The Parry Family.
 
The Parr family have been in the area since about 1600 and have lived in Heyshott for much of that time. Mr. Stephen Parr had a forge and carpenters shop in the 1800s. The building is situated on the East side of the churchyard with a wall and a shallow stream running between. The 'L' shaped building was devided onto 2 parts, the wheelwright's shop and forge, the forecourt was always full of carts and other farm equipment, wheels and pieces of iron.
 
This is a place I could not resist stopping to watch the work being done, the making of the cart wheels and shoeing of horses.
One job which fascinated me was when Lesley Parry was fitting a steel rim on a new cart wheel. He first made a fire in a ring about the size of the iron rim, this was then heated and placed on the wood wheel by 3 men using long handled iron tongs. When it was in place it was hammered on. This may be done several times, but when the rim was finally in place in the centre it was carefully watched to see that all the joints had tightened up, when quenched with water to stop any further burning of the wood, this also had the effect of shrinking the rim and tightening it on the wood.
 
I have on many occasions been into the forge and watched the making of horse shoes and chain link and been allowed to pump the forge bellows to make the fire glow. also to take out a red-hot piece of iron and hit it with a hammer to make it flat.
 
Many happy hours I have spent at the forge and carpenters shop. I liked Mr. Parry who was very kind to me and always answered my questions and showed me things and how they worked.
 
When the war came on 1939 things changed very quickly and the men left to join the forces, the farmers then had to replace the horse and cart with tractors, which meant that the forge business suffered a big set back. The two sons of Wm. Parry, Lesley and Sidney, did a lot of work converting carts to be drawn by tractors and general repairs to equipment. Only the odd few horses came to be shod.
To supplement the business the two brothers did general building work and decorating, but eventually the carpentary side also died out and the business closed down.
One of the village's most ancient trades was probably never to be seen again. I am glad to be able to remember this and the enjoyment I had as a small boy at the village forge.
 
Lesley Parry used to take his donkey and cart all round the village once a month to collect tins etc., until the outbreak of the war in 1939. This was done under an agreement with the village at a cost of 2/6 a year to each householder.
 
Mr. Sidney Parry was a Special Constable during the war and after, at the Midhurst Constabulary.
 
The following is a bill from Mr. Stephen Parry to Mr. Richard Cobden at Dunford dated 1859. It covers little over 3 months.