the selected site on an elevated portion of the Priory farm, the price of which was £100 an acre. This was considered to be very cheap, although land could be got near Hollington at £75 an acre. Public statistics founded on experience, showed that the average space for a coffin was 28 square feet, or 7 feet by 4 feet, which was at the rate of 1200 bodies per acre. Supposing they had to provide burial for a population of 20,000, the deaths at 2 per cent. per annum (which was the observed ratio in boroughs), would be 400 a year. These would fill one third of an acre; it would therefore take 7 acres to bury 400 bodies annually for 21 years, and then it would be safe to bury again in the same ground. In fact they could bury over again in five years, but that could only be done in common graves. On these datas, Mr. Grainger thought 14 acres would be sufficient, unless Hastings increased as fast as Brighton. Mr. Langham, (who was an hour late) enquired if they were aware of the great legal difficulties in the way of purchase? Three-fourths of the land rested with the trustees of Lord Cornwallis, and the other fourth with the trustees of Lady Waldegrave, the latter being subject to a Chancery suit [of no effect] and the former belonging to an infant. The Clerk said the trustees on both sides were consenting parties to the sale of the land, so that there would be no opposition. Mr. Putland, of St. Mary Magdalen, said the subject had been gone into by the vestries, and on his motion the meeting was adjourned. With regard to the trustees’ consent, it had been resolved on the 9th of January “That a request should be made to the trustees of the Countess of Waldegrave and of the late Earl Cornwallis to allow the parishes to apply to the Attorney General for an order from the Court of Chancery to proceed with the sale of the ground on the Priory estate, pending, and without prejudice to, the suit of the Charity Trustees versus Waldegrave. The Burial Board again met on the 24th of March and confirmed the selection of fifteen acres on the elevated portion of the Priory farm and directed the necessary steps to be taken to complete the purchase. This proceeding, as has been shown by the vestry meetings of St. Leonards and St. Mary Magdalen, was approved by those parishes. But at a Burial Board meeting on the 12th of May, a communication from the trustees of the late Lord Cornwallis, indicated the impossibility of getting possession of the Priory-farm land, and it was then decided to advertise for a site. At a meeting on the 27th of June the Horntye field, comprising ten acres, was offered by the Magdalen Charity trustees at £2000, which, with conveyance and other expenses, would require an additional £200 or thereabouts. Another offer on behalf of Mrs. Sayer was made, consisting of 10 or 14 acres of Blacklands farm at £150 an acre clear of other costs. The eastern parishes were in favour of the Blackland’s site, and a committee of the Burial Board drew up a report, recommending the same, and sent it to all the -
