Dear Mrs. Muller,

As you can see, my name is Ferring, not only per chance in the same spelling as the place Ferring, you know. It can be supposed that even my earliest ancestors came from there. Unfortunately I am already high in age and not as capable I hoped to be, but Internet facilities are helping to research my family`s history which I started in 1946.

Looking at all the related websites I can find I noticed the Societies Index of Ferring. Between the many quoted within, the History Group looked interesting, but as some others had a telephone number instead of an address, it would be very difficult for me to get in contact. May I ask you to forward my mail to there - also if one exists to a “town-major”.

I cannot more  as to express that I would be very thankful to you.

Josef Ferring
An den Tannen 20
D - 24852 Langstedt /Schleswig-Holstein
Email: [email protected]

What is known now and what I would like to know : (much of the information below is taken from an excellent book entitled "Ferring Past", by Ronald Kerridge & Michael Standing, published by Phillimore

……Osmund granting to Walhere wishing to build  a monastery there …

“12 hides of land which are called Ferring, with all things pertaining thereto, fields, woods, meadows, rivers, springs and woodlands”

“This charter was written on the third day of the month August in the year 762 from the incarnation of our Lord … I Osa ( Oswald),  bishop have agreed and signed.

This land is recorded in the Domsday-Book of 1086. Freehoder is Anfrid de Ferryng.

A Chichester Feodary of c. 1266 mentions Amfrid de Ferryng. Further can be read “Successors” or “heirs” of Anfrid..

By 1310 the “de Ferryng estate” passed to Nicholas de Barenton, a few lines later : Nicholas de Barenton alias Ferryng.

Who can give me more infos about the bishops of Chichester to whom these and the still unknown members of Ferryng-family must have had  very good relations or what did they to be as much favoured as they were.

Amongst the best tax-payers were pos. 1 Thom`de Ferryng, pos. 13 dno Robto de Ferryng. This indicates, that the “loss” did them leave not poor. Besides, all the others had  “modern family-names, though most of them added by “le” or “de”.

Who knows anything about the crusades organized from West-Sussex bishops and nobility and,. what should be supposed, the involvement of “de Ferryngs”. Even so in the Hundred-Years-War. Why not to think about private connections tightened in these times. 

Except of common history I nothing know about place and individuals Ferring. in the next time, a relatively short span of 200 years. If I had the opportunity and donated time myself I would deepen knowledge of local history as I did with where I`ve been born, grown up and spent my professional years. Long a time ago I thought to know all about Oliver Cromwell for instance, out of sheer curiosity. Is there anyone who knows after 1588 especially in Sussex, better about some years more before, about the Dukes of Arundel.

Recorded is : John Ferring born in England died 1625 in Cambridge. His 2 sons and 2 daughters were born there between 1612 and 1619. Why shouldn`t there have been contact to the strongly catholic Duke-family ? Anyway, the history points to that. Why, do I guess called himself or was called John, the elder son “Fearing” and left the land either as Puritan or Quaker. He married by 1641 a daughter of Matthew Hawke to whom he seemed to be  a kind of secretary. All children were given old-biblical names. Since 1714 are many ties to the Lincoln-family.

It looks really strange that after John the surname Ferring can be found as “de Farrand” at the coast (Languedoc) in southern France  and at the same time in my spelling (amongst many Fery after a beloved Duke of Lorrain) at a place there with a river nearby. Just around 1620, and this lineage I belong to.