Steyning Museum - Smugglers in Steyning!

Next time you come into Steyning Museum, look out for the smuggler’s sword! It was found hidden in the thatch of ‘Smugglers’, a well-known cottage facing Highland Croft. This cottage had a tiny gable window where the resident smuggler, William Cowerson, the leader of the Sussex Smugglers gang, would light a candle to signal a warning that the coast was not clear – the Excise men were on the prowl.

William Cowerson was born and bred in Steyning. By day he was a stonemason, an occupation that took him up many church towers in the area. By night he led his smugglers’ gang as they roamed the lanes from the coast to Steyning, carrying off their duty-free goods and distributing them at greatly reduced prices around the neighbourhood.

In February 1832 William Cowerson was working on the tower of Tarring Church, an excellent lookout position. One night he led his gang of two hundred men on a particularly lucrative smuggling run.

Down on the beach near Worthing, they unloaded a large cargo of Dutch gin, French brandy and perfumes. The contraband was passed along the lines of men, defended by around 50 ‘batmen’, armed with cudgels and staves to keep the Excise men at bay. However, this night the gang encountered a padlocked gate in their path, which considerably slowed them down.

William Cowerson came to the gate to help his men and was there confronted by a Lieutenant Henderson. William struck the officer with a staff, breaking his arm. Henderson immediately took up his pistol and shot the smuggler at close range.

The body of William Cowerson, aged 31, was carried home to Steyning.

The sexton dug his grave 7’6” long, 3.6” wide and 7’ deep – an unusually large grave, suggesting a man of great stature. His funeral was attended by more than 1,000 people and the bell was tolled for four long hours.

William Cowerson had become a popular hero. Most of the goods smuggled that night were never recovered by the Excise men, but the local people knew they had found good homes – perhaps justifying William’s last act of defiance against the high customs taxes of that time.

Local smugglers are said to have greatly exaggerated the occasional tales of highwaymen in the area, to put people off travelling on the highways and byways, especially at night. Thus they succeeded in plying their illicit trade with relatively little interruption over many years.

Come to Steyning’s May Fair and you may encounter a highwayman at our stall, inviting you to play his game. We hope to see you there.

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