It is not known how long the Old Rectory was the site of the Rector of Maresfield’s residence, but we know that in 1812 the Revd George Woodward who was Rector of Maresfield for 25 years and Vicar of Fletching for over 50 years (at that time clergymen were allowed to hold more than one living at the same time) rebuilt the Rectory. The Revd Mr Woodward is known to have had at least five children whose deaths are recorded on the Rector’s body slab on the south side of the church, so probably the new building replaced a smaller house.

About 1872 the Revd John Banks Meek Butler built the large and impressive Rectory shown in the photograph.

The Revd Mr Ryder brought up his family there and entertained many fellow botanists during nearly half a century’s ministry. When he retired, the Revd F.H. Sheldon took the living in 1941 but due to the war and restrictions he was unable to occupy the whole house fully. When he resigned at the end of the Second World War, it was almost impossible to attract an incumbent as the upkeep of the Rectory would by then have taken most of the stipend! The Church Commissioners allowed a smaller house, ‘Pine Grove’, in Maresfield Park to be purchased from Miss Hurst and the Revd and Mrs S.B. Latham took up residence.

Before the Old Rectory could be sold, a fire (believed to have been started by a tramp) mysteriously broke out on Maundy Thursday, 14th April, 1949, and destroyed a considerable part of the lovely building. The damage may well have been worse had the alarm not been raised by the late Miss Phyllis Fairchild at the Post Office. The remaining part was sold, repaired and divided into several units.

This was the second time a rectory had caught fire as in 1811 parish records were destroyed when the Rector, the Revd Robert Rivett, had gone to live in Hampshire and left a curate, the Revd Robert Bingham, in charge at Maresfield. The Revd Mr Bingham stood trial at Horsham for wilfully setting fire to his residence to defraud two insurance companies but was found not guilty.

Another fire took place just after the Second World War when ‘Berigem’, the home of Admiral and Mrs Rundle in Maresfield Park, was completely destroyed partly due to the water supply and pressure being very poor in the parish at the time.

Extract from “Maresfield”, by Betty Turner , © 1991 Betty E Turner