Adjoining Birstye is Hill House, a good house of later date than Birstye, but one of which it is difficult to get any information. Its closeness to the older house is unusual. It must not be confused with Hillands, which lies behind the “Greyhound” and is bounded on the east by the Station road. We first get an authentic reference to Hill House in the Court Books of Balneath Manor when the latter was held by the Goring family. It is apparently the only portion of that manor in Ardingly.
It would be pleasing to connect it with Reginald ate Hull in 1296 and John atte Hull, who acted for Juliana, wife of John atte Logge (Lodge) in 1344, but there is no evidence at present forthcoming. At the same time it is worth recording that John Hills occupied Hill House in 1773.
In the late Court Books of Balneath, Hill House is described as “Davies als Birstye”. In the valuation list in the Parish Register in the latter half of the 17th century Thomas Chapman and John Grames hold “Davies sometime John Chatfields senr.” There are many Davys in the Register about that time, and we also find among the burials “John Breet of Davys 1560-1”.