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locallj' corrupted into Ilorsemouncez ; but liurst has changed into 

 horse in other instances, as Horsebridge and Horseye in the neigh- 

 bourhood — and as far back as the time of Henry VIII. it was 

 spelt as now pronounced. The manor remained in the hand.s of 

 the descendants of this Waleran de Herst till the beginning of 

 t'.ie last century. It is thought that a manor house stood some- 

 where on the site previous to the erection of the castle itself, as 

 some Spanish chestnut trees to the west of the castle seem older 

 than that building, and antiquarians think they can trace portions 

 of this more ancient manor house in parts of the present building. 

 With John de Monceux, who died in the reign of Edward II., 

 died the last of that name who held possession of the estate, and 

 it then passed into the family of the de Fienes, with whom 

 it remained till Queen Anne's reign. A descendant of John de 

 Fienes, Sir William, died in 1405, and was buried in the Parish 

 Church, under a monumental slab adorned with a brass, still to 

 be seen in the church. In 1440, Sir Roger De Fynes, one of the 

 heroes of Agincourt, erected the present building, at a cost which 

 was then enormous, but which is very inconsiderable now, 

 £3,800. It is a splendid instance of early brick building, 

 and was considered the largest private house in the kingdom. 

 Sir Roger enlarged the park by adding 600 acres to the domain, 

 and added to the castle an accessory very rare in Sussex, a 

 heronry, which still exists. All round it ran a moat, -and 

 entrance to the castle was afforded by a drawbridge. For the 

 convenience of water to the moat tlie castle has been placed in a 

 very low situation, and beauty of view, or even healthfulness of 

 site, seems to have been quite left out of sight by its projector. 

 The bricks were probably made by Flemish -workmen. They are 

 very firm in texture and uniform in quality, and still stand, 

 notwithstanding their exposure for more than four centuries 

 to the weather and the erosive influence of the sea air, where 

 violence has not wantonly injured them, without flaw or crack. 

 Noble avenues of chestnut trees, mingled with a few oaks 

 ;md beeches, in ancient times led up to the castle in several 



