Clement Honisett of Westfield (1575/6 - 1616)
Clement Handsete, the son of Peter and Clemence, was baptised in Mountfield on 14 February 1575/6 and moved to Westfield with his parents sometime between 1583 and 1586. When his father died in 1592 he was left 'one cowe, one twelvemonthlinge and four sheepe'. He married Anne Hunt in Westfield on 10 February 1593/4. In 1596 he was recorded as 'Clement Honisett of Westfield, forgeman' at the trial of John Almon. He must have worked at Westfield (Crowham) Forge, which was active from about 1574 until at least 1743. His will of 1616 shows that he was a hammerman living in Westfield with a wife Ann and at least five children including:
Mary
18 May 1595
baptised Westfield
born about 1600
Jeremy
Rachel
born about 1608
John
23 Feb 1611/2
baptised Westfield
In about 1615 Clement was one of several purchasers of ‘a messuage and land in Westfield’. Part of the conveyance now forms the parchment binding of one of the Ovingdean parish registers!!
The following is extracted from Clement's will
...... The foure and twentythe day of November in the fourteenth year of the Raigne of our Gratious King James of England Scotland France and Ireland defender of the fayth and of Scotland the fyftyeth Anno 1616. I Clement Honisett in the parishe of Westfyeld in the county of Sussex hammerman ......
...... my body to be buryed in the churchyard of Westfyeld ......
...... I give to the poore people of Westfyeld five shillings to be distributed at my buryall ......
...... to my mother twenty shillings to be payd her quarter yearly five shillings a quarter ......
...... to Mary my daughter the wyfe of Richard Gower five pounds ......
...... to my eldest sonne Thomas fyfteene pounds to bee payd him at the age of twenty yeares ......
...... to Jeremy my sonne fyfteene pounds to be payd him when he ys at the age of twenty yeares ......
...... to Rachell my daughter fyfteene pounds to bee payd her when shee ys at the age of twenty yeares ......
...... to John my sonne fyfteene pounds to be payd him when hee ys at the age of twenty yeares ......
...... to Robert Barten my kinsman forty shillings ......
...... to my daughter Rachell one joyned cheste and one iron pott about the bigness of six gallon
All the rest of my goods and chattells ...... to Ann my wyfe ......
Clement was buried in Westfield on 29 November 1616.
Of Clement's children:
- Mary married Richard Gower in Westfield on 8 May 1615 and died in 1619.
- Thomas married Tamasin Blackman.
- Jeremie was buried in Bexhill on 1 June 1619.
- Rachel married Thomas Kingswell in Bexhill on 1 June 1629.
- John probably married Elizabeth Crouch in Bexhill in 1633 and then Katherine Soane in 1639. It was John's eldest son John (baptised in 1634) who made a will in 1682, shortly before he died and was buried in Bexhill.