The last page of Kirdford Inventories.

The inventory of Henry Strudwick who died 1614.

Henry Strudwick was a small holder and when not framing a "Glasse Carryer". This means he peddled his wares around the district as well as carrying  and selling glass. See how this inventory contrasts to the previous.

Table cloths, sheets, pewter and a short sword, value 5s., 6 smalle mares with cart and harness, £13.8s.4d., 2 kyne with a suckling calfe and 2 twelvemontheinges, £7., 5 smalle hoggs, £1., 1 plough, 1 harrow, 1 bill, 1 axe, 1 splitter, 1 shovel and all other implements of husbandry, 13s.4d., oats in the barne and soyl(1) about the howse, 10s., 2 bushels of rye, 5s., 5 hens and a cock and all other lumber about the howse, 6s.8d.) about the howse, 10s., 2 bushels of rye, 5s., 5 hens and a cock and all other lumber about the howse, 6s.8d.
His debts were £22, of which £6.10s. was due to William Strudwick, his master.

Total value £33.

(1) Soyl = Dung.

Henry Strudwyke of Kirdford, yeoman, died 1557.

To his eldest son Robert, I leave my mansyon howse of Idehurst. To Robert and his brother William, the profyt of my Glasse Howse with all the beches that I have bought, and halfe the beches in and upon Idehurst and croftes aforesaid, until Robert is 22, the brothers are directed to divide between them all and every suche implements as is there occupied, as ovyns, yrons and all other thinges necessarye o ye said Glasse howse belonginge.

These three Strudwick's appear in the deposition books of the Chichester Consistory Court;

1557 George Strudwick, of Kirdford, glasse carryer, where he has lived from his birth, born there, aged 30 years or there abouts.

1575 Gilbert Strudwick, of Kirdford, glasse maker, where he has lived from his birth, born there, aged about 40 years or there abouts.

1586 Robert Strudwick, of Kirdford, glasse maker, born Wisborough Green, aged 27 years or there abouts.

The Strudwick's are an ancient Sussex family, and farmed on a large scale. The earliest reference to Strudwick's as glass makers is 1557, with six members of the family engaged in the making, with two more as glass carriers. Strudwick involvement in the glass industry had proably ceased by around 1614. Glass making was an alternative source of income, and fitted in well with the yearly cycle of farming. The Strudwick's of Idehurst, were also Iron masters from around 1584, until at least 1634, was also another occupation that fitted in with their farming. Probably, why they took to glass making was, following the immigrant French master glass makers that had settled around the area at the time. By 1620 though, the French had mainly left the area and taken their trade with them. It is shortly before there departure, that the Strudwick's ceased their glass making, and reverted to mainly farming, and by the mid 17th century, they became considerable land owners, and indeed, farmed and mainly owned 22 farms in and around Kirdford, about one third of all the farms in the parish.  

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