It is thought, but not proved that the Village Pub, the Frankland Arms, is called after the famous eccentric inventor who bought Muntham Court, Findon in 1765.

Henry Frankland was the governor of Fort William, Bengal in the eighteenth century and William was born in Bengal in 1720.

William was still an unmarried at the age of 40, and by this time he was a wealthy, successful East India merchant.  In 1760 he decided to leave India and travel across the Persian Gulf, he managed to secure for himself various passports, Turkish, Persian, Armenian and a travel pass allowing him into the Holy Land.  He travelled disguised as a Tartar, he travelled through much of what we now call the Middle East, including Persia, Baghdad, Babylon, the ruins at Palmyra, Damascus and Jerusalem.   Finally he arrived at Constantinople and took a sailing ship to England.

After travelling around the country looking for somewhere to live he finally saw Muntham Court and decided that was just what he was looking for.  He lived there for thirty-nine years and spent much of his time and money on collecting newly invented machines and inventing many himself, and he began to turn Muntham Court into a practical working environment  for contemporary industrial machines.  He liked the thought that machines could do the work of many men and set about designing and building lathes, spinning and weaving machines (which provided the household with household linen items such as tablecloths, towels, dishcloths sheeting etc.), machines to generate electricity, printing machines.  He also took a great interest in clocks, optical aids and he collected musical instruments.

William died at the age of 85, his collection was sold off, and one item alone – a turning lathe – fetched 3,000 guineas.   He is buried in Findon Churchyard.