When Eastbourne was little more than a village, the ceremony of Sops and Ale was a commonplace occurrence.

 

The senior bachelor of the parish was elected by the inhabitants to the office of steward, and had committed to his charge a damask napkin, a great wooden bowl, twelve wooden trenchers, a dozen wooden knives and forks, two wooden candlesticks and two wooden sugar basins.

 

Whenever a matron within the parish increased her family, it was the duty of this official to go to the church door on the Sunday fortnight after the interesting event, and there publicly proclaim that sops and ale would be provided that evening at a certain house, where the following arrangements were made.

 

Three tables were placed in some convenient room, one of which was covered with the damask table cover and furnished with a china bowl, plates and silver-handled knives, and forks; the bowl was filled with biscuits steeped in wine and sweetened with fine sugar.

 

The second table was also covered with a cloth and decently provided with knives, forks and china, and a bowl containing beer-sops sweetened with fine sugar.

 

The third table had no cloth, was furnished with the wooden trenchers, candle sticks, etc., and had its wooden bowl filled with beer-sops sweetened with the coarsest sugar.

 

After evening prayers the company assembled at the house of their entertainer, and were placed in the following order:- Those persons whose wives had presented them with twins sat at the first table, and were addressed as "benchers", those whose partners had blessed them in a less degree were ranged round the second table; while those who were married but childless, were placed with the old bachelors at the third tables.

 

Various toasts were given, and the company always broke up at the temperate hour of eight, "generally very cheerful and good tempered.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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