AND TEE DUKES OF BICEMOND. 215 



the neighbourhood or loving the sport Charlton was so famous 

 for ; for much of which he is indebted to the courtesy of Charles 

 Dorrien, Esq., of Ashdean House, who possesses a curious manu- 

 script account of the hamlet and the hunt. 



Charlton, a tjthing of the parish of Singleton, lies in the 

 valley north of the Goodwood hills, and about a mile east of 

 the high-road from Chichester to Midhurst. It is now princi- 

 pally remarkable for its " forest " (a large wood extending over 

 800 acres, belonging to the Goodwood estate, but formerly the 

 property of the FitzAlans, Earls of Arundel, where this great 

 family enjoyed the pleasures of the chase, having a hunting-seat at 

 Downley, on the verge of the forest, of sufficient importance to be 

 used as an occasional residence ; indeed, two of the Earls are stated 

 to have died at Downley— Thomas, in 1525, and William, in 1544. 



From time immemorial, therefore, it appears that the wood 

 and pleasant downs of Charlton have been appropriated to the 

 enjoyment of hunting and the chase — of later years more exclu- 

 sively to fox-hunting — and from this circumstance only Charlton 

 derives its celebrity. As long as the pursuit of the fox has 

 existed as a national sport, it is probable there was a meet at 

 Charlton ; but it was first brought into notice from its being the 

 favourite resort of the unfortunate Duke of Monmouth, who 

 probably owed his acquaintance with Sussex to his friendship 

 with Ford, Lord Grey, afterwards his second in command at 

 Sedgemoor, who was seated at Uppark in this neighbourhood. 

 Monmouth appears to have had a peculiar love of Charlton, 

 saying jestingly, " When he was King he would come and keep 

 his Court at Charlton." So early, too, were his hopes of a future 

 crown alluded to. On one occasion he was so entertained and 

 made much of by the citizens of Chichester — being received by 

 crowds, welcomed by bonfires and ringing of bells, and subse- 

 quently taken in state to the Cathedral, that Bishop Carlton 

 thought it necessary to write apologetically to the Metropolitan 

 to excuse the apparent want of loyalty to the reigning Sovereign. 



His letter, still extant, is dated February 17, 1679. 



Amongst those who paid their respects to Monmouth, at this time, 



