Vicars of Holy Trinity Church

Hanging on the walls in the bell tower are two boards detailing all the vicars.

The board has yet to be updated with the name of Michael Maine who took over as incumbent in 2015 after Nicholas Wetherall left in 2014. Michael Maine retired in 2022 and a new imcubent is due in the late autumn 2023.

The Rev.d Daniel Valentine was inducted as incumbent on 22 November 2023.

The inscription on the board states:
This Church founded by William 2nd Earl of Warrene, Surrey, 1090. It was served by the clergy of the Priory at Lewes until 1250 when S. Richard, Bishop of Chichester, erected this Vicarage, and appointed as the first Vicar his own Chaplain.

There is another list of Vicars hanging in the Sergison Chapel which varies slightly for the early names and there are also lists in publications that differ, one such is the list published in Rev. Cooper’s “History of Cuckfield”.

Canon James H Cooper was born August 1841 and died July 1909. He is buried in the churchyard.
He served his first curacy, for five years in HT Cuckfield. He had been Rector of Tarporly in Cheshire prior to him becoming the incumbent of Holy Trinity. He took up his duties as vicar in 1888 until 1909 during which time the church renovation continued with Kempe glazing some of the windows; the Gensis window in the north west of the north aisle and the St Richard window in the north tower.
During his incumbency there had been 13 Assistant Curates and a fund was set up to provide stipends for them as previously this had been paid by the vicar. The curates were largely responsible for the mission churches in Brook St and Ansty. An appeal was set up for providing and residence for the curates.
He was a great historian and transcribed many of the ancient parish registers and other papers which eventually formed the basis of the book “A History of the Parish of Cuckfield” by his son, Wilbraham.

Thomas Vicars was born in Carlisle, Cumberland (now Cumbra) and was a learned theologian.  He began “The Vicars Book” in 1628 in which was recorded the most important events of the parish for over 100 years.

Robert Middleton was buried at Cuckfield.

Joseph Fearon served as Vicar from 1801 to 1817, actively engaging in the political and social affairs of the town. He notably acquired high oak pews from Saint James’s, Piccadilly, for the church and oversaw the completion of the peal of eight bells. He passed away in Cuckfield, Sussex, at the age of 54. Alongside his role as Vicar of Cuckfield, he held positions as Rector of Selsey, Rural Dean for the Eastern Division of the Diocese, and one of the prebendaries of Chichester Cathedral. These appointments were bestowed upon him by the Bishop.

Charles Ashburnham was also vicar of Cowfold and was the brother of Sir William Ashburnham, Bishop of Chichester. He began rebuilding the new vicarage in 1780.

Hugh Mellers was instituted vicar upon the death of John Savage. His name appears in Bishop Barlow’s visitation in 1564. He was vicar for 10 years.

Edmund Curteis In 1579 Edmund Coortesse “Complains of the evil informations against him by such as were at enmity with him for punishing their evil doings. Desires a commission to inquire into his behaviour. Cannot surrender up his cure, as suggested by Lord Buckhurst, without committing simony.”

Gerald Burrell Was the youngest son of John Burrell who was a man of eminence in the reign of King Henry V. Gerald, settled at Cuckfield, in Sussex, anno 1446, being vicar of that church, and archdeacon and residentiary of Chichester.

John Savage was vicar throughout the changes from Catholicism to Protestantism. In 1538 Henry VII gave the revenue of Lewes Priory, including the tithes from Cuckfield, to Thomas Cromwell. After Cromwell’s execution these passed to Anne of Cleves. Savage remained vicar throughout the reigns of Edward VI and Queen Mary. He was mentioned in the deeds of the Grammar School and in the Bishop’s visitations at “Cowkfeld” in 1554, 1555 and 1556.

Walter was also Custos of the Hospital of St Edmund at Wyndham, a home for sick clergy.

The first vicar Walter de Warnecamp was appointed by deed. He was instituted to the parish of Cheam in 1279, where he stayed until he died in 1279.

John Waterhouse was vicar for 25years and was held in high esteem. He provided a musket in defence of the realm as a result of the threat of the Spanish invasion. The records of the Court of the Archdeacon in Lewes show that in 1605 he was charged with “not wearing the surplice nor using the cross in baptism”.

Thomas Astley Maberley was born in Powis Place, London on Dec.12th 1810 the eldest of the five children of Joseph and Henrietta n?e Serle. in 1841 he took up the living as Vicar of Cuckfield, Sussex which he held until his death on Apr 18th 1877. He was buried in the churchyard at Cuckfield. His widow continued to live in Mytten House their Cuckfield home until her own death in 1892. They had five children.

Harry Francis Christopher Kempe served in Mesopotamia during the First World War and was awarded the Military Cross.

Nicholas Guy Wetherall moved to Cuckfield in 1992 having previously been a Team Vicar in Leominster.  He retired to live in Cornwall in April 2014.

Michael Maine was born in Cornwall. He had a long career as a choral scholar, organist, teacher, and Director of Music before his ordination in 2011. He served his curacy at St Mary the Virgin, Willingdon,

Daniel Valentine was born and brought up in Bedfordshire and was previously priest in charge of St Mary’s, Crumsall in Manchester.

James Oliver Smart, a former aircraft engineer, was ordained in 1944. He served his living at South Bersted in 1950 before relocating to Holy Trinity, Cuckfield, where he served as vicar from 1957 to 1964. During his time at Holy Trinity, Cuckfield, he initiated one of the country’s first stewardship campaigns. In 1964, he went to Kenya to serve as a vicar and later returned to Shermanbury, Sussex, in 1969. Afterward, he moved to Leicestershire. Upon retirement, he settled in Somerset, where he passed away in 1982 at the age of 77.