Catalogue description ARCHIVE OF LORD MONK BRETTON OF CONYBORO IN BARCOMBE

Summary of contents: MOB

Introduction, history of Coneyboro

Official and political papers

MOB/1-226 Papers of Sir John Dodson and John George Dodson, Lord Monk Bretton relating to Parliamentary elections; 1820-1906

MOB/227-265 Notes for the Parliamentary speeches of John George Dodson, Lord Monk Bretton; 1871-1891

MOB/266-282 Papers of John George Dodson, Lord Monk Bretton as President of the Local Government Board; 1880-1893

MOB/283-367 Other parliamentary papers of John George Dodson, Lord Monk Bretton and John William Dodson, second Lord Monk Bretton; 1845-1910

MOB/368-373 Papers relating to Sir John Dodson as Dean of the Arches; 1856

MOB/374-375 Papers of John George Dodson, Lord Monk Bretton and John William Dodson, second Lord Monk Bretton as deputy Lieutenants of Sussex; 1860-1889

MOB/376-377 Papers of John George Dodson, Lord Monk Bretton and John William Dodson, second Lord Monk Bretton as magistrates; 1871-1924

MOB/378-379 Commissions of John William Dodson, second Lord Monk Bretton in the Sussex Yeomanry; 1906-1914

MOB/380-388 Papers of John George Dodson, Lord Monk Bretton relating to the appointment of coroners; 1890-1891

MOB/389-506 Papers of John George Dodson, Lord Monk Bretton as chairman of East Sussex County Council with additional papers of John William Dodson, second Lord Monk Bretton; 1889-1913

MOB/507-594 East Sussex County Council committee papers of John George Dodson, Lord Monk Bretton with additional papers of John William Dodson, second Lord Monk Bretton; 1889-1933

MOB/595-624 Other East Sussex County Council papers of John George Dodson, Lord Monk Bretton with additional papers of John William Dodson, second Lord Monk Bretton; 1871-1911

Papers concerning local affairs

MOB/625-627 Papers of John William Dodson, second Lord Monk Bretton as chairman of London County Council; 1929

MOB/628-632 Papers of John William Dodson, second Lord Monk Bretton relating to the proposed University College of Sussex; 1909-1912

MOB/633-805 Papers relating to parochial matters in Hurstpierpoint, Barcombe, Ringmer and Offham in Hamsey; 1801-1933

MOB/806-994 Papers relating to parochial charities in Ringmer; 1795-1887

Estate papers

MOB/995-1172 Papers concerning Sir John Dodson's purchases and estate administration; 1798-1858

MOB/1173-1370 Papers concerning John George Dodson, Lord Monk Bretton's purchases and estate administration; 1787-1897

MOB/1371-1373 Papers concerning John William Dodson, second Lord Monk Bretton's purchases and estate administration; 1897-1933

MOB/1374-1440 Papers concerning Sir John Dodson's estate accounts and audits; 1833-1868

MOB/1441-1505 Papers concerning John George Dodson, Lord Monk Bretton's accounts and audits; 1848-1898

MOB/1506-1512 Papers concerning John William Dodson, second Lord Monk Bretton's accounts and audits; 1896-1931

MOB/1513-1526 Maps and plans of Barcombe, Ringmer, Hurstpierpoint, Clayton, Wivelsfield and Keymer; c1830-1855

Family papers

MOB/1527-1572 Correspondence of Sir John Dodson, John George Dodson, Lord Monk Bretton and John William Dodson, second Lord Monk Bretton; 1764-1901

MOB/1573-1576 Personal accounts of Sir John Dodson, John George Dodson, Lord Monk Bretton and his wife; 1821-1893

MOB/1577-1581 Antiquarian papers of John George Dodson, Lord Monk Bretton and his daughter Miss F H Dodson; 1879-1889

MOB/1582-1604 Other papers of Sir John Dodson, John George Dodson, Lord Monk Bretton and John William Dodson, second Lord Monk Bretton; c1800-1914

Papers of the Constable family of Ringmer

MOB/1605-1606 Transcripts of the diaries of the Rev John Constable of Ringmer; 1825-1852

MOB/1607-1617 Accounts of the Rev John Constable and his wife Frances; 1840-1867

MOB/1618-1643 Papers of the executors of the Rev John Constable of Ringmer, 1863-1870

Lamb family of Rye - bequests to the Dodson family

MOB/1644-1697 Correspondence and papers concerning bequests to members of the Dodson family under the will of Thomas Phillips Lamb of Rye; 1818-1847

Maps of the estate, 1738. c1775

MOB/1698-1699 Photographs of maps of the Coneyboro estate in Barcombe and of the manor and parish of Hamsey; 1738-1773x1776

Summary of Contents: Acc6506

Introduction

Acc6506/1-17 Dodson family and personal papers, 1800-1918

Acc6506/18-50 Deeds and papers of the Dodson family concerning properties in Sussex, 1833-1923

Acc6506/51-81 Deeds and papers of the Pearson, Smith and Rayney families of Yorkshire, 1521-1908

Acc6506/82-87 Deeds and papers of the Dodson family concerning properties in London, 1812-1937

Acc6506/88-91 Deeds and papers of the Dodson family concerning properties in Staffordshire, Derbyshire and Bedfordshire, 1818-1911

For further records of the Dodson family, see ACC6506 (copy at the end of list)

Bretton, Lord Monk, 1825-1897

Documents deposited 19 Oct 1959 (ACC 350), 8 Jan 1968 (ACC 871) and photographs purchased 23 Jul 1993 (ACC 6125)

• Dodson family of Coneyboro Estate, Barcombe, East Sussex
• Barcombe, East Sussex
• Land tenure
• Political papers

Introduction

The archive of Lord Monk Bretton consists of the papers of Sir John Dodson, LLD, his son, John George Dodson, Lord Monk Bretton, and of his son, John William Dodson, second Lord Monk Bretton

The Dodson family came originally from London and settled in Hurstpierpoint where three members of the family were incumbents successively from 1707-1807. The Rev Jeremiah Dodson (1673-1744), the son of the Rev Jeremiah Dodson of London and his wife Margaret Isaacson, was born on 25 July 1673. He was rector of Broadwater before he became rector of Hurstpierpoint in 1701. Jeremiah was married on 22 April 1701 to Anne Todd, the daughter of Christopher Todd of London. He died on 16 March 1744 and she died later in the year on 14 August

He was succeeded as rector by his son, the Rev Christopher Dodson (1705-1784), who had been born on 21 September 1705. He was married on 24 August 1731 at Wivelsfield to Mary Marchant (1713-1748), the daughter of Thomas Marchant of Little Park, Ninfield, gent. He died on 14 March 1784, his wife having predeceased him on 28 February 1748

He, in turn, was succeeded by his son, the Rev John Dodson (1734-1807). He had matriculated at Trinity College, Oxford on 6 December 1749 where he was awarded a BA in 1753 and from Oriel College an MA in 1756, a BD in 1768 and a DD in 1772. John was vicar of Cubbington, Warwickshire and rector of Yoxall, Staffordshire before he succeeded his father at Hurstpierpoint in 1788. He was married in 1776 to Frances Dawson (1750-1832), the daughter of the Rev Dawson of Stapenhill House, Burton-upon-Trent, Staffordshire. He died on 1 July 1807 and was buried at Hurstpierpoint; his widow died on 15 April 1832 and was buried at St Chad's, Litchfield, Staffordshire

Sir John Dodson (1780-1858), the son of the Rev John Dodson of Hurstpierpoint, DD and his wife Frances, was born there on 19 January 1780. He entered Merchant Taylors' School in 1790, matriculated at Oriel College, Oxford on 28 November 1797 where he was awarded a BA in 1801, an MA in 1804 and a BCL and DCL in 1808. John was admitted as an advocate of the College of Doctors of Laws on 3 November 1806 and acted as a commissary to the dean and chapter of Westminster. He was MP (Tory) for Rye, 1819-1823; he was appointed to the office of advocate to the admiralty court on 11 March 1829, king's advocate-general on 15 October 1834, he was called to the Bar (Middle Temple) on 8 November 1834, he became master of the faculties in November 1841 and vicar-general of the province of Canterbury in 1849. From February 1852 he was judge of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury until its abolition in 1857, and was dean of the Arches until his death. John was married on 24 December 1822 to Frances Priscilla Pearson (1788-1869), eldest daughter of George Pearson of London, MD

Dodson died on 27 April 1858 in London and his widow died on 26 December 1869. He acquired extensive property in Hurstpierpoint and neighbouring areas and in 1855, bought the Conyboro estate, later the Monk Bretton family seat, from the trustees of Lord Liverpool

John George Dodson (1825-1897), the only son of Sir John Dodson and his wife Frances Priscilla, was born on 18 October 1825 at 12 Hertford Street, Middlesex. Dodson was educated at Eton, 1837-1842, matriculated at Christ Church, Oxford on 9 June 1843 where he was awarded a BA in 1847 and an MA in 1850; he was called to the Bar (Lincolns Inn) in 1851. He unsuccessfully contested the seat for the eastern division of Sussex in July 1852 and March 1857, but was successfully returned in April 1857 and he served as the MP (Liberal), 1857-1874, for Chester, 1874-1880 and for Scarborough, 1880-1884. Dodson was Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons, 1865-1872, Financial Secretary to the Treasury, 1873-1874, President of the Local Government Board, 1880-1882, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, 1882-1884 and Chairman of East Sussex County Council, 1889-1891. He was created Baron Monk Bretton of Conyboro and Hurstpierpoint on 4 November 1884. He was married on 3 January 1846 at Hurstpierpoint to Florence Campion (1831-1912), the second daughter of William John Campion of Danny in Hurstpierpoint and his wife Harriet Kemp

In about 1866 he commissioned Henry Marley Burton (1813-1880) to design a mansion on a new site at Coneyboro. Burton was the nephew of Decimus Burton, who had designed Bineham in Chailey for Dodson's brother-in-law John George Blencowe, which was built between 1858 and 1860. The family moved down to Barcombe from their London residence in the Spring of 1869. A more detailed summary of the history of Coneyboro appears as an appendix to this list

Dodson died at 6 Seamore Place, Mayfair, London on 25 May 1897 and was buried at Barcombe on 29 May leaving a son and three daughters. His widow died at 16 Princes Gardens on 17 February 1912 and was buried at Barcombe on 21 February

John William Dodson (1869-1933), the only son of John George Dodson and his wife Florence, was born on 22 September 1869 at Barcombe. Dodson was educated at Eton, 1883-1887, matriculated at New College, Oxford in 1888 where he was awarded a BA in 1891. Dodson succeeded his father as the second Lord Monk Bretton in 1897

He served as an attaché in the diplomatic service, 1894-1897, as the assistant private secretary to the Secretary for Foreign Affairs, 1898-1900 and as private secretary to the Secretary for the Colonies, 1900-1903. He was an Alderman of the London County Council, 1912-1914, a county councillor, 1922-1933 and chairman, 1929-1930. Dodson served in the First War as a Major in the Sussex Yeomanry and was attached to the Naval Intelligence Department. He was married on 19 August 1911 at Hurstpierpoint to Ruth Brand, the second daughter of Charles Brand and his wife Alice Emma Sturgis. Dodson died at a nursing home in Brighton on 29 July 1933 and was buried at Barcombe on 1 August, leaving a son and a daughter

John Charles Dodson, the only son of John William Dodson and his wife Ruth, was born on 17 July 1924. He was educated at Westminster and at New College, Oxford. He succeeded his father as the third Lord Monk Bretton in 1933

The archive includes the papers of two other families: the Constables and the Lambs. The Constable family of Ringmer was related to the Dodsons by the marriage of Frances Dodson, the sister of Sir John, to the Rev John Constable of Middleham in Ringmer (see HOP). The Lamb family of Rye was related to the Dodsons by the marriage of Elizabeth Lamb, the daughter of Thomas Phillips Lamb, to the Rev William Dodson, the brother of Sir John (see PAB)

The archive is of principal interest for those papers which reflect J G Dodson's chairmanship of the East Sussex County Council during its first three years. The setting up of this new type of local authority must in all cases have been complex, but Sussex was additionally burdened with the division of the county and the assimilation of the Cinque Ports. As an MP for Sussex, 1857-1874 and as a JP of long standing, Lord Monk Bretton brought to the problem a deeply informed and judicious guidance which dated back to his enquiry in 1871-72 on the integration of the Liberty of the Sluice in Bexhill into the structure of Highway Districts, which he labelled 'an intricate and obscure piece of local government'. His presidency of the Local Government Board, 1880-82 must also have been a powerful influence. The quantity of correspondence and notes testify the time and ardour devoted to it

The electoral papers are another strong feature of the archive. Sir John's election at Rye in 1821 and his son's successful candidacy in 1857, 1865 and 1868 for the county seat on behalf of the Liberals, are all well documented. His agent's comment that 'the greatness of England rests on - beer' completely belies the very strong personal support which the county gave him and after he moved his services to a northern constituency in 1874 he remained a powerful selector in Sussex for the 1874, 1880 and 1885 elections

Sources: GEC Complete Peerage 9 54-56; Burke's Peerage (1953); J Foster Alumni Oxonienses (1887); DNB; William Smith Ellis 'On the origin of the family of Dodson of Hurstpierpoint' SAC 33 39-48 (1882)

Coneyborough in Barcombe

The name Coneyborough signifies a rabbit-warren

Three fields called The Boroughs and a field called Mores Meadow, 42 acres in all, formed part of the demesne land of the manor of Barcombe, from which they were sold off in 1581. In 1603 the land was sold to William Claggett of Lewes, who in 1623 settled them on the marriage of his son William with Mary, one of the daughters of William Newton of Southover Grange, a barrister

A house had been built at Coneyborough by 1643; in that year William Claggett, who lived there, was joined by his widowed mother to sell it to Edward Raynes, a Lewes lawyer, for £720. On the death of Edward Raynes the estate passed to his son John Raynes, also a lawyer with an extensive practice in the county. See ESRO SAS/PN

The estate was acquired by Thomas Medley of London and Kent, who in 1672 married John Raynes's niece Susannah. Medley probably rebuilt the house shortly after his father-in-law's death in 1689; two views of it survive, showing a classical building of c1700. ESRO Acc 3712; BL Add Mss 5678, f20

Susannah died at Coneyborough in 1704 and Thomas subsequently settled at Buxted Place, where he died in 1728. Two years earlier he had settled Coneyborough on his third son Edward Medley, a barrister. In 1738 he commissioned a detailed map of the property, which shows elaborate formal gardens, fountains and a deerpark. Edward Medley died in 1754, and on the death of his widow in 1761 Coneyborough became surplus to the family's requirements. VCH Sussex 7; ESRO SAS/PN; ESRO MOB/1898

The estate was let out to tenants, among them the Rev Thomas d'Oyly, archdeacon of Lewes. In 1785 he yielded possession to Thomas Kemp, MP for Lewes and the father of Thomas Read Kemp, the developer of Kemptown, Brighton. In 1798 Thomas Kemp held the house and ten acres of garden, and a deerpark of forty acres, at an annual rent of £124. Kemp died at Coneyborough in 1811, and the house was demolished in about 1816. Sussex Record Society 77; information from JH Farrant; ESRO BMW C/4/1; VCH 7

The Medley estate descended to Lord Liverpool, whose trustees sold Coneyborough to Sir John Dodson MP (1780-1858), judge of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, in 1855. ESRO MOB/1087-1112

His only son John George Dodson MP (1825-1897) had a glittering political career. He was deputy speaker of the House of Commons, Financial Secretary to the Treasury, President of the Local Government Board and the first chairman of East Sussex County Council. he was created Baron Monk Bretton of Coneyboro and Hurstpierpoint on 4 November 1884

In about 1866 he commissioned Henry Marley Burton (1813-1880), of 14 Spring Gardens, Westminster, to design a mansion on a new site at Coneyborough. Burton was the nephew of Decimus Burton, who had designed Bineham in Chailey for Dodson's brother-in-law John George Blencowe, which was built between 1858 and 1860. Decimus, who proposed him ARIBA in 1860, retired from practice at the end of the 1860s and was succeeded by his nephew. ESRO MOB/1477B (notes by J G Dodson of the details and costs of building); MOB/1485A (vouchers for completion of the building, furnishing and removal expenses, including three letters from H M Burton, 1868-1869); ESRO HOOK (archive of Blencowe of The Hooke, Chailey); I am grateful to Dr Neil Bingham for infromation on H M Burton, who was probably one of the illegitimate sons of William Burton

Burton's design seems consciously based on the building which had been demolished at the beginning of the 19th century. For which see Acc 3712

The building was undertaken by Henry Card of Lewes, who was also the county surveyor, and took over two years - the clerk of works was paid for 102 weeks - and cost a total of £9650. The hot water system cost a further £272, chimney-pieces and stoves £122, and furniture £1967; with the architect's commission, the grand total was £12713 13s, with a further £1100 for the layout of the garden and grounds. The family moved down to Barcombe from their London residence in the Spring of 1869. See ESRO MOB/1477B, 1485A

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