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This
is an English small-sword, dating from about 1690 to 1720. It was found
in the thatch of Smugglers, a small Steyning cottage. The thatch was
removed in the 1920s to be replaced with tiles, and this slim but
dangerous weapon was revealed. Smugglers has a tiny gable window where
a light used to be lit as a silent warning that the Excise men were in
town.
Smuggling
was a dangerous business but even people in "high society" were partial
to duty free brandy or tobacco. The illegal trade made heroes of
apparently ordinary men. In 1832 William Cowerson was a Steyning stone
mason by day but on February 22 his night time activities took him to
Worthing. His gang was intercepted with 300 tubs of Dutch gin, French
brandy and perfume. Cowerson was shot dead in pursuit. One thousand
people turned out for his funeral in Steyning and he still lies buried
in Saint Andrew's churchyard.
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