William Penn
William Penn is best known as the founder of Pennsylvania, among the most successful of all American colonies, and as a leader of the fledgling Society-of-Friends or Quakers. He promoted causes and ideas which were well ahead of their time, notably religious toleration, participatory government, civil liberties, good race relations, international peace and economic enterprise.
William’s principal home was in West Sussex for over 30 years and most of his children were born here. He was involved in many day-to-day Quaker activities in the County and his presence had a life-changing impact on local people as so many emigrated to the New World. Over a dozen places here had significant connections with him.
Extracts from records held here at West Sussex Record Office help us understand Penn the Sussex landowner, family man, active Friend, and persecuted leader, influencing him to found Pennsylvania and persuade many local people to embark on a new life in America.
The records are organised into the themes described below. Please click on each heading, which lead to digitised copies of the records and further details about them.
1672: Penn the landowner and missionary
An overview of the West Sussex lands Penn inherited through marriage to first wife Gulielma Maria Penington (nee Springett), including detailed descriptions of his Kingston Buci (Bowsey) estate in two WSRO records.
Two further almost contemporary Sussex maps show the route of his missionary ‘Journey on Truth’s Account’ in 1672 and details of Patchgate, a house he visited during that journey.
1676-1707: Penn the home-loving family man
A map of Penn’s house and estate, Warminghurst Place, and the rest of the parish, is followed by detailed descriptions of the property, family routines and important events which happened in the house.
An undated, circa early 20th century, intriguing tracing showing the modern buildings on the site overlaid by the apparent location of the Penn house, demolished after 1707.
1682-1685: Penn the persecuted
Two records demonstrate the persecution suffered by Penn at a local, as well as national, level. An East Grinstead assize court writ dated 1682 charged him with offences against the statute for discovering and repressing Popish recusants, a translation from the Latin and a summary of a periodical article about this document are included.
The second is an extract from an Arundel Court of Quarter Sessions record in 1685 ordering his arrest for allowing illegal gatherings at his home and includes a transcription.
1690s: Penn the Friend
Details of the Thakeham Meeting House (commonly called the Blue Idol), established by Penn and Benjamin Hayler, include 19th century drawings of the exterior and interior. Another drawing in this section is of Ifield Meeting House near Crawley, built in 1674-75, the first purpose-built Quaker meeting house in Sussex.
1970-1973: Penn remembered and celebrated
Penn is remembered primarily through the naming of a Coolham primary school after him, located near the Thakeham Meeting House described above. The digitised opening brochure from 1970 gives further background on the school and local Friends in the past. Another record, a scroll of Friends names, dated 1982, sent by Chichester (Pennsylvania) Friends Meeting to their counterparts in Chichester, UK, commemorates the 300th anniversary of Penn’s landing in America.
William Penn in the United States
