house stands a 4-centred stone archway set in a red brick garden wall. The moat is complete. Double nail-studded doors providing entrance to the garden on the west side of the moat, opposite the main door of the house, are old and set in a brick surround and wall.