Great Ote Hall, Janes Lane, Nr. Burgess Hill, Sussex, RH15 0SR

Sussex weather 0°C - 0:00

The History of
Great Ote Hall
& The Godmans

- An Enduring Inheritance -
1395 - 1419
Medieval Origins

In the 13th century the estate was held by Richard de Ottehale. In the 14th century it passed into the possession of Richard Kentish, who held court here from 1395 until 1419.

1438 - 1718
The Attree and Godman Families

The estate later passed to the Attree family, with John Attree’s first court recorded in February 1438, and it remained in his family for nearly a century. In 1537 Thomas Attree conveyed Ote Hall to Thomas Godman, believed to have been his son-in-law. From that time the estate remained in the Godman family, passing from father to son until 1718 when the male line became extinct and Ote Hall was bequeathed to William Shirley, the son of John Godman’s daughter Elizabeth.

1749 - 1881
Governors and Changing Hands

William Shirley later became Governor of the Bahamas, and because of his long absences he conveyed the manor to Francis Warden in 1749 in trust for his family. In his will of 1785 Warden returned Ote Hall to Thomas Shirley, William Shirley’s third son, who was then Governor of the Leeward Islands. His son Sir William Warden Shirley died unmarried in 1816, having sold the manor in 1803 to William Tanner of Moorhouse, who died in 1831.

1881 - 1936
Return to the Godman Family

The estate remained in the Tanner family until 1881, when Jane Tanner sold it to Major-General Richard Temple Godman, bringing the house back into the Godman family. After his death, the house was purchased by Herbert Woods in 1912, who later sold it to Roderick Eustace Enthoven in 1923. Following his death in 1936 the house was once again sold back to the Godman Trustees.

1942 - 1945
Wartime Resilience

Thomas & Valborg Godman, June 1940

Thomas Godman lived at Great Ote Hall with his wife Valborg, until his untimely death in Malta in 1942 when the ship he was commanding received a direct hit during the war. After being widowed Valborg Godman courageously took over the running of Great Ote Hall Farm, ensuring it continued to operate during the challenges of the Second World War. Balancing wartime agricultural demands with her voluntary work supporting servicemen in London, she embodied resilience and a deep commitment to both the land and the national effort.

1945 - 1992
The Irvine Legacy

Valborg Godman later married Bryant Irvine and continued to live at Great Ote Hall, running the farm until her death in 1990. Bryant Godman Irvine died in 1992.

Sir Bryant Godman Irvine served in the Canadian Armed Forces during the Second World War, before entering public life as Conservative MP for Rye and Bexhill, where he was known for his long-standing commitment to his Sussex constituency. He went on to serve as a Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons.

1992 - Today
The Estate Today

Today Great Ote Hall is occupied by their grandson Matthew Godman Law, who is gradually taking over the reins from their daughter Carola Godman Irvine, who has been managing the Estate since 1992. Carola & Matthew both jointly run the Events & Farming business at Ote Hall.

Contact

Email: otehall@gmail.com
+44 (0)144 423 2179