George Courthope was born in 1616, and was the only son of Sir George Courthope, of Whiligh, Ticehurst, a Commissioner of the Alienation Office. After spending some time at the Merchant Taylors' and Westminster Schools, George Courthope went to Oxford, and on leaving the University he travelled extensively across Europe. He married Elizabeth Hawes, a daughter of his father's second wife by her first husband. During the Protectorate he was summoned to appear before Cromwell's Council on a charge of having supplied the King and his family with money, and the charge was, no doubt, to an extent, true, but the trial was adjourned sine die and never completed. On the restoration of Charles II. he was present at the great banquet given by the King at Windsor Castle, being in attendance on the Earl of Northumberland, Lord Lieutenant of Sussex. That same morning he received the honour of knighthood, and the King remitted the fee of £100 usually demanded from those raised to this dignity, and also granted Sir George pardon for having sat as M.P. for East Grinstead in the Protectorate Parliament. Sir George subsequently sat in several Parliaments for Sussex constituencies and finally resigned in consequence of severe illness. His death occurred at Whiligh in 1685.