OSBORNE

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One of my maternal great-great-great-great-great-grandmothers was Ann Osborne (1737-1815). She was born at Newtimber Place, West Sussex, the second child of Leighton OSBORNE (1708-41) and Elizabeth PAGE (?-?).

Ann Osborne (1737-1815) married Charles DENNETT (1734-74) at Woodmancote, West Sussex in 1759. They had five children and lived at Woodmancote Place, only a few miles from Newtimber.

Leighton Osborne (1708-41) and Elizabeth are only known to have had two children. They lived at Newtimber Place and Leighton is rumoured to have committed suicide after business ventures failed and the house was sold (to Mr Nathaniel Newnham). South Seas stocks were probably part of the failed investment, the bubble burst in 1720 so they may have been bought by Leighton's father. Recent research by Jim Osborne of Lewes has shown that Leighton and Elizabeth never married. She was Elizabeth PAGE and there was a court case after Leighton died so that Elizabeth could receive Leighton's money to support her and their surviving child Ann. Elizabeth PAGE then married Thomas MARTIN in 1744 and had at least five children at Newtimber but there is no further trace of any of them.

Leighton Osborne (1708-41) was born at Newtimber, the fourth child of Thomas (1676-1727) and Elizabeth PIGGOTT (1676-1735). Thomas was educated at Oxford and matriculated in 1694 aged 17. Thomas Osborne and Elizabeth Piggott married at London in 1700 where Thomas was practising as a barrister-at-law. They had seven children, most were baptised at Newtimber but the third, Anne, was baptised at Horsted Keynes. This was after her two older siblings were buried there in their great-grandmother, Saphira Lightmaker's grave. Thomas inherited Newtimber Place in 1710 when his father died. He then carried out extensive rebuilding of the house and the "Queen Anne" front seen today is the result (see below).

Leighton Osborne was named for his maternal great-grandmother, Saphira LIGHTMAKER (1623-1704) whose maiden name was LEIGHTON, according to contemporary documents she more commonly used Susan as her first name. Leighton's mother, Elizabeth Piggott, was almost certainly a granddaughter of Saphira. Saphira was married to Edward Lightmaker (?-1661) and they lived at Broadhurst Manor. Edward Lightmaker is stated to be a Brewer of the Precinct of Whitefriars in London in various documents held at the PRO and East Sussex Record Office. Saphira's tomb at Horsted Keynes also contains the two of Leighton Osborne's siblings who died as young children and two of her Piggott grandchildren who were probably siblings of Leighton's mother, Elizabeth Piggott.

Also buried at Horsted Keynes are Saphira's brothers Sir Ellis Leighton and Dr Robert Leighton (1613-84). Robert became Archbishop of Glasgow after having been Bishop of Dunblane, he was appointed by Charles II after the Reformation. Saphira published some of Robert's writings after his death. Robert, Ellis and Saphira were children of Alexander Leighton (1587-1644), a Scottish physician who was tortured after publishing tracts against Charles I and the Church of England. Alexander Leighton was probably born in Edinburgh, I haven't yet researched any Scottish records, my information about Alexander comes from various encyclopedias, including one published in 1860.

Leighton Osborne's mother, Elizabeth PIGGOTT was possibly connected to the Piggott family who were Iron Foundry owners in the area of Sussex/Surrey near Horsted Keynes. Elizabeth may have been born in London, her parents were almost certainly William Piggott and Mary [née Lightmaker]. William and Mary Piggott are mentioned in documents referring to Edward Lightmaker's will, William Piggott was said to be a Merchant Taylor (sic) of London. After the death of Saphira's son Edward Lightmaker junior (1650?-1708), it appears that Broadhurst Manor was taken over by a William Piggott, it is not yet known whether this was Elizabeth PIGGOTT's father, her brother or another relative.

One of Leighton Osborne's brothers, John (1711-74), became the Rector of Newtimber in 1737 and continued there for 30 years. In his will John named his niece Ann Dennett (née Osborne) as his executrix. She renounced this right and substituted three other people, including her brother-in-law Daniel Dennett. Daniel was also a Rector, of which parish has yet to be confirmed, it was possibly the parish of Treyford with Didling or the nearby parish of Woolbeding.

Thomas Osborne (1676-1727) was the first child of Thomas (1650-1710) and Anne LANGFORD (?-1706). Thomas Osborne (1650-1710) and Anne Langford married at Poynings in 1676 and had five children baptised there. Thomas senior was a captain in the militia when Thomas junior was born. In 1681 Thomas senior bought Newtimber Place (from Sir Percy Cust). Newtimber Place is surrounded by a moat that is probably much older than the house. The original house and its moat are reportedly mentioned in the Domesday Book. Anne died in 1706 by drowning in the moat but the circumstances that led to her death are not known. When Thomas died in 1710 the house passed to his oldest son Thomas (1676-1727) who carried out major changes to the house resulting in the facade below. The bridge is more recent, it has previously been described as having an arched brick bridge to the front.

Newtimber Place Newtimber Place and the moat where Ann Osborne (née Langford) drowned in 1706. Moat at Newtimber Place

Thomas Osborne (1650-1710) was the second child (first son) of Thomas (1616?-?) and Joane SIMMONS (?-?). Thomas Osborne and Joane Simmons married at Poynings in 1645 and had five children there.

The earlier generations of Osbornes were at Poynings from at least 1530. I don't have enough details about these early generations to include them here, Jim Osborne of Lewes and his brother Andrew have done a great deal of research into them. Many thanks to Jim for providing much of the information about the Osbornes of Newtimber and Poynings. Jim and Andrew are descended from William (1657-?), youngest son of Thomas and Joane of Poynings. William married Elizabeth BYSSHE at Pyecombe in 1694.

The current owners of Newtimber Place occasionally open the grounds and also separately offer a short tour of the main rooms downstairs. I visited the gardens in 1996 with another Osbourne descendant and we both enjoyed the excellent display of spring flowers. In 2001 we saw inside the house on the guided tour. One of the governors of my paternal aunt's school (Brighton and Hove High) lived at Newtimber Place and the older girls had an annual afternoon at the house in about 1950. My aunt is not descended from the Osbornes so she doesn't regret not remembering what the place looked like. Recently, I met someone whose father was a gardener there in the 1950s and I learnt a little more about the house.

Flowery bank Newtimber Place flowers seen in April 1996.
Left, daffodils, cowslips and celandines.
Right: fritillaries and celandines. 		Fritillaries

Round Hill Views of the Downs from Newtimber Place.
Left: Round Hill to the south-east.
Right: Newtimber Hill to the south. 		Newtimber Hill

Newtimber Place has its own webpage with more pictures. To see the rest of the Newtimber website click on the Back to Index link at the end of the Newtimber Place page. The gardens open twice a year under the National Gardens Scheme and the house can be seen by appointment during the summer months.

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