Alfriston underwent several alterations to modernise it as styles and tastes changed. After the Reformation, when vicars were permitted to marry, work took place to enlarge the house to accommodate more people. Church records show that the vicar Hugh Walker, appointed in 1593, had at least seven children living in the house with him and his wife. By the 1700s, the Clergy House had been subdivided into two cottages that could be rented out, with the vicars living elsewhere, often in another parish. Despite this, it was still officially the vicarage until the 1850s, when a new house was purchased for the vicar to live in. After this, it began to fall into disrepair, eventually leading to its purchase and rescue by the National Trust.
Holly Jones, National Trust Operations Manager for Alfriston Clergy House, said: “Being able to pinpoint the age of the house for the first time is a break-through for all of us who love Alfriston Clergy House and work here. This wonderful house captured the heart of Octavia Hill, the National Trust’s co-founder, in 1895, when she knew she had to rescue it and open it to the public. With these findings we are continuing her vision, nearly 125 years later, in researching and telling the story of this fine house. We want Alfriston Clergy House to be loved, explored and enjoyed by as many people as possible.”
Visit here to find out more about the first house saved for the nation by the National Trust.