Preston Manor History

Preston Manor's history is a long and extensive one it can be traced back to the domesday book which makes reference to 'The Manor of Preston', belonging to the Bishops of Chichester.

Prior to this, there was a villa discovered just to the south of Preston Park, adjacent to what is now London Road. It is thought by some that during the middle ages, there was a monastery on this site.

We know for definite that there was a house on the site of some standing, as it was visited by the archbishop of Canterbury in 1230. Not long after this, the house was rebuilt, and below ground level, remains of this house are still there, forming part of the cellar and foundations.

The house ceased to belong to the Bishops in 1559, when it was taken by the crown. This was leased to Richard Eldrington, and handed down through his descendants. Eventually it was sold on to the Shirley family who leased the land, and passed through his family, ending up with Thomas Western, who was married to one of the Daughters of Thomas Shirley, and he took the property on.

As was the fashion of the time, Thomas Western demolished the house, and re built it, acting as his own architect. The aspect of the house was changed from West to North, and the central villa was flanked by 2 wings. The basement area would have played a bit part in the house at this time, providing an entrance to the property and also servants' quarters and so on!

In 1794 Preston Manor was sold by Charles Callis Western for the sum of £17,600 to William Stanford, and so begins arguably the most important part of the history of Preston Manor. A man of standing, William Stanford was the High Sheriff of Sussex in 1808.

No significant alterations were made at this time, with the exception of the building of a flint tower in 1880. This stayed there for only 25 years, when it was demolished as part of the work carried out by Charles Stanley Peach, leaving the property as it looks today. In 1932, the Stanford Family bequeathed the property, it's contents and 4 acres of land to the Corporation of Brighton, and it was opened to the Public in 1933.