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Site of St. Giles' Church and Dead Man's Lane |
Close beside it a narrow lane runs down hill and,
in maps is known as Hogtrough Lane. In Winchelsea, however, it has
always been known as Dead Man's Lane. In 1359 the French, to the number of
3,000 forced the town and finding many of the people had taken refuge in
the church, butchered them there. They stayed in the town for a day and a
night, burning and looting before they were driven off. The slaughtered
townsfolk were buried in St Giles' churchyard which had to be enlarged for
the purpose and the lane thus received its name.
As you walk around the town you will notice the
names of some of the houses - "Plat" or "Platt" in its older form was
much used in this part of Sussex. For example Petronilla's Plat in the
High Street belonged to Petronilla Clobbers a lady who must have owned
it in her own right, according to the rent roll of 1292. Three Kings in
Mill Road is built on the site of an old inn. It is not certain whether
the name refers to the Three Kings of the Epiphany or Three Kings of England
Edward I, Edward II and Edward III.
Chapel Plat, Hiham Green, is built on the site
of a Wesleyan Chapel built around 1880, when the original Chapel was too
small for the congregation. The Chapel was demolished in 1968. Periteau
House, High Street and Mariteau House, German Street, are reminders of
the Huguenots who fled from France and lived here in the 18th and 19th
centuries. The houses called Moneysellers in North Street are reminders
that foreign money could be changed here. In 1333 Winchelsea was one of
only twenty towns in the country where this was allowed.
Charles Stephens' map of the town dated 1763 shows
some fascinating names, for example: Ballad Singers Plat, Brewers Marsh,
Tinkers Garden, Truncheons, Great Gallows Hill, Paradise, Crooked Acre,
Roundel Piece. 
St.
Giles was one of the original churches of the town though not so large
as St. Thomas'. There are now no visible remains. It seems probable that
the church became derelict soon after 1500. The parish of St. Giles was
joined to that of St. Thomas in 1543. The ruins of the church remained
standing until 1777 when the Rector had them removed and sold to help
build Rye New Harbour.
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