The Gage archive contains a crown grant (letters patent) of 1543 to Sir John Gage in pursuance of an act of parliament of 12 May 1543 whereby it was ordered (inter alia) that John Gage should have the manor of Ranscombe [in South Malling], in exchange for the site of the priory of Combwell in Kent, and manors and lands formerly part of its possessions, which were granted to John Gage, 26 Apr 1542; John Gage also to have the fishery of Broadwater in [South] Malling, Southerham and Beddingham, and the parks and lands of the archbishop called More Park, Ringmer Park and Plasshett Park in Ringmer, and all the lands called Plots Park and Oldeponde otherwise Plots Brydge and Old Ponde, in Little Horsted and Framfield. In consideration of £965 2 1d paid by John Gage, there was granted to him the yearly rents of £8 6s 9d and £3 16s 0d

Thirty five years later John Gage of Firle and his wife Elizabeth Guylfourde leased to John Page of Wellingham, in Ringmer, yeoman, for 17 years at £40,

• The site of the manor of Ranscombe and all gardens and buildings belonging
• The laine next the Down of Ranscombe (26a of arable land)
• The laine called the Oxen Seten (18a)
• 7a in Southerham called Colcote
• Two other parcels called the Grett Layne (33a) lying to Hendge Lane
• 16a called the Meadow on the S side of the way against the barn of the demised premises
• The Conye Burye, the Coneyecrofte and a round crofte enclosed from the Down
• All JG's brooks between the Swyll and the Hendge Sluice and from the Hendge Sluice to the South Sluice as the river leads, and from thence to the Swill as the Brodewater wall leads
• And all other the premises late in the tenure of Lancelot Gildredge
• Also 2a of meadow called Pryckwishe in Southerham, except the fishing and fowling of the waters called Brodewater and the reed and thatch growing in or about the same, and all tenants' rents, fines etc, except also a place and room for keeping of the courts of the manor of Ranscombe
• And 11 quarters of good sweet wheat well winnowed with heaps to every half quarter of the same, and 11 quarters of good sweet barley with heaps likewise well winnied and wynied and tried, the corn to be measured by the bushel of 8 gallons

On 11 October 1590 a later Sir John Gage and his wife Elizabeth, leased the manor of Ranscombe and all buildings and land as described in the lease to John Page of 1581, to Edward Apsten of Lewes, draper.

William Hollock was the tenant of the farm in 1627 when another Sir John Gage, now the 1st Baronet, and his wife Penelope leased to William Hollock of Ranscombe, yeoman, 23 acres of marsh ground called Hamcrosse in the Level near Pevensey on the 13 March of that year

Towards the end of the 17th century (24 June 1692) Mary Goring of Burton, widow, and John Gage of Firle Place leased, to John Gurr the elder and John Gurr the younger of Ranscombe, a messuageHouse or dwelling,
inc. outbuildings &
orchard, courtyard
or gardens, tenementRented dwelling
or land and farm called Ranscombe Farm, with all buildings and land in South Malling, occupied by John Gurr the elder, and also 18 acres of pasture adjoining Plashett Park in Ringmer, for four years at £90 a year. Rent payable to Mary Goring during her life and afterwards to John Gage. John Gurr was still the tenant in 1703 when he purchased a property in West Firle from Thomas Medley.

It is likely that the mansion house of the manor of Ranscombe became the farm house of Ranscombe Farm. A security of 21 Jun 1717 showed that the capital messuageHouse or dwelling,
inc. outbuildings &
orchard, courtyard
or gardens or site of the manor of Ranscombe and all buildings and lands belonging, and 18 acres of demesne lands of the manor in Ringmer, were all occupied by Abigail Nelson and Thomas Rogers at £115 and a later lease from Sir William Gage to Samuel Botting, yeoman,1 February 1725, for 21 years at £110, also describes the capital messuageHouse or dwelling,
inc. outbuildings &
orchard, courtyard
or gardens or site of the manor of Ranscombe, with lands and premises late occupied by Abigail Nelson and Thomas Rogers and then of Samuel Botting. In an unrelated document of 1726 Samuel Botting was described as of Ranscombe in South Malling, confirming that the manor house and the farm house were one and the same.