St Mary’s Oxted

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THE HISTORY OF OXTED

(Adapted from Oxted 2000 by Mary Alderton)

The Hoskins Family

During the seventeenth century, city merchants began to purchase land to build grand country houses and assumed the position of lords of the manor. The Oxted manor was held by the Hoskins family, and later the Master family, while at Titsey a very illustrious family, the Greshams, came to live followed by the Leveson Gowers. The earliest reference to a Hoskins in Oxted comes in 1587, when “Charles Hoskins, citizen and merchant of London did buy the manor and advowson of Oxted” from one John Rede or Reade. Hoskins is described as coming from Monmouthshire. For over 200 years the Hoskins family were the lords of the manor of Oxted, and from their mansion Barrow Green Court they had power and influence over every aspect of life in the town.

Then the succession ran out. William Hoskins who died in 1762 was succeeded by his son Charles, whose daughter married three times. On her death the property passed to her aunt, Katherine Master. Katherine’s son was Rev. Lech (or Legh) Hoskins Master, and his son was named Charles Lech Hoskins Master.

The arms of the Hoskins family consist of a shield with three lions and a chevron, with a crest of a cock’s head.