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OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 

OF  CALIFORNIA 

LOS  ANGELES 


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BYGONE    KENT. 


NOTE. 

Of  this  book  750  copies  have  been  printed, 
and  this  is 


No.. 


DOVER   CASTLE. 


Bygone   Kent. 


EDITED    P.Y 

RICHARD    STEAD,    B.A.,    F.R.H.S. 


CANTERBURY: 
H.   J.   GOULUEN 

HULL: 

WILLIAM  ANDREWS  &  CO.,  THE  HULL  PRESS. 

London:  Simpkin,  Marshall,  Hamilton,  Kent,  &  Co.,  Limiteu. 

1  892, 


DA 

(olO 


preface. 

FEW  counties  are  so  interesting  as  Kent  from 
antiquarian,  historical,  and  architectural 
points  of  view,  and  probably  no  county  can 
surpass  the  "  Garden  of  England "  in  these 
respects.  Its  cathedrals,  its  castles,  and  its  old 
mansions  are  known  far  and  wide,  and  the  county 
is  connected  with  some  of  the  most  stirring  and 
remarkable  incidents  in  our  national  story. 

So  wide  is  the  field  to  be  covered  that  the 
present  little  volume  cannot  pretend  to  do  more 
than  as  it  were  touch  its  borders.  But  an  attempt 
has  been  made  to  give  a  fairly  representative 
series  of  pictures  of  Kent  and  Kentish  life  in 
olden  times ;  and  it  is  hoped  that  "  Bygone 
Kent "  may  do  some  little  towards  stirring  up  a 
more  general  interest  in  the  history  of  this  famous 
old  county. 

It  should  be  explained  that  some  little  change 
has  been  made  in  the  original  series  of  papers. 
During  the  progress  of  the  work  through  the 
press  some  very  valuable  papers  were  most  kindly 
placed  at  my  service,  especially  by  the  learned 
and  respected  Canon  Jenkins,  m.a.,  and  by  Mr. 


643084 


PREFACE. 

G.  M.  Arnold,  j.p.,  d.l.,  f.s.a.,  of  Milton  Hall, 
Gravesend  ;  Mr.  S.  W.  Kershaw,  m.a.,  f.s.a., 
librarian,  Lambeth  Palace  Library ;  and  Mr. 
Wollaston  Knocker,  Town  Clerk  of  Dover.  A 
few  of  the  less  important  papers  were  consequently 
set  aside  to  make  room  for  these  more  important 
ones. 

To  the  gentlemen  just  named  my  best  thanks 
are  due,  as  well  as  to  my  old  and  valued  friend, 
Mr.  F.  Ross,  f.r.h.s.,  a  most  able  and  zealous 
antiquary ;  and  to  the  Rev.  J.  S.  Sidebotham, 
M.A.  ;  the  Rev.  W.  J.  Foxell,  b.a.,  B.Mus.  ;  and 
others,  who  have  so  kindly  assisted  in  the 
preparation  of  the  present  volume.  I  have  also 
to  thank  Mr.  E.  Lamplough  for  his  obliging 
readiness  in  undertaking  the  index. 

It  is,  perhaps,  as  well  to  add  that  though  I  have 

undertaken   generally   to  see   the  several  articles 

through  the  press,  I   have  not  the  time — nor  in 

some  cases  the  ability — to  verify  all  the  statements 

contained   in   papers   other   than   my  own.     The 

various   writers   are,   therefore,   alone   responsible 

for    whatever    is    contained    in     their    respective 

articles. 

Richard  Stead. 

Grammar  School, 
Folkestone,  Oct.  241  h,  iSgs. 


Contents.     . 

)'AGE 

'^Historic  Kunt.     By  Thomas  Frost          i 

Kkntish  Place-names.     By  R.  Stead,  b.a.,  k. u. u.s 21 

St.    Augustine  and    his    Mission.      By   the    Kcv.    Geo.    S. 

Tyack,  K.A 39 

The  Ruined  Chai-els  and  Chantries  ok  Kent.      By  Geo. 

M.  Arnold,  J. r.,  n.L.,  K.S.A 51 

A  Sketch  of  the   History  ok  the   Church   or   Basilica 

OK  LYMiNtHi.      By  the  Rev.  Canon  R.  C.  Jenkins,  m.a.  86" 

Canterbury  Pilgrims  and  their  Sojourn   in  the  City. 

By  the  Rev.  W.  J.   Foxell,  b.a 97 

William  Lambakde,  the  Kentish  Antiquary.    By  Frederick 

Ross,  K. R. U.S.    ...         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...  115 

The    Revolt  ok   the    Villeins    in-  the    Days    of    King 

Richard  the  Second.     By  Edward  Lamplough          ...  128 

Royal  Eltham.     By  Joseph  W.  Spurgeon         ...     -    ...         ...  144 

Greenwich  Fair.     By  Thoni.as  Frost       167 

The  Martyred  Cardinal.     By  Frederick  Ross,  k.r.h.s.     ...  177 

The  Kentish  Dialects,  and  Pegge   and  Lewis,  the  Old 

County  Glossarists.     By  R.  Stead,  b.a.,  k.r.h.s.    ...  190 

The  King's  School,  Canterbury.     By  the  Rev.  J.  S.  Side- 

botham,  .M.A.    ...           ...         ..           ...         ...         ...         ...  206 

S.muggling  in  Kent 21S 

Huguenot  Homes  in  Kent.     By  S.  W.  Kershaw,  k.s.a.     ...  228 

Dover  Casile.     By  E.  Wollaston  Knocker        250 

Index     265 


BYGONE     KENT 


1bi£itoric  Ik  cut. 

By  Thomas  Frost. 


NO  portion  of  England  has  been  the  scene  of 
so  many  important  events  in  the  history 
of  the  nation  as  the  county  of  Kent.  Forming 
the  south-eastern  extremity  of  the  country,  and 
being  nearer  than  any  other  to  the  shores  of  the 
European  continent,  it  has  naturally  been  the 
landing-place  of  successive  invading  hosts.  It  was 
on  its  coast  that  the  earliest  event  in  our  national 
history  was  enacted,  for  Britain  was  an  unknown 
land  to  the  rest  of  the  world,  until  Julius  Caisar 
was  prompted  by  the  sight  of  the  white  cliffs  of 
Kent  to  cross  the  narrow  channel  with  his 
victorious  legions. 

Passing  over  the  second  Roman  invasion,  which 
was  prompted  by  the  failure  of  the  chiefs  of  the 
Cantii  to  send  to  Gaul  the  prorhised  hostages,   it 


2  BYGONE  KENT. 

is  enough  to  observe  that  the  Kentish  chiefs 
found  themselves  constrained  to  follow  the 
example  of  their  allies,  and  submit  to  the  Roman 
rule. 

Kent,  at  this  time,  and  for  more  than  800  years 
afterwards,  occupied  a  unique  position  among 
the  counties,  the  Cantii  inhabiting  no  other  part 
of  the  country,  while,  during  the  period  of  the 
Saxon  Heptarchy,  it  formed  a  kingdom  of  itself. 
Roman  writers  state  that  the  Cantii  were  more 
civilised  than  the  other  British  tribes,  and  under 
the  Roman  rule  they  made  considerable  advances 
in  the  same  direction.  Roman  bricks,  mingled 
with  masonry  of  Saxon  origin,  may  be  seen  to-day 
in  the  lower  part  of  the  tower  and  portions  of  the 
walls  of  Swanscomb  Church,  near  Gravesend,  in 
the  foundations  of  Lyminge  Church,  and  in  the 
remains  of  the  Pharos  on  the  east  cliff  at  Dover. 
Fragments  of  Roman  pottery  may  be  found  even 
now  in  the  mud  of  the  marshy  banks  of  the 
Medway,  at  Upchurch,  and  on  the  ridge  behind 
the  marsh,  to  the  east  of  the  Otterham  Creek,  is 
a  cemetery  of  the  same  period,  while  near  Lower 
Halstow  Church,  the  remains  of  the  houses  which 
those  buried  there  occupied  in  life  may  be  traced. 
Roman  bricks  and  broken  pottery,  may  be  found 


HISTORIC  KENT.  3 

also  in  the  embankment  at  this  place,  and  many 
of  the  former  have  been  worked  into  the  lower 
portion  of  the  walls  of  the  church. 

The  site  of  the  military  station  of  Regulbium, 
from  which  name  Reculver  is  derived,  is  now  under 
water,  owing  to  the  constant  encroachments  of  the 
sea  on  the  east  coast ;  but  Hasted,  the  historian 
of  Kent,  says  that  "  from  the  present  shore,  as  far 
as  a  place  called  the  Black  Rock,  seen  at  low  water- 
mark, there  have  been  found  great  quantities  of 
tiles,  bricks,  fragments  of  walls,  tesselated  pave- 
ments, and  other  marks  of  a  ruinated  town."  The 
only  existing  traces  of  this  place  are  two  or  three 
ditches  through  the  marshes,  but  large  quantities  of 
Roman  coins,  pottery,  and  utensils  have,  at 
different  times,  been  found  there.  The  Roman 
governors  established  a  military  station  there  for 
the  defence  of  the  channel  which  then  divided 
Thanet  from  the  mainland  :  and  they  had  another 
at  Rutupia^,  now  Richborough,  to  guard  the 
passage  of  the  Stour,  then  much  more  important 
than  in  modern  times.  Layers  of  Roman  bricks 
may  be  seen  between  the  courses  of  stones  in  the 
walls  of  Richborough  Castle,  and  some  remains  of 
a  Roman  amphitheatre  are  said  to  have  been 
visible  sixty  years  ago,   in  the  fields,   about   five 


4  BYGONE  KENT. 

hundred  yards  south-west  from  the  ruins  of  the 
castle. 

The  Anglo-Saxon  kingdom  of  Kent  was 
founded  by  Hengist,  in  475,  and  welded  by 
Egbert  with  the  United  Kingdom  of  England  in 
823.  Ethelbert  I.  the  first  Christian  monarch  of 
this  miniature  .kins'dom,  is  said  to  have  built  a 
palace  at  Reculver,  and  this  may  have  been 
the  castle  mentioned  by  some  writers,  remains 
being  traceable  southward  and  eastward  from 
the  roofless  church.  These  fragments  show- 
that  the  walls  were  of  flints  and  septaria.  There 
are  no  traces  of  towers.  Of  the  monastery  said  to 
have  been  founded  by  Ethelbert  not  a  stone 
remains,  but  the  magnificent  gate  of  the  one 
founded  by  Augustine  still  exists  at  Canterbury, 
where  also  is  the  oldest  parish  church  in 
England,  that  of  St.  Martin. 

The  unity  of  England  had  not  long  been 
achieved  when  the  country  began  to  be  harassed 
by  the  incursions  of  the  Danes.  The  first 
descent  of  these  invaders  was  made  on  the  island 
of  Sheppey,  in  the  reign  of  Egbert ;  but  that  was 
a  mere  plundering  expedition.  They  came  again 
and  again,  however,  and  in  constantly  increasing 
numbers  ;   and  in  857  they  ventured,  for  the  first 


HISTORIC  KENT.  5 

time,  to  take  up  their  winter  quarters  in  England. 
In  the  following  spring,  having  received  strong 
reinforcements,  they  advanced  inland  from 
Thanet,  and  plundered  and  burned  Canterbury. 
Though  they  were  afterwards  defeated  and 
obliged  to  retreat,  they  maintained  their 
settlement  in  Thanet,  and  spent  ^the  following 
winter  in  Sheppey.  In  the  reign  of  Edward  the 
Elder,  the  men  of  Kent  supported  the  claim  of 
that  monarch's  cousin,  Ethelwald,  to  a  portion  of 
the  kingdom,  and  he  also  enlisted  the  Danes 
settled  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  county  in  his 
cause  ;  but  his  death  in  battle  with  the  Kentish 
men  put  an  end  to  the  dispute. 

The  subsequent  struggle  with  the.  Danish 
invaders  was  fought  out  in  the  northern  and  north 
midland  counties,  and  ended  in  the  settlement  of 
Danish  colonies  along  all  the  eastern  half  of 
England.  Kent  remained  undisturbed  until  the 
Norman  invasion.  At  the  battle  of  Hastings  the 
Kentish  men  formed  the  front  line  of  the  English 
army,  a  position  which  they  always  claimed  as  of 
right,  and  after  the  defeat  which  gave  the  crown 
to  the  Duke  of  Normandy  they  fell  back  upon 
their  native  soil.  Kent  submitted  at  once  to  the 
conqueror,  though,  according  to  tradition,  a  body 


6  BYGONE  KENT. 

of  Kentish  men  surprised  a  Norman  force  on 
the  march  to  London  by  issuing  from  the  woods 
around  the  village  of  Swanscomb,  a  few  miles 
from  Gravesend, 

During  the  reigns  of  the  Norman  and  early 
Angevin  kings,  the  chief  events  in  the  history  of 
Kent  centred  in  the  city  of  Canterbury.  There, 
at  the  foot  of  the  altar,  in  the  cathedral, 
Archbishop  Becket  was  assassinated,  and  there 
also  arose  the  conflict  between  royal  and 
ecclesiastical  authority,  which,  in  the  reign  of 
John,  resulted  in  the  kingdom  being  placed  under 
an  interdict.  The  story  of  the  murder  of  Becket 
is  so  well  known  that  there  is  no  need  to  tell  it 
here.  John's  submission  to  Pandolfo,  the  Papal 
legate,  was  made  at  or  near  Dover. 

The  invasion  of  England  by  the  French,  in 
order  to  enforce  the  Papal  decree  of  deposition 
against  John,  was  thus  averted  ;  but  in  the 
following  reign  a  French  army,  acting  in  support 
of  a  rebellious  movement  of  the  English  nobles, 
landed  on  the  coast  of  Kent,  and  besieged  Dover, 
which  was  gallantly  defended  by  Hubert  de 
Burgh.  A  French  fleet,  with  reinforcements  on 
board,  was  repulsed  off  the  coast  of  Kent,  and 
this    defeat,    combined    with     their    ill-success    in 


HISTORIC  KENT.  7 

Lincolnshire,    which    another    PVench    army    had 
invaded,  induced  the  enemy  to  withdraw. 

In  the  next  notable  events  in  the  history  of 
Kent,  the  actual  and  the  legendary  are  closely 
interwoven,  but  the  facts,  so  far  as  they  can  be 
gathered,  so  well  illustrate  the  age  that  they 
ought  not  to  be  passed  over  without  notice.  The 
corpse  of  a  seaman  who  had  been  drowned  in  the 
Medway  was  washed  ashore  near  the  village  of 
Minster,  in  the  Isle  of  Sheppey,  on  the  foreshore 
of  the  extensive  domain  of  Sir  Robert  Shurland, 
by  whom  directions  were  given  for  its  interment 
in  the  parish  churchyard.  The  priest  refused  to 
comply  with  the  knight's  order,  upon  which  the 
latter  ordered  a  couple  of  his  serfs  to  dig  a  grave 
in  the  churchyard,  and  again  commanded  the 
presence  of  the  priest,  who,  knowing  that  Sir 
Robert  was  not  a  man  to  be  trifled  with,  was 
speedily  in  attendance.  He  refused,  however,  to 
offer  a  single  prayer,  which  so  exasperated  the 
knight  that  he  kicked  him  into  the  grave,  whereby 
his  neck  was  broken.  The  grave  was  then  filled 
up,  and  Sir  Robert  returned  to  his  castle. 
Reports  of  this  affair  soon  reached  the  ears  of  the 
Abbot  of  Canterbury,  who  called  upon  the  Sheriff 
of    Kent   to   set    the   law   in   motion   against   the 


8  BYGONE  KENT. 

sacrilegious  Knight  of  Shurland,  with  the  result 
that  the  sheriff  summoned  the  posse  couiitatus, 
and,  presenting  himself  before  the  gates  of 
Shurland  Castle,  demanded  the  surrender  of  the 
murderer.  The  knight  ordered  the  drawbridge 
to  be  raised,  and  the  portcullis  to  be  lowered,  and 
set  the  sheriff  at  defiance.  On  the  summons  to 
surrender  being  repeated,  he  sallied  out  at  the 
head  of  a  dozen  armed  retainers,  and  put  the 
upholders  of  the  law  to  fiight. 

The  Abbot  thereupon  appealed  to  the  Pope, 
and  the  Papal  legate  in  London  was  instructed  to 
demand  justice  of  the  King,  Sir  Robert  Shurland 
being  at  the  same  time  menaced  with  excommuni- 
cation, Edward  I.  was  then  preparing  for  war 
with  Scotland,  and  the  Knight  took  the 
opportunity  presented  by  the  presence  of  the 
royal  barge  on  the  coast  to  wait  upon  the 
monarch.  What  he  urged  in  extenuation  of  his 
crime  is  not  recorded  ;  but  he  received  the  royal 
pardon,  and  probably  cared  little  for  any  other 
consequences.  He  had  been  knighted  by 
Edward  for  his  gallant  conduct  at  the  siege  of 
Caerlaverock  Castle,  along  with  another  brave 
Kentish  soldier,  Sir  John  Hadloe,  who  derived 
his  name    from   the   village   now   called    Hadlow, 


HISTORIC  KENT.  g 

near  Tunbridge,  and  whose  castle  and  estate 
there  afterwards  passed  into  the  possession  of  a 
family  named  Fane.  The  name  of  Shurland  still 
attaches  to  a  mansion  near  Eastchurch,  on  the 
right  of  the  lane  leading  from  Minster  to  Warden, 
and  the  tomb  of  Sir  Robert  may  be  seen  in 
Minster  Church. 

Whether  the  person  known  in  history  as  Wat 
Tyler  was  an  Essex  man  or  a  Kentish  man  has 
never  been  determined,  but  it  is  certain  that  it 
was  upon  Kentish  soil  that  the  insurrection  which 
he  led  in  assertion  of  the  rights  of  man  against 
the  exercise  of  arbitrary  and  irresponsible  power 
reached  its  culmination.  After  an  ineffectual 
attack  on  Rochester  Castle,  the  insurgents 
marched  to  Blackheath,  where,  with  the  Essex 
men,  they  are  said  to  have  numbered  one  hundred 
thousand.  Thence  the  Dartford  tiler  sent  a 
message  to  the  King,  who  had  taken  refuge  in 
the  Tower,  asking  for  a  conference  with  him. 
Richard  sailed  down  the  river  in  the  Royal  barge 
for  that  purpose,  but  the  formidable  aspect  of  the 
insurgents  deterred  him  from  landing,  and  he 
returned  in  fear  to  the  Tower.  The  rest  of  the 
story  need  hardly  be  given  in  detail  in  this  place, 
being  treated  indeed  in  another  paper. 


lo  BYGONE  KENT. 

The  doctrines  of  Wickliffe,  which,  preached  by 
John  Ball,  had  no  inconsiderable  part  in 
promoting  this  movement  of  the  serfs,  were  held 
in  some  degree  by  both  Henry  IV.  and  his 
father,  the  Duke  of  Lancaster,  but  the  former,  on 
his  usurpation  of  the  throne  adopted  the  view  that 
toleration  of  heresy  was  incompatible  with  the 
due  maintenance  of  order.  Hence  the  enactment 
of  the  law  against  heresy  under  which  William 
Sawtree,  a  London  priest,  was  condemned  to 
death  by  fire  by  the  convocation  of  Canterbury. 
The  same  law  in  the  following  reign  was  put  in 
force  against  Lord  Cobham,  who  was  regarded  as 
the  chief  of  the  Lollards,  then  become  a  formid- 
able body.  He  was  indicted  for  heresy  and 
condemned  to  death,  but  escaped  from  the  Tower 
before  the  day  appointed  for  his  execution. 
Subsequently  becoming  implicated  in  a  political 
conspiracy,  he  was  arrested  and  hanged  as  a 
traitor,  his  corpse  being  afterwards  burned  in 
execution  of  the  sentence  formerly  pronounced 
upon  him  as  a  heretic. 

The  tendency  towards  greater  purity  of 
religion  continued,  notwithstanding  these  persecu- 
tions, and,  in  combination  with  other  and  less 
laudable    motives,    brought    about     the     religious 


HISTORIC  KENT.  \  i 

reformation  of  the  sixteenth  century.  The  dis- 
solution of  the  monasteries  was  not,  however, 
regarded  with  general  approval  ;  and,  with  the 
view  of  reconciling  the  minds  of  the  people  to  this 
innovation,  a  commission  was  appointed  to  expose 
the  impostures  which  priests  and  monks  had  been 
practising  for  centuries  on  the  credulity  of  their 
ignorant  and  superstitious  flocks.  Amongst  these 
was  a  large  crucifix,  kept  at  Boxley,  in  Kent,  and 
regarded  with  much  reverence,  the  eyes,  lips,  and 
head  moving  on  the  approach  of  its  worshippers. 
This  was  broken  by  the  commissioners,  and  the 
secret  mechanism  by  which  the  movements  had 
been  produced  were  exhibited  to  the  public. 
The  shrine  of  Becket,  commonly  styled  St. 
Thomas  of  Canterbury,  in  Canterbury  Cathedral, 
was  also  destroyed,  much  to  the  regret  of  a  large 
section  of  the  people.  So  great  was  the 
veneration  in  which  the  memory  of  Becket  was 
held  that  it  is  recorded  that  while,  in  one  year, 
not  a  single  penny  was  offered  on  the  altar  of 
God,  and  only  four  pounds  one  shilling  and 
eightpence  on  that  of  the  mother  of  Jesus,  nine 
hundred  and  fifty-four  pounds  six  shillings  and 
threepence  were  offered  at  the  shrine  of  Becket. 
These  exposures   took  away  much  of  the  odium 


12  BYGONE  KENT. 

that  attached  to  the  reforming  measures  of  Henry 
VIII.,  and  the  minds  of  the  people  were  quieted 
by  the  representation  that  the  king  would  now 
be  able  to  dispense  with  taxes,  as  the  revenues  of 
the  abolished  abbeys  and  monasteries  would 
suffice  for  all  the  purposes  of  the  State. 

It  was  in  this  reign  that  the  incidents  of  the 
grimmest  of  Barham.'s  Kentish  ballads  were 
enacted,  the  scene  being  the  gloomy  passage  in 
the  cathedral  precinct  at  Canterbury  known  as  the 
"  Dark  Entry."  The  old  house  at  the  corner  of 
that  long,  narrow,  paved  court  was  then  inhabited 
by  one  of  the  canons,  whose  housekeeper  was  a 
young  woman  named  Ellen  Bean,  between  whom 
and  her  master  an  illicit  connection  was  more  than 
suspected.  One  evening  a  young  lady  arrived  at 
the  house,  whom  the  canon  introduced  to  his 
friends  as  his  niece,  representing  that  her  father  had 
gone  abroad,  confiding  her  to  his  guardianship. 
Ellen  Bean  was  not  long,  however,  in  arriving  at 
a  different  conclusion,  and  having,  by  watching 
and  listening,  assured  herself  of  the  young  lady's 
frailty  and  the  canon's  infidelity  to  herself,  she 
administered  poison  to  both,  fatal  results  following 
in  a  few  hours.  •  Ellen  Bean  disappeared,  and 
was    supposed    to    have    been    sent    away.      Her 


HISTORIC  KENT.  13 

victims  were  yet  unburied  when  it  was  rumoured 
that  persons  passing  through  the  Dark  Entry  had 
heard  subdued  groans,  which  seemed  to  proceed 
from  beneath  the  flagstones,  close  to  the  canon's 
house,  one  of  which  appeared  to  have  been 
recently  removed  and  relaid.  No  investigation 
appears  to  have  been  made,  but  about  a  century 
afterwards,  when  the  entry  was  being  repaved,  a 
vault  was  discovered,  at  the  bottom  of  which  was 
the  skeleton  of  a  woman,  in  a  sitting  position, 
with  a  pitcher  and  a  piece  of  pie  crust  beside  it. 
It  was  surmised  that  the  remains  were  those  of 
Ellen  Bean  ;  and  that  the  canon's  friends,  being 
assured  of  her  guilt,  and  desirous  to  avoid  the 
scandal  that  must  have  resulted  from  a  public 
enquiry,  had  buried  her  alive,  and  placed  a  portion 
of  the  poisoned  pie  in  the  vault,  in  order  that  if 
the  agonies  of  starvation  prompted  her  to  eat  it, 
she  might  suffer  the  torture  endured  by  her  victims. 
Barham  states  that  "  a  small  maimed  figure  of  a 
female,  in  a  sitting  position,  and  holding  some- 
thing like  a  frying-pan  in  her  hand,  may  still  be 
seen  on  the  covered  passage  which  crosses  the 
Brick  Walk,  and  adjoins  the  house  belonging  to 
the  sixth  prebendal  stall." 

Though  some  discontent  had  resulted  in  Kent, 


14  BYGONE  KENT. 

as  well  as  in  other  parts  of  the  kingdom,  from  the 
dissolution  of  the  monasteries,  or  rather  from  the 
social  consequences  of  that  measure,  the  men  of 
that  county  were  not  disposed  to  regard  with 
equanimity  the  restoration  of  Roman  Catholicism 
by  Mary.  The  more  prudent,  indeed,  of  the 
nobility  and  gentry  thought  it  would  be  soon 
enough  to  correct  evils  when  they  began  to  be 
felt,  but  the  warmer-blooded  among  them  deemed 
it  easier  to  prevent  grievances  than  to  redress 
them.  Sir  Thomas  Wyatt,  some  remains  of 
whose  castle  at  Allington  may  still  be  found, 
joined  with  the  Duke  of  Suffolk  and  others  in  a 
conspiracy  to  depose  Mary,  liberate  Lady  Jane 
Dudley  from  the  Tower,  and  place  her  on 
the  throne.  The  plans  of  the  conspirators 
were  not  well  executed,  however,  and  the 
enterprise  was  a  failure.  Wyatt  and  the  duke 
lost  their  heads,  as  did  Lady  Jane  and  her 
husband,  and  the  queen's  authority,  instead  of 
being  shaken  by  the  outbreak,  was  considerably 
strengthened  by  its  prompt  suppression. 

During  the  two  following  reigns  the  people  of 
Kent  enjoyed  peace,  and  even  the  commotions  of 
the  Civil  War  only  extended  to  this  county  when 
the    strife    between     King   and     Parliament    had 


HISTORIC  KENT.  15 

nearly  reached  its  conclusion.  In  the  spring  of 
1648,  when  the  fortunes  of  Charles  I.  were  almost 
at  their  lowest  ebb,  the  royalists  resolved  to  make 
a  last  desperate  effort  to  restore  them,  Kent  was 
strongly  Parliamentarian,  but  the  gentry  were,  as 
a  rule,  on  the  side  of  the  King ;  and  Charles 
being  then  in  extremity,  they  convened  meetings 
at  Canterbury  and  other  places  in  the  county,  to 
test  the  feelings  of  the  people  by  raising  the  cry 
of  "  God  and  the  King  !  "  The  moving  spirit  of 
this  movement  was  a  gentleman  named  Hales, 
who  resided  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Canterbury, 
where  he  owned  a  considerable  estate.  The 
avowed  object  of  the  meetings  was  the  considera- 
tion of  grievances,  under  cover  of  which 
associations  were  formed,  arms  collected,  and 
plans  laid  for  a  rising  for  the  relief  of  the  King. 

The  meetings  were  suppressed  without  difficulty 
by  the  prompt  action  of  Fairfax,  who  commanded 
the  Parliamentary  forces  in  the  south-east,  but 
the  design  of  their  promoters  was  not  aban- 
doned. 

The  crews  of  six  ships  of  war  lying  at  this  time 
in  the  Medway,  and  who  probably  had  less 
knowledge  of  the  political  condition  of  the 
countrv  than  the  dwellers  in  the  towns,  declared 


1 6  BYGONE  KENT. 

for  the  King,  and,  in  spite  of  the  arguments  and 
remonstrances  of  Rainsborough  and  the  Earl  of 
Warwick,  the  Lord  High  Admiral  put  to  sea, 
and  sailed  for  Holland,  the  purpose  of  the 
captains  being  to  offer  the  command  of  the 
squadron  to  the  Duke  of  York,  who  was  then  at 
the  Hague.  The  Prince  of  Wales,  on  being 
apprised  of  this  movement,  went  himself  to  the 
Hague,  whence  he  returned  with  nineteen  vessels, 
and  anchored  in  the  Thames.  Warwick  avoided 
an  engagement,  however,  and  all  the  efforts  of 
the  princes  to  create  a  movement  in  London  in 
support  of  the  royal  cause  proved  unavailing. 

In  the  meantime  their  friends  in  Kent  had 
mustered  at  Maidstone,  and  opposed  a  bold  front 
to  Fairfax,  who  marched  against  them  as  soon  as 
the  news  of  the  rising  reached  him.  For  six 
hours  the  royalists  resisted  the  efforts  of  the 
Parliamentary  force  to  dislodge  them,  but  at 
length  they  were  driven  out  of  the  town,  leaving 
two  hundred  of  their  supporters  dead  in  the 
streets,  and  twice  that  number  prisoners.  Those 
who  escaped  returned  at  once  to  their  homes. 
There  was  another  royalist  force  on  the  move, 
however,  under  the  command  of  the  Earl  of  New- 
port, who,  on  the  day  after  the  sanguinary  conflict  at 


HISTORIC  KENT.  17 

Maidstone  (June  2nd)  advanced  to  Blackheath,  in 
the  hope  of  being  able  to  penetrate  into  London, 
and  strike  a  blow  that  might  prove  a  turning- 
point  in  the  fortunes  of  the  royal  cause.  This 
plan  they  were  prevented  from  carrying  out  by 
the  vigilance  of  General  Skippon,  who  intercepted 
their  communication  with  the  city ;  and  their 
leader,  deeming  that  nothing  could  be  done  in 
Kent,  where,  indeed,  his  position  soon  became 
precarious,  crossed  the  Thames,  and  led  his  force 
to  Colchester. 

Once  more,  in  1660,  an  English  fleet  sailed  to 
the  shores  of  Holland  to  bring  over  the  sons  of 
Charles  I.  No  one  could  hav^e  foreseen  twelve 
years  before  that  they  would  so  soon  be  welcomed 
back  to  England.  They  landed  at  Dover,  and 
proceeded  to  London,  where  they  were  received 
with  every  demonstration  of  joy.  Four  years 
later,  a  Dutch  fleet  appeared  in  the  Medway,  and 
spread  consternation  throughout  the  country.  A 
chain  had  been  drawn  across  the  river,  and  some 
additions  made  to  the  defences  of  the  banks  ;  but 
these  preparations  were  made  in  vain.  Sheerness 
was  soon  captured,  and  the  Dutch  ships  sailed  on, 
breaking  the  chain,  and  overcoming  the  obstacles 
presented  by  the  ships  sunk  by  order  of  the  Duke 


1 8  BYGONE  KENT. 

of  Albemarle.  Destroying  all  the  shipping  in 
their  passage,  six  warships  and  five  fire-ships 
advanced  up  the  river  as  far  as  Upnor  Castle, 
where  they  burned  three  English  ships  of  war. 
It  was  expected  that  they  would  sail  up  the 
Thames,  and  destroy  all  the  shipping,  and  even 
the  city  of  London,  but,  owing  to  the  failure  of 
the  French  fleet  to  support  them,  the  Dutch 
ships  turned  seaward,  and  after  making  a 
hostile  demonstration  along  the  coast,  returned  to 
their  own  ports. 

Kent  was  not  the  scene  of  any  other  event  of 
importance  in  the  national  history  until  1688,  the 
year  of  the  flight  of  James  II.  from  a  kingdom 
which  he  declined  to  govern  constitutionally,  and 
which  would  not  be  governed  after  the  manner  of 
his  father.  Leaving  Whitehall  by  stealth,  he 
rode  on  a  dark  December  night  from  the  Thames 
to  the  Med  way,  being  conducted  through  by-ways 
by  a  guide,  and  crossed  the  latter  river  by  Ayles- 
ford  bridge.  Changing  his  horse  at  Woolpeck, 
he  rode  on  to  Elmley  Ferry,  near  Faversham, 
where  he  arrived  at  ten  o'clock  on  the  following 
morning.  There  a  hoy,  hired  by  Sir  Edward 
Hales,  lay  ready  to  receive  him  ;  but  a  strong 
wind  was  blowing,  and  the  vessel  had   no  balkist 


HISTORIC  KENT.  19 

on  board.  This  omission  being  supplied  at 
Shilness,  it  was  determined  to  sail  as  soon  as  the 
tide  served,  it  being  then  half-ebb ;  but  when  the 
vessel  was  nearly  afloat  she  was  boarded  by  the 
crews  of  three  fishing  boats,  who  seized  James 
and  his  two  companions,  Hales  and  another,  on 
the  pretext  that  they  were  Papists,  seeking  to 
escape  from  the  kingdom.  Hales  gave  the 
master  fifty  guineas,  as  an  earnest  of  more  should 
he  permit  them  to  escape.  He  promised  ;  but, 
instead  of  keeping  his  word,  he  took  the  rest  of 
their  money,  under  the  pretence  of  securing  it 
from  the  seamen,  and  then  left  them  to  their 
fate. 

The  fugitives  were  at  length  taken  in  a  coach 
to  Faversham,  where,  on  their  rank  transpiring, 
much  commotion  ensued.  Sir  James  Oxendon  came 
with  a  company  of  militia  to  prevent  the  king's 
escape.  James  contrived  to  send  a  letter  to 
London,  which  reached  the  Earl  of  Mulgrave, 
and  was  by  that  nobleman  read  before  the  House 
of  Lords.  The  result  was  that  the  Earl  of 
Faversham  was  sent,  with  two  hundred  of  the 
Guards,  to  protect  James  and  attend  him 
wherever  he  resolved  to  go.  He  chose  now  to 
return  to   London,  but  a  message  was  sent  from 


20  BYGONE  KENT. 

the  Prince  of  Orange,  desiring  him  to  advance 
no  farther  in  that  direction  than  Rochester.  The 
messenger  missed  James  by  the  way,  and  the 
latter  went  on  to  London.  He  found  Dutch 
soldiers  guarding  Whitehall,  and  he  was 
commanded  to  retire  to  Rochester.  He  obeyed, 
and  remained  in  that  city  three  nights.  At 
midnight  on  the  third  day  he  left  the  house  at 
which  he  lodged,  secretly,  attended  only  by  his 
illegitimate  son,  the  Duke  of  Berwick,  and  one 
servant,  and  went  in  a  boat  to  a  smack  which  was 
in  readiness  at  Sheerness.  Thence  they  sailed 
for  the  coast  of  France,  and  early  on  the  morning 
of  Christmas  Day  anchored  before  Ambleteuse, 
from  which  port  the  fugitives  posted  to  St. 
Germain's,  whither  the  queen  had  preceded  them 
before  James  fled  from  Whitehall. 

Of  the  connection  of  Kent  with  more  modern 
history,  of  Atterbury's  plot,  of  the  long  residence 
of  the  Duke  of  W^ellington  at  Walmer,  and  so 
forth,  it  is  not  necessary  to  treat  here. 


Ikcnttsb    placc«*1Rame6. 

By  R.  Stead,  u.a.,  f.k.h.s. 

IT  is  curious  to  observe  with  how  Httle  interest 
the  ordinary  reader  regards  the  names  of  the 
rivers,  hills,  towns,  villages,  and  what  not,  around 
him.  To  the  typical  Englishman,  even  if  of  fair 
education,  the  inner  meaning  of  the  place-names 
he  meets  with  is  a  matter  of  supreme  indifference. 
Yet  listen  to  what  the  learned  Canon  Isaac 
Taylor,  one  of  our  greatest  authorities,  has  to  say 
on  this  subject : — "  Local  names,  whether  they 
belong  to  provinces,  cities,  and  villages,  or  are 
the  designations  of  rivers  and  mountains,  are 
never  mere  arbitrary  sounds,  devoid  of  meaning. 
They  may  always  be  regarded  as  records  of  the 
past,  inviting  and  rewarding  a  careful  historical 
interpretation."  And  the  Canon  proceeds  to  say 
that  these  local  names  "may  indicate  emigrations 
— immigrations — the  commingling  of  races  by  war 
and  conquest,  or  by  the  peaceful  processes  of 
commerce  ;   the  name  of  a  district  or  a  town  may 


22  BYGONE  KENT. 

speak  to  us  of  events  which  written  history  has 
failed  to  commemorate."  And  there  can  be  no 
doubt  that  this  is  true  in  the  fullest  sense,  and  to 
an  extent  hardly  to  be  imagined  by  those  who 
have  not  thought  much  on  this  matter.  The 
name  of  even  the  obscurest  hamlet,  or  lone 
farm-house,  or  tiniest  brook,  may  be  "  full-fraught 
with  instruction  "  to  him  who  knows  how  to  read 
aright. 

The  fine  old  county  of  Kent  presents  attrac- 
tions to  many  students,  and  not  least  of  all 
to  the  student  of  local  names,  and  this  for  many 
reasons.  Here  landed  Ceesar  and  his  Romans, 
here  St.  Augustine  first  preached,  and  here  was 
the  chief  settlement  of  the  Jutes.  Then  again, 
the  geographical  modifications  which  the  county 
has  undergone,  and  its  proximity  to  the  Continent 
— always  the  "shortest  and  quickest  route" — 
lend  additional  interest  to  the  study  of  Kentish 
place-names ;  to  say  nothing  of  the  fact  that 
amongst  these  names  are  some  of  the  queerest  to 
be  found  outside  Wales  and  the  Highlands. 
Witness  such  philological  nuts  to  crack  as 
Lympne  and  Lyminge,  Reculver,  Hardres, 
Swaltenden,  and  a  host  of  others. 

The  present  short   paper  has  no  pretentions  to 


KENTISH  PL  A  C EN  AMES.  2  3 

being  the  result  of  original  research,  and  the 
writer  certainly  does  not  propose  to  set  up  as  an 
"authority."  What  is  here  given  may  be  got  at 
by  anyone  who  will  take  the  trouble  to  study 
diligently  such  works  as  Canon  Taylor's  "  Words 
and  Places,"  Edmund's  "  Names  of  Places," 
together  with  the  writings  of  Kemble,  Latham, 
etc.,  in  connection  with  a  few  of  the  old  itineraries, 
using  the  while  a  modern  ordnance  map,  and  not 
forgetting  to  peep  into  Domesday  Book.  This 
article  will  have  served  its  purpose  if  it  succeeds  in 
pointing  out  what  rich  stores  of  information  may  be 
got  out  of  a  study  of  the  names  to  be  found  on  the 
map  of  Kent,  and  in  shewing  that  the  subject  is 
anything  but  dry  and  forbidding. 

The  present  volume  is  entitled  ''  Bygotic  Kent," 
and  certainly  a  study  of  our  local  names  will  often 
carry  us  very  far  back  into  "  bygone  "  times.  It  is 
indeed  hardly  too  much  to  say  that  if  all  the 
written  history  of  the  country  were  lost,  a  diligent 
study  of  the  place-names  would  enable  us  to  piece 
together  more  than  a  little  of  the  lost  records. 
Indeed  local  names  often  do  supply  the  desired 
information  where  no  written  account  at  all  has 
come  down  to  us  ;  whilst  it  is  interesting  to  note 
how  local  names  confirm  the  truth  of  trustworthy 


24  BYGONE  KENT. 

historical  records.  The  earHest  inhabitants  of 
Kent,  so  far  as  written  accounts  go.  were  of 
Celtic  race,  and  their  occupation  is  abundantly 
shown  to  this  day  by  the  names  they  have  left 
behind  them.  To  begin  with,  the  very  name  of 
the  county  is  derived  from  the  Celtic  ccnn,  a  head, 
certainly  an  appropriate  name  in  every  way  for  a 
district  of  its  configuration  and  position.  Of  its 
rivers  there  are  few  which  do  not  owe  their 
names  to  the  same  early  race.  The  word  dwr, 
water,  appears  in  Dour,  Rother  (  =  Red  Water), 
and  Darent,  or  Derwent  as  it  once  was.  Stour  is 
probably  a  double  word  from  is  and  divr,  which 
both  mean  water,  whilst  the  lordly  Thames  itself 
is  almost  certainly  the  Broad  Water.  In 
Medway,  Canon  Taylor  sees  the  Welsh  word  qwy 
or  wy,  water.  Then  Romney  is  said  to  be  from 
ricimne,  a  marsh,  so  that  the  name  Romney 
Marsh  means  something  very  like  the  Marsh 
Marsh.  In  South  Wales  there  is  another 
Romney,  though  usually  it  is  spelt  Rhymney. 
The  very  common  cum,  meaning  a  hollow,  is  still 
represented  in  Kent  in  its  Saxonized  form  of 
Combe.  We  have  several  farms  of  the  name  in 
the  county.  And  here  I  may  say,  particularly, 
that  often  the  most  interesting  of  all  place-names, 


KENTISH  PLACE-NAMES.  25 

and  the  best  worth  studying,  are  those  of  isolated 
farms  and  remote  hamlets.  Not  seldom  these 
places  have  a  history  dating  back  far  beyond  that 
of  the  great  towns.  Kent  is  full  of  such  outlying 
farmsteads  and  hamlets,  as  a  glance  at  the 
ordnance  map  will  shew — Terlingham,  Conicks, 
Scuttington,  Wadling,  Rhoads,  Edings,  Yonsee, 
and  hundreds  more. 

But  on  the  whole  the  proportion  of  Celtic 
names  is  not  large  in  Kent,  and  this  is  just  what 
history  would  lead  us  to  expect.  What  with  one 
invasion  and  another — by  Romans,  Teutons,  and 
Northmen — our  Celtic  predecessors  must  have  had 
a  hard  time  of  it,  and  no  wonder  they  went 
further  westward,  and  left  their  lands  to  others. 
Probably  hardly  five  per  cent,  of  our  local  names 
are  of  Celtic  origin,  and  what  we  have  are  in 
nearlv  all  cases  the  names  of  natural  features. 
Possibly  the  Latinised  Dubris  and  Reoulbiuni, 
our  modern  Dover  and  Reculver,  were  Roman 
attempts  to  render  earlier  Celtic  names.  And 
Canon  Jenkins  is  of  opinion  that  Lyminge  repre- 
sents the  Celtic  Heol  Maen  (Stone  Street),  the 
old  form  est  Limming  (or  cet  Lemaen)  would 
mean  near  the  Stone  Street,  a  description  which 
certainly  suits  the  place  exactly. 


26  BYGONE  KENT. 

Notwithstanding  an  occupation  of  several  hun- 
dred years,  the  Romans  left  behind  them  few 
traces  in  the  way  of  place-names.  Rochester,  of 
course,  occurs  at  once  to  the  mind,  as  well  as 
Stone  Street,  just  mentioned  (Latin  Strata),  and 
Watling  Street.  Such  places  as  Minster  date 
only  from  later  times,  after  the  introduction  of 
Christianity  into  England. 

To  come  to  the  immediate  ancestors  of  the 
"  Men  of  Kent,"  the  Jutish  section  of  the  Saxon 
invaders,  it  is  probable  that  not  less  than  ninety 
per  cent,  of  the  local  place-names  are  of  Anglo- 
Saxon  origin.  If  we  owe  the  name  of  the  county 
to  the  Celtic  race,  at  all  events  two-thirds  of  the 
name  of  its  venerable  city,  Canterbury,  are  Saxon. 
To  the  Latinised  form  of  Cenn,  Cantium,  the 
Saxons  added  wara,  inhabitants,  thus  getting  Cant- 
ware,  the  men  of  Kent.  To  this  was  placed  by  rig, 
burgh,  thus  we  get  Cantwarabyrig,  the  "burgh  of 
the  men  of  Kent,"  or  better  still  the  "town  of  the 
men  of  the  headland."  We  still  have  "  Edward  W. 
Cantuar'^ 

But  the  most  striking  thing  about  Kentish 
names,  and  a  thing  which  the  general  reader  can 
hardly  fail  to  notice,  is  the  enormous  number  of 
them      indicating     a     densely-wooded      country. 


KENTISH  PLACE-NAMES.  27 

There  they  are,  hursts,  leys,  dens,  charts,  holts, 
fields,  and  so  forth,  in  bewildering  numbers,  and 
nearly  all  of  these  are  Anglo-Saxon  names, 
except  perhaps  den,  which  would  possibly  be 
better  classed  as  Celto-Saxon. 

Let  us  begin  with  the  hursts — Chislehurst, 
Penshurst,  Hawkhurst,  Staplehurst,  Shadoxhurst, 
and  others  in  plenty.  This  "hurst"  is.  the 
Anglo-Saxon  hyrst  (wood),  in  a  slightly  more 
modern  dress.  Another  wonderfully  favourite 
ending  in  Kentish  place-names  is  the  den  just 
mentioned,  meaning  a  thicket,  or  wooded  valley. 
Let  anyone  examine  the  portion  of  the  map  of 
Kent  to  the  south  of  the  railway  line 
from  Tunbridge  to  Ashford,  and  he  will  find  a 
perfect  swarm  of  these  dens — Tenterden,  Halden, 
Smarden,  Frittenden,  Marden,  and  so  on 
ad  libittim.  Again,  scattered  up  and  down  the 
country,  we  find  plenty  of  names  with  ley  for  their 
termination.  This  "lev"  is  akin  to  the  modern 
lie,  and  is  indicative  of  a  clearing  in  the  forest — 
where  the  wood  has  been  laid,  or  the  cattle  love 
to  lie.  In  these  clearings,  of  course,  our  Teuton 
ancestors  often  built  their  houses,  and  thus  formed 
the  nucleus  of  many  a  village  or  town.  So  we  get 
Bromley,      Bickley,     Swanley,    all     within     sight 


28  BYGONE  KENT. 

almost  of  London,  with  plenty  of  others  more 
remote,  like  Calverley,  Idley,  Willesley,  Tudeley. 
But  we  have  by  no  means  exhausted  the  names 
telling  of  forest-land.  There  is  hot,  or  liolt, 
which  means  a  copse,  or  gentle  slope  covered 
with  scrub.  These  are  not  as  numerous  in  Kent 
as  they  are  further  west,  but  we  have  Knockholt, 
Calshot,  and  perhaps  others.  In  Highfield, 
Matfield,  Ensfield,  we  have  places  where  the  trees 
had  h^^n  felled.  The  charts  peculiar  to  two  or 
three  of  the  south-eastern  counties  deserve  men- 
tion. Says  Dr.  Isaac  Taylor,  "the  word  chart  is 
identical  with  the  word  hart  (wood  or  forest)  we 
find  in  such  German  names  as  Hartz  Mountains." 
In  Kent  we  have  Chartham,  Chart- Sutton,  Great 
Chart,  and  Little  Chart.  We  have  still  left  an 
abundance  of  such  isolated  but  suggestive 
names  as  Mapleton,  Sevenoaks,  Ashenfield, 
Broad  Oak. 

Now  to  what  does  all  this  point }  Undoubtedly 
to  this  fact,  that  a  very  large  portion  of  the 
county  was  once  covered  with  dense  forest.  This 
we  should  know  even  if  there  were  no  written 
record  of  the  fact.  But  we  learn  from  historical 
sources  that  a  very  large  portion  of  Kent,  Sussex, 
Surrey,  and  Hampshire  was  once  covered  with  an 


KENTISH  PLACE-NAMES.  29 

immense  forest  called  Andresleah,  or  the 
"  Untrodden  Forest."  This  is  now  called  the 
"  Weald,"  a  word  akin  to  wold  (Cotswolds,  etc.), 
from  the  German  wald,  a  wood.  "In  the 
Weald  almost  every  local  name,  for  miles  and 
miles,  terminates  in  hurst,  ley,  den,  or  fields 
Canon  Taylor  gives  a  most  interesting  analysis  of 
the  forest-names  of  the  district.  In  the  Kentish 
Weald  alone,  there  are  '^2i  "  hursts,"  42  "dens," 
22  "leys,"  I  "holt,"  and  19  "fields,"  or  a  total  of 
117  such  names,  all  in  an  area  of  a  few  square 
miles.  It  is  curious  to  note,  too,  says  the  learned 
Canon,  that  the  great  family  of  Howard 
(hog-warden)  first  turns  up  in  Kent,  that  is, 
amongst  the  woods,  just  where  one  would  have 
expected  it.  The  other  form  of  the  name. 
Hay  ward,  is  common  enough  yet  in  Kent,  and  so 
is  Woodward  (forest- warden),  whilst  the  Hogbens 
seem  very  unlikely  to  die  out  in  the  old 
county. 

A  very  common  ending  in  Kentish  local  names  is 
ing,  often  followed  by  some  other  termination  like 
ham,  or  ton.  This  ing  was  a  patronymic,  and 
meant  much  the  same  as  Mac  in  Scotland,  or  Ap 
in  Wales,  An  old  writer  speaks  of  the  people  of 
Kent    as    "  Centings."     Authorities    think    that 


30  BYGONE  KENT. 

when  the  endinsf  iito-  stands  alone  we  have  the 
original  settlement  of  the  clan  or  family,  but 
where  there  is  a  suffix  (like  ham)  it  marks  a  filial 
colony  sent  out  from  the  parent  settlement.  In 
Kent  we  have  these  original  family  settlements  at 
Selling,  where  were  found  the  "  Sillings,  a  Vandal 
tribe,  mentioned  by  Ptolemy,"  at  Harling,  where 
were  the  Harlings ;  and  others  at  Bobbing, 
Stelling,  Mailing  ;  whilst  offshoots  from  the  parent 
settlements  are  met  with  at  Hastingleigh, 
Godington,  and  twenty  or  thirty  more.  Indeed  it 
is  said  that  Kent  boasts  of  twenty-two  parent 
settlements  (a  larger  number  than  any  other 
county,  just  as  might  have  been  expected  in  a 
district  so  early  settled)  and  twenty-nine  filial 
colonies.  A  curious  variation  of  the  termination 
ing  is  found  in  Lyminge,  Ottinge,  Sellinge, 
Arpinge,  Hawkinge,  and  a  few  more. 

It  is  worth  while  to  look  for  a  moment  at  the 
very  important  modifications  in  the  contour  of  the 
county,  and  see  how  these  have  affected  the 
place-nomenclature.  Some  portions  of  the 
district  adjoining  the  Thames  are  damp  enough 
for  ordinary  people  even  now,  but  how  waterlogged 
the  whole  locality  must  have  been  formerly  may 
be  clearly   seen   by   looking  at  the  place-names. 


KENTISH  FLA  CE-NA  MES.  3 1 

Marshes  in  plenty  there  are,  Plumstead,  Crayford, 
Dartford,  Cowling,  St.  Mary's.  There  we  have 
Marsh  Street,  and  such  names  as  Sheppey, 
Chitney,  Graveney.  This  termination  ey  (or  ed) 
indicates  an  island,  or  land  so  water-begirt  as  to 
be  practically  an  island. 

Of  the  Goodwin  Sands,  and  the  encroachments 
of  the  sea  on  the  coast  thereabout,  nothing  need 
be  said,  as  "  every  school-boy  "  knows  all  about  it. 
If  anyone  wants  to  see  "what  the  envious  siege 
of  watery  Neptune "  can  do,  let  him  start  at 
Folkestone  Harbour,  and  follow  the  coastline 
eastwards  for  a  mile  or  two.  But  we  will  rather 
pass  on  to  an  instance  or  two  of  an  opposite 
character,  that  is  where  the  sea  has  lost  ground,  as 
an  Irishman  might  say  ;  we  still  speak  of  the  Isle 
of  Thanet,  and  everybody  knows  in  a  vague  sort 
of  way  that  it  was  once  really  an  island,  though 
how  or  when  or  why  it  ceased  to  be  one  in  any 
true  sense  is  known  to  far  fewer  people.  Yet 
ships  once  entered  from  the  North  Sea,  near 
Sandwich,  and  sailed  along  the  broad  channel 
which  then  separated  Thanet  from  the  mainland, 
coming  out  into  the  mouth  of  the  Thames,  near 
Reculver.  Sandwich  (Sandybay)  and  Rich- 
borough  were  famous  ports  in  early  times,  whilst 


32  BYGONE  KENT. 

Ebbfleet  was  one  till  a  comparatively  recent  date. 
If  we  knew  nothing  of  all  this  from  history  we 
could  still  gather  much  of  it  from  a  careful  study 
of  local  names.  Starting  from  Pegwell  Bay  and 
going  westward,  let  us  note  a  few  of  these  names. 
To  Sandwich  allusion  has  just  been  made. 
Ebbfleet  is  now  quite  half  a  mile  from  any  tide, 
and  Durlock,  meaning  zvater-lake,  is  now  over 
half  a  mile  from  the  sea.  [This  is  not  the  only 
Durlock  in  Kent,  the  district  overlooking  Folke- 
stone Harbour,  on  the  East  Cliff,  is  still  called  the 
Durlocks].  Then  there  come  Marshborough, 
Marsh  House,  West  Marsh,  Stodmarsh,  Ash 
Marsh,  Elmstone  Marsh,  which  must  have  been 
named  later  on,  when  the  great  channel  had  to  a 
considerable  extent  disappeared.  The  most 
noteworthy  name,  however,  is  perhaps  Stour- 
mouth,  which  village  is  now  a  tolerably  fair  before- 
breakfast  walk,  say  some  five  or  six  miles,  from 
the  sea,  but  at  which  place  it  is  evident  the  river 
Stour  once  emptied  itself  into  the  German  Ocean. 
Chislet,  from  the  word  ckesel,  shingle,  was  once  a 
shingle  island,  just  as  we  have  Chelsea,  anciently 
Chesel-ea,  also  a  shingle  island.  Fordwich.  or 
Fordwick.  which  means  "  the  bay  on  the  arm  of 
the  sea,"  near  Canterbury,  was  formerly  the  port 


KENTISH  PLACE-NAMES.  33 

of  Canterbury,  and  a  corporate  town.     Clearly  a 

branch  of  the  great  channel  ran  eastwards  to  that 

place.     And    then    there    is    Olantigh,    half-way 

between  Canterbury  and   Ashford,  whose  earlier 

and  perhaps  better  form,  Olantige,  shows  that  in 

former  times   it  must  have   been  an  island.     A 

worthy  inhabitant  of  Wye,  with  whom  the  present 

writer    was    conversing    on    the    subject,    stoutly 

refused    to    believe    that    Olantigh    was    ever    an 

island,  or  that  the  seawater  ever  came  anywhere 

near  the  place,  but  the  evidence  furnished  by  the 

name  is  too  strong  for  him. 

Few  districts  better   repay   a  study  respecting 

its    place-names    than     the     far-famed    Romney 

Marsh.      History     informs    us    that    Lymne    (or 

Lympne,  as  some  prefer  it)  was  once  a  famous 

Roman   port — indeed,    next   to  Richborough,  the 

most  important  in   Kent.      It  is  to  be  feared  that 

Lymne    has  small   chance   of  ever  being  a  port 

again.      It  is  now  a  mile  and  a  half  or  two  miles 

from  the  shore.      But  this  is  not  all.     Appledore, 

now  some  half  a  dozen  miles  from  any  part  of  the 

present  coast,  was  formerly  a  maritime  town,  and 

the  name,   from  Celtic  sources,   is  said  to  mean 

"waterpool."     It  is  clear,  therefore,  that  an  arm 

of  the  sea  must  have  extended  from   Lymne  to 

D 


34  BYGONE  KENT. 

Appledore,  and  there  are  good  reasons  for 
thinking  that  this  channel  was  practically  the 
same  as  that  of  the  now  dried-up  river  Limene. 
When  the  channel  silted  up,  both  Appledore  and 
Lymne  decayed,  and  the  newer  port  of  West 
Hythe  sprang  up,  which  in  its  turn  gave 
place  to  the  modern  Hythe, — it  is  to  be  noted 
that  Hythe  is  not  Celtic,  like  Lymne  and 
Appledore,  but  Saxon.  Hythe  tries  hard 
to  keep  itself  to  the  shore,  but  it  will  have  to 
succumb.  As  a  port  it  is  now  a  thing  of 
the  past,  being  many  hundreds  of  yards  from 
the  sea,  whilst  West  Hythe  is  more  than  a 
mile  as  the  crow  flies.  So  much  for  the  fringe  of 
Romney  Marsh.  If  we  come  to  the  district  itself, 
a  glance  at  the  names  between  the  modern 
Military  Canal  and  Dungeness  will  show  how 
comparatively  recently  much  of  the  district  has 
become  habitable.  We  cannot  do  better  than  fall 
back  upon  Canon  Taylor  again.  "  Throughout 
the  greater  portion  of  the  Marsh  the  local  names 
are  purely  English  (or  modern)  such  as 
Ivychurch,  Fairfield,  Brookland,  and  Newchurch. 
In  a  few  of  the  more  elevated  spots  the  names 
are  Saxon  or  Celtic,  as  Winchelsea,  or  Romney, 
whilst  it  is  only   when   we  come  to   the    inland 


KENTISH  FLA  CE-NAMES.  3 5 

margin  of  the  marsh  that  we  meet  with  a  fringe 
of  ancient  names  like  Lymne  or  Appledore, 
which  show  the  existence  of  continuous  habitable 
land  in  the  times  of  the  Romans  or  the  Celts." 
The  change  in  the  character  of  Romney  Marsh  is 
shewn,  too,  by  the  fact  that  the  river  Rother, 
which  now  runs  into  Rye  Harbour,  to  the  west  of 
Dungeness,  formerly  emptied  itself  into  the  sea 
some  distance  to  the  east,  or  rather  to  the  north 
of  that  headland. 

The  Danish  or  Norse  element  which  forms  so 
conspicuous  a  feature  in  the  local  names  of  some 
of  the  eastern  counties,  such  as  Lincolnshire,  is 
not  so  plentiful  in  the  place-names  of  Kent. 
Indeed  this  county  has  about  as  small  a  proportion 
as  any  of  the  names  derived  from  the  Northmen. 
Still  we  have  a  few.  An  interesting  instance  is 
the  termination  gate,  which  so  often  occurs  : — 
Ramsgate,  Margate,  Kingsgate,  Northgate, 
Sandgate.  In  Romney  Marsh  this  word 
becomes  gut,  as  Romney  Marsh  Gut,  Jew's  Gut, 
Marsland  Gut,  Globesden  Gut,  and  so  on.  In 
every  case  these  gates  ov  guts  are  passages  down 
to  the  sea,  and  the  word  originally  meant  the  way 
one  goes.  A  man's  gait  is  still  the  way  he  goes. 
The  Indian  word  Ghaut  is  derived  from  the  same 


36  BYGONE  KENT. 

root.  Deptford  is  the  "deep  reach,"  whilst  the 
wicks  were  probably  stations  of  pirates — Wick, 
Sandwich,  Greenwich  (the  "  green  reach,") 
Woolwich  (the  "hill  reach,")  and  so  on.  Walton 
is  probably  the  "walled  enclosure,"  and  in  the 
parish  of  Chartham  we  have  Danesbanks. 
Characteristic  Norse  names  in  ness  (nose) 
abound,  like  Sheerness,  Dungeness,  Shellness, 
Foreness,  Whiteness,  Ness  Corner.  Dungeness, 
or  Dengeness,  is  perhaps  Dengeyness,  or  Danes' 
Island  Head.  That  the  Northmen  made  pretty 
frequent  settlements  along  the  Kentish  coast  is 
certain ;  and  who  knows  how  much  of  the 
proverbial  seafaring  skill  and  hardihood  of  the 
Kentish  boatmen  and  fishermen  is  due  to  the 
admixture  of  old  "Sea  Rover"  blood  in  their 
veins  ? 

Considering  its  proximity  to  the  Continent,  it 
is  remarkable  that  there  is  so  little  of  French  or 
Norman-French  in  the  Kentish  place-nomen- 
clature. Here  and  there  we  find  a  Capel-le-Ferne 
or  a  Wickhambreaux,  but  the  number  of  such 
instances  is  small.  On  the  other  hand,  it  is  most 
interesting  to  note  that  Anglo-Saxon  names 
abound  on  the  French  coast  near  Boulogne.  Com- 
pare   the  Sangatte,    Lozinghem,   Wimille,    Ham, 


KENTISH  PLACE-NAMES.  37 

and  so  forth,  of  the  opposite  coast  with  our 
Kentish  Sandgate,  Lossingham,  Windmill,  Ham. 
And  such  English-looking  names  as  Warhem 
(Warham),  Hollebeque  (Holbeck),  Maninghem 
(Manningham),  Colincthun  (Collington),  Wer- 
wick  (Warwick),  are  as  plentiful  as  blackberries 
in  the  Calais-Boulogne-St  Omer  District.  Were 
our  corresponding  English  settlements  made 
from  France,  or  did  we  colonise  that  corner  of 
our  continental  neighbour's  country  ?  It  would 
occupy  too  much  space  to  give  in  full  the  pros 
and  cons  ;  suffice  it  to  say  there  is  good  reason  to 
think  that  the  French  corner  was  colonised  from 
England,  and  that  as  a  matter  of  fact  the  colonists 
set  sail  from  somewhere  near  the  Kentish  Hythe. 
In  short,  we  owe  but  little  in  the  way  of  place- 
names  to  France ;  it  is  all  the  other  way  ;  to  our 
colonisation  France  owes  a  multitude  of  its 
village  settlements,  in  its  north-eastern  corner  at 
least. 

One  is  sorely  tempted  before  closing  this 
short  and  inadequate  paper  to  attempt  to  crack 
some  of  the  hard  philological  nuts  presented  by 
some  of  our  local  names,  but  we  must  forbear. 
The  way  of  the  philologer  is  hard,  yet  there  are 
few  things  we  more  easily  drift  into  than  deriva- 


38  BYGONE  KENT. 

tion.  As  a  witty  member  of  the  English 
Dialect  Society  has  said,  "every  man  thinks  he 
can  drive  and  derive''  But  a  large  series  of 
disasters  in  both  driving  and  deriving  has  taught 
the  present  writer  to  be  wary  in  attempting  either, 
lest  haply  in  the  latter  art  he  should  tumble  into 
some  of  the  delightful  pitfalls  into  which  of  yore 
fell  dear  old  Lambarde,  the  Kentish  Perambu- 
lator. 


St  auQustinc  anb  bie  flDieeion. 

By  the  Rev.  Geo.  S.  Tyack,  b.a. 

THE  latter  half  of  the  sixth  century  found 
England  almost  wholly  heathen  still.  It  is 
true  that  long  before  that  date  Christianity  had 
made  its  way  into  the  island,  whether  through  the 
preaching  of  S.  Paul,  the  labours  of  S.  Joseph  of 
Arimathea  and  his  companions,  in  answer  to  the 
prayers  of  King  Lucius,  or  by  what  other  now 
forgotten  means,  we  cannot  say.  Certain, 
however,  it  is  that  there  were  British  martyrs,  as 
S.  Alban,  in  the  Diocletian  persecution  (a.d.  303), 
and  British  bishops  present  at  the  Councils  of 
Aries  (a.d.  314),  Sardica  (a.d.  347)  and 
Ariminum  (a.d.  360).  The  next  century  saw  a 
change.  From  the  stormy  shores  of  the  Baltic 
the  English  sea-kings  came  down  upon  the  land, 
now  left  defenceless  by  the  Roman  power ;  like 
the  successive  waves  of  an  incoming  flood  they 
swept  across  it,  driving  before  them  or  destroying 
almost  every  vestige  of  what  was  character- 
istically British,  and  covering  the  land  with  their 


40  BYGONE  KENT. 

own  masterful  being,  rugged,  daring,  and  withal 
heathen  ;  until  at  length  all  that  was  left  of  the 
British  Church  was  to  be  found  only  amid  the 
wild  hills  of  Wales  and  Cornwall,  like  drift-wood 
at  the  water's  edge,  marking  the  utmost  limit  of 
the  advancing  tide. 

For  some  unexplained  reason  no  effort  was 
made^  by  this  remnant  to  convert  their  English 
conquerors  to  the  Faith.  Whether  their  resent- 
ment at  their  sufferings  overcame  their  Christian 
charity,  or  the  continuance  of  a  desultory  conflict 
gave  no  opportunity  of  intercourse,  or  whether 
the  civil  strifes  into  which  we  are  told  they  fell 
amongst  themselves,  was  the  hindrance,  we  can 
only  conjecture ;  the  Venerable  Bede,  however, 
reckons  it  "  amongst  other  most  wicked  actions  " 
of  which  in  this  time  of  distress  they  were  guilty, 
"  that  they  never  preached  the  faith  to  the  Saxons 
or  English  who  dwelt  amongst  them." 

The  work  thus  neglected  was  to  be  taken  up 
nevertheless  by  others.  We  need  not  tell  again 
the  oft-told  tale  of  S.  Gregory's  noticing  the 
group  of  fair-haired  slaves  in  the  Roman  market, 
and  of  the  holy  humour  with  which  he  punned 
upon  the  names  of  their  country  and  their  king, 
but  we  pass  rather  to  the  fulfilment  of  the  sacred 


ST.  AUGUSTINE  AND  HIS  MISSION         41 

ambition    which    was    that    day    born   within   the 
saint's  breast. 

It  was  not  until  some  years  later  that  Gregory 
was  able  to  take  steps  for  the  conversion  of  the 
English,  and  by  that  time  the  calls  of  other  duties 
— he  was  then  Bishop  of  Rome — prevented  his 
personally  undertaking  the  mission.  As  abbot  of 
the  Monastery  of  S.  Andrew  on  the  Ccelian  Hill, 
he  had  had  ample  opportunity  of  judging  the 
worth  and  work  of  Augustine,  the  prior,  and  him 
he  chose  to  whom  to  confide  the  responsibility  of 
this  task. 

The  band  of  missionaries,  consisting  of  about 
forty  monks,  traversed  Provence,  stayed  for 
a  while  in  the  Isle  of  Lerins,  and  at  length,  after 
some  doubts  and  delays,  caused  by  the  account 
given  them  of  the  roughness  of  the  English 
nation,  landed  in  the  Isle  of  Thanet  on  the 
7th  August,  596. 

Thanet  was  then  far  more  entitled  to  the  name 
of  isle  than  it  is  to-day.  Bede  gives  the  following 
description  of  it:  "On  the  east  of  Kent  is  the 
large  isle  of  Thanet,  containing,  according  to  the 
English  way  of  reckoning,  six  hundred  families, 
divided  from  the  other  land  by  the  River 
Wantsum,    which    is   about    three    furlongs   over. 


42  BYGONE  KENT. 

and  fordable  only  in  two  places,  for  both  ends  of 
it  run  into  the  sea;"  and  even  as  late  as  the 
sixteenth  century,  John  Twyne  says  of  the  stream 
which  insulates  it,  "  There  be  right  creditable 
persons  now  living  that  have  often  seen  not  only 
small  boats,  but  vessels  of  good  burden  to  pass  to 
and  fro  upon  the  Wantsum,  where  now  the  water, 
especially  towards  the  west,  is  clear  excluded ; 
and  there  be  apparent  marks  that  Sarr,  where 
they  now  go  over,  was  a  proper  haven."  Within 
this  island,  therefore,  S.  Augustine  and  his 
company  waited  until  the  king  should  give  them 
an  audience,  or  signify  his  pleasure  concerning 
them. 

The  condition  of  things  in  the  kingdom  of 
Kent  was  not  unfavourable  for  the  foundation  of 
the  faith,  nor  for  its  extension  from  that  centre. 
Ethelbert,  the  king,  had  taken  to  wife  Bertha, 
daughter  of  Charibert,  King  of  Paris,  who  had 
stipulated  at  the  marriage  that  she  should  be 
permitted  the  full  enjoyment  of  the  Christian 
religion,  in  which  she  had  been  brought  up ; 
Luidhard,  Bishop  of  Senlis,  was  therefore  present 
at  the  Kentish  Court  as  her  chaplain,  and  both 
from  him  and  from  the  queen,  Ethelbert  must 
often  have  heard  something  of  the  mysteries  of 


ST.  AUGUSTINE  AND  HIS  MISSION. 


43 


their     faith.       Moreover,    the     King's    influence 
extended  beyond  the  Hmits  of  his  own  dominions, 


ST.    AUGUSTINE — FROM    THE    DOOR   OF    THE    CHAl'TER-HOUSE,    ROCHESTER. 

since  he  held  the  position  of  Bretwalda, — the 
third  who  had  been  advanced  to  that  dignity 
— and    thus    exercised    some    degree    of     over 


44  BYGONE  KENT. 

lordship  over  all  the  country  south  of  the 
H  umber. 

S.  Gregory  the  Great,  writing  to  Bertha, 
intimates  that  it  was  understood  that  "  an  anxious 
desire  "  had  arisen  among  her  people  for  admission 
to  the  Church,  and  suggests  that  she  "  ought  early 
to  have  inclined  her  husband  favourably  "  towards 
her  own  faith  ;  it  is  therefore  most  probable  that 
when  at  last  the  missionaries  came  into  the  royal 
presence,  Ethelbert  was  prepared  to  give  them 
something  more  than  an  impartial  hearing ;  nor 
did  they,  on  their  part,  as  they  advanced  to  meet 
him,  chanting  a  pathetic  litany,  and  preceded  by 
a  silver  cross  and  a  crucifix  painted  on  a  panel, 
fail  to  make  use  of  the  opportunity  afforded  them 
of  at  once  impressing  his  mind  with  the  beauty 
and  solemnity  of  the  message  they  had  come  to 
bring.  The  result  of  the  important  conference 
that  followed  was  as  favourable  as,  from  a  first 
interview,  could  have  been  looked  for ;  the  monks 
were  permitted  to  cross  to  the  mainland  and  take 
up  their  residence  in  the  royal  city  of  Canterbury  ; 
provision  was  there  made  for  their  sustenance, 
and  leave  was  granted  them  to  preach  and  to 
make  converts. 

Two  buildings,   still   existing,   recall   the   early 


ST.  AUGUSTINE  AND  HIS  MISSION         45 

days  of  S.  Augustine's  life  in  Canterbury.  The 
first  is  the  Stable  Gate,  which  is  said  to  have 
been  the  first  home  of  his  little  company  in  the 
city.  The  second  is  S.  Martin's  Church. 
"  There  was  on  the  east  side  of  the  city,"  says 
that  father  of  English  history  already  quoted, 
"a  church  dedicated  to  the  honour  of  S.  Martin, 
built  whilst  the  Romans  were  still  in  the  island, 
wherein  the  Queen  used  to  pray ;  in  this  they 
first  began  to  meet,  to  sing,  to  pray,  to  say  mass, 
to  preach,  and  to  baptize,  until  the  King,  being 
converted  to  the  Faith,  allowed  them  to  preach 
openly,  and  to  build  or  repair  churches  in  all 
places."  Towards  the  little  church  of  S.  Martin, 
whose  bells  still  call  to  prayer,  and  thanksgiving, 
and  the  Holy  Sacrifice,  within  whose  walls  so 
many  generations  of  the  faithful  have  met  to 
worship,  the  thoughts  of  all  Englishmen,  but 
especially  of  the  men  of  Kent,  must  turn  as  they 
recall  the  landmarks  still  left  to  us  of  the  Bygone 
Days,  Much,  if  not  all,  of  the  present  building 
dates  only  from  the  thirteenth  century,  but  the 
later  builders  were  evidently  largely  indebted  to 
their  predecessors  for  their  materials,  the  walls 
being  full  of  Roman  bricks  which  formed  part  of 
the   church,    where    was    heard    the   voice  of   S. 


46  BYGONE  KENT. 

Augustine  singing  the  holy  offices  or  preaching  to 
the  heathen  ;  within  which,  two  centuries  earher, 
ere  Rome's  Empire  crumbled  to  decay,  priests 
and  people  now  nameless  to  us  met  to  ''  sing 
hymns  to  Christ  as  God." 

The  conversion  and  baptism  of  King  Ethelbert 
not  only  allowed  S.  Augustine  to  seek  other  and 
larger  centres  for  his  work,  but  even  compelled 
him  to  do  so,  for  the  multitude  was  not  slow 
in  following  the  royal  example ;  but  a  good 
foundation  having  thus  been  laid,  the  head  of  the 
mission  returned  to  France  before  proceeding  to 
build  further  upon  it,  and  obtained  episcopal 
consecration  at  the  hands  of  Virgilius,  Archbishop 
of  Aries. 

The  second  church  provided  for  the  growing 
community  of  Christians  was  also  an  ancient 
British  church,  desecrated  and  in  ruins  ;  this  the 
new-made  bishop  repaired  and  enlarged,  and 
constituted  it  the  cathedral,  or  episcopal  seat,  for 
his  diocese,  under  the  name  of  Christ  Church. 
The  magnificent  pile,  which  now  forms  the 
metropolitan  Church  of  England,  was  commenced 
by  Lanfranc  (1070- 1092),  the  thirty-third 
archbishop,  and  has  grown  under  the  hands  of 
successive   occupants    of  the   see    to    its   present 


ST.  AUGUSTINE  AND  HIS  MISSION.  47 

dignity  ;  yet  it  is  thought  by  some  to  enshrine 
part  of  that  humbler  building  which  contained  the 
rude  throne  of  the  first  of  the  long;  line*  of 
archbishops  of  Canterbury.  The  walls  of  the 
crypt  proclaim  its  great  age,  and  it  is  this  part  of 
the  cathedral  which  is  said  to  have  come  down  to 
us,  through  all  the  storms  that  have  more  than 
once  wholly  or  in  part  wrecked  the  greater 
church  above  it,  as  a  memorial  of  the  times  of 
King  Ethelbert  and  S.  Augustine. 

So  rapidly  spread  the  effects  of  the  missionaries' 
work  among  the  people  that  at  Christmas,  697,  less 
than  eighteen  months  after  their  landing,  more  than 
10,000  persons  were  baptized  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Medway,  opposite  Sheppey.  The  news  of  the 
conversion  of  the  king,  and  of  the  progress  of  the 
work,  brought  from  Rome  a  crowd  of  additional 
helpers,  and  the  outward  signs  of  the  victory  of  the 
Cross  became  more  and  more  evident  in  the  city. 

A  third  ancient  church,  which  had  been 
degraded  into  a  heathen  temple,  was  cleansed  and 
re-dedicated  to  its  original  use  under  the  name  of 
S.  Pancras,  and  near  it  rose  a  monastery  for  the 
accommodation  of  the  missionary-monks.  One 
religious     house     they     already     possessed,     for 

*  The  present  archbishop  (Dr.  Benson)  is  the  92nd. 


48  BYGONE  KENT. 

Ethelbert  had  given  up  to  their  use  his  palace, 
which  lay  hard  by  the  new  cathedral.  The  second 
monastery,  destined  to  be  one  of  the  greatest  and 
most  famous  of  abbeys,  was  seven  years  in 
building,  but  the  founder  was  "not  to  see  its 
consecration,  which  took  place  under  Laurentius, 
his  companion  and  successor.  It  was  at  first 
dedicated  to  the  Apostles  S.  Peter  and  S.  Paul, 
but  Dunstan,  the  twenty-third  archbishop, 
added  the  name  of  S.  Augustine,  and  this  title 
has  supplanted  the  rest.  Many  have  been  the 
changes  in  its  fortunes  ;  it  has  been  abbey,  royal 
hall,  and  bishop's  palace,  and  now,  not  inappro- 
priately it  forms  a  college  of  missionary  students. 
It  will  be  seen  from  the  above  notes  that  the 
footprints  of  S.  Augustine  are  to  be  found  all 
over  his  ancient  city  of  Canterbury,  but  his  work 
spread  beyond  that  city,  or  indeed  the  kingdom  of 
Kent.  By  the  aid  of  Ethelbert  a  second  see  was 
founded  within  his  domains,  and  Julius,  one  of 
S.  Augustine's  first  helpers,  was  made  the  first 
bishop  of  Rochester.  The  cathedral,  built  chiefly 
by  Bishop  Gundulf  (1077-1108)  was  dedicated 
to  S.  Andrew,  in  memory  of  that  monastery  at 
Rome,  whence  the  first  company  of  missionaries 
came   to    Kent ;    and    the    majestic   figure  of  S. 


ST.  AUGUSTINE  AND  IIJS  MISSION.  49 

Augustine,  bearing  the  cross  staff  of  an 
Archbishop,  still  stands  without  the  Chapter  door. 
Westward  and  northward  the  light  spread  from 
Kent  into  the  surrounding  kingdoms,  so  that  even 
far  Northumbria  for  a  brief  space  caught  its 
gleams.  With  all  the  questions  of  ritual  and 
theology  that  arose  between  the  Italian  priests 
and  the  British  Church,  and  with  the  details  of 
their  labours  beyond  the  borders  of  Kent,  we 
must  not  trouble  the  reader  of  the  present  volume. 
One  word  only  will  we  add  as  to  his  claim  to  the 
title  "Apostle  of  the  English."  It  must  be 
remembered  that  not  all  of  England,  much  less  of 
Great  Britain,  was  touched  by  his  work ;  the 
English  never  penetrated  to  Cornwall,  Wales,  or 
Scotland,  and  these  people  owe  little  or  nothing 
directly  to  the  mission  of  S.  Augustine  ;  moreover 
his  work,  or  that  of  his  assistants,  north  of  the 
H umber,  was  superficial  and  shortlived,  so  that  in 
a  few  years  time  it  had  to  be  re-commenced  from 
the  foundation.  From  lona  came  a  band  of 
devoted  men,  whose  simple  lives  and  burning 
words  brought  the  knowledge  of  the  Faith  to 
northern  England,  and  who  may  fairly  claim  an 
equal  share  with  S.  Augustine  in  the  Apostleship 
of  the  English. 


50  BYGONE  KENT. 

The  great  S.  Gregory  was  called  to  his  rest 
early  in  605,  and  but  two  months  later  his  friend 
and  follower,  S.  Augustine,  laid  down  the 
weapons  of  life's  warfare.  His  body  was  laid 
within  his  monastery  at  Canterbury,  whence  S. 
Dunstan  removed  it  to  the  Cathedral. 


^be  IRuineb  Cbapele  anb  Cbantrice  of 
1kent. 

By  Geo.  M.  Arnold,  j.p.,  d.l.,  f.s.a. 

S.    Katharine,  Shorne. 

IN  the  year  1890  I  observed  a  small  freehold 
property  was  advertised  for  sale  by  auction, 
and  in  the  particulars  of  sale  it  was  thus  described  : 
"  The  property  comprises  a  comfortable  old- 
fashioned  residence  in  good  repair,  whilst 
adjoining  and  in  the  rear  is  an  HUClCnt  (Tbapcl) 
supposed  to  have  been  formerly  occupied  by 
Monks,  and  visited  by  the  Pilgrims  on  their  way 
to  the  Shrine  of  Thomas  a  Beckett." 

Attracted  by  this  description,  I  instructed  my 
agent  to  purchase  it,  and  having  removed  the 
stalls  and  mangers  from  the  interior,  and  cleared 
it  of  manure  and  rubbish,  I  proceeded  to  explore 
its  history,  but  found  none,  and  that  all 
records  were  silent  upon  it,  with  the  exception 
that  Mr.  John  Thorpe  inserted  the  following 
account  of  its  appearance  as  an  oast-house  in  1774, 


52  BYGONE  KENT. 

accompanied  by  a  plate.  His  work,  known  as 
the  Customale  Roffense,  was  published  1788. 

"  On  the  right  hand  of  the  road  leading  up  to 
Shorne  Street,  and  opposite  Mr.  Maplesden's 
house,  stands  an  antient  and  fair  chapel  or 
oratory  ;  which,  with  some  additional  building,  is 
now  used  as  a  malt-house,  and  a  small  tenement 
erected  against  the  east  end  of  it,  inhabited  by  the 
maltman.  I  was  informed  by  an  antient  and 
creditable  person  there  that  in  digging  the 
foundation  of  the  new  building  or  lean-to,  a  stone 
coffin  and  many  human  bones  were  disturbed. 
On  the  north  side  is  a  small  orchard,  which 
probably  was  the  cemetery  to  it.  This  edifice  has 
not  been  mentioned  by  any  writer,  nor  have  I 
been  able  hitherto  to  meet  with  anything  relative 
to  its  foundation  and  endowment." 

After  considerable  research  I  discovered  that 
the  little  building  had  been  suppressed  as  a 
chantry  under  the  statute  of  the  i  Edward  VI., 
and  had  thereupon  probably  become  abandoned 
and  derelict,  that  it  had  been  included  in  a 
Commission  of  Queen  Elizabeth  for  the  discovery 
of  "concealed  lands,"  and  having  been  returned 
by  the  Commissioners  as  falling  within  their 
powers,  was  found  to  be  known  as  the  little  chapel 


RUINED  CHAPELS  AND  CHANTRIES.        53 

of  S.  Katharine,  of  small  value,  and  was 
accordingly  comprised  in  one  of  their  omnibus 
deeds  (as  we  should  now  call  them)  of  sale,  in 
which  the  lands  of  many  pious  persons  (confiscated 
under  the  statute)  were  gathered  together  and 
appropriated  to  Secular  purposes  in  return  for 
money,  fee  farm  rents,  or  other  financial 
considerations. 

As  these  official  documents  have  been  given  by 
the  Kent  Archaeological  Society  to  the  public  this 
year,  in  a  paper  written  by  me,  I  do  not  purpose 
here  to  dwell  further  upon  them.  The  building 
now  will  be  made  safe  from  any  further  inroads  of 
adverse  weather,  and  from  more  direct  mischief 
at  the  hands  of  Man. 

In  the  progress  of  the  above  researches  it 
occurred  to  me  that  the  existing  references  to  the 
various  decayed  and  ruined  Kentish  Chantries,  were 
few  and  not  easily  brought  together,  and  that  it 
would  interest  many  if  this  collection  was  now  made, 
accompanied  by  any  original  remarks  or  reference 
to  authentic  records  relevant  to  the  subject,  and 
thus  I  came  to  place  the  following  notes  at  the 
service  of  the  editor  of  "  Bygone  Kent,"  not 
without  an  earnest  hope  that  they  would  lead  to 
enquiry  into  these  small  but  interesting  ruins,  and 


54  BYGONE  KENT. 

where  it  was  not  too  late,  to  take  measures  for 
their  preservation,  but  anyhow  in  the  expectation 
that  they  would  at  least  keep  the  memory  of 
them  to  the  fore,  and  not  improbably  lead  to  the 
discovery  of  what  remains  still  unknown  or 
obscure  in  reference  to  their  past  history. 

We  are  indebted  to  the  painstaking  industry  of 
the  late  Mr.  John  Thorpe  for  the  means  of  now 
reproducing  views  (as  they  existed  in  his  time)  of 
several  of  these  our  smaller  Ecclesiastical.  Build- 
ings in  Kent. 

Rochester  Bridge  Chapel  of  All  Souls, 
established  in  what  was  the  then  narrow  lane 
(upon  which  it  conferred  the  designation  of 
Chapel  Lane)  leading  to  the  east  end  of  the 
then  "  new  bridge  "  of  Rochester.  This  chapel  is 
mentioned  by  Thorpe  in  his  Customale  Roffense, 
page  150,  and  was  founded  and  endowed  by  John 
de  Cobham  and  Sir  Robert  Knowles. 

It  was  customary  at  those  periods  to  erect 
chapels  or  chantries  at  or  near  either  end  of 
important  fords  or  hazardous  ferries,  and  this 
chapel,  which  was  called  Allesolven  or  Allsouls, 
seemed  to  have  been  designed  chiefly  for  the  use 
of  travellers   and  wayfarers.      By  the   foundation 


RUINED  CHAPELS  AND  CHANTRIES.        55 

charter  the  three  chaplains  who  were  to  officiate 
within  its  walls  were  to  be  appointed  by  the  Wardens 
of  the  bridge,  and  were  to  pray  for  the  soul  of  John 
de  Cobham,  and  for  the  souls  of  the  benefactors 
of  the  bridge,  and  for  certain  other  specified 
individuals,  and  generally  for  all  faithful  people. 
Under    the    statute    of     King     Edward     VI., 


BRIDGE  CHAPEL,    ROCHESTER   (sOUTH-EAST   VIEW'). 

referred  to  in  relation  to  St.  Katharine, 
Shorne,  it  was  enacted  that  "  all  sums  of  money 
and  emoluments  which  by  virtue  of  any  assurance 
had  been  given  or  applied,  to  have  continuance 
for  ever ;  which  in  any  one  year  within  five  years 
next  before  the  beginning  of  this  present 
parliament,  have  been  paid,  or  bestowed,  by  any 
Corporation,     Guilds,      Fraternities,     Companies, 


56  BYGONE  KENT. 

Fellowships  of  Mysteries,  or  Crafts,  etc.,  toward 
or  about  the  finding  maintenance  or  sustentation 
of  any  priest,  or  priests,  of  any  anniversary,  or 
obit,  lamp,  light,  or  lights,  or  other  like  thing ; 
shall  go  to  our  said  Lord  the  King,  his  heirs  and 
successors  for  ever  ;  to  be  yearly  as  a  rent  charge 
at  the  Feast  of  St.  Michael  the  Archangel  and 
the  Annunciation  of  our  Lady,"  etc.,  but  it 
appears  that  from  some  cause  or  other,  possibly 
in  view  of  some  such  legislation  being  imminent, 
the  chapel  had  already  ceased  to  be  used  or  to 
depend  upon  these  stipends.  This  is  shewn  by  a 
plea  in  the  Exchequer  of  the  XIX  Queen 
Elizabeth,  where  the  Queen's  Attorney-General 
sued  the  Wardens  of  the  bridge  for  no  less  a  sum 
than  ^513,  being  the  accumulations  of  ^18  per 
annum  (the  stipends  of  £6  each  which  used  to  be 
paid  to  the  three  chaplains)  for  twenty-eight  and 
a  half  years  then  last  past.  The  Attorney- 
General  contended  that  the  total  claim  was 
forfeited,  and  due  to  the  Queen  by  virtue  of  the 
above  act  of  Edward  VI.  for  dissolving  chantries. 
It  did  not  appear,  however,  to  the  jury  that  any 
service  had  been  performed  there,  or  at  all  events 
that  any  stipend  had  been  actually  paid  to  any 
chaplain  or  chantry  priest  by  the  bridge  authorities 


RUINED  CHAPELS  AND  CHANTRIES.        57 

for  officiating  there,  for  five  years  next  before  the 
passing  of  the  said  act  (which  was  an  essential 
requisite  according  to  the  Hmitation  therein 
specified),  and  so  a  verdict  was  given  in  favour  of 
the  Wardens,  The  case  shews  the  tenacity  with 
which  the  pursuit  of  the  confiscated  property  was 
often-times  conducted.  Tiie  circumstance  that 
this  Exchequer  suit  by  Queen  EHzabeth,  against 
the  bridge  Wardens  was  lost  in  consequence  of 
the  defendants  being  able  to  shew  that  the  priests' 
stipends  had  not  been  maintained  during  the 
period  of  five  years  before  the  session  of  1547, 
induced  me  to  investigate  the  suppression  of  the 
adjacent  parish  church  of  S.  Clement,  within 
which  parish  the  bridge  chapel  was  situate — a 
suppression  effected  by  the  Statute  2  and  3  of  the 
same  King,  cap.  17. 

The  enactment,  which  has  not,  I  think,  been 
printed,  but  which  I  have  consulted  in  the 
parliamentary  rolls  at  Westminster,  after  reciting 
that  S.  Clement's  was  so  small  that  the  parish 
had  had  no  incumbent  for  some  years,  in 
consequence  of  which  the  King  had  lost  his  first- 
fruits,  or  tenths,  and  the  inhabitants  had  no 
church  ministrations  ;  proceeds  to  enact  that  the 
parish  of  S.  Clement  be  united  to  the  parish  of  S. 


58  BYGONE  KENT. 

Nicholas,  and  that  William  Harrison,  the  then 
present  incumbent  of  S.  Nicholas,  should  be  the 
incumbent  of  both  parishes,  and  all  payments 
were  to  be  due  to  him,  while  he  was  to  pay  the 
King  his  first-fruits  and  tenths.  The  furniture, 
etc.,  was  to  be  appropriated  to  S.  Nicholas,  as  the 
Bishop  of  Rochester  and  the  Mayor  of  Rochester 
should  arrange. 

These  circumstances  seem  indirectly  to 
corroborate  the  accuracy  of  the  line  of  defence 
set  up  by  the  wardens. 

That  the  chapel  was  not  extra  parochial  is  clear 
from  the  language  of  John  de  Cobham,  the 
founder,  addressed  to  the  Bishop.  "Therefore  I, 
the  said  John,  desiring  by  the  divine  mercy 
heavenly  treasure,  and  knowing  that  naked  I 
came  from  my  mother's  womb,  and  naked  shall  I 
return  unto  the  dust  of  the  earth  ;  and  that  we 
shall  reap  alone  that  which  we  have  sown  ;  have 
established  a  certain  perpetual  chantry  in  the 
chapel  next  the  bridge  of  the  city  of  Rochester, 
within  the  parish  of  the  parish  church  of  S. 
Clement's  in  the  same  city  situate."  The  view 
annexed  is  that  supplied  by  Thorpe,  but  the 
chapel  has  since  been  cleared  by  the  recent  but 
praiseworthy  action   of   the   Bridge   Corporation, 


RUINED  CHAPELS  AND  CHANTRIES.        59 

and  this  at  the  instance,  I  believe,  of  my 
brother,  Mr.  Arnold,  the  Bridge  Clerk,  to  whom 
the  Kent  Archaeological  Society  is  indebted  in  its 
XVII.  vol.  for  several  very  interesting  papers 
bearing  upon  the  bridge  and  its  estates. 

S.   Lawrence  de  Longsole. 

This  chapel  at  Allington,  higher  up  the  river 
Medway,  is  situate  towards  the  south-west  limits 
of  the  parish,  and  was  formerly  called  the  Free 
Chapel,  or  Chantry,  or  Hermitage  of  S.  Lawrence 
de  Langsole,  otherwise  Longsole,  and  so 
designated  probably  from  being  near  to  if  not 
erected  upon  Longsole  Heath. 

The  owners  of  the  Castle  and  Manor  of 
Allington  seem  to  have  been  the  general,  if  not 
the  constant,  patrons  of  this  chapel,  and  the  farm 
attached  to  the  chapel  was  known  as  the 
*'  Hermitage  "  Farm  in  the  time  of  Thorpe. 

It  may  be  interesting  to  mention  that  John, 
Bishop  of  Rochester,  issued  from  Southfleet, 
under  date  22nd  September,  1422,  a  commission 
to  enquire  whether  this  chapel  was  really  in 
Aylesford  or  in  Allington,  since  the  right  to  the 
offerings  made  at  it,  on  the  Vigil  and  Feast  of  S. 
Lawrence     (its    patron     Saint)    was    in    dispute 


6o  BYGONE  KENT. 

between  the  Vicar  of  Aylesford  and  the  Rector  of 
AlHngton. 

EsLiNGHAM  Chapel,   Frindsburv. 

In  reference  to  the  Chapel  of  EsHngham, 
Hugh  de  St.  Clare,  Lord  of  the  Manor,  obtained 
from  Bishop  Gundulph  a  grant  of  a  Free  Chapel 
within  that  Manor.  This  first  structure  perished, 
and  the  chapel  was  rebuilt  in  the  time  of  John 
(the  second  Bishop  of  Rochester  of  that  name,  who 
was  consecrated  Bishop  of  Rochester  a.d.  1137), 
and  between  that  year  and  a.d.  i  144  he  dedicated 
it  in  honour  of  "  S.  Peter,  the  chief  of  the 
apostles,"  and  confirmed  all  the  privileges  which 
Bishop  Gundulph  had  granted  to  Hugh  de  St. 
Clare  in  respect  of  it. 

The  chapel  is  stated  by  Thorpe  to  have  been 
"  a  massive  stone  building  with  Gothic  windows 
and  iron  bars." 

It  seems  to  have  been  about  thirty  feet  in  length 
by  about  twenty  feet  in  width,  and  stood  east 
and  west  on  the  side  of  the  yard  south  of 
the  dwelling-house,  and  was  used  as  an  oast 
house,  but  becoming  ruinous  "  was  pulled  down 
in  the  year  1772,  and  a  new  oast  erected  near 
the  spot."  There  are  now  no  traces  of  it  above 
the  surface. 


RUINED  CHAPELS  AND  CHANTRIES.        6i 

The  Chapel  of  S.  Margaret,  Helle,  Darenth. 
The  Chapel  of  S.  Margaret,  Helle,  is  situate  in 
Darenth,  and  according  to  the  account  of  it  which 
the  Reverend  Samuel  Denne  (the  Vicar)  supplied 
to  Mr.  Thorpe,  it  appeared  to  him  quite  uncertain 
when  it  was  built,  but  no  question  exists  of  its 
antiquity.      S.  Margaret's  Chapel  is  mentioned  in 


CHAPEL  OK  S.  MARGARET,  HEI.I.E,  DARENTH. 

the  Textus  Roffenses  as  subject  to  the  payment 
for  Chrism  of  the  yearly  sum  of  sixpence  to 
Rochester  Cathedral. 

A  composition  was  confirmed  by  Archbishop 
Wareham,  in  1522,  relative  to  the  duty  to  be 
performed  at  the  chapel,  respecting  which  a 
difference  had   then  arisen  between   the  vicar  of 


62  BYGONE  KENT. 

the  parish  and  the  parishioners ;  upon  which 
occasion  it  was  ordered  by  the  Archbishop  (inter 
alia)  that  owing  to  the  distance,  the  privileges  of 
baptism  and  burial  were  to  be  obtained  at  the 
chapel,  but  marriage  was  restricted  to  the  parish 
church.  It  is  singular  that  both  the  parish 
church  and  this  chapel  were  dedicated  to  S. 
Margaret. 

In  reference  to  the  mention  of  Chrism,  it  should 
be  added  that  it  appears  to  have  been  customary 
for  parish  Churches  in  the  Diocese  of  Rochester 
to  pay  a  Chrism  Due  of  ixrt^.,  as  distinguished 
from  the  Chapels  which  paid  only  v\d,  yearly. 

By  an  Episcopal  ordination  of  the  Vicarage,  of 
the  4th  December  1292,  the  vicar  was  to  find 
"duos  capellanos  celebrantes,  unum  videlicit  in 
ecclesia  de  Darenth,  et  alterum  in  Capella  de 
Helles." 

Nothing  of  the  Chapel  remained  even  in 
Thorpe's  time,  but  the  Tower  ;  the  walls  of  the 
main  structure  having  been  then  many  years  since 
removed,  and  the  materials  converted  to  other 
uses,  which,  he  adds,  "has  been  generally  the  fate 
of  these  disused  edifices."  Of  this  Tower  I  have 
reproduced  the  north-east  view  which  he  has 
left  us. 


RUINED  CHAPELS  AND  CHANTRIES.        63 
The  Chantry   of  S.    Mary   at    Milton, 

NEXT    GrAVESEND. 

This  chantry  was  founded  by  Aymer  de  Valence, 
Earl  Pembroke,  owner  of  the  Manor  of  Milton,  who 
lies  buried  in  a  place  of  remarkable  honour  on 
the  north  side  of  the  Choir  of  Westminster  Abbey 
a  distinction  which  he  probably  owed  to  the 
circumstance  that  his  father  was  half-brother  to 
King  Henry  III. 

Bishop  Hamo  de  Hethe,  by  an  instrument 
dated  April  15th,  1322,  at  his  palace  at  Hailing, 
ordained  at  the  instance  of  the  Earl  Aymer  (who 
was  patron  of  the  Chantry)  and  of  the  secular  priests 
residing  at  it,  among  other  things  "that  they  should 
be  for  the  future  '  Regulars '  who  should  receive 
and  keep  a  certain  rule,  and  who,  in 
celebrating  divine  offices  for  the  souls  of  the 
family  of  Montchensie,  and  of  the  Earl  himself, 
his  wife,  etc.,  should  especially  commemorate  him 
and  the  founder.  And  that  of  the  priests  who 
should  be  the  first  placed  in  this  Chantry  should 
be  appointed  by  him,  the  said  Bishop,  one  of 
whom  adjudged  most  fit  by  him  for  this  purpose 
should  be  appointed  Provost  or  Master,  whom  the 
rest  should  obey  as  their  superior,  and  on  his 
death    or    removal    the    brethren,   within    three 


64  B  YGONE  KENT. 

months  after  the  vacancy,  were  to  choose  for  a 
successor  another  priest  who  had  professed  the 
rule  of  the  Chantry  for  one  year,  and  after  being 
presented  to  the  patron,  or  if  he  was  at  an  incon- 
venient distance,  to  the  steward  or  baiHff  of  his 
estate,  he  was  to  be  admitted  as  Provost  by  the 
Bishop  of  Rochester." 

And  the  Bishop  also  granted  that  they  should 
"  have  an  altar  in  the  Chapel  of  the  Chantry,  and 
a  competent  burial  place  for  themselves,  but  for  no 
others  whatsoever,  and  that  no  one  but  themselves 
should  administer  the  sacraments  of  the  Church 
therein  (and  that  with  bells,  in  a  becoming 
manner)  and  without  prejudice  to  the  Mother 
Church,  and  he  willed  they  should  possess  the 
same  for  ever,  freely,  peaceably,  and  quietly,  saving 
all  episcopal  right  to  him  and  to  the  Church  of 
Rochester." 

In  the  list  of  the  benefices  of  the  Bishop  of  the 
Diocese  {^Reg.  Roff.  14)  the  Rectory  and  this 
chantry  are  enumerated  together  as  "  Ecclesia  de 
Meltone  cum  Cantaria  ibidem."  There  was  no 
chantry  within  the  Church,  but  this  chantry  of  S. 
Mary  was  within  a  few  hundred  yards  distance  of 
it,  to  the  north-west. 

No  exterior  indications  of  the  chantry  are  now 


RUINED  CHAPELS  AND  CHANTRIES.        65 

visible,  but  the  walls  are  enclosed  in  the  Barracks 
of  New  Tavern  Fort.  The  foundation  was 
suppressed  and  alienated  in  the  latter  part  of  the 
reign  of  King  Henry  VIII. 

The   Free  Chapel  of  S.   Lawrence,   Halling. 

This  "  Libera  Capella  Sancti  Laurentij  in 
Hallyng,"  is  another  of  the  suppressed  chantries 
under  the  operation  of  the  Edwardian  statute. 

It  appears  to  have  been  an  edifice  of  fair 
antiquity,  being  built  with  rough  stones,  and  was, 
Thorpe  says,  from  his  earliest  memory  in  a  ruined 
condition,  without  roof  or  timbers,  but  had  then 
for  some  years  past  been  converted  into  a 
workshop  and  dwellinghouse,  and  inhabited  by  a 
wheelwright,  the  chancel  portion  being  the 
house.  It  was  at  that  time  plastered  over  and 
whitewashed.  The  chapel  is  mentioned  in  the 
Reg.  Roff.  as  being  in  the  collation  of  the  bishop. 

At  a  distance  of  a  mile  is  the  parish  church, 
and  near  to  it  the  remains  of  the  ancient 
Episcopal  Palace ;  close  to,  and  connected  with 
which,  was  another  chapel  for  the  Bishop's  use. 

Dode  Chapel, 
in    the    parish   of  Luddesdown,   was  originally,  I 
believe,  the  parish  church  of  a  separate  parish  of 


66  BYGONE  KENT. 

its  own  name,  and  as  seems  from  the  Textus 
Roffensis,  it  was  accordingly  subject  to  the  yearly- 
Chrism  of  ninepence  to  the  Bishop  of  Rochester. 
The  origin  of  its  nonuser  is  now  lost  in  the 
obscurity  and  maze  of  years,  but  it  was  ultimately 
annexed  to  the  Rectory  of  Paddlesworth,  by 
instrument  dated  the  ist  March,  1366. 

The  view  of  the  ruins  given  in  Thorpe  is  not 
correct,  since  there  is  no  reality  of  any 
erection  by  squared  stones  or  ashlar  work,  as  there 
portrayed,  but  the  structure  is  of  flint  chalk  and 
rag  rubble  work,  with  an  exterior  coat  of  plaster 
much  indurated  and  hardened  by  years  of 
exposure.  The  nave  is  about  thirty-six  feet  in 
length  and  the  chancel  eighteen  feet,  and  now  so 
surrounded  by  a  dense  underwood  and  brushwood 
as  to  be  scarcely  accessible. 

Maplescomb. 

This  little  building,  like  the  one  last  mentioned, 
was  formerly  the  church  of  a  rectory,  down  to  a 
comparatively  late  period,  since  it  was  only  united 
to  the  adjoining  parish  of  Kingsdown  in  a.d.  1638, 
or  thereabouts. 

Dr.  Harris  writes  (as  quoted  i-n  Thorpe's 
Customale)    "  Will  de  Valorgnes  tenet  de  D.  R. 


RUINED  CHAPELS  AND  CHANTRIES.        67 

in  capite  medietat  in  maneris  de  Maplescampe," 
by  the  service  of  "finding  a  halfpenny  for  an 
offering  whenever  he  should  hear  mass  at 
Maplescamp." 

The  length  of  the  building  was  fifty-one  feet  by 
a  width  of  twenty-one  feet,  and  the  engraving 
supplied  shows  how  the  ruins  appeared  in  a.d. 
1768. 


RUINS   OF    MAPLESCOMB  CHURCH,    I768. 

ROKESLEY,    NOW  RuXLEY. 

This  ruined  building  is  said  to  stand  near  and 
just  above  the  XIII.  milestone  on  the  road  from 
London  to  Farningham. 

It  appears  that  Cardinal  Pole  united  it  upon 
the  occasion  of  his  visitation,  in  1557,  to  the  parish 
of  North  Cray. 

The  little  church  building,  which  in  Thorpe's 
time,  was  entire,  then  stood  in  the   corner  of  a 


68  BYGONE  KENT. 

garden,  and  had  been  converted  into  a  barn. 
The  southern  (priest's)  entrance  had  been 
enlarged,  and  fitted  with  a  pair  of  barn  doors, 
allowing  a  width  of  space  for  a  waggon  to  draw 
through. 

It  was  then  called  "  Church  Barn,"  in  order  to 
distinguish  it  from  other  barns  upon  the  same 
farm. 

In  the  chancel  portion  he  mentions  that  there 
then  remained  "two  confessionary  stalls,  with 
mitred  arches  and  seats  in  them,  and  nearer  to  the 
east  end  on  the  same  side  the  receptacle  for  the 
holy  water,"  by  which  it  is  clear  that  he  meant  the 
usual  Sedilia  and  Piscina. 

LULLINGSTONE. 

These  ruins  are  alleged  to  have  anciently 
formed  the  church  of  a  distinct  parish,  though, 
according  to  the  Textus  Roffensis,  doubt  is  cast 
on  the  claim,  since  it  is  shown  to  have  paid  to  the 
mother  church  of  the  Diocese  only  the  chapelry 
Chrism  of  sixpence  yearly. 

The  fabric  had  a  length  of  thirty-seven  feet  by 
sixteen  feet  and  a  half,  and  was  measured  as  well 
as  was  possible,  owing  to  the  briars  and  nettles,  by 
Mr.  Thorpe  himself.      He  considered  the  circular 


RUINED  CHAPELS  AND  CHANTRIES.        69 

windows  indicated  the  presence  of  Roman  work, 
which,  to  say  the  least,  is  open  to  more  than 
doubt. 

The  Httle  parish  and  vicarage  of  Lullingstone 
was  for  ecclesiastical  purposes  merged  in  the 
adjoining  parish  and  rectory  of  Lullingstone  as 
late  as  a.d.  17 12. 

S.  Leonard,  at  West  Malling. 
The  remains  of  this  building  are  extremely  well 
known,  and  like  S.  Mary  Helle,  consist  of  a 
Tower  only,  of  massive  erection.  The  chapel 
appears,  from  the  records  collected  in  the  Textus 
Roffensis,  to  have  been  one  belonging  to  Malling, 
and  was  seventy  feet  in  length  by  thirty-three 
feet  in  breadth.  Thorpe's  view  of  the  tower, 
taken  in  1772,  gives  an  inadequate  impression  of 
the  massiveness  of  the  work,  the  walls  being  seven 
feet  in  thickness  and  some  seventy  feet  even  in  the 
then  reduced  state  of  its  height.  Thorpe  remarks 
that  "  the  destruction  of  the  body  of  the  chapel  was 
without  doubt  for  the  materials,  and  that  the 
upper  part  of  the  tower  has  shared  the  same  fate, 
as  would  the  whole  most  likely  but  for  the  labour 
and  expense  owing  to  the  hardness  and  strong 
concretion  of  the  cement.  " 


70  BYGONE  KENT. 

Chapel  of  S.  John,  at  Newphthe, 
East  Malling. 

The  following  account  is  taken  almost  totidem 
verbis  from  the  Czistomale  Roffense. 

Newhithe,  commonly  called  Newhede,  from  its 
situation  on  the  banks  of  the  Medway  (the 
termination  of  the  Saxon  word  hithe  signifying  a 
small  port  or  haven  for  embarking,  and  landing, 
loading,  and  unloading  goods)  is  a  hamlet  in  the 
above  parish. 

In  the  street  stands  an  ancient  chapel,  which 
was  dedicated  to  S.  John,  but  was  in  Thorpe's 
time  already  converted  into  a  dwelling-house. 

The  structure  seems  to  have  been  a  free  chapel 
for  the  benefit  of  this  hamlet,  situate  at  a  good 
distance  from  the  parish  church  :  but  the  founder 
and  endowments  are  unknown.  On  the  general 
suppression,  the  lands  annexed  to  them  were 
granted  to  different  persons  and  uses. 

In  the  augmentation  of  the  Vicarage  of  East 
Malling,  in  the  time  of  Archbishop  Islip,  dated 
at  Charing  in  the  year  1363,  mention  is  made  that 
John  Lorkyn,  then  vicar,  and  his  successors,  should 
receive  all  oblations  or  offerings  of  what  kind 
soever  given  to  the  said  chapel,  "  percipiet 
insuper    vicarius    predictus    et     sui    successores 


RUINED  CHAPELS  AND  CHANTRIES.        71 

vicarii  in  dicta  ecclesia  ministrantes  cunctis 
temporibus  in  futurum  omnes  et  omnimodas 
oblaciones  tarn  in  dicta  ecclesia  parochiali  quam 
in  capella  Sancti  Johannis  apud  Newhitiie  in 
parochia  dicte  ecclesie  constitute,"  etc.  This 
building,  together  with  a  small  piece  of  ground  on 
the  south  side,  which  seemed  to  have  been  the 
cemetery,  became  in  course  of  years  the  property 


CHAPEL   OF   S.    JOHN,    NEWHITHE,    EAST    MALLING. 

of  Sir  Roger  Twisden,  Bart.  The  chapel  then 
stood  in  a  small  square  at  the  back  of  the 
houses,  on  the  south  side  of  the  street,  from 
whence  were  two  passages  that  led  to  it.  The 
east  window  had  been  taken  out,  and  the  space 
worked  up  with  stones,  etc.  The  west  window 
also  appeared  a  ruin,  as  in  the  drawing  taken  from 
Mr.  Thorpe's  book,  and  the  old  door-case,  which 


72  BYGONE  KENT. 

from  the  stonework  was  a  Gothic  one,  had  been 
taken  away  and  a  modern  one  put  in  its  place. 
The  window  on  the  north  side  was  likewise  a 
Gothic  one,  belonging  to  the  chapel,  but  being  too 
large  for  the  dwelling-house,  had  been  contracted, 
and  the  upper  mitred  panels  plastered  over. 

The  length  of  the  chapel  is  stated  to  be  thirty- 
one  feet  and  the  breadth  twenty  feet.  The  draw- 
ing was  taken  a.d.  1777,  and  shews  the  north-west 
view  of  the  chapel. 

Merston. 
Of  this  little  church  there  are  no  remains  above 
the  ground  level,  and  the  living  has  become  a 
sinecure  rectory.  The  church,  when  existent,  was 
dedicated  to  St.  Giles,  and  it  stood  at  the 
north-east  corner  of  a  wood  known  as  Chapel 
Wood,  about  half  a  mile  to  the  east  of  Green 
Farm,  now  occupied  by  Mr.  Jull,  which  wood  has 
since  been  grubbed,  and  the  dismembered  remains 
of  the  walls  are  even  now  continually  dispersed 
by  the  ploughshare.  Merston,  which  adjoins 
Shorne,  was  (judging  from  its  name)  probably  a 
place  of  more  importance  than  is  now  apparent. 
Taking  Mere  as  equivalent  to  Sea,  it  would  read 
Water  or  Seatown,  in  relation   to   the  sea  water 


RUINED  CHAPELS  AND  CHANTRIES.        73 

which  here  finds  entrance  from  the  Thames 
Mouth.  The  parish  for  all  practical  purposes  is 
absorbed  in  Shorne. 

Paddlesworth. 

These  ruins  again,  as  in  several  earlier  cases, 
are  those  not  so  much  of  a  chapel  as  of  a 
parish  church,  if  we  depend  upon  the  Textus 
Roffensis. 

The  walls  in  Thorpe's  time  were  entire 
excepting  a  breach  on  the  north  side,  made  wide 
enough  for  farm  carts  to  enter  for  shelter  from  the 
weather,  and  for  the  reception  of  ploughs,  harrows, 
and  other  implements  of  husbandry,  which  was 
then,  he  adds,  "  the  only  use  that  was  made  of  it." 

Greenhithe,  Swanscomb,  St.  Mary's  Chapel. 
This  chantry,  in  the  parish  of  Swanscomb,  was 
erected  in  the  reign  of  Edward  III.,  and  dedicated 
to  Almighty  God  under  the  invocation  of  the 
Blessed  Virgin  Mary,  "  in  which  the  Divine 
Offices  should  be  daily  offered  for  the  health  of 
the  King's  soul  and  of  John  Lucas  of  Swannes- 
compe "  while  they  lived,  and  afterwards  for 
their  souls,  "  cum  ab  hac  luce  substracti  fuerimus," 
and  for  their  ancestors,  and  for  the  souls  of  all  the 


74  BYGONE  KENT. 

faithful  departed.  The  site  was  loo  feet  square, 
and  the  endowment  was  20  acres  of  pasture  in 
Swanscomb  parish,  of  which,  as  above  mentioned, 
the  village  of  Greenhithe  formed  part. 

Pembury,  The  Chapel  of  St.   Mary  in  the 

Cemetery. 
In  this  parish  we  have,  for  Kent,  the  very 
unusual  circumstance  of  the  distinct  and  separate 
building  of  the  chantry  within  the  limits  of  the 
churchyard  of  the  parish.  It  was  known  as  "the 
Chantry  of  St.  Mary  in  the  Cemetery,"  and  was 
founded  by  John  Culpepper,  in  the  reign  of 
Edward  III.  The  structure  was  in  length  thirty  feet, 
and  in  width  eighteen  feet,  and  its  roof  was  covered 
with  lead.  It  remained  intact  until  the  general 
suppression  of  such  chantries  in  the  i  Edward  VI., 
when  it  was  speedily  pulled  down,  and  its  materials 
converted  into  cash,  while  the  lands  forming  its 
endowment  were  sold  to  different  persons. 
Richard  Hill  was  the  last  incumbent  of  the 
chantry  (a.d.  1553),  and  it  appears  that  as  such 
he  received  a  compensatory  life  pension  of 
£6  13s.  4d.  upon  being  sent  adrift. 

No    remains    now    exist,   and    no   view  of  the 
chantry  appears  to  be  extant. 


RUINED  CHAPELS  AND  CHANTRIES.        75 

Reculver,  St.  James's  Chantry. 
Leland  is  quoted  as  writing  "  that  there  was  a 
neglect  chapel  owt  of  the  churchyard,"  etc.  This 
chapel,  it  seems,  stood  at  a  small  distance  west  of 
the  renowned  Parish  Church,  and  was  dedicated  to 
St.  James,  and  a  Hermit  was  appointed  to 
officiate  in  it.  King  Richard  II.,  in  the  third  year 
of  his  reign,  granted  to  Thomas  Hamond,  the 
then  Hermit  of  this  chapel,  the  right  of  collecting 
alms  for  its  rebuilding,  It  was  then  stated  that 
the  old  chapel  had  been  instituted  for  the  burial 
of  persons  whose  bodies  were  found  upon  the  sea 
shore,  a  fate  which  unhappily  overtook  this 
ancient,  though  rebuilt,  structure,  which  perished 
by  the  like  encroachments  of  the  insatiable  sea. 

Strood,  St.   Bartholomew's. 

The  well-known  Lazar  House  at  the  east  end  of 
Rochester,  known  as  St.  Bartholomew's,  Chatham, 
was  not  an  isolated  establishment  of  that  character 
in  the  locality,  for  in  the  opposite  (the  west) 
extremity  of  the  City  of  Rochester  stood  a 
similar  institution. 

This  second  St.  Bartholomew's  was  at  the  top 
of  Strood  Hill,  at  a  spot  called  "The  White  Ditch," 
on  the  south  side  of  the  present  highway  there. 


76  BYGONE  KENT. 

and  doubtless  the  appellation  of  White  arose  from 
the  natural  appearance  of  the  chalk  sub-soil  upon 
excavation.  The  hill  long  retained,  and  perhaps 
still  retains  to  this  day,  the  name  of  "  Spittal  Hill." 

We  find  in  the  will  of  Thomas  de  Woldham, 
Bishop  of  Rochester,  amidst  other  bequests  was 
the  following,  "  Item,  lego  leprosis  de  Alba  fossa 
v\s.  vvixdy  The  personnel  of  this  hospital 
apparently  comprised  a  Sisterhood  as  well  as 
Brethren,  and  probably  therefore  received  patients 
of  both  sexes.  In  the  same  way  at  Pilton, 
Devon,  we  find  "  Adam  Teighe,  under  date  the 
24  Edward  III.,  a.d.  1350,  gave  a  tenement  in  that 
place  to  the  Brothers  and  Sisters  of  the  Leper 
Hospital  of  the  Blessed  Margaret  of  Pilton." 
We  can  unfortunately  now  procure  no  view  of 
any  part  of  this  suppressed  foundation.  Referring 
to  St.  Bartholomew's,  at  Chatham,  I  should  add 
that  to  the  west  of  the  Norman  Church  the  nave 
extended  sixteen  feet,  but  in  this  and  in  the  last 
century  the  nave  has  been  much  more  extended 
in  a  westerly  direction. 

It  is  noteworthy  that  at  the  western  entrance  of 
the  City  of  Canterbury  (upon  the  same  high  road 
from  London)  existed  the  similar  hospital  for 
lepers  of  St.  Nicholas,  one  mile  from  the  west  gate 


RUINED  CHAPELS  AND  CHANTRIES.        77 

of  the  city,  the  same  distance  of  the  Strood  Lazar 
House  from  the  western  entrance  into  Rochester, 
It  was  founded  by  Archbishop  Lanfranc,  circa 
1084,  with  two  other  houses,  which  were  dedicated 
respectively  to  St.  James  and  St.  Lawrence. 
Both  of  the  latter  foundations  were  swept  away  at 
the  time  of  suppression,  in  1537  and  1551,  but 
the  retention  of  the  ancient  church  of  St.  Nicholas 
for  congregational  worship  saved  the  Harbledown 
Lazar  House,  as  St.  Bartholomew's  Chapel  at 
Chatham  saved  the  hospital  attached  to  it. 

Although  the  church  or  chapel  at  '*  Whiteditch," 
Spittal  Hill,  Strood,  was  dedicated  to  St. 
Bartholomew,  it  would  appear  that  the  Lazar 
House  itself  (from  Sto well's  Records  of  Wills)  was 
called  after  St.  Katherine. 

Edward  Munn,  of  Strood,  bequeathed  *'  to  the 
poor  folke  of  the  Spittlehouse  a  bushel  of  malt," 
and  another  testator  left  "to  the  Lazar  House  of 
Whiteditch,  2s." 

Ash,  near  Ridley,  Chapel  of  Scots  Grove, 
in  this  parish. 
The  dedication  of  this  chapel,  like  that  of  St. 
Katharine  in  Shorne,  is  not  mentioned  in  Hasted's 
**  Kent/'  or  any  other  book  to  my  knowledge. 


78  BYGONE  KENT. 

It  was  probably  a  chapel  attached  to  Scot 
Grove,  since  the  latter  was  anciently  accounted  as 
a  manor.  Hasted  speaking  of  it  says,  "  there  was 
once  a  chapel  belonging  to  this  estate,  the 
foundations  of  which  are  still  visible  in  a  wood 
called  Chapel  Wood,"  and  Thorpe  says  that  in 
August,  1769,  its  foundations  were  visible,  and 
that  he  had  seen  them. 

Fawkham. 

Mention  is  made  in  the  Textus  Roffensis,  p.  136, 
of  a  chantry  of  St.  Catherine  in  the  parish  church, 
but  Sir  W.  de  Faukham,  in  1274,  founded  another 
within  the  parish  church  in  honour  of  the  Blessed 
Virgin  Mary,  and  for  the  good  of  the  souls  of 
himself  and  of  his  successors,  which  he  endowed 
with  five  marks  of  yearly  rent  in  pure  and 
perpetual  alms,  to  be  paid  out  of  fifty-five  acres  at 
Scotbury,  in  Southfieet,  and  this  foundation  was 
confirmed  by  the  bishop  in  a.d.  1278.  St 
Catherine's  seems  to  have  been  a  chantry  under 
the  jurisdiction  of  the  Archdeacon  of  Rochester, 
since  it  is  so  recorded  at  p.  136  Reg.  Roff.,  by  the 
name  of  "  Cantaria  Stse  Katarinae  de  Fawkham." 

The  view  given  by  Thorpe  in  his  Customale ,  p. 
116,  was  taken  by  his  express  instructions,  in  the 


RUINED  CHAPELS  AND  CHANTRIES.        79 

year  1769,  and  it  shews  clearly  the  outline  of  this 
ancient  chantry,  though  his  reference  to  it  is  curt. 
"There  was  another  chantry  dedicated  to  St. 
Catherine,  but  by  whom  founded  is  uncertain," 
and  he  seems  to  regard  the  ruined  building  as 
possibly  other  than  St.  Catherine,  but  Hasted, 
writing  later,  says,  "  the  foundations  of  the  ancient 
Mansion  House  of  Fawkham  are  yet  visible.  .  .  . 
What  remains  of  the  building  seem  to  have  been 
the  walls  of  the  chapel." 

CosENTON  Chapel,  Aylesford  Parish. 

Sir  Stephen  de  Cosenton,  Knight,  was  with 
King  Edward  I.  at  the  noted  siege  of  Carlaverock, 
in  Scotland,  and  was  there  made  a  Banneret  by 
the  King  for  his  good  service. 

At  this  period  it  would  seem  there  was  a  chapel 
at  Cosenton  Manor  dedicated  to  St.  Michael,  with 
a  Chantry  in  it  founded  by  Sir  Stephen. 

It  further  appears  that  in  1444,  September  12, 
{23  Henry  VI.)  he  released  by  deed  the  Master  and 
Brethren  of  the  Hospital  of  the  Newerk  at 
Strood  from  the  obligation  of  finding  a  Chaplain 
to  celebrate  yearly  in  this  Chapel  of  St.  Michael, 
and  it  would  seem  that  they  in  return  released  all 
privilege   of   providing    such     Chaplain,    and    all 


8o  BYGONE  KENT. 

claims  connected  with  it,  though  this  last  and 
complimentary  release  seems  to  have  come 
somewhat  tardily,  since  it  was  not  executed  till 
some  eleven  years  later,  and  then  at  Strood  on  the 
loth  October,  34  Henry  VI. 

Thorpe,  writing  in  1788,  says  no  vestige 
remained  to  point  out  the  exact  site  of  the  chapel. 

TOTTINGTON     ChAPEL,      AyLESFORD. 

In  the  same  parish  of  Aylesford  also  stood  the 
Chapel  of  Tottington,  the  exact  site  of  which 
Thorpe  had  the  good  fortune  to  discover,  and  he 
ascertained  its  dimensions  to  have  been  thirty-nine 
feet  in  length  by  twenty-two  feet  six  inches 
in  width.  The  structure  stood  east  and  west, 
and  was  also,  like  the  last-mentioned  chapel, 
dedicated  to  St.   Michael. 

After  the  suppression,  it  seems  to  have  fallen 
into  disuse,  and  the  natural  forces  of  nature, 
assisted  by  the  acts  of  men,  speedily  completed 
the  ruin. 

COBHAM,    COBHAMBURY. 

The  chapel  here  was  doubtless  a  free  chapel, 
but  it  must  not  be  confused  with  the  "  Quandam 
perpetuam  Cantariam "  which  Pope  Urban 
the    VI.    authorised,    "  in    parochiali    ecclesia    de 


RUINED  CHAPELS  AND  CHANTRIES.       8i 

Cobeham,"  which  the  parents  of  John,  Lord 
Cobham,  had  chosen  for  their  own  interment,  and 
in  which  latter  chantry  five  perpetual  Chaplains, 
forming  a  College,  should  serve  "in  Divinis  "  for 
ever. 

This  latter  foundation  of  the  36  Edward  III., 
A.D.  1362  (so  amply  furnished  and  endowed  by 
the  piety  of  John  de  Cobham),  continued  till  the 
reign  of  Henry  VIII.,  when,  foreseeing  the 
approaching  dissolution,  the  Master  and  Brethren 
aliened  it  to  George  Brooke,  Lord  Cobham,  who 
had  interest  with  the  King,  to  protect  the 
transaction,  and  so  it  happened  the  property  in  the 
suppressed  chantry  when  thus  sold  to  him  was  by 
express  words  exempted  from  the  destructive  opera- 
tion of  the  statute  of  the  31st  year  of  that  king,  and 
again  from  the  statute  for  the  suppression  of 
Chantries,  i  Edward  VI.,  c.  14.  In  the  course  of 
making  some  recent  searches  in  connection  with  the 
St.  Katherine's  Chantry,  Shorne,  I  ascertained  the 
existence  at  Hatfield  House,  Herts,  of  two  Rolls 
of  the  accounts  of  the  Masters  of  this  College, 
temp.  Henry  VII. 

Sir  William  Brooke,  the  son  of  George  Brooke 

de    Cobham,    by    his    will    left    the  property    to 

trustees,  under  which  instrument,  and  by  the  aid 

G 


82  BYGONE  KENT. 

of  an  Act  of  Parliament  of  the  39  Elizabeth,  an 
entirely  new  foundation  was  created  and  the 
Wardens  of  Rochester  Bridge  brought  into 
connection  with  it,  and  this  latter  foundation  in  its 
general  outlines  has  continued  with  better  fortune 
than  its  predecessor  till  this  day. 

Returning  to  the  free  Chapel  of  Cobhambury, 
there  is,  I  believe,  no  trace  of  the  building  now 
remaining,  but  in  the  list  of  Collations  of 
Benefices  appertaining  to  the  Bishop  stands 
recorded  the  "libera  capella  de  Cobhambury." 

Dartford,  St.  Edmund  the  Martyr. 
This  is  another  chantry  the  building  of  which 
disappeared,  according  to  Hasted,  at  the  general 
suppression.  It  was  situate  on  "  East  Hill,"  and 
overlooked  the  parish  church  and  churchyard, 
both  of  which  lay  in  the  town  below,  but  although 
the  building  itself  was  destroyed  and  its  materials 
sold,  the  ground  around  it  was  continued  as  a 
burial  ground,  and  so  remains  to  this  day.  The 
advowson  of  this  chantry  was  vested  in  the 
Priory  of  Dartford  Convent,  in  the  46th  year  of 
Edward  V.,  indeed  it  was  given  to  the  Nuns 
at  the  period  of  their  first  endowment.  The 
other  chantry  at   Dartford   was  within  the  parish 


RUINED  CHAPELS  AND  CHANTRIES.        83 

church,  and  was  founded  by  a  former  Vicar, 
Thomas  de  Dartford,  alias  A.  H.  Stampett,  in 
A.D.  1338. 

It  was  well  endowed,  and  at  tts  suppression  in 
1553,  Robert  Bacon  was  its  incumbent,  and  was 
pensioned  off  at  £6  per  annum. 

It  was  dedicated  to  the  Blessed  Virgin,  and 
paid  the  Vicar  xii</.  yearly,  and  was  usually  called 
"  the  Stampett  Chantry." 

In  the  list  of  the  Bishop's  benefices  (Reg.Roff. 
141)  it  appears  that  the  separate  "  Cantaria  Sti 
Edmundi  de  Dertford"  was  under  the  jurisdiction 
of  the  Archdeacon,  while  the  "  Vicaria  de 
Dertford  et  Cantaria  ibidem  de  Stampetts  "  were 
not. 

No  remains  of  St.  Edmund's  Chantry  are 
extant. 

HORSEMONDEN. 

The  "  Cantaria  annunciationis  Beatse  Mariae 
in  Horsemonden,"  to  follow  the  words  of  the  old 
record,  is  the  last  of  the  three  chantries  dependent 
on  the  jurisdiction  of  the  Archdeacon,  and  though 
it  does  not  fairly  come  within  the  scope  of  this 
paper,  as  not  being  contained  in  an  independent 
edifice  (since,  as  was  most  frequent  and  far  more 
convenient,    a    chantry    was    located    within    the 


84  BYGONE  KENT. 

parish  church),  it  is  yet  interesting  as  a  rare 
instance  of  an  elective  advowson  in  Kent.  Thus 
the  founder,  Robert  de  Grovehurst,  by  deed  of  the 
4th  July,  1338,  provided  that  on  the  first  vacancy 
the  parishioners  who  should  "be  present  at  the 
usual  time  of  mass  on  the  next  Sunday,  being  six 
in  number,  should  nominate  a  priest  to  be 
presented  to  the  chantry,"  to  which  there  was 
apparently  a  house  of  residence  assigned,  with 
the  obligation  of  celebrating  daily. 

Maidstone  Chapel  of  Corpus  Christi, 
in   Earl  Street,  with  its  adjacent   building,  was  a 
work  of  much  importance. 

The  revenues  of  the  fraternity  were  ample,  and 
not  only  did  their  chaplain  act  as  chantry  priest 
in  their  own  chapel,  but  they  also  maintained  out 
of  their  revenues  a  priest  to  celebrate  in  the 
parish  church  of  All  Saints'.  On  the  suppression, 
the  Corporation,  by  the  sale  of  the  community  vest- 
ments, church  plate,  etc.,  were  enabled  to  purchase 
this  property  of  the  Crown,  and  it  is  now  the 
receptacle  of  the  tubs  and  casks  of  a  brewery, 
against  which  misappropriation  its  massive  walls 
and  beautiful  traceried  windows  offer  a  silent  but 
ineffective  protest. 


RUINED  CHAPELS  AND  CHANTRIES.        85 

Dover  Round  Church. 
The  dedication  of  this  Httle  Round  Church  on 
the  heights  at  Dover,  is,  I  beheve,  unknown.  It 
has  been  well  described  in  the  Archceologia 
Cantiana,  with  a  plan  shewing  the  circular  nave  of 
an  interior  diameter  of  twenty-five  feet,  and  a 
chancel  possessing  a  length  of  twenty-seven  feet 
by  a  width  of  about  fourteen  feet.  The 
foundations  are  now  cleared,  and  rise  to  a  level 
with  the  surrounding  land.  These  remains 
will  always  command  a  large  interest,  as  being 
the  reputed  place  of  conference  between  King 
John  and  the  Pope's  Legate,  Pandulf. 


a  SJ^ctcb  of  tbc  1bi5tor^  of  tbe  Cburcb 
or  Basilica  of  Xprningc. 

By  the  Rev.  Canon  R.  C.  Jenkins,  m.a. 

THE  Church  of  Lyminge,  dedicated  originally 
to  "  St  Marv  the  Mother  of  God,"  *  and  on 
its  refoundation  by  St.  Dunstan  having  the  double 
title  of  S.  Mary  and  S.  Ethelburga  (or  Eadburgt) 
its  first  foundress,  possesses  a  historical  interest 
which  very  few  of  the  Saxon  foundations  can 
equal,  and  none  certainly  surpass.  Bound  up 
inseparably  with  the  life  and  history  of  the  saintly 
Queen,  the  only  daughter  of  Ethelbert  and 
Bertha,  and  the  widow  of  the  martyred  King 
Edwin  of  Northumberland,  the  earliest  lines  of  its 
history  are  traced  in  those  of  her  own,  and  from 
the  mention  of  the  place  in  the  early  charters  as  a 
royal  possession,  and  her  subsequent  choice  of  it 
as  the  scene  of  her  conventual  life,  we  may 
reasonably  conjecture  that  it  was  from  Lyminge 

*  Charter  of  King  Wihtraed,  a.d.  696. 

tOoscelinus  writes,  "In  the  Church  of  Lyminge  which  belongs  to  the 
Archbishop,  the  Queen  Ethelburga  is  known  to  be  buried,  but  there  she  is 
called  Eadburg"  (a.d.  1097).  Ethelbald  and  Ethelward  are  in  like 
manner  contracted  into  Eadbald  and  Eadward. 


THE  CHURCH  OF  L  YMINGE.  87 

that  she  took  her  eventful  journey  to  York  as  the 
betrothed  of  the  unfortunate  Edwin.  Accom- 
panied by  S.  PauHnus,  and  with  his  aid,  she 
brought  about  the  conversion  of  her  husband  and 
his  subjects,  whose  romantic  narrative  is  given  us 
so  fully  by  Bede.  The  fatal  battle  of  Heathfield, 
in  which  the  King  fell,  and  his  army  was  almost 
destroyed,  broke  up  the  great  work  of  conversion, 
whose  success  had  been  so  sudden  and  brilliant. 
The  widowed  queen,  with  her  only  daughter  and 
the  two  sons  of  her  husband  by  his  former 
marriage,  took  refuge  in  flight,  and  reaching  Kent 
in  safety  with  her  faithful  chaplain,  Paulinus,  asked 
of  her  brother  Eadbald  the  gift  of  the  ancient 
park  and  villa  of  Lyminge,  a  Roman  foundation  of 
importance,  out  of  whose  materials  she  built 
her  monastery  and  nunnery — a  double  foundation 
according  to  the  Benedictine  usage  of  that  early 
day — and  received  the  veil  from  Archbishop 
Honorius  in  the  latter  end  of  the  year  633. 
Lyminge  became  thus  the  second  monastery  and 
(with  Folkestone)  the  first  nunnery  founded  by 
the  Saxons  in  England,  and  as  Montalembert,  in 
his  "Moines  d' Occident,"  observes,  "forms  the 
link  of  connection  between  the  two  great  centres 
of  Catholic  life  in  England,"  Canterbury  and  York. 


88  B  YGONE  KENT. 

But   she   founded    her   nunnery    not   for    herself 
alone,  but   for  her   niece   Mildretha  or  Miltrude, 
who  succeeded  her  as  Abbess  in  647.     But  who, 
it  may  be  asked,  was  this  Mildred  ?    Certainly  not 
the    far   greater   saint   of   Thanet,    who   lived    a 
generation  after.     And  how  in  any  case  could  she 
have   been   the   niece   of  Ethelburga,  whose  only 
recognised  niece  was  the  only  daughter    of  her 
only  brother  King  Eadbald  ?     The  only  means  of 
reconciling  the  statements  of  the  chroniclers  with 
the    pedigree    of     the     Kentish     kings     is     the 
assignment  of  her  origin  to  that  unlawful  marriage 
of  Eadbald  with  his  step-mother,  which  caused  so 
grave  a  scandal  in  the  early  church  of  Kent,  and 
which  led  to  the  suppression  of  the  names  of  both 
mother   and    daughter  in   the  genealogies.     The 
fact   that   this   Mildred   was   buried   in    the   same 
grave     with     Ethelburga,     and     the      confusion 
occasioned  by  the  attempt  to  identify  her  with  her 
later  namesake,  led  to  that  controversy  between 
the  inheritors  of  their  respective  relics,  the  monks 
of  S.  Augustine  and  the  Canons  of  S.  Gregory  in 
Canterbury,    which    continued    smouldering    until 
the  rival  foundations  and  the  bones  of  contention 
were    mingled    together    in     the     ruin     of    the 
dissolution.     The    Danish  invasions    had    in    the 


THE  CHURCH  OF  L  YMINGE.  89 

ninth  century  rendered  the  isolated  position  of  the 
nuns  one  of  continual  danger,  and  in  the  opening 
of  that  century  the  nunnery  was  removed  to 
Canterbury,  Coenulf  and  Cuthred  having  granted 
by  a  charter  to  "  the  Abbess  Selethrytha  and  her 
family  at  the  church  of  S.  Mary  ever- Virgin, 
which  is  situate  in  the  place  called  Limming, 
where  rests  the  body  of  S.  Eadburg  {ubi  pausat 
corpus  B.  Eadburgae),  a  portion  of  land  in  the 
city  of  Canterbury,  ad  necessitatis  refugium.'' 

The  incursions  of  the  Danes  soon  rendered  the 
position  of  the  Monastery  no  less  untenable,  and 
gave  S.  Dunstan  an  opportunity  of  carrying  out 
his  great  plan  of  suppressing  the  double 
foundations.  He  accordingly  removed  the  monks 
to  Canterbury  in  the  year  965,  and  restored  the 
church,  having  obtained  a  charter  in  960, 
addressed  no  longer  to  the  monastery  or  "  family  " 
of  Lyminge,  but  to  the  church  itself.  '*  When 
the  manor  and  church  came  thus  into  the  hands 
of  the  Archbishops,  they  are  said  by  the  ancient 
chroniclers  to  have  restored  it  'in  a  certain 
fashion,'  utcumque  restauraverunty  And  the 
extraordinary  rudeness  of  their  work,  a  kind  of 
wild  imitation  of  the  almost  Roman  work  of  the 
original  church,  and  out  of  the  materials  of  it,  is 


90  BYGONE  KENT. 

the  most  conspicuous  feature  of  the  chancel  and 
south  wall  of  the  nave,  which  are  the  undoubted 
work  of  Dunstan.  In  these  we  find  irregular 
herring-bone  work,  with  bonding  courses  of 
Roman  bricks  and  flat  stones,  with  occasional 
courses  of  large  blocks  of  stone,  and  the  widest 
jointed  masonry  (if  it  could  be  called  such)  that 
can  possibly  be  found.  The  character  of  these 
walls  is  unique,  and  indicates  the  extraordinary 
rudeness  of  the  Saxon  work  of  the  Transition 
period,  which  it  represents.  A  portion  of  the 
south  wall  of  the  nave  is  built  upon  a  fragment  of 
the  north  wall  of  Ethelburga's  Church,  and 
exhibits  a  masonry  of  the  closest  kind,  almost 
resembling  a  mosaic-work.  This  formed  part  of 
the  outer  wall  of  the  original  church,  enclosing  the 
remarkable  apsidal  remain  which  contains  the 
burial-place  of  the  Queen,  which  is  now  clearly 
disclosed,  a  fragment  of  the  outward  plastering 
being  even  now  visible.  This  interesting  remain 
was  discovered  in  1859,  and  is  an  object  of  the 
greatest  interest  to  the  many  visitors  of  the 
church. 

In  1085,  Lanfranc,  in  order  to  endow  his  new 
foundation  of  S.  Gregory  at  Canterbury  with 
relics  of  sufficient  importance,  bestowed  upon  it 


THE  CHURCH  OF  LYMINGE.  91 

those  of  Ethelburga  which  were  disinterred  by 
the  priest  of  the  place,  Radulfus,  and  received 
with  great  pomp  by  the  Gregorian  Canons. 
With  the  body  of  the  queen  there  was  found  also 
the  body  of  her  niece,  and  upon  this  began  the 
great  conflict  between  the  religious  of  the  rival 
foundations.  A  remarkable  unpublished  treatise 
of  the  Augustinian  monk  Goscelinus  (a.d.  1097) 
gives  us  the  early  history  of  the  controversy,  and 
describes  the  translation  of  the  relics.  The 
destruction  of  the  burial  place  is  still  distinctly 
traceable  in  the  different  masonry  and  mortar 
used  for  restoring  the  wall,  against,  and  indeed 
under  which,  it  was  constructed.  Lanfranc,  who  is 
said  to  have  imported  square  stones  from  Caen 
for  building  his  manor-houses,  raised  upon  the 
ancient  foundations  of  the  monastic  buildings  a 
palace  which  both  he  and  the  successive  archbishops 
occupied  in  succession  with  their  other  numerous 
manor-houses  in  Kent  and  Sussex.  In  1279, 
Archbishop  Peckham  held  a  grand  court  at  the 
Aula  or  Camera  de  Lyminge,  and  received  there 
the  homage  of  Gilbert  de  Clare,  Earl  of 
Gloucester,  who  came  with  a  great  retinue  to  take 
the  oath  of  feudal  obedience  to  the  archbishop. 
Archbishop  Winchelsey  and  his  successors  up  to 


92  BYGONE  KENT. 

the  time  of  Courtenay  occasionally  resided  here  ; 
but  the  last,  finding  himself  overhoused,  and  seeing 
the  necessity  of  having  a  residence  rather  of  the 
military  than  the  civil  type,  obtained  permission 
from  the  king  and  the  priory  to  pull  down  some 
of  his  manor-houses  in  order  to  build  the  Castle 
of  Saltwood,  the  stones  being  chiefly  reserved  for 
the  nearest  churches  or  chapels.  It  is  to  this 
reservation  that  we  are  indebted  for  the  present 
massive  tower,  whose  stones  become  larger  as 
they  approach  the  top,  indicating  the  fact  that  the 
builders  had  come  to  the  larger  blocks  of  the 
foundation  when  they  arrived  at  the  upper  portion 
of  the  work.  The  arms  of  Cardinal  Morton  and 
Archbishop  Warham  on  the  sides  of  the  western 
door  lead  to  the  conclusion  that  the  work  extended 
from  about  i486  to  1527,  in  which  latter  year  the 
last  benefaction  towards  it  is  mentioned.  The 
body  of  the  church  underwent  a  considerable 
change  at  a  somewhat  earlier  date.  An  ancient 
north  chapel  (probably  added  by  William  Preene, 
the  rector  in  1404)  appears  to  have  been  utilised 
for  the  completion  of  a  north  aisle,  which  is 
separated  from  the  nave  by  an  arcade  of  great 
lightness  and  beauty,  a  very  fine  specimen  of 
Tudor    work.       This     improvement    was    most 


THE  CHURCH  OF  L  YMINGE.  93 

probably  effected  by  Cardinal  Bourchier,  whose 
arms  in  stained  glass  were  originally  in  the  east 
window  of  the  aisle,  and  are  now  to  be  seen  in  the 
early  window  over  the  porch.  In  the  south  wall 
of  the  nave  is  a  very  curious  recess,  formed  of 
Roman  bricks,  which  appears  to  indicate  the  place 
of  an  altar.  The  chancel  arch,  of  the  most 
massive  structure  and  extending  to  the  walls  on 
either  side,  appears,  as  well  as  the  remarkable 
flying  buttress  at  the  south-east  angle  of  the 
chancel,  to  have  been  one  of  the  repairs  effected 
by  Archbishop  Peckham,  in  1279-80.  He  found 
that  his  predecessor.  Archbishop  Boniface,  had 
left  the  churches  and  manor-houses  of  the 
see  in  such  a  state  of  disrepair  as  to  need  the 
disbursement  of  large  sums  for  their  restoration. 
These  arches  belong  to  that  century,  and  may 
therefore  be  reasonably  assigned  to  his  work. 
The  east  window  of  the  chancel,  inserted  in 
close-jointed  masonry,  which  is  singularly 
contrasted  with  the  wide  joints  of  the  earlier  work, 
was  probably  among  the  repairs  enjoined  by 
Archbishop  Warham  on  his  visitation  in  151 1. 

The  ruin  of  the  manor-house  and  the  adjacent 
buildings  had  begun  in  the  days  of  Archbishop 
Arundel,  and  is  described  in  the  inventory  of  his 


94  BYGONE  KENT. 

property  taken  by  a  commission  held  at  Lyminge, 
on  the  occasion  of  his  brief  attainder.  The 
stained  glass  window  of  the  chancel,  the  work 
of  the  late  Mr.  Gibbs,  of  Bedford  Square, 
representing  the  Nativity,  the  adoration  of  the 
shepherds  and  of  the  Magi,  is  designed  in  its 
lower  tier  to  illustrate  the  humiliation  of  Christ, 
the  upper  portion  exhibiting  the  Saviour 
enthroned  in  glory,  surrounded  by  the  Apostles, 
while  the  crown  of  the  arches  contains  the 
symbols  of  the  Evangelists. 

The  manor,  which  originally  was  one  of  the 
largest  in  Kent,  extending  over  Romney  Marsh, 
and  to  the  borders  of  Sussex  on  the  south,  and  in 
the  west  covering  several  parishes  in  the  weald, 
was  surrendered  by  Cranmer  to  the  crown, 
together  with  the  advowson  of  the  rectory  and 
vicarage  of  Lyminge,  with  the  ancient  chapelries 
of  Stanford  (afterwards  including  Westenhanger) 
and  Paddlesworth,  The  last  still  forms  a  part  of 
the  rectory  of  Lyminge,  though  it  constitutes  a 
separate  parish.  The  entire  estate  was  granted 
by  King  Henry  VI IL  to  Sir  Anthony  Aucher, 
the  Master  of  the  Jewels,  who  was  killed  in  the 
siege  of  Calais  under  Queen  Mary.  It  passed  to 
his  elder  son,  whose  only  daughter  was  married 


THE  CHURCH  OF  LYMINGE.  95 

to  Sir  Humphrey  Gilbert,  the  half-brother  of  Sir 
Walter  Raleigh,  then  to  the  second  branch  of  the 
Auchers  (of  Bourne  Place,  in  Bishopsbourne), 
and  from  them  through  the  Roberts  and 
Taylor  families  to  the  Lord  Chancellor  (Lord 
Loughborough),  from  whom  it  was  purchased  by 
the  family  of  Price. 

It  is  now  held  by  the  trustees  of  the  late  Mr. 
Kelcey.  The  advowsons  which  were  granted 
separately,  by  a  deed  now  preserved  in  the 
British  Museum,  and  signed  by  Cranmer  himself, 
passed  through  the  same  successive  ownerships, 
but  were  separated  from  the  manor  in  1853.  The 
living  is  a  rectory  and  a  vicarage,  and  had  until 
recent  times  a  double  succession,  the  rectory 
having  been  bestowed  as  a  sinecure  on  many 
persons  of  great  eminence  in  the  church.  Among 
these  may  be  mentioned  Adam  de  Murimuth,  the 
historian,  Cardinal  Gaucelinus  de  Ossa,  the 
nephew  of  Pope  John  the  XXII.,  William  de 
Cusaneia,  keeper  of  the  king's  wardrobe, 
Audomarus  de  Rupy,  Archdeacon  of  Canter- 
bury, Philip  Morgan,  Bishop  of  Worcester,  and 
others. 

The  ancient  charters  relating  to  the 
monastery  and    church,   most   of  them   originals. 


96  BYGONE  KENT. 

and  fourteen  in  number,  are  to  be  found 
in  the  Harleian  and  Cotton  collections  in  the 
British  Museum,  and  in  the  Library  of 
Canterbury  Cathedral.  They  are  published  in 
the  Saxon  Chartulary  of  Kemble,  and  extend 
from  689  to  960. 


Canterbury  pilgrims  anb  their  Sojourn 
in  the  Cit^. 

By  the  Rev.  W.  J.  Foxei.l,  b.a. 

THERE  is  no  place  within  the  whole  length 
and  breadth  of  England  which  surpasses  in 
interest  and  charm  the  ancient  city  of  Canterbury. 
All  through  the  summer  months,  day  after  day, 
fresh  crowds  of  visitors — veritable  Canterbury 
pilgrims — flock  to  catch  a  glimpse  of  its  quaint 
old  houses,  the  massive  relics  of  the  walls  which 
once  girt  it  round,  and  above  all  its  venerable 
cathedral. 

"  He  that  Seville  hath  not  seen 
Is  no  traveller  I  ween," 

runs   the    well  known  jingle,  but  our   patriotism 

may  well  be  excused  if  we  substitute  Canterbury 

for  Seville.     To  have  seen  Canterbury,  to  have 

trodden  its  streets,  to  have  studied  its  memorials, 

to  have  unearthed  the  history  which  lies  embedded 

within  it,  to  have  listened  to  the  story  which  its 

magnificent  church  has  to  tell — where  "  the  stone 

cries   out  of  the  wall   and   the   beam   out  of  the 

H 


98  B  YGONE  KENT. 

timber  answers  it " — this  is,  in  sober  truth, 
a  "  Hberal  education." 

The  poetic  attractiveness  of  old  Canterbury- 
extends  to  regions  far  beyond  our  own  country. 
Across  the  Atlantic,  from  the  shores  of  that  new 
world  whose  history  is  but  of  yesterday,  our 
American  cousins  come  in  search  of  the  ancient 
and  the  picturesque.  We  know  those  enterprising 
travellers  go  everywhere :  they  must  '*  do " 
everything.  But  no  place  charms  them  more 
than  the  sleepy  old  city  that  lies  in  the  hollow  of 
the  Stour  valley,  between  the  hills  of  S.  Thomas 
on  the  west  and  S.  Martin  on  the  east.  And 
hither,  too,  flock  all  manner  of  tourists — the  'Arry 
from  Margate,  the  business  man  from  town, 
artists  and  amateur  photographers  galore,  clerics 
of  every  degree  and  every  shade  of  theological 
opinion,  Royalty  itself. 

History,  it  is  said,  repeats  itself;  and  the 
nineteenth  century  tourist  is,  for  the  most  part, 
but  a  new  edition  of  the  mediaeval  pilgrim,  who 
hurried  to  the  tomb  of  the  famous  martyr,  devout 
in  the  veneration  of  relics,  or  anxious  in  the 
search  for  health.  In  these  days  the  point  of 
interest  is  mainly  aesthetic  and  antiquarian  ;  but 
in  those  old  times  the  motive  of  the  pilgrimage 


CANTERB  UR  V  PIL  GRIMS.  99 

was  chiefly  a  religious  one.  Either  the  pilgrimage 
was  undertaken  as  a  penitential  exercise  or  as  a 
pious  duty  ;  or,  as  in  very  many  cases,  the  pilgrim 
was  suffering  from  some  obstinate  complaint  and 
came  to  worship  at  S.  Thomas's  shrine,  in  the 
confident  expectation  that  the  saint  would  work  a 
miracle  and  restore  him  to  health,  as  he  had 
restored  so  many. 

Every  schoolboy  knows  that  Thomas  a  Becket 
was  murdered  in  Canterbury  Cathedral  in  11 70. 
Before  that  momentous  event  took  place  there 
was  hardly  anything  to  mark  off  Canterbury 
Cathedral  from  any  other  of  the  great  Benedictine 
churches  of  Norman  foundation.  It  is  true  that 
the  great  church  of  Canterbury  could  trace  its 
history  back  to  St.  Augustine,  and  to  times  even 
prior  to  him.  From  the  first,  its  ecclesiastical 
jurisdiction,  its  privileges,  its  authority  had  been 
considerable,  Lanfranc  and  Anselm  had  shed  a 
glory  over  the  chair  of  S.  Augustine — names  that 
could  never  pass  into  oblivion.  But  still,  all  these 
were  circumstances  intangible  in  themselves,  and 
incapable  from  their  very  nature  of  awaking  any 
great  popular  enthusiasm.  The  martyrdom  of 
"  S.  Thomas  of  Canterbury  "  changed  all  this. 

The  dispute  between   Henry  II.  and  the  proud 


I  oo  BYG ONE  KENT. 

prelate  who  had  been  so  strenuous  for  his  rights 
and  privileges,  had  culminated  in  the  tragic  deed 
of  that  December  evening,  when  the  four  knights 
brutally  murdered  the  Archbishop  within  the 
sacred  walls  of  the  cathedral  itself.  Visitors  to  the 
cathedral  are  shown  the  actual  spot  in  the 
"  Martyrdom  " — the  name  ever  since  given  to  the 
north  transept  of  the  nave,  the  scene  of  the 
murder — where  Becket  fell.  They  descend  the 
steps  by  which  the  Crypt  is  entered,  passing 
beneath  the  very  arch  under  which,  the  day  after 
the  murder,  the  dead  body  of  the  archbishop  was 
carried  from  before  the  high  altar,  where  it  had 
rested  for  one  night,  to  its  burial  place  at  the  east 
end  of  the  Crypt.  In  less  than  three  years 
Becket  had  become  a  saint,  duly  canonised  by 
Pope  Alexander  III.  ;  and  four  years  after  the 
murder,  the  king  himself  in  the  humble  dress 
of  a  poor  pilgrim  knelt  at  this  tomb  in  the 
Crypt,  and  then  and  there  submitted  to  do 
penance  by  scourging  at  the  hands  of  the 
assembled  monks  and  bishops. 

And  now  the  fame  of  the  miracles  which  were 
beginning  to  be  wrought  at  the  tomb,  gradually 
spread  far  and  wide.  What  those  miracles  were 
we   are   not  left  simply  to  ourselves  to  imagine. 


CANTERB UR  Y  PILGRIMS.  loi 

Accounts  of  them  have  come  down  to  us,  and 
pictorial  memorials  of  some  are  still  preserved 
in  the  three  remarkable  stained-glass  windows 
situated  in  the  north  wall  of  the  Trinity  Chapel — 
where  stood  the  shrine  after  the  "  Translation  " — 
which  have  survived  the  brutal  energy  of  Henry 
VIII.  and  the  fanatical  zeal  of  the  Roundheads. 
The  old  monkish  chronicler  rejoiced  to  describe 
the  Becket  miracles,  quoting  the  language  of  the 
Gospels : — 

"  The  blind  see,  the  lame  walk,  the  lepers  are 
cleansed,  the  deaf  hear,  the  dead  are  raised,  the 
dumb  speak,  the  poor  have  the  gospel  preached 
to  them, — the  paralytic,  the  dropsical,  the  lunatic, 
the  epileptic,  the  fever-patient, — all  are  cured." 
Passinof  wonderful  are  some  of  these  miracles. 
Here,  for  instance,  on  one  window  is  depicted  the 
story  of  the  boy  who,  playing  by  the  banks  of  the 
Medway,  fell  into  the  stream  and  was  drowned, 
and  who,  after  having  been  three  hours  in  the 
water,  was  dragged  out,  and  restored  to  life  with 
a  few  drops  of  the  martyr's  blood.  It  was  the 
fame  of  such  wonders  which  drew  an  ever- 
increasing  tide  of  pilgrims  to  the  shrine. 

At  first — for  the  fifty  years  between  1 1 70  and 
1220 — the  body  of  the  saint  reposed  in  the  tomb 


I02  BYGONE  KENT. 

in  the  Crypt — that  tomb  which  was  the  scene  of 
so  many  miracles,  and  which  is  represented  so 
often  in  the  three  windows  mentioned  above.  At 
length,  the  seventh  of  July  1220  witnessed  the 
grand  ceremony  of  the  "translation"  of  the 
precious  bones  to  the  gorgeous  shrine  destined  to 
receive  the  holy  relics  in  the  Trinity  Chapel 
above.  Magnificent  was  the  celebration  of  this 
great  function.  During  the  space  of  the  two 
years  before  it  took  place,  proclamation  had  been 
made  throughout  Christendom  of  the  forthcoming 
festival,  and  preparation  was  made  for  the 
reception  of  those  who  would  be  drawn  to  it  from 
all  parts.  The  young  king  Henry  III.,  the  aged 
Cardinal  Archbishop,  Stephen  Langton,  he  who 
had  wrung  from  John  the  great  Charter  of 
English  liberty,  Hubert  de  Burgh,  the  Arch- 
bishop of  Rheims,  Primate  of  France,  Pandulf, 
the  papal  legate,  were  the  most  distinguished  of 
those  who  took  part  in  that  day's  glorious  ceremony. 
Thus  to  the  original  Festival  of  the  Martyrdom, 
December  29th,  was  added  the  Festival  of  the 
Translation,  July  7th,  destined  to  be  more  popular 
still,  as  occurring  in  summer  time,  when,  of 
course,  travelling  would  be  better,  and  pilgrimages 
could  be  undertaken  with  less  peril  and  greater 


CANTERB  UR  V  PIL  GRIMS.  1 03 

ease.  Thus,  too,  a  fresh  impetus  was  given  to 
that  swelling  tide  which  flowed  from  all  parts  of 
England  and  of  Europe — of  those  who  came 

"  The  holy  blissful  martyr  for  to  seek, 
That  them  hath  holpen  when  that  they  were  sick." 

From  all  parts  of  England,  from  Normandy,  from 
Brittany,  from  France  came  pious  pilgrims.  But 
best  known  to  us  are  those  that  travelled  alongf 
the  London  Road.  It  is  this  road  to  the  shrine 
which  is  the  scene  of  Chaucer's  great  poem, 
"  The  Canterbury  Tales."  Foreigners  would 
wend  their  way  along  the  Sandwich  Road,  having 
landed  at  that  port ;  other  pilgrims,  from  the  west 
of  England,  as  well  as  from  abroad,  would  have 
landed  at  Southampton,  and  followed  the  rough 
track  which  led  from  thence  to  Canterbury.  But 
it  is  Chaucer's  pilgrims,  it  is  that  company  of  "  all 
sorts  and  conditions  of  men  "  which  assembled  on 
that  April  day  at  the  Old  Tabard  Inn  at  South- 
wark,  and  which  he  has  immortalised — "  the 
knight,  the  yeoman,  the  prioress,  with  her 
attendant  nuns  and  three  priests,  the  monk,  the 
friar,  the  merchant,  the  Oxford  Scholar,  the 
lawyer,  the  squire,  the  five  tradesmen,  the  cook, 
the  shipman,  the  physician,  the  great  clothier  of 
Bath,  the  parish  priest,   the  miller,   the  reeve,  the 


I04  BYGONE  KENT. 

manciple,  the  apparitor  of  the  law  courts,  the 
seller  of  indulgences,  and  the  poet  himself:  "  it  is 
these  over  whom  our  imagination  loves  to  linger. 
How  we  wish  that  the  poet  had  told  us  more  of  that 
old  world  which  has  passed  away  never  to  return  : 
that  he  had  let  us  see  more  of  that  life  so  utterly 
different  from  this  hurry-scurry  of  existence  which 
we  call  life  to-day.  We  can  gain  but  a  few 
tantalising  glimpses  here  and  there. 

The  action  of  the  poem  occupies  one  day  ;  in 
other  words,  the  pilgrims  take  a  whole  day  to  go 
from  London  to  Canterbury.  But  long  as  this 
time  may  seem  to  us,  in  these  days  of  the  *'  Boat 
Express,"  which,  running  between  London  and 
Dover,  reaches  Canterbury  in  less  than  ninety 
minutes — yet  even  so  the  poet  is  romancing.  As 
a  rule,  in  Chaucer's  time  it  took  three  or  four 
days  to  accomplish  the  journey ;  but  practical 
conditions  of  time  and  space  do  not  trammel  the 
poet.  The  motley  company  start  from  London 
at  dawn.  Deptford  and  Greenwich  are  reached 
in  an  hour  or  two  :  by  noon  Rochester  "  standeth 
here  fast  by  " — and  so  the  journey  is  continued 
through  "  Sidenbourne  "  and  "  Boughton  under 
Blee."  The  road  now  becomes  a  succession  of 
hilly  steeps  and  sudden  dips.     The  pilgrims  are 


CA  NTERB  UR  V  PILGRIMS.  1 05 

nearing  the  famous  city,  and  all  eyes  are  strained 

to  catch  from  the  top  of  one  of  these  hills  the  first 

sight  of  the  great  Tower  of  the  Cathedral — the 

predecessor  of  the  present  one — surmounted  as  it 

then  was  with  a  gilded  angel.    And  then  just  before 

they  reached  the  last  hill  of  all,  which  slopes  down 

into  Canterbury,  they  passed  through  Harbledown, 

the 

"  Little  town, 
Which  that  ycleped  is  bob-up-and-down, 
Under  the  Blee  in  Canterbury  way." 

The  tedium  of  the  journey  had  hitherto  been 
alleviated  with  "music,  song,  and  merry  tales:" 
but  now — as  they  came  nearer  holy  ground,  they 
engaged  in  more  fitting  exercises — prayers  and 
telling  of  beads  and  serious  converse.  At 
Harbledown  they  would  pass  the  old  leper 
hospital  of  S.  Nicholas,  founded  about  1084  by 
Lanfranc.  An  old  alms-box  is  still  preserved 
here,  such  as  was  hung  out  at  the  end  of  a  long 
pole  to  receive  from  pilgrims  and  travellers 
whatever  charity  might  prompt  them  to  give.  It 
may  well  be  that  this  is  the  very  box  into  which 
the  cultured  Erasmus  let  fall  a  coin  when  he  was 
on  his  way  back  from  Canterbury  to  London, 
after  that  visit  which  with   Dean    Colet   he    paid 


io6  BYGONE  KENT. 

to  the  shrine,  and  of  which  he  has  left  so 
interesting  and  entertaining  an  account.  Here  also 
is  still  shown  a  crystal,  now  set  in  a  maple  bowl, 
but  formerly  adorning,  it  may  be,  the  very  shoe 
of  the  martyred  saint.  The  leather  of  the  shoe 
itself  has  long  since  disappeared,  but  we  know  it 
was  for  centuries  religiously  preserved,  and  when 
presented  for  Erasmus  and  his  companion  to  kiss, 
it  still  contained  the  crystal.  Successive 
generations  of  pilgrims  must  have  stayed  a  few 
moments  here  that  they  might  venerate  so  sacred 
a  relic. 

Just  before  the  city  itself  is  reached,  the  road 
takes  a  sharp  turn  to  the  East.  At  the  corner  of 
the  road  stands  the  ancient  church  of  S.  Dunstan, 
also  founded  by  Lanfranc.  Here  it  was  that  one 
celebrated  pilgrim  to  Becket's  tomb — already 
mentioned — Henry  H., — having  first  dismounted 
at  the  hospital  of  S.  Nicholas,  changed  his  royal 
robes  for  the  plain  tunic  and  cloak  of  the  pilgrim, 
and  so  walked  barefoot  to  the  scene  of  his 
voluntary  humiliation. 

The  band  of  pilgrims  would  enter  by  the  West 
Gate.  At  that  time  Canterbury  was  like  the 
Homeric  Thebes — "  seven-gated  :  "  now,  alas, 
this  west  gate  is  the  only  one  which  has  survived 


CANTERBUR  Y  PILGRIMS. 


107 


the  positive  mania  for  destruction  which  seemed 
to  possess  the  worthy  civic  authorities  of  the  last 
century.  The  company  would  pass  along  the 
High  Street — each  individual  anxious  to  secure 
lodgings  for  the  night  they  were  to  spend  in  the 
city.     There  was  many  a  hospitable  roof  ready  to 


NORMAN    STAIRCASE,   CANTERBURY. 


shelter  them  :  first  and  foremost  the  great 
monastery,  of  which  the  Cathedral  formed  part ; 
then  the  Abbey  of  S.  Augustine,  so  long  its  rival 
in  fame  and  power  ;  then  the  houses  of  the  friars, 
"  Black,"  •'  Grey,"  and  "  Austin  ;  "  as  well  as  the 
various  "  hospitals  "  of  S.  Gregory,  S.   Lawrence, 


io8  BYGONE  KENT. 

S.  John,  S.  Margaret,  and  S.  Thomas.  This  last, 
founded  about  the  beginning  of  the  thirteenth 
century  expressly  for  the  reception  of  poorer 
pilgrims,  cannot  escape  the  notice  of  the  observant 
visitor  of  to-day,  standing,  as  it  does,  by  the 
Eastbridge,  on  the  south  side  of  the  High  Street. 
In  addition  to  these,  there  were  inns  and 
taverns  and  hostelries  without  number.  But, 
most  famous  of  all,  there  was  the  inn  standing  at 
the  south-west  corner  of  Mercery  Lane—"  The 
Chequer  of  the  Hope,"  with  its  "  Dormitory  of 
the  Hundred  Beds."  Here,  according  to  the 
anonymous  poet,  the  author  of  the  "  Supplemen- 
tary Tale,"  "  the  Continuator  "  of  Chaucer — (for 
it  will  be  remembered  that  Chaucer  does  no  more 
than  bring  his  pilgrims  up  to  the  city) — the  twenty- 
nine  pilgrims  of  the  "Tales"  put  up  for  the  one 
night  during  which  they  would  remain  in  the  city. 

"  When  all  this  fresh  fellowship  were  come  to  Canterbury 
As  ye  have  heard  to  fore,  with  tales  glad  and  merry. 

They  took  their  Inn,  and  lodged  them  at  midmorrow,  I  trow, 
At  Chequer  of  the  Hope  that  many  a  man  doth  know ; 
Their  host  of  Southwark,  that  with  them  went,  as  ye  have 

heard  to  fore. 
That  was  ruler  of  them  all,  of  less  and  eke  of  more. 
Ordained  their  dinner  wisely  ere  they  to  church  went, 
Such  victuals  as  he  found  in  town,  and  for  none  other  sent." 


CANTERB  UK  Y  PIL  GRIMS.  1 09 

The  building  itself  still  stands,  preserving 
something  of  its  mediaeval  appearance,  but  the 
houses  of  which  it  now  consists  are  no  longer  an 
inn.  Gone  is  the  courtyard  into  which  the 
mounted  pilgrims  rode,  with  their  horses'  hoofs 
clattering  on  the  rough  stones  :  gone  too  is  the 
ancient  staircase,  which  stood  on  the  outside  of 
the  inn.  We  can  imagine  pilgrims  arriving  on 
the  eve  of  either  of  the  two  great  festivals  of  S. 
Thomas  to  find  the  whole  city  en  fete  :  some 
delighted  with  the  novelty  of  everything,  with 
the  bustle  and  the  air  of  festivity,  others  anxiously 
expecting  the  hour  which  was  to  bring  solace  to 
the  soul  and  blessing  to  the  body — all  intent  on 
paying  their  homage  at  the  famous  shrine. 

What  a  red-letter  day  in  their  lives  was  that 
when  the  pilgrims  set  foot  within  the  walls  of  the 
church  itself!  At  the  door  a  monk  sprinkled 
them  with  holy  water :  and  once  in  the  cathedral, 
they  passed  on  from  one  rare  sight  to  another, 
from  one  glory  to  another  yet  greater.  To  the 
visitor  of  our  time,  the  interior  of  Canterbury 
Cathedral  looks  somewhat  bare.  The  mediaeval 
pilgrim,  it  may  be  fairly  said,  would  hardly 
recognise  it  now  :  he  would  miss  the  gay  hangings 
and  tapestries,  the  many  side-altars  and  chapels 


no  BYGONE  KENT. 

fitted  up  for  worship,  and  so  much,  alas,  of  the 
old  stained-glass,  the  figures  and  the  designs  of 
which  set  the  pilgrims  disputing  in  the  manner  so 
amusingly  narrated  by  the  "  Continuator." 

*'  He  beareth  a  balstaff,  quoth  the  toon,  and  else  a  raked  end. 
Thou  failest,  quoth  the  miller,  thou  hast  not  well  thy  mind, 
It  is  a  spear,  if  thou  canst  see,  with  a  prick  to  fore 
To  push  adown  his  enemy  and  through  the  shoulder  bore. 
Peace,  quoth  the  host  of  Southwark,  let  stand  the  window 

glazed. 
Go  up  and  do  your  offering,  ye  seemeth  half  amazed." 

Eastward  up  the  nave  the  pilgrims  would 
move,  and  so  reach  the  north  transept — the 
"  Martyrdom."  The  spot  where  S.  Thomas  was 
killed  would  be  pointed  out  to  them  ;  and  the 
wooden  .altar,  set  up  to  mark  where  the  martyr 
fell ;  and  the  broken  sword-blade  belonging  to 
one  of  the  four  knights  who  had  murdered  him. 
Thence  they  would  go  to  the  Crypt — to  the  spot 
where  stood  the  first  tomb,  where  also  a  most 
sacred  relic  awaited  their  veneration^part  of  the 
marXyr's  skull,  set  in  silver.  It  was  here,  as 
he  tells  us,  that  Erasmus  saw  the  celebrated 
hair-shirt,  which  the  monks  found  on  Becket's 
body  when  they  stripped  it  after  the  murder. 

The  choir  was  next  visited,  where  still  more 
and    more    sacred    relics    were    exhibited    by    an 


CA  NTERB  UR  V  PIL  GRIMS.  1 1 1 

attendant  monk,  and  devoutly  kissed  by  the 
pilgrims.  To  many  a  pilgrim,  no  doubt,  would 
be  shown  the  costly  vestments  and  ornaments 
and  vessels  of  the  sanctuary,  a  list  of  which  still 
exists :  chasubles,  copes,  tunics,  dalmatics,  and 
albs,  almost'  without  number ;  crosses,  chalices, 
and  patens  ;  mitres  and  pastoral  staffs  ;  rings  and 
precious  stones,  and  sacred  books. 

Onward  and  upward  still  they  would  go, 
mounting  the  steps  leading  to  the  Trinity  Chapel 
oh  their  knees,  till  at  length  they  stood  before  the 
great  shrine  itself.  The  shrine  consisted  of  two 
parts,  the  stone  pedestal  with  arches,  and  the 
shrine  proper ;  the  latter  encased  in  a  canopy  of 
wood,  which  could  be  raised  at  any  moment  by 
pulling  ropes  suspended  from  the  ceiling.  Round 
the  lower  part  of  the  shrine,  the  sick  and  infirm 
thronged  and  pressed.  There  was  healing  virtue 
in  the  very  stones  on  which  the  body  of  the 
saint  rested.  We  can  but  faintly  imagine  the 
overpowering  emotions  of  those  who  had  travelled 
many  a  weary  mile,  as  at  length  they  found 
themselves  laid  at  the  foot  of  the  martyr's  shrine, 
when  health  and  happiness  seemed  to  lie  once 
more  within  their  grasp.  The  feelings  so  created, 
when   the  very  depths  of  the  soul  were  stirred, 


112  BYGONE  KENT. 

were  sufficient,  we  cannot  doubt,  to  work  a 
complete  cure  in  some  cases  of  nervous  disorder. 
Then,  last  of  all,  the  canopy  was  raised,  and  the 
gorgeous  ark,  the  shrine,  was  displayed  to  view. 
What  a  sight  it  was,  glittering  in  gold  and 
precious  stones  !  Specially  remarkable,  rivetting 
all  eyes,  w^as  the  wondrous  ruby,  which  had  been 
given  to  the  original  tomb  in  the  crypt  by  Louis 
VII.  of  France  when  he  came  as  a  pilgrim.  The 
gem — so  the  legend  ran — which  had  at  first  been 
refused  by  the  king,  had  leapt  of  its  own  accord 
from  the  ring  in  which  it  was  set,  and  fastened 
itself  to  the  tomb,  "as  if  a  goldsmith  had  fixed  it 
there."  Can  we  wonder  that  religious  piety  in 
that  simple  age  was  profoundly  stimulated  by 
such  marvellous  tales  ?  The  pilgrims,  the  old 
rhymster  tells  us, 

"Prayed  to  S.  Thomas  in  such  wise  as  they  couth 
And  sith  the  holy  relics  each  man  with  his  mouth 
Kissed  as  a  goodly  monk  the  names  told  and  taught." 

After  the  pilgrims  had  feasted  their  eyes  on  all 
this  wealth  and  splendour,  while  they  were  still 
under  the  spell  of  so  much  that  was  grand  and 
mysterious  and  holy,  they  made  their  offerings, 
and  so  went  their  way ;  to  give  place  to  others 
who      were     following     close     upon      them — as 


CANTERB  UR  Y  PIL  GRIMS.  1 1 3 

they    did    on    great    occasions — In    a    continuous 
stream. 

But  the  pilgrimage  was  not  completely  finished 
unless  the  pilgrim  took  away  with  him  a 
permanent  memorial  of  his  visit  in  the  shape  of 
a  little  "ampulla,"  or  leaden  bottle,  to  be  obtained 
in  the  monastery,  and  containing  water  mixed 
with  a  small  portion — and  in  the  course  of 
centuries  it  must  have  been  the  merest  trace — of 
the  blood  of  S.  Thomas.  Leaving  the  monastery, 
the  pilgrims  would  pass  along  Mercery  Lane  to 
the  "  Chequer  of  the  Hope."  Before  the  Civil  War 
in  the  seventeenth  century,  there  was  a  colonnade 
on  each  side  of  this  lane,  In  front  of  the  shops. 
Under  this  colonnade  (which  no  longer  exists,  as 
the  shopkeepers  took  advantage  of  the  general 
unsettlement  during  the  Commonwealth  to 
encroach  upon  it,  and  to  bring  their  shop  fronts 
forward  so  as  to  include  It)  they  would  make 
their  way,  at  every  step  encountering  the  eager 
shopkeepers,  pressing  on  them  to  buy  all  manner  of 
mementos,  especially  a  caput  Thomce,  a  leaden 
brooch  with  the  mitred  head  of  the  martyr 
upon  it.  Dinner  was  awaiting  them  at  the 
Chequer:  and  after  dinner  the  sights  of  the 
city — especially     its     massive    walls,     would    be 


114  BYGONE  KENT. 

visited,  or  friends  and  old  acquaintances  would 
be  looked  up. 

Past  for  ever  is  the  age  of  such  things.  It 
concerns  us  not  now  to  discuss  whether  **  miracles" 
do  or  "do  not  happen."  Certainly  now  no 
miracles  happen  at  the  shrine  of  S.  Thomas ! 
The  end  came  in  1538,  when,  in  the  September 
of  that  year,  the  tomb  was  destroyed.  No  record 
exists  describing  its  actual  destruction,  and  hence 
some  doubt  lingers — not  about  the  fact,  it  is  true 
— but  about  the  manner.  Most  probably  the 
bones  were  burned  and  "  scattered  to  the  winds." 
As  for  the  gold  and  silver  and  precious  stones, 
and  all  the  valuables,  Henry  VIII.  exercised  his 
royal  prerogative  to  seize  them  for  himself. 

Nothing  now  remains  but  the  vacant  space 
where  once  the  shrine  stood.  The  pavement  still 
gives  evidence  by  the  marks  upon  it  of  the  rough- 
and-ready  way  in  which  the  smashing  of  precious 
relics  went  on — while  the  depression  in  the  floor, 
worn  by  the  toes  of  those  who  knelt  upon  the 
step  above,  alone  marks  the  scene  of  so  many 
prayers  and  supplications  and  vows  and  thanks- 
givings ! 


Milliam  Xambarbe,  the  Ikentiab 
Hntiquari?, 

By  Frederick  Ross,  f.r.h.s. 

KENT  occupies  a  foremost  position  among 
the     counties    of   England    in    regard    to 
antiquities    and    historical    associations.      It    was 
the  Cantii,   the   Celtic   inhabitants  of  Kent,  who 
opposed  so  vigorously  the  landing  of  Julius  Caesar 
near  upon   two  thousand   years  ago,  and  whose 
country  afterwards  constituted  a  portion    of  the 
Roman  province  of  Britannia  Prima.     It  was  here 
in    the   5th    century,   after   the  departure   of  the 
Romans,   that  Vortigern  and   Hengist  contended 
for  the  empire  in  two  pitched  battles,  resulting  in 
the  conquest  by  Hengist,  the  loss  of  four  thousand 
natives  on  the  battlefield,  and  the   establishment 
of  the    Saxon    Kingdom   of  Kent.      It  was  here 
where   S.   Augustine  planted   the   banner  of  the 
Cross,     and     re-established     the      Church      and 
Bishopric  of  Canterbury,  on  the  spot  where  there 
had  been  a  Church  and  Bishopric  of  the  Apostolic 
Age,    which    had    been    trampled    out    by    the 


ii6  BYGONE  KENT. 

paganism  of  the  Jutes  and  Saxons.  And  ever 
since  has  Kent  been  the  scene  of  important  and 
often  tragical  events  in  history,  poHtics,  social 
upheavals  of  the  serf  claims,  and,  above  all,  of 
significant  incidents  of  an  ecclesiastical  character. 

Thus  there  is  in  the  annals  of  Kent,  and  in  the 
castles,  abbeys,  and  towns  of  the  county,  an  abun- 
dance of  material  to  occupy  the  pen  of  the 
historian  and  topographical  antiquary  ;  and  it  was 
fitting  and  appropriate  that  the  first  published 
county  history  should  be  that  of  Kent. 

General  topographical  writers,  who  have 
included  Kent,  there  have  been  from  the  2nd 
century  downwards,  a  series  of  geographers, 
topographers,  and  annalists,  some  fairly  correct, 
others  fabulous  and  abounding  in  miracles,  such 
as,  says  Fuller,  it  is  difficult  to  digest.  Of  these 
Ptolemy  was  the  earliest,  who  was  followed  by 
Antoninus  Pius,  whose  works  are  invaluable  as 
records  of  the  past.  The  writings  of  Julius 
Caesar  and  Tacitus  are  scarcely  worth  mentioning 
as  topographical  works — and  much  the  same 
may  be  said  of  Strabo,  Pomponius,  and  other 
copyists.  Then  followed  the  Monkish  Chroniclers, 
amongst  whom  Bede  and  Giraldus  Cambrensis 
stand      out      prominently ;      and      Geoffrey      of 


WILLIAM  LA MBARDE.  1 1 7 

Monmouth,  of  the  12th  century,  who  published 
some  most  astounding  stories — hence  to  the  time 
of  Henry  VIII.,  when  modern  antiquarian  and 
topographical  research  may  be  said  to  have  had 
its  birth. 

Leland,  a  Londoner  born,  may  be  considered 
the  father  of  modern  antiquaries.  He  lived  in  the 
1 6th  century,  in  the  reign  Henry  VIII,,  who 
appointed  him  to  the  office  of  the  Royal 
Librarian,  and  in  1533  **  King's  Antiquary,"  the 
first  and  last  to  hold  the  office,  whose  duty  was 
"  to  search  out  England's  historical  antiquities, 
and  peruse  the  libraries  of  all  Cathedrals,  Abbies, 
Priories,  and  Colleges,  and  all  places  wherein 
records,  writings,  and  secrets  of  antiquity  were 
preserved."  In  1536,  he  was  given  a  dispensa- 
tion from  residence  in  his  living  of  Popeling,  and 
for  six  years  wandered  forth  over  England, 
visiting  and  examining  all  the  conventual, 
ecclesiastical,  and  collegiate  libraries,  "  con- 
cerning," as  he  said  "  many  good  autors  the  which 
otherwise  had  been  like  to  have  perischid."  As  a 
result  of  his  journeyings  he  wrote — "The 
laboryeuse  journey  and  serche  of  Johan  Leylande 
for  Englande's  antiquitees,  geuen  of  hym  as  a 
New  Yeares  gifte  to   Kynge   Henry  the  VIII.   in 


ii8  BYGONE  KENT. 

the  xxxvij.  yeare  of  his  Regne  ;"  dedicated  to  King 
Edward  VI.  by  John  Bale,  1549.  The  "  Itinerary 
of  John  Leland  the  Antiquary,"  published  from  the 
original  MS.  in  the  Bodleian  Library,  by 
Thomas  Hearne,  m.a.,  17 10- 12.  These  works 
have  served  as  the  foundations  of  all  subsequent 
antiquarian  and  topographical  researches.  Ralf 
Brooke,  who  printed  Leland's  "  New  Year.es 
Gifte,"  says  to  Camden  that  he  has  done  it  "to 
the  ende  that  the  world  may  know  with  whose 
plumes  you  have  feathered  your  nest,  and  to  show 
who  was  the  first  author  of  the  new  born 
'  Britannia,'  he  whose  name  is  clean  rased  out 
or  you  who  have  taken  the  tytle  and  whole  credit 
to  yourself."  He  was  a  learned  man,  and  the 
author  of  some  other  works,  and  died  in  the  year 

1552. 

The  Tudor  age  sees  the  birth  and  labours 
of  the  three  great  antiquaries — Leland,  1506-52, 
Lambarde,  1 536-1601,  and  Camden,  1 551-1623, 
who,  discarding  the  miracles  and  fables  of  monkish 
chroniclers,  based  the  annals  of  England  on  a 
sure  foundation  of  fact,  and  taught  writers  that 
the  history  of  towns,  counties,  and  limited 
localities,  with  descriptions  of  their  peculiarities 
and  ancient  remains,  are  deserving  of  record.     Of 


WILLIAM  LAMBARDE.  1 1 9 

these  writers,  Lambarde,  the  second  in  date,  less 
rugged  than  Leland,  and  less  polished  than 
Camden,  will  occupy  our  attention  for  a  few 
paragraphs.  "  I  am  now,"  says  Camden,  "come 
to  Kent,  a  county  which  William  Lambarde, 
a  person  eminent  for  piety  and  learning,  has 
described  so  much  to  the  life  in  a  complete 
volume,  and  who  has  withal  been  so  happy  in  his 
searches,  that  he  has  left  very  little  for  those  that 
come  after  him,  ...  I  here  gratefully 
acknov/ledge  that  his  work  is  my  foundation." 

"  Let  this  be  observed  for  the  honour  of  Kent," 
says  Kennet,  in  his  life  of  Somner,  "  that  while 
other  counties  (and  but  few  of  them)  have  met 
with  single  pens  to  give  the  history  and  descrip- 
tion of  them ;  ours  has  had  no  less  than  four 
writers  to  celebrate  the  glories  of  it  (1570) 
"  Lambard,  Somner,  Kilburn,  and  Philpot." 
Archdeacon  Nicolson  hopes  he  may  be  allowed 
"to  enlarge  the  catalogue"  (1696),  adding 
"  Lambarde's  Perambulation  of  Kent,  was  indeed 
the  first  account  that  was  published,  which  was 
not  only  highly  applauded  by  Camden  and  other 
chief  judges,  but  gave  the  hint  to  many  more 
men  of  learning  to  endeavour  the  like  services  for 
their    several    counties,"    further    observing   that 


1 26  BYGONE  KENT. 

"  'twas  not  well  approved  by  the  gentlemen  of  the 
Roman  Communion,  notably  Reiner,  '  Antiquary 
of  Canterbury,'  who  censures  it  as  a  work  under- 
taken with  a  design  to  expose  the  lewdnesses  and 
debaucheries  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  monasteries 
of  that  county,  in  describing  whereof  (he  thinks) 
many  things  are  spitefully  misrepresented."  Dr. 
Nicholson  adds  to  the  list  of  Kentish  historical 
writers  the  names  of  John  Norden,  whose 
"Survey  of  Kent"  remains  in  MS.,  John 
Weaver,  whose  "Funeral  Monuments"  were 
chiefly  collected  in  the  dioceses  of  Canterbury  and 
Rochester,  Taylor's  "  History  of  Gavel- Kind," 
Gillingham's  "  History  of  Canterbury,"  circa  1390, 
John  Twyne's  "  Canterbury,"  W.  Somner's 
"Survey  of  Canterbury,"  Spott's  "Canterbury," 
Archdeacon  Battaly's  "  Antiquitates  Rutupioe," 
Edm.  Bedenham's  "  Textus  Roffensis,"  etc. 

The  Lambardes  were  originally,  as  far  back  as 
their  recorded  genealogy  goes,  a  Herefordshire 
family.  Thomas  Lambarde,  "  Gent.,"  of  Ledbury, 
who  died  early  in  the  sixteenth  century,  was 
father  of  William  Lambarde  of  the  same  place, 
whose  son  John  settled  in  London,  served 
the  office  of  Sheriff  in  1551,  and  died  in  1554; 
having  married  Juliana,   daughter  and   heiress  of 


WILLIAM  LAMBARDE.  121 

William  Heme,  of  London,  by  whom  he  had  issue 
two  sons,  William,  the  antiquary,  and  Giles, 
of  London,  the  latter  of  whom  married  Margaret, 
daughter  and  co-heiress  of  John  Stephenson,  of 
London. 

William,  the  elder  son,  married,  first  Jane, 
daughter  of  George  Multon,  secondly  Silvestria, 
daughter  and  heiress  of  Robert  Deane,  of  Hailing, 
Kent,  and  relict,  of  William  Dalison,  and  had 
issue  by  the  latter  with  a  daughter — Margaret, 
who  married  Thomas  Godfrey,  of  Lydd,  an  only 
son,  Sir  Multon,  of  Westcombe,  near  Greenwich, 
who  married  Ann,  daughter  of  Sir  Thomas  Lowe, 
an  alderman  of  London,  and  died  in  1634.  Sir 
Multon  was  buried  in  Greenwich  Old  Church, 
where  a  monument  was  placed  to  his  memory, 
which,  with  that  of  his  father  in  the  same  church, 
was  removed  to  Sevenoaks,  at  the  rebuilding  of 
Greenwich  Church, 

Thomas,  his  son,  was  a  zealous  Royalist  during 
the  Civil  War,  had  to  compound  for  his  estates  in 
1648,  and  in  consequence  was  obliged  to  dispose 
of  Westcombe  to  Hugh  Forth,  from  whom  it  passed 
to  the  Biddulphs,  Barts.  It  was  purchased  about 
the  year  1553,  by  Alderman  John  Lambarde,  from 
Nicholas  Ballard,  since  which  time  it  formed  the 


122  BYGONE  KENT. 

residence  of  the  Lambardes  until  1648.  In  1638 
he  married  Isabella,  daughter  of  Sir  John  Garrard, 
Baronet,  and  had  issue,  with  two  daughters, 
Thomas,  who  died  sine  prole,  and  William. 

William,  his  son,  of  Beechmount,  Sevenoaks, 
married  Magdalen  Humphrey,  and  had  issue — 
Thomas,  his  heir,  and  Sir  Multon,  Baronet,  who 
died  in  1758.  Thomas,  his  son,  who  died  in 
1745,  was  father  of  another  Thomas,  who  died  in 
1769,  whose  son,  Multon,  was  born  in  1757,  and 
died  in  1836,  and  was  succeeded  by  his  elder  son, 
William,  of  Beechmount,  who  was  born  in  1796, 
and  had  issue  by  his  wife,  Harriet  Elizabeth, 
daughter  of  Sir  James  Nasmyth,  Baronet, 
Multon,  his  heir,  born  in  1821,  who  married  in 
1848  Teresa  Livesay,  daughter  of  Edmund 
Turton,  and  had  issue — John,  Bell,  William, 
Edmund,  and  another  son  and  daughter.  Besides 
whom  William  Lambarde  had  other  issue — six 
sons  and  five  daughters. 

William  Lambarde,  the  subject  of  this  sketch, 
was  the  son  of  Alderman  John  Lambarde  of 
London,  the  purchaser  of  the  Manor  of  West 
Combe,  by  Greenwich,  in  1553,  where  his  son 
chiefly  resided,  and  where  he  wrote  most  of  his 
works.      He  was  born  in  the  year    1536,  presum- 


WILLIAM  LAMBARDE.  123 

ably  in  London,  and  was  bred  to  the  legal 
profession,  having  been  entered  at  Lincoln's  Inn 
in  1556,  and  distinguished  himself  early  in  his 
career,  by  the  publication  of  two  or  three  legal 
works,  promising  to  become  eminent  in  law,  had 
he  not  turned  his  attention  more  particularly  to 
the  study  of  historical  topography,  then  in  its 
infancy,  when  he  took  up  his  residence  in  Kent. 
Nevertheless  he  attained  a  high  degree  in  law, 
having  been  elected  a  Bencher  of  Lincoln's  Inn 
in  1578;  in  1592  a  Master  in  Chancery;  in  1597 
Keeper  of  the  Rolls  in  Chancery  Lane ;  and  in 
0OO  Keeper  of  the  Records  in  the  Tower.  In 
1579  he  was  appointed  a  Justice  of  the  Peace  for 
the  County  of  Kent,  in  which  capacity  his  well- 
grounded  knowledge  of  the  laws  and  customs  of 
Kent  proved  of  great  use  to  himself  and  his 
brother  justices. 

At  Lincoln's  Inn  he  studied  under  Lawrence 
No  well,  who  was  famous  for  his  profound  know- 
ledge of  the  Anglo-Saxon  tongue  and  antiquities, 
from  whom  he  imbibed  that  taste  for  antiquarian 
learning  which  has  rendered  his  name  so  famous 
in  the  history  of  Kent.  In  1576  he  founded  a 
hospital  at  Greenwich  for  twenty  poor  persons, 
male  or  female,  with  an  original  allowance  of  six 


124  BYGONE  KENT. 

shillings  per  month,  afterwards  increased  to 
fifteen  shillings,  and  a  yearly  allowance  of  a 
chaldron  and  half  of  coals  ;  preference  in  appoint- 
ment to  be  given  to  aged,  maimed,  or  blind, 
persons  impoverished  by  casualty,  afflicted  with 
incurable  sickness,  or  burthened  with  a  large 
family.  He  denominated  the  hospital — "The 
College  of  Queen  Elizabeth,"  and  placed  it  under 
the  charge  of  the  Master  of  the  Rolls  and  the 
Drapers'  Company.  It  is  said  to  have  been  the 
first  institution  of  the  kind  founded  by  a 
Protestant. 

He  was  a  staunch  Protestant — a  protestor 
against  monkish  tricks  and  miracles,  and  Popist 
superstitions  in  general ;  thus  in  the  "  Perambula- 
tions," in  speaking  of  Montindene,  he  states  that 
the  Friars  there,  within  memory,  had  an  annual 
procession  in  which  "  one  berayed  like  a  divel  " 
met  the  holy  brethren  and  attempted  to  carry  off 
the  cross,  but  was  put  to  flight  by  the  sprinkling 
of  holy  water,  "  and  thus  forsooth,  the  virtue  of 
holy  water  in  putting  the  divell  to  flight  is 
confirmed  at  Montindene  by  a  demonstrative 
argument ;  which,  if  it  be  so,  then  greatly  was  St. 
Paul  deceaved  in  sixth  of  his  epistle  to  the 
Ephesians,  where  he  goeth  to  arme  us  from  toppe 


WILLIAM  LAMBAKDE.  1 2  5 

to  toe  againste  the  assaultes  of  the  divell,  for 
what  needed  he,  good  man,  to  recite  sallet, 
shield,  sword,  etc.,  when  the  holy  waters  ticke 
would  have  served  his  turne."  Respecting  the 
Boxley  Rood  of  Grace,  he  informs  us  that  a 
carpenter  having  a  block  of  wood,  considered 
with  himself  whether  he  should  make  it  into 
a  bench  or  fashion  it  into  a  god,  and  finally 
decided  on  the  latter,  whereupon  he  got  together 
some  "  wyer,  paste,  and  paper,"  and  with  these 
and  his  block  of  wood  "he  compacted  a  roode 
of  such  exquixite  arte,  and  excellencie  that  it 
not  onely  matched  in  comelyness  and  due 
proportion  of  the  parts  of  the  best  of  the 
common  sort,  but  in  straunge  motion,  variety 
of  gesture,  and  nimbleness  of  joints,  passed 
al  others  that  before  had  been  scene  ;  the  same 
being  able  to  bow  downe  and  lift  up  itself,  to 
shake  and  stir  the  handes  and  feet,  to  nod  the 
head,  to  roll  the  eis,  to  wag  the  chaps,  to  bend  the 
brows,  and  finally  to  represent  to  this  eie  both  the 
proper  motion  of  each  member  of  the  body,  and 
also  a  lively  expresse  and  significant  shew  of  a 
well-contented  or  displeased  minde."  When 
finished  he  placed  it  upon  the  back  of  a  "jade" 
and  came  into  Kent  to  dispose  of  his  god,   but 


126  BYGONE  KENT. 

the  "jade"  persisted  in  going  to  Boxley 
Abbey,  and  nowhere  else,  where  it  was 
left,  and  rendered  the  Abbey  a  famous  place  of 
pilgrimage. 

"  Lambarde,"  says  the  English  Cyclopaedia, 
"■  was  one  of  the  most  accurate  antiquaries  of  his 
day,  and  in  all  respects  a  man  of  learning  and 
worth." 

He  died  at  his  residence,  Westcombe,  in  1601, 
and  was  buried  in  the  parish  church  of  Greenwich, 
with  a  monument  placed  over  his  remains.  On 
the  rebuilding  of  that  church  his  remains  were 
removed  to  Sevenoaks  Church,  which  had 
become  the  burial-place  of  his  descendants. 

The  "  Memoirs  of  Lambarde  "  were  published 
in  Vol.  I.,  No.  XLIL,  of  Nichols'  "  Biblio  Topog. 
Brit.,"  1787.     Works.  :— 

"  APXAIONOMIA,  sive  de  priscis  Anglorum 
Legibus  Libri,  etc.,"  1568;  with  Map  of  the 
Saxon  Heptarchy,  Translation  of  a  collection  of 
Saxon  Laws,  made  by  his  College  Tutor, 
Lawrence  Nowell.  Reprinted  in  Wheloc's 
edition  of  Bede,  1644.  Bishop  Nicholson  styles 
the  translation  "  false  and  affected." 

" '  A  Perambulation  of  Kent,'  collected  and 
written  (for  the  most  part)  in  the  yeare  1570,  and 


WILLIAM  LAMBARDE.  127 

now  increased  by  the  addition  of  some  things 
which  the  Author  himself  hath  observed  since 
that  time,  1576.  The  first  history  of  any  separate 
county.  The  3rd  and  5th  editions,  1640  and 
1656,  contain  the  Charters  of  the  Cinque  Ports, 
and  the  edition  of  1826,  is  preceded  by  a  sketch 
of  the  Author's  life." 

"  Dictionarium  Angliae  topographicum  et  his- 
toricum  :  an  Alphabetical  Account  of  the  chief 
places  in  England  and  Wales,  with  Portrait  of  the 
Author,  1730.  This  work,  intended  for  a  general 
Survey  of  England,  was  written  before  the 
appearance  of  Camden's  '  Britannia,'  upon  the 
publication  of  which  work  he  relinquished  the 
undertaking,  and  it  did  not  see  the  light  until 
1730." 

"  Eirenarcha,  or  the  offices  of  the  Justices  of 
the  Peace;  in  two  books,  1581,  several  subse- 
quent editions  up  to  16 19." 

"  The  Duties  of  Constables,  Borsholders, 
Tythingmen,  etc.,  1582.  Several  times  reprinted, 
up  to  1637." 

"  Archion,  or  a  commentary  on  the  High 
Courts  of  Justice  in  England,  1591." 


^be  IRevolt  of  the  Dilleins  in  tbe  E)a^0  of 
Iking  IRicbait)  tbe  Secon^, 

By  Edward  Lamplough. 

BEHIND  the  mail-clad  baron  of  the  fourteenth 
century,  in  costly  panoply,  with  emblazoned 
surcoat  and  crested  helmet— the  advertisements 
of  his  chivalric  rank — there  rose  a  dramatic 
background,  with  a  mediaeval  fortress  frowning 
over  fertile  acres,  in  which  toiled  some  scores  of 
sturdy  peasants — the  men  whose  sweat  sustained 
the  profusion  and  pride  of  the  barons,  and 
furnished  them  with  pikemen  and  archers,  when 
clarions  blared,  and  the  King's  standard  was 
carried  over  the  borders  of  Scotland,  or  over  sea 
to  France. 

To  such  men  as  those  Wiclif  preached,  and  in 
his  free  gospel  there  was  a  divine  ring  of  free 
humanity  that  touched  the  soul  of  vassal  and 
peasant,  and  increased  their  interest  in  the 
rumours  that  reached  them  from  beyond  sea — of 
Van  Artavelde  and  Dubois,  with  the  white-hoods 
at  their  back,  and   the  lion  of  Flanders  fleeing 


REVOLT  OF  THE  VILLEINS.  129 

before    them ;     of    the   armed    resistance   of  the 

French    peasantry    to     the    collectors    of     their 

taxmasters.     Commerce  and  trade  were  lifting  the 

inhabitants  of  the  towns  to  freedom  and  affluence  ; 

and    the    peasant    who  abode    in    a   town    for  a 

twelve-month  and  a  day,  unclaimed  of  his  lord, 

became  a  free  man.      Between  villein  and  noble 

rose    the    merchant    and    manufacturer,    yielding 

allegiance    only    to    the    state,    representing    the 

commons    of    England    in    Parliament,    and    by 

example  pointing  the  peasant  to  higher  and  truer 

conditions  of  life. 

The  peasantry  had  suffered  from  the  French 

wars  ;    in  the  building  of  Windsor  Castle,   King 

Edward  had  constrained  each  county  to  furnish 

its   proportion   of   the   necessary  workmen ;    and 

when  the  nation  was  scourged,  and  the  population 

reduced,   by    the    sweating    sickness,  raising    the 

value  of  labour,  a  law  was  passed  making  the  old 

wages   compulsory  ;  but    such    a    law  could    not, 

even    then,    be    carried    out.       The    prosperous 

villeins,  land- tenants,  and  copy-holders  purchased 

in  the    King's  Court   exemption    from  servitude, 

leagued  themselves  together  for  mutual  protection, 

"and  would  not  suffer  distress  to  be  taken  either 

by  the  servants  of  their  lords,  or  the  officers  of 

K 


I30  BYGONE  KENT. 

justice."      Parliament    declared     the    exemptions 

valueless,   and   threatened  the   confederates   with 

punishment. 

The  ruler  made  the  laws  ;    the  villein  was  the 

source    of    his    wealth.      Among    the    peasantry 

moved  a  priest,  John  Ball,  who  loved  to  take  for 

his  text  the  couplet, 

"  When  Adam  delved  and  Eve  span, 
Pray  who  was  the  gentleman  ?" 

The  villeins  admired  the  text,  and  agreed  with 
the  sermon,  but  the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury 
clapped  the  popular  preacher  into  prison  at 
Maidstone. 

The  following  examples  of  the  preaching 
popular  with  the  peasantry  are  interesting  and 
instructive. 

"  John  Balle  Seynte  Marye  prist  greteth  wele 
alle  maner  men,  and  byddes  hem  in  the  name  of 
the  Trinite,  Fadur  and  Sone  and  Holy  Gost, 
stond  manlycke  togedyr  in  trewthe,  and  helpeth 
trewthe  and  trewthe  schal  helpe  yowe.  Now 
regneth  pride  in  pris,  and  covetise  is  holde  wys  ; 
and  lecherye  with  outen  shame,  and  glotonye  with 
outen  blame ;  envye  regneth  with  tresone,  and 
slouthe  is  take  in  grete  sesone.  God  do  bote,  for 
now  is  tyme.  Amen." 


REVOLT  OF  THE   VILLEINS.  131 

"  lakke  Mylner  asket  help  to  turn  his  mylne 
aright.  He  hath  grounden  smal  smal ;  the  King's 
sone  of  heven  he  seal  pay  for  alle.  Loke  thy 
Mylne  go  aryght  with  the  four  sayles  and  the 
post  stand  in  steadfastnesse.  With  ryght  and 
with  myght,  with  skill  and  with  wylle,  let  myght 
help  ryght,  and  skyl  go  before  wylle  and  ryght 
before  myght,  then  goth  our  mylne  aright.  And 
if  myght  go  before  ryght,  and  wylle  before  skylle, 
then  is  our  mylne  mys  a  dyght." 

In  January,  1380,  Parliament  made  a  spirited 
attempt  to  curb  the  extravagance  of  the  Court. 
Nevertheless,  in  the  autumn  of  the  same  year 
increased  subsidies  were  demanded.  In  reply 
they  stigmatised  the  demand  as  "  outrageous  and 
insupportable."  The  fatal  capitation  tax  was  then 
resorted  to.  It  demanded  three  groats  per  head 
for  every  male  and  female  who  had  come  to  the 
age  of  fifteen  years.  Indulgence  was  extended  to 
the  poor  of  some  districts,  the  tax  being  graduated, 
so  that  while  the  mass  of  the  people  paid  one 
groat  each,  the  rich  paid  sixty  groats  per  head. 

Government  required  the  money  with  the  least 
possible  delay,  and  accordingly  farmed  the  tax. 
Probably  the  indignant  peasantry  would  have 
revolted     against      the     imposition     under     any 


132  BYGONE  KENT. 

circumstances,  but  when  hired  collectors  added 
insolence  and  extortion  to  oppression,  the  rising 
was  sudden  and  furious.  The  first  amount  came 
short  of  the  calculation.  Commissioners  were 
appointed  to  investigate  the  collection,  and 
demanded  further  payments.  The  people,  sullen 
and  brooding,  refused  to  pay.  Commissioner 
Thomas  de  Bampton  tried  conclusions  with  the 
delinquents  of  Fobbings,  Essex.  He  and  his 
officers  they  chased  out  of  Brentwood.  The 
Chief  Justice  of  the  Common  Pleas,  Sir  Robert 
Bealknass,  was  deputed  to  deal  with  the  rebels  of 
Kent.  He  was  denounced  as  a  traitor  to  King 
and  Kingdom,  and  also  retired  in  haste  before  the 
raging  mob  that  spread  through  the  country, 
carrying  as  ensigns  the  heads  of  the  jurors  and 
clerks  of  court,  elevated  on  long  poles.  The 
insurgent  leader  was  a  priest  known  only  by  his 
no7n  de  guerre  of  Jack  Straw. 

The  Lord  Treasurer's  mansion  was  then  visited 
by  the  enraged  peasantry,  and  was  found  to 
contain  an  ample  provision  of  meats  and  liquors  ; 
Sir  John  having,  in  his  capacity  of  Prior  of  the 
Knights  of  St.  John  of  Jerusalem,  summoned  a 
chapter-general  of  the  order,  and  generously 
provided    for    their    entertainment.       After    con- 


REVOLT  OF  THE  VILLEINS.  133 

suming  the  provisions,  the  rebels  demolished  the 
house. 

The  whole  of  Essex  was  in  arms,  a  tumultuary 
force,  undisciplined,  and  rudely  armed  with  clubs, 
bows,  pikes,  and  swords.  While  the  people  thus 
trembled  on  the  eve  of  aggression,  the  tragic 
event  whose  incidents  are  so  well  known  took 
place  at  Dartford,  in  Kent,  at  the  house  of  Walter 
the  Tyler.  The  fate  of  Tyler  was  decided. 
Agents  from  Essex  were  calling  the  men  of  Kent 
•  to  arm  in  the  common  cause,  for  the  reformation 
of  the  government  and  the  abolition  of  taxes  ;  and 
Tyler's  rash  act  had  brought  him  a  large  following 
of  discontented  spirits,  for  "the  rude  officers  had 
in  many  places  made  the  like  trial."  The  revolt 
spread  from  the  Thames  to  the  H  umber. 
Leaders  came  to  the  front,  nameless  men,  known 
to  the  peasantry  as  Jakke  Milner,  Jak  Carter,  Jak 
Treweman,  and  John  Balle. 

Tyler  and  his  fellows  requested  the  villeins  of 
the  revolted  counties  to  march  upon  London,  and 
fully  60,000  men  converged  upon  the  capital, 
determined  "  that  there  should  not  be  one 
bondman  in  England."  At  Maidstone  they 
released  John  Ball  from  his  bonds.  Rochester 
Castle   they  surprised,  liberating  a  man  claimed 


134  BYGONE  KENT. 

by  Sir  Simon  Burley  as  his  bondman,  although 
the  poor  fellow  swore  he  had  lived  over  a  year  and 
a  day  at  Gravesend.  Sir  Simon  had  been  content 
that  the  unfortunate  man  should  languish  in  prison, 
although  he  placed  upon  him  a  price  of  three 
hundred  pounds  of  silver. 

When  the  insurgents  poured  into  Canterbury, 
John  Ball  is  said  to  have  called  for  the  death  of 
the  archbishop,  but  that  prelate  had  fled  to 
London  ;  they  had,  however,  the  satisfaction  of 
pulling  down  his  house.  They  terrified  the 
monks  and  residents  ;  exacted  from  the  mayor 
and  aldermen  an  oath  of  fidelity  to  the  King  and 
commons,  and  advanced  upon  London,  after 
hewing  off  the  heads  of  three  wealthy  citizens. 
They  carried  with  them  the  governor,  Sir  John 
Newton.  The  King's  mother  had  been  making 
a  pilgrimage  to  Canterbury,  and  was  surprised  by 
the  peasantry.  She  and  her  ladies  were  allowed 
to  proceed  on  their  journey,  after  being  saluted 
with  kisses  by  a  few  of  the  rude  fellows. 

Concentrated  at  Blackheath,  100,000  strong, 
they  dispatched  Sir  John  Newton  to  the  King, 
with  complaints  of  the  national  mismanagement, 
the  assurance  that  they  were  acting  for  his 
Majesty's  honour,  and  a  demand  that  the  Arch- 


REVOLT  OF  THE  VILLEINS.  135 

bishop  of  Canterbury  should  render  an  account  of 
his  administration  of  the  revenue.  Sir  John's 
children  were  retained  as  hostagfes  for  his  fidelity, 
and  he  was  naturally  anxious  to  conciliate  the 
King.  Richard  understood  his  subject's  peculiar 
position,  and  as  a  temporising  policy  was  the 
most  likely  to  serve  his  interest,  he  accordingly 
returned  a  gracious  answer  to  the  peasants, 
promising  to  see  them  on  the  morrow.  The 
villeins  received  the  royal  message  with  great 
satisfaction. 

He  appeared  before  them  on  the  following  day, 
but  on  the  river  in  his  barge.  He  was  welcomed 
with  a  tremendous  cheer  from  10,000  men 
massed  on  the  banks  at  Rotherhithe,  with  two 
banners  of  St,  George  and  sixty  pennons  stream- 
ing over  their  tumultuary  array.  The  cry  of 
welcome  carried  terror  into  the  hearts  of  King 
and  courtiers,  and  his  barge  was  immediately 
turned  back,  the  Earl  of  Salisbury  excusing  the 
King  from  landing  by  asserting  that  the  peasants 
were  not  formed  in  proper  array  to  receive  him. 

Stung  to  sudden  fury  by  their  disappointment, 
the  army  surged  upon  London,  tearing  down 
abbeys  and  fair  houses,  if  Froissart  may  be 
credited.     Prison  doors  were  beaten  in,   and  the 


136  BYGONE  KENT. 

liberated  felons  swelled  the  ranks  of  their 
deliverers.  They  invaded  the  Archbishop's 
palace  at  Lambeth,  made  a  fire  of  his  furniture, 
and  committed  the  chancery  records  to  the 
flames. 

London  Bridge  barred  their  advance,  but  they 
had  sympathisers  within  the  gates.  The  bridge 
fell,  and,  once  within  the  city,  they  were  hospitably 
entertained  by  the  people.  A  few  houses  were 
sacked,  a  number  of  Flemings  slain,  and  the 
Duke  of  Lancaster's  palace,  the  Savoy,  was 
assaulted.  Its  defenders  were  killed,  and  the 
building  burnt.  They  found  the  Duke's  liquor  so 
much  to  their  taste,  that  thirty  of  their  men 
perished  in  the  flames,  overcome  by  intoxication. 
Even  in  rage  and  desperation,  and  despite  their 
ranks  being  swollen  by  idle  and  dissolute  persons, 
they  maintained  the  integrity  of  their  intentions, 
and  finding  one  of  their  number  in  the  act  of 
appropriating  a  silver  cup,  they  flung  man  and 
cup  into  the  river  together.  They  destroyed  the 
house  of  the  Hospitallers  in  Clerkenwell ;  and 
their  common  question  to  all  comers  was,  "  With 
whom  boldest  thou  ?"  and  woe  to  him  who  made 
other  reply  than,  "  With  King  Richard  and  the 
Commons,"  for  on  the  instant  his  head  -rolled  in 


REVOLT  OF  THE   VILLEINS.  137 

the  dust.  Newgate,  the  Fleet,  and  the  Temple 
were  destroyed.  Their  furious  pursuit  of  Lom- 
bards, Flemings,  and  other  foreigners,  led  to 
frequent  violations  of  the  privilege  of  sanctuary. 

The  army  was  formed  into  three  divisions,  one 
occupied  Heybury,  and  burnt  the  house  of  the 
Knights  of  St.  John  in  that  locality  ;  the  men  of 
Essex  and  Hertfordshire  formed  the  second  body, 
and  occupied  Mile-End-Green  ;  the  third  division 
took  up  their  quarters  at  Tower  Hill  and  St. 
Catharine.  Threatening  messages  were  sent  to 
Richard,  and  the  provisions  intended  for  his  use 
were  seized. 

On  the  following  morning,  a  royal  herald  pro- 
claimed to  the  rebels  before  the  Tower  his 
Majesty's  decision  to  honour  them  with  a  confer- 
ence at  Mile-End.  In  due  course  he  rode  forth 
with  a  few  friends,  but  so  threatening  was  the 
appearance  of  the  villeins,  that  Richard's  uterine 
brothers,  the  Earl  of  Kent  and  Sir  John  Holland, 
spurred  off  in  alarm,  although  the  latter  was  a 
man  of  ferocious  courage.  The  Tower  was 
sufficiently  guarded  to  have  defied  the  utmost 
rage  of  the  insurgents,  yet,  aided  by  the  fears  or 
treachery  of  the  garrison,  Wat  Tyler  and  Jack 
Straw  contrived  to  gain  possession  of   the  fort- 


138  BYGONE  KENT. 

ress,  and  with  it  those  doomed  objects  of  their 
resentment,  Sir  Robert  Hales,  tlie  treasurer ;  the 
Archbishop  of  Canterbury,  the  chancellor ; 
William  Appledore,  Richard's  confessor ;  and 
four  of  the  tax-farmers.  Short  and  bloody  work 
was  made  with  them,  and  the  Archbishop's  head, 
with  the  hat  nailed  on,  was  carried  on  point  of 
lance  to  London  Bridge,  and  there  stuck  up. 

Again  the  King's  mother  fell  into  their  hands, 
and,  after  some  rough  salutes,  was  carried  off  in  a 
fainting  condition  by  her  attendants. 

At  Mile-End  the  more  reasonable  of  the 
villeins  presented  their  demands  :  The  abolition 
of  bondage  ;  the  reduction  of  the  rent  of  land  to 
fourpence  the  acre  ;  the  free  liberty  of  buying 
and  selling  in  all  markets  ;  a  general  pardon  for 
past  offences.  Richard  readily,  and  with  courtly 
grace,  agreed  to  these  not  immoderate  demands, 
and  promised  to  supply  the  peasants  with  royal 
banners,  under  the  protection  of  which  they  were 
to  march  home  ;  with  the  exception  of  two  or 
three  persons  from  each  village,  who  were  to  wait 
for  the  royal  charters,  in  the  copying  of  which 
thirty  clerks  were  occupied  the  whole  of  the 
night. 

The   young    King    sought  his   mother  at  her 


REVOLT  OF  THE   VILLEINS.  139 

house,  the  Wardrobe,  in  Carter  Lane  ;  and  on  the 
following  morning,  after  attending  mass  at  West- 
minster, rode  through  Smithfield,  with  sixty 
horse  in  attendance,  and  held  a  conference  with 
Wat  Tyler,  who  had  20,000  men  at  his  back. 
Wat  is  said  to  have  repudiated  the  charter 
granted  on  the  previous  day,  to  have  demanded 
the  abolition  of  the  game  or  forest  laws,  with  the 
privilege  of  taking  fish  in  all  waters,  and  the  free- 
dom of  chase  in  park,  forest,  and  field.  Against 
him  was  also  levelled  the  accusation  of  plotting 
the  massacre  of  the  royal  retinue,  and  the  seizure 
of  the  King,  in  whose  name  he  proposed  to 
govern  the  nation. 

On  Richard's  arrival  the  rebel  leader  rode  up 
to  him  so  close  that  the  horses  touched,  and, 
pointing  to  his  followers,  boasted  of  their  fidelity, 
declaring  that  they  would  not  depart  without  the 
King's  letters.  Richard's  life  was  unquestionably 
in  the  hands  of  the  villeins,  but  he  maintained 
his  temper,  and  exhibited  unfaltering  courage. 
According  to  Froissart,  Tyler  exhibited  unbounded 
insolence,  and  demanded  the  life  of  one  of  the 
royal  squires ;  whereon  Sir  William  Walworth 
drew  near  with  twelve  horse,  and  reproved  his 
insolence.     To  him  the  doomed  man  made  stern 


140  BYGONE  KENT. 

reply,  but  was  butchered  the  next  moment  by  the 
doughty  Mayor,  whether  by  thrust  of  sword  or 
blow  of  mace  matters  not. 

Enraged  by  the  death  of  their  leader,  but 
obviously  unprepared  to  slay  the  King,  the 
insurgents  clamoured  loudly,  and  stood  to  their 
arms,  when  Richard  rode  up  to  them,  exhorted 
them  to  accept  him  as  their  leader,  and  concern 
themselves  no  further  about  the  traitor  who  had 
fallen.  Some  believed  the  boy- King,  and  followed 
him  ;  others,  distrusting  his  Majesty's  intentions, 
withdrew  from  the  press,  and  made  for  the 
country.  Arrived  at  Islington,  the  insurgents 
found  looo  men-at-arms  awaiting  them,  under  the 
command  of  Sir  Robert  Knowles.  A  scene  of 
confusion  followed.  Some  turned  to  fly,  others 
fell  on  their  knees,  imploring  the  King's  pardon, 
and  doubtless  others  stood  to  their  arms  to 
strike  a  last  blow  for  life  or  vengeance.  Knowles 
was  impatient  to  charge,  and  a  bloody  tragedy 
would  probably  have  been  enacted  had  not 
Richard  wisely  resolved  to  let  the  peasants  depart 
in  peace.  He  contented  himself  with  proclaim- 
ing death  to  any  strangers  remaining  overnight  in 
the  city.  Once  dispersed  and  powerless,  the 
peasantry  could  be  punished  at  leisure. 


REVOLT  OF  THE   VILLEINS.  141 

The  death  of  Tyler,  and  the  dispersion  of  the 
insurgents,  came  in  good  time,  for  numerous 
hostile  bands  were  making  for  the  capital.  The 
men  of  Hertfordshire  did  not  disperse  on  receiv- 
ing news  of  the  disastrous  ending  of  the  move- 
ment, but  extorted  the  written  acknowledgement 
of  their  freedom  from  their  lords,  and  at  St. 
Albans  'kindled  a  fire  in  the  market-place,  and 
consumed  therein  the  charters  and  privileges  of 
the  Abbey,  which  they  had  compelled  the  Abbot 
to  deliver  into  their  hands.  The  story  of  the 
disturbances  in  the  different  eastern  counties, — 
Suffolk,  Cambridge,  Norfolk,  Huntingdon, — need 
not  be  related  here.  Spencer,  the  doughty 
bishop  of  Norwich,  played  a  great  part  in 
suppressing  these. 

So  determined  were  the  men  of  Essex  that 
they  sent  deputies  to  Richard  praying  for  a 
confirmation  of  their  charter,  but  their  time  of 
triumph  was  past,  and  that  of  Richard  had 
dawned.  His  standard  streamed  on  Blackheath, 
surrounded  by  40,000  men  ;  and  on  the  30th  of 
June,  having  commanded  all  vassals  to  return  to 
their  duty,  he  despatched  an  expedition  into  Kent, 
to  complete  the  pacification  of  that  county,  while 
he  marched  against   the  men   of  Essex,   having 


142  BYGONE  KENT. 

first  stuck  a  clump  of  ghastly  heads,  including 
Wat  Tyler's,  over  London  Bridge.  At  Billericay 
and  Sudbury  those  obstinate  sticklers  for  liberty 
struck  fiercely  against  his  arms,  and  sealed  their 
devotion  to  the  cause  in  which  they  were  engaged 
by  streams  of  peasant-blood,  before  they  submitted 
to  the  King's  grace.  After  this  Richard  was  able 
to  complete  his  progress  through  the  kingdom, 
restoring  tranquility,  and  gathering  up  the  charters 
wrung  from  him  under  the  cruel  compulsion  of 
peasant  force.  John  Ball,  Jack  Straw,  and 
Westbroome  were  among  the  leaders  who  suffered 
execution.  Luttester  and  Westbroome  are  reputed 
to  have  pretended  to  the  title  of  Kings  of  Norfolk 
and  Suffolk  ;  but  the  peasants  have  no  voice  in 
history,  the  story  of  their  revolt  is  bequeathed  to 
us  by  the  pens  of  their  enemies,  and  doubtless 
absurd  rumours,  and  the  ravings  of  intoxicated 
slaves,  have  been  recorded  as  the  studied 
statements  of  the  leaders. 

The  Commons,  in  summing  up  the  causes  of  the 
revolt,  were  just  to  the  unfortunate  peasantry,  and 
imputed  their  action  to  the  burthens  cast  upon 
them  by  the  lengthy  wars,  the  rapacity  of 
tax-collecters,  the  extortion  of  the  purveyors,  and 
the  outrages  committed  by  the  numerous  bands  of 


REVOLT  OF  THE  VILLEINS.  143 

outlaws  that  infested  the  country,  and  preyed 
upon  the  poor.  They  were  so  far  in  sympathy 
with  the  people  that  they  were  with  great  difficulty 
induced  to  grant  further  taxes  ;  but  on  wringing 
the  concession  from  them,  Richard  pardoned  the 
villeins,  of  whom,  according  to  Holinshed,  he 
had  put  1 500  to  death  during  his  progress  through 
the  country. 

The  popular  notion  that  Richard  acted  so  very 
wisely  in  his  dealings  with  the  peasantry,  who 
were  certainly  loyal  to  the  boy-king,  looking  to 
him  as  the  redresser  of  their  wrongs,  is  hardly 
borne  out  by  the  tone  of  his  address  to  them, 
when  he  felt  himself  to  be  once  more  safe  : — 
"  Rustics  ye  have  been  and  are,"  he  is  reported  to 
have  said,  "  and  in  bondage  shall  ye  remain  ;  not 
such  as  ye  have  heretofore  known,  but  in  a 
condition  incomparably  more  vile." 


IRoi^al  leitbam. 

By  Joseph  W.  Spurgeon. 
"  Pity  the  fall  of  such  a  goodly  pile." — Shirley. 

THE  precise  date  of  the  first  erection  of  a 
palace  at  Eltham  is  involved  in  some 
obscurity.  The  work  is  generally,  and  doubtless 
correctly,  attributed  to  Anthony  Bek,  Bishop  of 
Durham  from  1283  to  131 1.  Most  writers  on 
the  subject  agree,  too,  in  suggesting  the  year 
1270  as  possibly  the  one  which  saw  the  completion 
of  the  buildings,  thus  adopting  the  opinion 
expressed  by  Lambarde,  in  his  "  Perambulation 
of  Kent,"  as  follows  : — 

"  King  Henrie  the  third  (saith  Mat.  Parise)  toward  the  latter 
ende  of  his  reigne,  kept  a  Royall  Christmas  (as  the  manner 
then  was)  at  Elthajn,  being  accompanied  with  his  Queene  and 
Nobilitie  :  and  this  (belike)  was  the  first  warming  of  the  house 
(as  I  may  call  it)  after  that  the  Bishop  had  finished  his  worke." 

It  is  more  likely,  however,  that  the  Bishop  had 
not  even  begun  his  work,  as  I  will  endeavour  to 
show.  First,  it  will  be  necessary  to  mention  a 
few  facts  in  the  career  of  this  remarkable  man. 
He  was  born  probably  about  the  year   1240,  his 


ROYAL  ELTHAM.  145 

father  being  Walter,  Baron  of  Eresby.       In  1270 
he   went   with    Prince    Edward   to   the  Crusades, 
and,  it  may  be  presumed,  was  with  him  until  his 
return  in   1274.     Taking  orders  soon  afterwards, 
he  was  appointed  in  1283  to  the  see  of  Durham  ; 
but  his  propensities  fitted  him  better  for  the  life  of 
a  courtier  and  soldier  than  that  of  an  ecclesiastic. 
"He    loved    military    parade,    and    had    always 
kniehts  and  soldiers  about  him."     He  was  often 
employed    in     important     political     negotiations, 
especially  in  the  matter  of  the  Scottish  succession 
in   1290.      In  the  campaign  which  followed  (1296- 
1304)  he    took  a  prominent    part,    receiving    the 
submission  of  Balliol,  and  holding  high  command, 
riding  at  the  head  of  the  army  by  the  king's  side. 
His  extravagance  was  proverbial,  and  his  ambition 
unbounded.     The  Pope  gave  him  the  proud  but 
empty  title  of  "  Patriarch  of  Jerusalem  ;"  the  king 
gave  him  more  substantial  benefits,  making  him 
Count  Palatine  of  Durham,  and  King  of  the  Isle 
of  Man. 

Part  of  the  manor  of  Eltham,  which  from  time 
immemorial  had  belonged  to  the  Crown,  was 
conferred  by  Edward  I.  upon  John,  first  Baron 
de  Vesci,  of  Alnwick,  who,  dying  in  1288,  left  his 
possessions    to    his    brother,    William    de    Vesci. 


146  BYGONE  KENT. 

The  latter,  before  his  death  in  1297,  made  them 
over  to  Anthony  Bek,  as  trustee  for  his  little 
natural  son,  but  the  covetous  bishop  defrauded 
the  orphan  of  his  inheritance,  and  by  some  legal 
trick  made  himself  master  of  the  property,  after 
which,  as  I  take  it,  he  built  Eltham  Palace. 

From  the  foregoing  it  will  be  seen  that  Eltham 
could  not  have  been  granted  to  Bek  by  William 
de  Vesci  until  after  his  brother's  death  in  1288; 
therefore  the  Christmas  Feast  of  1270  must  have 
been  held,  not  in  Bishop  Bek's  palace,  but  in 
the  manor-house  which  doubtless  preceded  it. 
Further,  it  is  unlikely  that  the  Bishop  was'  able  to 
misappropriate  the  manor  before  the  decease  of 
William  de  Vesci  in  1297,  or  that  he  commenced 
building  before  he  was  certain  of  possessing  the 
estate.  This  would  bring  the  probable  date  of  the 
erection  of  the  building  to  about  1 300,  and  would 
also  dispose  of  the  statement  that  he  bequeathed  it 
to  Queen  Eleanor,  for  she  died  in  1290.  However 
this  may  be,  it  is  known  that  the  Bishop  made  the 
palace  his  favourite  residence,  and  breathed  his 
last  there  in  1 3 1 1 . 

Three  years  before  that  date  the  palace  was 
honoured  by  what  appears  to  be  the  first  royal 
visit.      Edward    II.,   on   his  arrival  from  France 


ROYAL  ELTHAM.  147 

with  his  bride,  Isabella,  brought  her  to  Eltham, 
where  they  remained  for  about  fifteen  days  await- 
ing their  coronation. 

It  was  not  until  after  the  decease  of  Anthony 
Bek  that  Eltham  became,  properly  speaking,  a 
royal  residence ;  indeed,  it  is  evident  that  the 
Bishop's  legatee  was  Queen  Isabella,  not  Queen 
Eleanor.  With  the  reign  of  Edward  II.  the 
history  of  the  palace  begins,  which,  if  completely 
told,  would  fill  a  fair-sized  book.  I  can  therefore 
only  select  the  most  important  events,  of  which  a 
few  of  minor  interest,  though  not  unworthy  of 
mention,  may  first  be  briefly  summarised. 

Eltham  was  the  scene  of  three  royal  births,  the 
first  being  that  of  Prince  John,  second  son  of 
Edward  II.,  in  13 16,  who  was  created  Earl  of 
Cornwall,  but  was  better  known  as  "  John  of 
Eltham,"  and  whose  tomb  is  in  Westminster 
Abbey.  Two  princesses  also  were  born  here, 
namely,  Philippa,  daughter  of  Lionel,  Duke  of 
Clarence,  in  1355,  afterwards  Countess  of  March, 
and  Bridget,  seventh  daughter  of  Edward  IV.,  in 
1480,  who  became  Prioress  of  Dartford.  These 
three  infants,  and  also  Katherine,  Edward  IV.'s 
sixth  daughter,  were  christened  at  Eltham. 
Edward   III.,  when  a  boy,   was  partly  educated 


148  BYGONE  KENT. 

here,  Griffin,  the  son  of  Sir  Griffin  of  Wales, 
being  one  of  his  companions.  Three  royal 
brides  were  brought  to  the  palace,  whence,  after  a 
short  stay,  each  went  forth  to  her  coronation ; 
they  were  (i)  Isabella  the  Fair,  wife  of  Edward 
II.,  as  already  mentioned;  (2)  Isabella  of  Valois, 
Richard  II.'s  child-queen;  and  (3)  Elizabeth 
Woodville,  married  a  year  previously  to  Edward 
IV.  Edward  III.  held  at  least  three  Parlia- 
ments at  Eltham,  on  the  last  occasion,  in  1376, 
creating  his  grandson  Prince  of  Wales.  In  1386 
Richard  II.  here  received  a  deputation  from  both 
Houses,  opposing  his  intended  invasion  of  France, 
and  in  1395  held  an  important  council,  of  which 
further  mention  will  be  made.  The  festival  of 
Christmas,  with  the  splendour  which  in  those 
days  characterised  its  observance  by  royalty,  was 
often  celebrated  here  ;  notably  by  the  Duke  of 
Clarence  in  1347,  Richard  II.  in  1384,  1385, 
and  1386,  Henry  IV.  in  1400,  1405,  1409, 
and  141 2,  Henry  V.  in  1414,  Henry  VI.  in 
1429,  Edward   IV.   in    1482,  and   Henry  VIII.  in 

1515.  1523.  and  1525. 

Passing  now  to  those  historical  matters  which 
deserve  to  be  treated  of  more  fully,  and  taking 
them  in  chronological  order,  we  commence  with 


ROYAL  ELTHAM.  149 

the  year  1364.  which  was  one  of  the  proudest  in 
the  history  of  Eltham. 

King  John  of  France,  who  was  taken  prisoner 
by  the  Black  Prince  at  the  battle  of  Poitiers  in 
1356,  had,  after  the  signing  of  the  treaty  of 
Bretigny,  returned  to  France  to  arrange  for 
payment  of  his  ransom,  leaving  as  hostage  his 
son,  the  Duke  of  Anjou.  The  latter,  however, 
broke  his  parole,  and  left  England  ;  but  John  sent 
the  young  Lord  Ingebrand  de  Coucy  in  his  stead. 
De  Coucy's  captivity  brought  him  unexpected 
good  fortune,  for  he  succeeded  in  gaining  the 
affections  of  Isabella,  the  Princess-royal.  The 
French  king,  finding  his  Government  repudiated 
the  terms  of  the  treaty,  voluntarily  returned  to 
England  in  1364.  saying  that  if  honour  were  lost 
elsewhere  upon  earth,  it  ought  to  be  found  in  the 
conduct  of  kings.  Froissart  thus  tells  the  story  of 
his  reception  : — 

"  News  was  brought  to  the  king  of  England  (who  at  that 
time  was  with  his  queen  at  Eltham,  a  very  magnificent  palace 
which  the  king  had,  seven  miles  from  London)  that  the  King  of 
France  had  landed  at  Dover.  .  .  .  The  third  day  he  [king 
John]  set  out,  taking  the  road  to  London,  and  rode  on  until  he 
came  to  Eltham,  where  the  king  of  England  was,  with  a 
number  of  lords,  ready  to  receive  him.  It  was  on  a  Sunday, 
in    the    afternoon,    that    he    arrived ;    there   were,    therefore, 


ISO  BYGONE  KENT. 

between  this  time  and  supper,  many  grand  dances  and  carols. 
The  young  Lord  de  Coucy  was  there,  who  took  pains  to  shine 
in  his  dancing  and  singing  whenever  it  was  his  turn.  ...  I 
can  never  relate  how  very  honourably  and  magnificently  the 
king  and  queen  of  England  received  King  John.  On  leaving 
Eltham,  he  went  to  London," 

where,  in  the  Savoy  Palace,  he  died  on  April  8th 
of  the  same  year.  Next  year  de  Coucy  was 
married  to  the  princess,  but  unfortunately  they 
did  not  live  happily  ever  after,  their  romantic 
attachment  ending  twelve  years  later  in  a 
separation. 

The  last  days  of  Edward  III.  were  spent  at 
Eltham  and  Shene,  where,  broken  down  in  health 
and  spirit,  and  worn  out  with  his  active  life,  he 
was  left  almost  alone,  deserted  by  his  friends. 
He  died  at  Shene  in  1377. 

Richard  II.  was  at  Eltham,  keeping  Christmas, 
in  1386,  when  there  came  to  him  Leo,  King  of 
Armenia,  "under  pretence,"  says  Stow,  "to 
reform  peace  betwixt  the  kings  of  England  and 
France ;  but  what  his  coming  profited  he  only 
understood  ;  for  besides  innumerable  gifts  that  he 
received,  .  .  .  the  king  granted  to  him  a 
charter  of  a  thousand  pounds  by  year  during  his 
life.  He  was,  as  he  affirmed,  chased  out  of  his 
kingdom  by  the  Tartarians." 


ROYAL  ELTHAM.  151 

In  1395,  Richard,  having  lost  his  "  Good  Queen 
Anne,"  summoned  his  council  to  Eltham,  partly 
to  broach  to  them  his  intention  of  marrying 
Isabella  of  Valois,  and  partly  to  lay  before  them  a 
petition  from  Guienne,  asking  that  that  province, 
which  Richard  had  conferred  upon  the  Duke  of 
Lancaster,  might  remain  an  appanage  of  the 
English  crown.  While  the  council  was  deliberat- 
ing, Jean  Froissart,  the  famous  chronicler  and 
poet,  was  at  the  palace,  waiting  for  an  opportunity 
to  present  the  king  with  a  volume  of  his  poems. 
He  relates  at  length  the  doings  of  this  parliament, 
as  told  him  by  Sir  Richard  Sturry.  The  Duke 
of  Gloucester  opposed  the  petition,  and — 

"  To  show  that  he  governed  the  king  and  was  the  greatest  in 
the  council,  as  soon  as  he  had  delivered  his  opinion  and  saw 
that  many  were  murmuring  at  it,  and  that  the  prelates  and  lords 
were  discussing  it  in  small  parties,  he  quitted  the  king's  chamber, 
followed  by  the  earl  of  Derby,  and  entered  the  hall  at  Eltham, 
where  he  ordered  a  table  to  be  spread,  and  they  both  sat  down 
to  dinner  while  others  were  debating  the  business.  When  the 
duke  of  York  heard  they  were  at  dinner,  he  joined  them.  .  .  . 
On  the  Sunday,  the  whole  council  were  gone  to  London, 
excepting  the  duke  of  York,  who  remained  with  the  king,  and 
sir  Richard  Sturry  :  these  two,  in  conjunction  with  sir  Thomas 
Percy,  mentioned  me  again  to  the  king,  who  desired  to  see  the 
book  I  had  brought  for  him.  .  .  .  The  king  asked  me 
what  the  book  treated  of:  I  replied  'Of  love!'  He  was  pleased 
with  the  answer,  and  dipped  into  several  places,  reading  parts 


152  BYGONE  KENT. 

aloud,  for  he  read  and  spoke  French  perfectly  well,  and  then 
gave  it  to  one  of  his  knights,  called  sir  Richard  Credon,  to 
carry  to  his  oratory,  and  made  me  many  acknowledgments 
for  it." 

While  at  Eltham  in  the  following  August 
(1396),  the  king  was  informed  of  a  plot  against 
him,  headed  by  the  Duke  of  Gloucester ;  who 
soon  afterwards  was  seized  and  conveyed  to 
Calais,  there  to  meet  his  death. 

The  historic  quarrel,  in  1398,  between  the 
Dukes  of  Norfolk  and  Hereford,  when  in  the 
king's  presence  each  accused  the  other  of  treason, 
occurred,  according  to  Froissart,  at  Eltham 
Palace.  *  The  king  decided  that  on  September 
1 6th,  at  Coventry,  they  should  .settle  their  differ- 
ence by  mortal  combat ;  but  when  the  time 
arrived,  having  changed  his  mind,  he  forbade  the 
duel  to  proceed,  and  sentenced  both  combatants 
to  banishment,  Hereford  for  ten  years,  and  Nor- 
folk for  life.  Before  one  year  had  passed, 
however,  Hereford  returned  to  claim  his  father's 
estates,   and   gained   possession,   not  only  of   his 

*  Froissart  is  often  inaccurate  as  to  details,  and  even  in  the  account  of 
this  transaction  he  makes  three  mistakes,  calling  Norfolk  and  Hereford 
respectively  by  their  earlier  titles  of  Earl  Marshal  and  Earl  of  Derby,  and 
placing  the  scene  of  the  combat  at  Eltham  instead  of  Coventry.  We  must 
not,  therefore,  place  too  much  reliance  on  his  statement  that  the  quarrel 
took  place  at  Eltham.     See  Shakespeare's  Richard  II. 


ROYAL  ELTHAM.  153 

inheritance,  but  of  the  throne  of  England.  After 
Richard's  abdication  and  death,  the  Constable  of 
France,  Count  d'Albret,  came  to  enquire  after 
the  welfare  of  the  young  widowed  queen 
Isabella.  He  and  his  party  were  received  by 
Henry  at  Eltham,  and  splendidly  entertained, 
both  before  and  after  their  visit  to  Isabella  at 
Ha  vering-atte- Bower. 

In  1402  an  unusual  ceremony,  that  of  marriage 
by  proxy,  was  performed  at  Eltham  Palace.  The 
cause  of  this  strange  proceeding  was  the  exist- 
ence of  two  rival  popes,  of  whom  the  one  at 
Avignon  was  favoured  by  the  bride,  Joanna  of 
Navarre,  while  the  bridegroom,  Henry  IV., 
supported  him  who  ruled  at  Rome.  Joanna, 
however,  outwitted  her  particular  pope  by  obtain- 
ing from  him  permission  to  marry  anyone  she 
pleased  within  the  fourth  degree  of  consanguinity, 
without  naming  the  person.  She  then  sent 
Antoine  Riczi,  one  of  her  esquires,  to  England, 
with  authority  to  make  a  contract  of  matrimony 
in  her  name  with  King  Henry.  He  was  received 
on  the  3rd  of  April  at  Eltham,  and,  the  articles  of 
the  transaction  being  signed,  "  Henry  plighted 
his  nuptial  troth  to  Antoine  Riczi,  and  placed  the 
bridal   ring   on    his  finger    ....    on   which   the 


154  BYGONE  KENT. 

trusty    squire,    having    received    Henry's    plight, 
pronounced  that  of  Joanna  in  these  words  : — 

'  I,  Antoiiie  Riczi,  in  the  name  of  my  worshipful  lady, 
Joanna,  the  daughter  of  Charles,  lately  king  of  Navarre, 
duchess  of  Bretagne,  and  countess  of  Richmond,  take  you, 
Henry  of  Lancaster,  king  of  England  and  lord  of  Ireland,  to 
be  my  husband,  and  thereto  I,  Antoine,  in  the  spirit  of  my 
said  lady,  plight  you  my  troth.' " 

In  141 2.  the  king  kept  his  last  Christmas  at 
Eltham,  "being,"  as  Holinshed  puts  it,  "sore 
vexed  with  sicknesse,  so  that  it  was  thought 
sometime  that  he  had  beene  dead.  Notwithstand- 
ing it  pleased  God  that  he  somewhat  recovered 
his  strength  againe,  and  so  passed  that  Christmasse 
with  as  much  joy  as  he  might." 

Henry  V.,  while  keeping  Christmas  here  in 
141 3-14,  was  alarmed  by  a  rumour  that  the 
Lollards  were  assembling  in  arms,  intending  to 
seize  his  person.  The  report  was  probably  false, 
but  it  caused  a  sudden  removal  of  the  court  to 
Westminster,  and  led  to  the  execution  of  some 
forty  Lollards.  In  141 5,  on  his  return  from  the 
great  victory  of  Agincourt,  the  king  stayed  one 
night  at  Eltham  with  his  prisoners,  the  French 
noblemen,  among  them  the  Dukes  of  Orleans 
and     Bourbon,    who    were    subsequently    again 


c  .« 

^■^ 

o    ^ 


156  BYGONE  KENT. 

lodged  there.  It  was  here,  in  14 16,  that  Henry- 
received  Sigismund,  Emperor  of  Germany,  who 
was  conducted  to  the  palace  in  great  state,  and 
magnificently  entertained.  The  objects  of  his 
visit  were  to  establish  peace  between  England 
and  France,  and  to  enlist  the  aid  of  Henry  in 
putting  an  end  to  the  ecclesiastical  dissensions  of 
the  time. 

The  boy-king  Henry  VI.  stayed  at  Eltham 
on  his  return  from  Paris,  where  he  had  been 
crowned  "  King  of  France ;"  and  after  his 
marriage  he  restored  and  beautified  it,  with  other 
palaces,  in  honour  of  the  queen.  In  1460,  after 
his  capture  by  the  Yorkists  at  Northampton, 
Henry  was  brought  to  Eltham,  and  allowed  to 
indulge  in  hunting  and  other  sports,  which, 
though  he  was  a  prisoner,  and  his  wife  and  child 
fugitives,  he  seems  to  have  greatly  enjoyed. 

By  Edward  IV.  the  palace  was  repaired  and 
enlarged,  the  principal  work  being  the  rebuilding 
of  the  banqueting-hall,  and  the  placing  oi  a  stone 
brido-e  across  the  moat  instead  of  the  wooden 
drawbridge.  Both  these  remain  to  the  present 
day.  The  reasons  usually  given  for  crediting 
Edward  IV.  with  the  erection  of  the  Hall  are 
(i)  the  style  of  its  architecture,  which  corresponds 


ROYAL  ELTHAM.  157 

with  that  of  other  buildings  of  his  reign,  and  (2) 
the  special  badge  of  this  monarch,  namely,  the 
rose  en  soleil,  which  is  to  be  seen  in  one  of 
the  spandrels  of  the  principal  doorway.  More 
conclusive  evidence,  however,  is  supplied  by  an 
ancient  document,  still  preserved,  which  contains 
particulars  of  the 

"Cost  and  Expenses  don  upon  the  bildyng  of  the  newe 
Halle  wtyn  the  manor  of  Eltham,  in  the  charge  of  James 
Hatefeld,  from  Sonday  the  xixth  day  of  Septembr  the  xixth  yere 
of  the  reigne  of  our  Sovreyn  lord  Kyng  Edward  the  iiijth  unto 
Sonday  the  iijd  of  October,  the  yere  aforeseid.  *     [1479.] 

In  1482,  probably  on  the  completion  of  the 
work,  the  king  held  his  Christmas  festivities  here 
in  splendid  style,  more  than  two  thousand  guests 
being  daily  entertained. 

The  short  reigns  of  Edward  V.  and  Richard 
III.  afford  no  items  of  Eltham  history,  but 
Lambarde,  writing  in  1570,  says  "it  is  not  yet 
fully  out  of  memorie,  that  king  Henry  the  seventh, 
set  up  the  faire  front  over  the  mote  there" — 
doubtless  on  the  western  side,  where  there  are 
still  indications  of  a  former  range  of  buildings. 
But  Henry  VII.  was  the  last  monarch  who  paid 
more  than  occasional  visits  to  the  palace,  "since 

*  Treasury  of  rect.  ofExchq. ,  Paper  docum.  Portfo.  ii.  No.  1644. 


158  BYGONE  KENT. 

whose  reigne,"  says  the  same  writer,  "this  house, 
by  reason  of  the  neerenesse  to  Greenewicke, 
.  .  .  hath  not  beene  so  greatly  esteemed  :  the 
rather  also  for  that  the  pleasures  of  the  emparked 
groundes  here,  may  be  in  manner  as  well  enjoyed, 
the  Court  lying  at  Greenwiche,  as  if  it  were  at 
this  house  it  selfe." 

Nevertheless,  excepting  Prince  Arthur,  all  the 
children  of  Henry  VII.  were  educated  at  Eltham, 
where,  in  January  1500,  the  great  scholar 
Erasmus  was  introduced  to  them  by  his  friend 
Mr.  Thomas  More,  afterwards  Lord  Chancellor. 
"  When  they  came  into  the  great  Hall,  they  saw 
the  whole  train  of  the  young  Princes.  In  the 
middle  stood  Prince  Henry,  then  nine  years  of 
age  ;  foreshewing  the  signs  and  tokens  of  majesty, 
a  greatness  of  mind  supported  by  a  singular 
humanity."  After  the  visit,  Erasmus  composed  a 
long  poem  in  praise  of  England  and  the  royal 
family,  which  he  sent  to  Prince  Henry,  and  so 
commenced  their  frequent  correspondence. 

Henry  VIII.,  though  generally  preferring 
Greenwich,  spent  Christmas  here  on  three 
occasions,  the  first  of  which,  in  1 515-16,  was 
marked       by       unusual       splendour.  On  the 

Christmas   Eve,  after  vespers.    Cardinal   Wolsey 


ROYAL  ELTHAM.  159 

took  the  oath  and  office  of  Lord  Chancellor,  in 
place  of  Archbishop  Warham,  who  had  resigned. 
When  Twelfth-night  came,  a  grand  entertainment 
was  given  in  the  great  hall.  Among  the  state 
papers  at  the  Record  Office  is  one  giving  an 
account  of  this  masque,  which,  if  only  for  its 
quaint  spelling,  is  worth  quoting.  A  castle  of 
timber  having  been  prepared,  and,  as  Holinshed 
has  it,  "  wonderouslie  set  out,"  Master  William 
Cornish  and  the  children  of  the  chapel  performed 

"the  story  of  Troylous  and  Pandor  rychly  inparylled,  allso 
Kallkas  and  Kryssyd  inparylled  lyke  a  wedow  of  onour,  in 
blake  sarsenet  and  other  abelements  for  seche  mater ;  Dyomed 
and  the  Greks  inparylled  lyke  men  of  warre,  akordyng  to  the 
intent  or  porpoos.*  After  weche  komedy  playd  and  doon,  an 
harroud  \i.e.  herald]  tryd  and  mad  an  oy  that  3  strange  knyghts 
war  cum  to  do  batall  with  [those]  of  the  sayd  kastell ;  owt 
weche  yssud  3  men  of  arms  with  punchyng  spers,  redy  to  do 
feets  at  the  barryers,  inparylled  in  whyghthe  saten  and  greeyn 
saten  of  Bregys,  f  lynd  with  gren  sarsenet  and  whyght  sarsenet, 
and  the  saten  cut  ther  on.  To  the  sayd  3  men  of  arms 
entered  other  3  men  of  arms  with  lyke  wepuns,  and 
inparylled  in  sclops  of  reed  sarsenet  and  yelow  sarsenet,  and 
with  speers  mad  sartayn  strooks ;  and  after  that  doon,  with 
nakyd  swerds  fawght  a  fayer  batayll  of  12  strooks,  and  so 
departyd  of  foors.  Then  out  of  the  kastell  ysseud  a  quyen, 
and  with  her  6  ladyes,  with  spechys  after  the  devyes  of  Mr. 

*  The  story  was  evidently  Chaucer's  Troilus  and  Cressida,  largely  a 
translation  of  Boccaccio's  Filostrato. 
t  Bruges? 


i6o  BYGONE  KENT. 

Kornyche ;  and  after  thys  doon,  7  mynstrells  inparylled  in  long 
garments  and  bonets  to  the  saam  of  saten  of  Bregys,  whyght 
and  greeyn,  un  the  walls  and  towrys  of  the  sayd  kastell  played  a 
melodyus  song.  Then  cam  out  of  the  kastell  6  lords  and 
gentyllmen  inparelled  in  garments  of  whyght  saten  of  Bregys 
and  greyn,  browdyrd  with  counterfyt  stuf  of  Flandyrs  making, 
as  brochys,  ouchys,  spangs  and  seche ;  and  allso  6  ladyes 
inparelld  in  6  garments  of  ryght  saten,  whyght  and  greeyn,  set 
with  H  and  K*  of  yelow  saten,  poynted  together  with  poynts 
of  Kolen  goUd.  Thes  6  garments  for  ladyes  wer  of  the  Kyng's 
stoor,  newly  repayryd.  Allso  the  sayd  ladyes  heeds  inparylled 
with  loos  golld  of  damask,  as  well  as  with  wovyn  flat  goUd  of 
damaske,"  [etc. — then  follows  an  account  of  the  expenditure.] 

On  the  conclusion  of  these  performances,  "the 
banket,"  says  Holinshed,  "was  served  in  of  two 
hundred  dishes,  with  great  plentie  to  everie 
bodie." 

On  the  Eve  of  Epiphany,  1524,  at  the  end  of 
the  Christmas  holidays,  the  king  and  queen 
received  Longland,  Bishop  of  Lincoln,  who  had 
come  to  explain  to  the  queen  the  plans  of  Christ 
Church  College,  Wolsey's  new  foundation  at 
Oxford.  The  festival  in  1525,  because  of  an 
epidemic  in  the  city,  was  held  at  Eltham  with 
only  a  few  guests,  and  was  named  the  "  Still 
Christmas."  It  was  on  this  occasion  that  Wolsey 
presented   the  king  with    the    lease  of  Hampton 

*  The  initials  of  the  king  and  queen,  a  pet  idea  of  Henry's  ;  though  the 
second  letter  had  rather  frequently  to  be  altered  ! 


ROYAL  ELTHAM.  i6i 

Court  Palace.  At  the  same  time  he  drew  up  a 
most  minute  and  elaborate  set  of  "Articles 
devised  by  the  King's  highness,  with  the  advice 
of  his  council,  for  the  establishment  of  good  order 
and  reformation  of  sundry  errors  and  misuses  in 
his  most  honourable  household  and  chamber." 
These  rules,  which  are  too  long  to  quote,  are 
preserved  among  the  state  papers,  and  are  known 
as  the  Statutes  of  Eltham.  They  are  said  to 
contain  precedents  for  many  of  the  Court  customs 
of  the  present  day. 

After  this  date  the  royal  visits  to  Eltham  were 
but  few.  On  July  21,  1555,  Queen  Mary 
removed  from  St.  James's  Palace,  taking  a  barge 
to  Lambeth,  whence  she  drove  to  Eltham  Palace, 
escorted  by  Cardinal  Pole,  Lords  Pembroke  and 
Montague,  and  others.  Over  10,000  persons 
assembled  to  see  her,  this  being,  as  is  supposed, 
her  first  appearance  since  her  mysterious  illness. 

Oueen  Elizabeth,  who  when  an  infant  had  often 
been  taken  to  Eltham,  paid  at  least  one  important 
visit  to  the  palace,  on  August  6th,  1559, 
nine  months  after  her  accession,  when  she  met 
there  the  Earl  of  Arran,  son  of  the  former  Regent 
of  Scotland.  The  young  Earl,  who  was  handsome 
but  weak-minded,  had  been  at  one  time  regarded 


1 62  BYGONE  KENT. 

as  the  future  husband  of  Mary  Queen  of  Scots, 
and  was  subsequently  proposed  as  a  suitable  con- 
sort for  Elizabeth.  Evidently  the  object  of  this 
interview  was  to  ascertain  his  prospects  in  that 
direction.  Elizabeth,  as  she  was  wont  to  do  with 
her  admirers,  appeared  to  encourage  him,  all  the 
while  scheming  how  to  utilise  his  devotion  for  her 
political  ends.  Three  years  later  his  weak  mind 
gave  way  altogether,  and  he  never  recovered  his 
reason  ;  perhaps  disappointment  had  something  to 
do  with  it. 

In  this  reign  the  palace  was  usually  occupied 
by  Sir  Christopher  Hatton  ;  after  which  time,  with 
the  exception  of  one  visit  of  James  I.  in  May  and 
June,  1612,  and  one  of  Charles  I.  in  November, 
1629,  it  was  abandoned  by  royalty.  On  the 
passing  of  the  Self-denying  Ordinance,  in  1645, 
the  Earl  of  Essex  resigned  his  commission,  and 
retired  to  Eltham  House  (as  the  palace  was  now 
called),  where  he  died  on  September  13th,  1646. 

In  1650  the  property  was  sold  by  Parliament 
to  Major-General  Rich.  According  to  the  survey 
taken  in  1649,  the  buildings  consisted  of: — 

**  One  fair  chapel,  one  great  hall,  thirty-six  rooms  and  offices 
below  stairs,  with  two  large  cellars ;  and  above  stairs,  in 
lodgings  called  the  King's  side,  17,  the  Queen's  side,  12,  and 


ROYAL  ELTHAM.  163 

the  Prince's  side,  9 ;  in  all  38  lodging-rooms,  with  other 
necessary  small  rooms  .  .  .  thirty-five  bays  of  build- 
ings, containing  [in  two  stories  about  78  rooms,  etc.]  with  one 
inward  court  containing  ^  an  acre,  and  one  garden  called  the 
Arbor,  lying  South  of  the  Mansion  ;  also  one  orchard." 

All  this  was  sold  for  ^2,753,  the  estimated 
value  of  the  materials.  On  April  22,  1656, 
Evelyn  "went  to  see  his  Majesty's  house  at 
Eltham,  both  Palace  and  chapell  in  miserable 
ruines,  the  noble  woods  and  park  destroy 'd  by 
Rich  the  Rebell." 

The  restoration  of  Charles  II,  did  not  bring 
about  the  restoration  of  the  palace.  Sir  John 
Shaw,  to  whom  the  estate  was  granted  by  the 
king,  proceeded  straightway  to  demolish  the 
buildings,  which  were  really  in  such  bad  repair  as 
to  be  uninhabitable.  Happily  they  were  not  all 
destroyed ;  the  great  hall,  which  somebody 
happened  to  remark  would  make  a  good  barn, 
was  spared  for  that  purpose ! 

Such  was  the  base  use  to  which  the  noble 
building  was  put  for  many  years.  At  last,  in 
1828,  after  nearly  two  centuries  of  neglect,  the 
roof  showed  signs  of  giving  way,  and  the  hall 
was  only  saved  from  demolition  by  order  of  the 
Government,  who  expended  ;^700  on  its  repair. 
Smirke,   the  celebrated   architect,   superintended 


t64  bygone  KENT. 

the  operations.  In  1859  a  dwelling-house  was 
erected  against  the  eastern  end.  The  hall 
itself,  which  had  until  then  continued  to  be  used 
as  a  barn,  was  cleared  out,  and  since  then  it  has 
been  carefully  preserved. 

The  moat,  which  varies  in  breadth  from  fifty  to 
one  hundred  feet,  is  still  spanned  on  the  north  by 
the  three-arched  bridge  built  by  Edward  IV., 
but,  excepting  the  portion  below  the  bridge,  it  is 
now  quite  dry.  Before  crossing  it,  there  is  seen 
on  the  right  hand  a  picturesque  wooden  house, 
which,  if  it  be  not  the  actual  building,  occupies  the 
site  of  "my  Lord  Chancellor's  lodging,"  as  shown 
in  a  plan  of  1509.  Portions  of  the  wall  within 
the  moat  are  yet  visible,  and  in  the  enclosure, 
incorporated  with  the  modern  residence,  are  some 
remains  of  the  ancient  kitchen  and  buttery. 
There  are  also  a  number  of  subterranean 
passages,  now  used  as  drains. 

The  hall,  however,  claims  our  chief  attention. 
It  is  built  principally  of  bricks,  faced  with  stone. 
Its  outward  appearance  is  not  remarkable  ; 
indeed,  if  it  were  not  for  the  windows,  it  would 
almost  justify  the  misnomer  of  "  King  John's 
Barn,"  which  the  people  of  Eltham  for  many 
years  applied  to  it.      The  architectural  effect  was 


ROYAL  ELTHAM.  165 

intentionally  restricted  to  the  interior.  On 
entering,  one  is  struck  with  its  fine  proportions, 
the  measurements  being  one  hundred  feet  in  length, 
thirty-six  in  width,  and  fifty-five  in  height.  The 
body  of  the  hall  is  lighted  by  ten  windows  on 
each  side,  each  window  divided  by  a  mullion 
without  a  transom,  and  the  sections  cinquefoil- 
headed  with  a  quatrefoil  between.  These  windows 
only  extend  half-way  down  the  walls,  the  space 
below  being  left  for  tapestry.  At  the  western 
end,  projecting  north  and  south,  are  two  large 
bays,  with  windows  reaching  from  top  to  bottom, 
and  finely  vaulted  roofs.  Across  the  hall  between 
these  bays  was  the  dais,  and  at  the  opposite  end 
a  carved  screen  reached  from  side  to  side,  with  an 
inner  entrance  in  its  centre,  forming  a  lobby  into 
which  the  outer  doors  opened.  Above  this  was 
the  minstrels'  gallery.  But  the  finest  feature  of 
the  hall  is  its  hammer-beam  roof,  constructed  of 
oak,  with  braces  resting  on  stone  corbels,  carved 
pendants,  spandrels  pierced  with  trefoils,  and 
pierced  panelling  above  the  collar-beams. 

Standing  within  the  Hall  nowadays  it  is  dilTficult 
to  realise  its  former  magnificence.  The  dais  is 
levelled  with  the  ground  ;  the  music-gallery  has 
gone,  and  the  present  screen  is  but  a  patchwork  ; 


1 66  BYGONE  KENT. 

no  rich  hangings  decorate  the  bare,  rough  walls  ; 
the  windows,  all  unglazed,  are  sadly  mutilated  ; 
and  the  roof,  the  best-preserved  portion,  is  almost 
hidden  by  the  huge  unsightly  framework  raised  to 
support  it.  Yet,  while  we  deplore  the  damage 
done  to  the  building  in  the  days  of  its  degradation, 
we  must  not  forget  that,  but  for  its  adaptability  to 
the  purposes  of  a  barn,  it  would  have  been  totally 
destroyed  more  than  two  hundred  years  ago. 


(Brccuwicb   Jfaii\ 

By  Thomas  Frost. 

THE  pleasure  fairs  of  our  towns  and 
villages  are  diminishing  year  by  year,  both 
in  number  and  attractiveness,  under  the  combined 
influences  of  legal  enactments  against  them  and 
the  facilities  now  enjoyed  for  a  higher  class  of 
entertainments  than  those  which  they  provided. 
At  the  rate  at  which  they  have  of  late  years  been 
disappearing,  the  next  generation  will  know  them 
only  by  the  pictures  of  Hogarth,  Rowlandson, 
and  Setchel,  and  the  contemporary  descriptions  of 
Hone  and  others. 

The  fairs  of  Kent  which  had  survived  the 
changes  of  the  last  fifty  or  sixty  years  have  been 
swept  away  by  magisterial  edicts  under  the 
powers  conferred  by  the  Fairs  Act.  It  may  be 
well,  therefore,  to  present  a  picture  of  one  of  the 
most  famous  of  them,  while  there  are  yet  living 
some  few  persons  who  can  recall  its  chief  features. 
Let  it  be  Greenwich. 

There   were   really   two   pleasure   fairs   held  at 


1 68  BYGONE  KENT. 

Greenwich,  at  Easter  and  Whitsuntide  respec- 
tively, but  for  the  purpose  of  this  paper  they  may 
be  dealt  with  as  one.  The  earlier  fair  was  the 
opening  event  of  the  year  with  the  showmen,  the 
stall-keepers,  and  the  proprietors  of  the  drinking 
and  dancing  booths.  The  portable  theatre  then 
owned  by  Richardson,  a  notable  character  in 
his  way,  always  occupied  a  prominent  position  at 
both  fairs,  and  many  actors  who  afterwards 
became  favourably  known  to  the  frequenters  of 
the  London  theatres  acquired  their  early 
experience  on  its  boards.  It  is  known  that 
Edmund  Kean,  James  Wallack,  Oxberry,  and 
Saville  Faucit,  were  of  the  number,  but  it  cannot 
be  said  positively  that  those  stars  of  the  theatrical 
world  ever  appeared  under  a  canvas  canopy  at 
Greenwich.  There,  however,  were  certainly 
seen,  in  the  palmy  days  of  the  fair,  James  Barnes, 
afterwards  famous  as  the  pantaloon  of  the  Covent 
Garden  pantomimes  ;  John  Cartlitch,  the  original 
representative  of  Mazeppa ;  Nelson  Lee,  well 
known  to  a  later  generation  as  the  enterprising 
manager  of  a  metropolitan  theatre,  as  well  as 
Richardson's  successor;  John  Douglass,  after- 
wards lessee  of  the  Standard,  the  largest 
theatre      in       London  ;        Paul       M erring,      the 


GREENWICH  FAIR.  169 

famous  pantomimist ;  Crowther,  who  was  subse- 
quently engaged  at  Astley's ;  Charles  Freer  and 
Mrs.  Campbell,  favourites  later  on  at  the 
Pavilion  ;  and  Mrs.  Yates,  who  was  afterwards 
engaged  at  the  Standard. 

Some  really  good  things  were  occasionally  to  be 
seen  on  the  boards  of  Richardson's  theatre.  For 
instance,  in  the  first  year  of  Lee's  management, 
the  ballet  in  "  Esmeralda,"  which  was  then 
attracting  large  audiences  to  the  Adelphi,  was 
produced  at  the  Whitsuntide  fair  at  Greenwich, 
where  the  theatre  stood  at  the  extreme  end  of 
the  ground,  near  the  bridge  at  Deptford  Creek. 
It  proved  a  great  success,  and  Oscar  Byrne,  who 
had  arranged  the  ballet  for  the  Adelphi,  visited 
the  theatre,  and  complimented  Lee  on  the 
manner  in  which  it  was  produced.  The  ballet 
was  probably  much  better  worth  seeing  than  the 
sensational  dramas,  cut  down  to  an  extent  that 
enabled  them  to  be  played  in  twenty  minutes, 
upon  which  the  popularity  of  Richardson's  chiefly 
depended. 

Actors  who  have  long  since  departed  from  the 
stage  of  this  world  used  to  tell  some  singular 
stories  in  connection  with  this  well-known  show. 
Among    these    may    be    quoted     the    deception 


I70  BYGONE  KENT. 

practised  on  Nelson  Lee  by  an  eccentric  panto- 
mimist  named  Shaw,  who,  in  addition  to  oddities 
of  mind  and  manner,  possessed  but  one  eye. 
Towards  the  close  of  the  season  of  184 1,  this  young 
man's  freaks  became  so  remarkable  as  to  raise  a 
doubt  as  to  whether  he  was  perfectly  sane,  and,  in 
the  interests  of  the  theatre,  he  received  his  dismissal. 
When  the  company  was  being  formed  for  the 
following  season,  an  application  for  the  vacancy 
was  received  by  letter  from  one  Charles  Wilson, 
who  stated  that  he  had  been  engaged  as 
Harlequin  at  the  Theatre  Royal,  Birmingham. 
Lee  engaged  him,  but  did  not  see  him  until  he 
presented  himself  at  the  theatre  on  Easter 
Sunday,  at  Greenwich.  There  was  then  observed 
a  remarkable  resemblance  between  the  new 
Harlequin  and  his  predecessor,  extending  to 
every  feature  except  the  eyes,  and  even  they 
were  the  same  colour  as  Shaw's.  It  was  soon 
discovered,  however,  that  the  eye,  which  had 
made  a  puzzle  of  the  identity,  was  a  glass  one  ; 
and  "  Wilson,"  charged  with  being  Shaw, 
acknowledged  the  deception.  Lee  overlooked  it, 
and  experience  seems  to  have  made  the  panto- 
mimist  a  wiser  man  in  the  future. 

Menageries  and  circuses  enjoyed  a  large  share 


GREENWICH  FAIR.  171 

of  the  patronage  of  the  visitors  to  the  fair,  and  in 
connection  with  one  of  the  former — Wombwell 's 
— the  original  Wombwell's,  for  George  Wombwell 
was  then  living — a  terrible  catastrophe  occurred 
there  rather  more  than  fifty  years  ago.  The 
attractiveness  of  performances  with  lions  and 
tigers  by  women  had  brought  so  much  money  into 
the  coffers  of  Hilton  and  Edmunds,  that  Helen 
Blight,  the  daughter  of  a  musician  in  Wombwell's 
band,  was  induced  to  undertake  the  role  of 
"lion  queen,"  in  rivalry  with  Miss  Hilton  and 
Miss  Chapman  (now  Mrs.  George  Sanger). 
Unfortunately,  she  had  not  sufficient  command  of 
her  temper  for  the  successful  exercise  of  so 
dangerous  a  vocation.  While  performing  with 
the  animals  at  Greenwich  Fair,  she  applied  a 
riding-whip  she  was  carrying  to  a  tiger  which 
exhibited  some  refractoriness.  The  enraged 
beast  immediately  sprang  upon  her,  seized  her  by 
the  throat,  and  dragged  her  to  the  floor  of  the  cage. 
The  keepers  endeavoured  to  beat  off  the  tiger, 
but  the  unfortunate  young  woman  was  dead  before 
she  could  be  rescued. 

Hilton's  menagerie  passed  into  the  possession 
of  Manders  in  1852,  and  when  the  show  came  to 
Greenwich    that    year,    it    was    without    a     lion- 


172  .  BYGONE  KENT. 

performer,  Tom  Newsome — brother  of  the  late 
circus  proprietor  of  that  name — having  just  before 
terminated  his  engagement  in  that  capacity  some- 
what abruptly.  On  one  of  the  fair  days  an 
•athletic  negro,  in  the  garb  of  a  sailor,  accosted 
one  of  the  musicians,  and  asked  whether  employ- 
ment could  be  found  for  him  in  the  show. 
M an ders  was  communicated  with,  and  the  negro 
was  invited  to  enter  the  show,  and  see  the 
"governor."  His  appearance  led  Manders  to 
offer  him  the  vacant  position  of  "lion-king," 
which  he  accepted  with  so  much  seeming 
confidence  in  his  power  to  control  the  animals, 
that  he  was,  at  his  own  request,  allowed  to  enter 
the  lion's  cage,  in  which  situation  he  displayed  so 
much  coolness  and  address  that  he  was  engaged 
there  and  then.  This  black  sailor  was  the  famous 
Macomo,  who  travelled  with  the  menagerie  for 
several  years,  realising  to  the  uttermost  the 
expectations  raised  by  his  first  performance  with 
the  beasts. 

After  the  shows  of  one  kind  and  another,  the 
most  prominent  features  of  the  fair  were  the 
large  booths  devoted  to  refection  and  dancing. 
There  were  sometimes  a  score  of  these  in  the  fair, 
the  principal  being  the  Crown  and  Anchor  and 


GREENWICH  FAIR.  173 

the  Albion,  the  only  two  at  which  a  charge  was 
made  for  admission  to  the  "assembly  room," 
the  tickets  being  a  shilling  at  the  former,  and 
sixpence  at  the  latter.  The  Crown  and  Anchor 
was  three  hundred  and  twenty-three  feet  long  by 
sixty  feet  wide,  seventy  feet  of  the  length 
constituting  the  refreshment  department,  and  the 
rest  of  the  space,  rearward,  being  devoted  to 
dancing.  The  culinary  operations  were  conducted 
in  open  air,  behind  the  booths,  where  glowing 
charcoal  fires  burned  in  grates  of  immense  width. 
At  night  both  the  refreshment  bar  and  the 
dancing  room  were  lighted  with  coloured  lamps, 
arranged  in  a  variety  of  devices,  as  crowns,  stars, 
anchors,  wreaths,  etc.,  and  in  the  latter  com- 
partment, separated  by  a  partition,  a  good  band 
played,  generally  consisting  of  two  harps,  three 
violins,  a  bass  viol,  two  clarionets,  and  a  flute. 
In  the  palmy  days  of  the  fair  the  sons  and 
daughters  of  the  shopkeepers  of  the  district 
resorted  to  the  Crown  and  Anchor  in  the  evening, 
and  joined  in  the  quadrilles  and  country  dances 
without  the  slightest  fear  as  to  what  Mrs.  Grundy 
might  say.  The  company  became  less  select, 
however,  in  the  latter  years  of  the  fair. 

The  fair  did  not,  even  in  its  best  days,  always 


174  BYGONE  KENT. 

pass  without  some  disturbance.  Half  a  century 
ago,  when  the  respectable  portion  of  society  was 
so  frequently  scandalized  by  the  wild  freaks  of 
certain  scions  of  aristocratic  families,  a  party  of 
these  young  men  visited  Richardson's  theatre,  and 
annoyed  both  actors  and  audience  by  throwing 
nuts  at  the  former,  and  talking  and  laughing 
loudly  throughout  the  performance.  A  dozen 
years  later  the  show  was  wrecked  by  a  party  of 
soldiers  from  Woolwich,  the  riot  originating  in  a 
practical  joke  played  by  one  of  the  party  upon  a 
man  in  the  crowd.  This  being  resented,  the 
soldier  assaulted  him,  and  on  his  retreating  up  the 
steps  he  was  followed  by  his  assailant.  Nelson 
Lee  interposed,  and  was  himself  assaulted,  upon 
which  some  of  the  company  bundled  the  aggressor 
down  the  steps.  He  returned,  supported  by  a 
number  of  his  comrades,  and  a  fight  ensued  on  the 
exterior  stage.  The  defenders  were  over-matched, 
however,  and  retreated  into  the  auditorium  or 
jumped  off  the  platform  and  fled.  The  soldiers 
then  began  destroying  the  front  of  the  theatre 
and  smashing  the  lamps.  Fortunately  these  were 
not  lighted,  or  a  terrible  conflagration  might  have 
been  the  result.  Lee  exerted  himself  bravely  to 
prevent  the   destruction   of  his   property   until    a 


GREEN  WICH  FAIR.  1 7 5 

rope  was  fastened  round  him,  with  which  the 
rioters  were  about  to  hoist  him  to  the  top  of  the 
front,  when  a  dozen  constables  arrived  and 
rescued  him  from  his  dastardly  assailants.  The 
latter  fled,  but  several  of  them  were  captured, 
and  probably  would  have  been  dealt  with  as 
severely  as  they  deserved  to  be  if  Lee  had  not 
withdrawn  from  the  prosecution  in  the  expectation 
that  compensation  would  be  made  by  the  officers 
of  the  regiment,  as  the  recorder  had  suggested, 
but  he  never  received  a  penny. 

Richardson's — or  rather  Johnson  and  Lee's 
— theatre  appeared  at  this  fair  for  the  last  time  in 
1852.  Wombwell  had  died  two  years  before, 
his  fine  collection  being  then  divided,  in 
conformity  with  his  will,  into  three  equal  parts, 
which  he  bequeathed  to  his  widow  and  two 
nieces,  Mrs.  Edmunds  and  Mrs.  Day.  The  fair 
had  been  declining  for  several  years,  though  its 
decadence  was  not  perceptible  to  ordinary 
observers,  who  saw  no  diminution  of  the  crowds 
before  the  principal  shows  and  thronging  the 
avenues,  and  as  many  shows  as  had  been  seen  in 
earlier  years.  But  the  showmen  and  the  keepers 
of  booths  and  stalls  did  not  find  their  receipts  at 
all  proportionate  to  the  number  of  visitors.     The 


176  BYGONE  KENT. 

growth  of  population  swelled  the  crowds,  but  the 
middle  classes  no  longer  patronised  the  shows, 
and  it  had  become  infra  dig.  to  be  seen  in  the 
dancing  booths.  The  railway  and  the  steamboats 
brought  a  larger  number  of  visitors,  but  they  were 
chiefly  of  the  class  for  whom  the  showmen  found 
reduced  charges  to  be  a  necessity,  without  a 
commensurate  increase  in  the  number  of  patrons. 
The  decadence  of  the  fair  proceeded  more 
rapidly  during  the  last  few  years  of  its  existence. 
By  the  absence  of  Richardson's  show  it  was  shorn 
of  half  its  glory,  and  its  abolition  in  1857  left  little 
cause  for  regret.  The  proprietors  of  portable 
theatres  found  it  more  to  their  advantage  to 
locate  them  for  two  or  three  months  in  a  town 
which  was  as  yet  without  a  permanent  temple  of 
Thespis,  than  to  set  them  up  for  three  days  in  the 
suburbs  of  London.  The  tenting  circuses 
followed  their  example,  and  the  opening  of  the 
Zoological  Gardens  to  the  public  did  much  to 
cause  the  travelling  menageries  to  be  comparatively 
neglected.  Greenwich  Fair  had,  in  short, 
outlived  the  age  for  which  it  had  provided  a 
welcome  means  of  relaxation  and  amusement,  and 
its  end  did  not  come  at  all  too  soon. 


Zbc  fll^artl?re^  Carbinal. 

By  Frederick  Ross,  f.r.h.s. 

IT  was  in  an  eventful  period  when  John  Fisher 
was  born  at  Beverley,  Yorkshire.  The  first 
part  of  the  Wars  of  the  Roses  had  just  terminated ; 
the  battle  of  Wakefield  had  been  fought,  and 
Queen  Margaret  had  spiked  the  head  of  Richard, 
Duke  of  York,  over  the  gate  of  York;  and  Towton 
fight,  with  its  ocean  of  blood,  had  reversed  the 
former,  and  placed  the  young  Duke  of  York, 
Edward,  on  the  throne  of  the  Plantagenets  ;  the 
land  had  been  reft  of  many  a  noble  name  ;  titles 
had  become  extinct  by  the  sword,  the  axe,  and 
attainder  ;  and  in  every  great  family  of  the  realm 
there  was  mourning  and  desolation. 

The  father  of  John  Fisher  was  named  Robert 
Fisher,  and  was  a  wealthy  mercer  in  Beverley,  a 
zealous  upholder  of  the  established  faith,  and  a 
determined  opponent  of  the  Wiclifian  heresy, 
who  left  by  will  2od.  to  the  Collegiate  Church  of 
St.  John,  2od.  to  each  of  the  almshouses  in  the 
town,  3s.  4d.  to  each  of  the  friaries,    13s.   4.6..   to 

N 


i7»  BYGONE  KENT. 

the  chaplain  of  St.  Trinity  to  pray  for  his  soul, 
6s.  8d.  to  Robert  Kuke,  Vicar  of  St.  Mary's,  and 
other  legacies.  Agnes,  his  mother,  was  a  most 
devout  woman,  and  it  was  at  her  knees  that  he 
imbibed  his  religious  sentiments  and  depth  of 
devotional  feeling.  Robert  Fisher  died  in  1477, 
leaving  his  widow  with  John  and  three  younger 
sons  to  educate  and  bring  up  ;  she  afterwards 
married  a  man  of  the  name  of  Wright,  to  whom 
she  bore  issue  three  sons  and  a  daughter,  named 
Elizabeth,  who  afterwards  became  a  nun  at  Dart- 
ford,  in  Kent,  for  whose  edification  her  half- 
brother  wrote  two  treatises  on  religion  when  in 
the  Tower.  In  1483,  John  was  sent  to  Cam- 
bridge, where  he  graduated  B.A.  1487,  and  M.A. 
1491  ;  was  chosen  F"ellow  of  his  college  and 
Proctor  in  1494  ;  made  D.D.  and  Vice-Chancellor 
1 50 1  ;  Lady  Margaret  Professor  of  Divinity 
1502;  Chancellor  of  the  University  1504;  Head 
of  Queen's  College  1505;  and  Master  of  Christ 
Church  College  1506. 

Whilst  the  young  student  was  passing  through 
the  successive  steps  of  his  collegiate  career,  other 
important  events  of  historic  interest  were  taking 
place.  King  Edward  the  Fourth  had  passed 
away,    leaving    his    crown    to    his    youthful    son, 


THE  MARTYRED  CARDINAL.  179 

Edward   the    Fifth,   who,   with  his    brother,    the 
Duke  of  York,  was  murdered  by  their  uncle,  the 
Duke  of   Gloucester.     Then  followed  the  short 
nightmare   reign   of    Richard    the    Third,    which 
terminated  at  his  death  on  Bosworth  Field,  when 
his  corpse  was  thrown  across  a  horse  and  carried 
away   for   burial,    whilst    his    crown,    which    was 
found  in    a   bush,    was    placed    on    the    head    of 
Henry,    Duke    of    Richmond,    the    first    of    the 
Tudors.     The  new  King  established  his  court  at 
Greenwich,  placing  at  the  head  of  his  household 
his    mother,    Margaret,   daughter  and  heiress   of 
John,   Duke  of    Somerset,    great-grand-daughter 
of  John  of  Gaunt,  Duke  of  Lancaster,  and  relict 
of  Edmund  Tudor,  who  had  been  created   Duke 
of  Richmond  by  his  half-brother,  King  Henry  VI. 
He  was  thus  the  representative  of  the  Red  Rose, 
and,    from    motives    of    policy,    soon    after    his 
accession    he    married     Elizabeth,     daughter    of 
Edward  IV.,  representative  of  the  White  Rose, 
and  so,  in  the  person  of  their  son,  Henry  VIII., 
united   the   Roses,   and  put   a   final    end    to    the 
disastrous   contentions   amongst   the  descendants 
of  Edward  HI.,  which  had  been  caused  by  the 
usurpation  of  Henry  IV. 

Margaret,  now  Countess  Dowager  of  Richmond, 


i8o  BYGONE  KENT. 

was  a  most  amiable,  pious,  and  devout  lady, 
spending  her  days  and  nights  in  prayer,  and 
hearing  mass,  in  fasting,  maceration  of  her  flesh, 
and  in  charitable  deeds,  spending  her  wealth  in 
works  of  philanthropy,  and  promoting  the  spread 
of  education.  She  spent  her  life,  according  to 
the  light  of  her  age,  in  self-abnegation  and  the 
performance  of  her  duty  to  God ;  and  if  ever 
woman  deserved  canonisation,  that  woman  was 
Margaret  Beaufort,  Countess  of  Richmond.  It 
chanced  that  when  Fisher  was  Proctor,  he  was 
sent  on  business  of  the  University  to  the  Court  of 
Greenwich,  where  he  obtained  an  introduction  to 
Countess  Margaret,  who  was  struck  by  his 
edifying  conversation,  his  unassuming  manners, 
and  his  piety,  and  in  consequence  constituted 
him  her  confessor  and  spiritual  adviser,  and 
subsequently  her  chief,  indeed  sole,  director  in 
matters  secular  as  well  as  spiritual.  Under  his 
advice,  she  founded  at  Cambridge,  in  1503,  a 
Divinity  Lecture,  and  the  following  year  a 
preachership  for  six  sermons  to  be  preached 
yearly  in  London,  Lincoln,  and  Ely.  Many 
other  objects  of  charitable,  educational,  and 
religious  character  were  also  carried  out  by  her, 
at  his  suggestion,  by  far  the  most  important  beings 


THE  MARTYRED  CARDINAL.  i8i 

the  foundation  of  Christ's  College,  Cambridge,  in 
1506,  and  of  St.  John's  College,  the  latter  having 
been  erected  under  the  direction  of  Fisher,  after 
her  death,  and  opened  in  15 16.  She  died  in 
1509,  and  Fisher  preached  her  funeral  sermon, 
with  a  panegyric  on  her  character. 

In  1503  the  see  of  Rochester  fell  vacant,  and 
King  Henry  thought  of  Fisher  for  the  office,  but 
did  not  think  proper  to  appoint  him  without  his 
mother's  consent.  He  therefore  wrote  to  her  : — 
"  I  am  well  myndit  to  promote  Master  Fisher, 
youre  Confessoor,  to  a  bishopric,  and  I  assure 
you,  madam,  for  non  other  cause,  but  for  the  grete 
and  singular  vertue  that  I  know  and  se  in  hym, 
as  well  as  in  conyn  and  wisdome,  and  specially 
for  his  good  and  vertuose  ly  ving  and  conversation. 
And  bye  the  promotion  of  suche  a  man,  I  know 
well  it  should  corage  many  others  to  lyve 
vertuously,  and  to  take  soche  wages  as  he  dothe, 
which  shoulde  be  a  good  exampl  to  many  others," 
etc.  Of  course  Lady  Margaret  assented,  and  he 
was  advanced  to  the  episcopal  bench,  the 
appointment  being  ratified  by  the  Pope,  July  2nd, 
1504.  He  was  highly  esteemed  by  the  King, 
who  appointed  him  tutor  to  his  sons,  Arthur  and 
Henry  ;    and  when  the  latter  came  to  the  throne 


1 82  BYGONE  KENT. 

as  Henry  VIII.,  Fisher  became  his  friend  and 
counsellor  in  all  matters  relating  to  religion  and 
the  Church. 

When  Henry  was  young,  he  was  a  good 
Catholic  and  hater  of  heresy,  whether  Wiclifite 
or  Lutheran,  looking  up  to  the  Pope  as  his 
spiritual  superior  and  the  Vicegerent  of  Christen- 
dom ;  and  so  he  remained  until  he  became 
enamoured  of  the  fair  Anne  Boleyn,  when,  as  is 
well  known,  because  the  Church  threw  obstacles 
in  his  way  of  getting  rid  of  his  wife  Katherine,  a 
pious  daughter  of  the  Church,  his  affections 
became  alienated  from  the  Pope,  and,  by  gradual 
steps,  he  threw  off  the  Papal  yoke,  plundered  the 
Church  of  its  wealth,  and  assumed  for  himself  the 
headship  of  the  Church  of  England.  It  was  in 
the  interval  that,  in  his  ardent  zeal  for  theological 
distinction,  he  produced  a  book,  which  he  pro- 
fessed to  have  written,  against  Luther,  entitled 
"  Assertio  Septem  Sacramentorum  Adversus 
Martyn  Luther."  The  manuscript  was  sent  to 
Rome,  and  circulated  among  the  cardinals  and 
bishops,  causing  considerable  sensation  by  its 
learning  and  ability,  and  was  deposited  in  the 
Library  of  the  Vatican  as  one  of  its  chief 
treasures.     The  Pope  granted  plenary  indulgence 


THE  MARTYRED  CARDINAL. 


183 


to  all  who  should  read  it,  and  a  Collepfe  of 
Cardinals  was  called  to  consider  what  title  should 
be  accorded  to  the  Royal  writer  for  so  signal  a 
service  to  the  Church.  The  Apostolic ;  the 
Orthodox  ;  the  Faithful ;  the  Angelic  ;  and  others 


JOHN    FISHER. 

{From  the  portrait  by  Holbein.) 


were  suggested,  and  finally  that  of  "  Defender  of 
the  Faith "  was  adopted.  It  is  tolerably  certain 
that  Henry  was  not  the  author  of  the  book  ;  he 
may  have  suggested  it  and  laid  down  the  outlines 
of  the  arguments,  but  he  had  neither  intellectual 
capacity  nor  sufficient  learning  to  have  written  it ; 


1 84  BYGONE  KENT. 

and  it  has  been  conjectured,  from  internal 
evidence  and  other  circumstances,  that  the  real 
author  was  Fisher,  and  this  most  probably  is  the 
truth,  as  he  was  one  of  the  few  who  were  capable 
of  writing  it,  and  it  would  be  naturally  to  him — 
his  quondam  tutor  and  spiritual  adviser — that  the 
King  would  turn  for  assistance  in  the  production 
of  the  book. 

In  his  writings  and  sermons,  Fisher  ever  up- 
held, as  an  indubitable  truth,  the  supremacy  of  the 
Pope  above  all  earthly  potentates,  and  declaimed 
vehemently"  against  the  Lutheran  and  all  other 
heresies  as  the  spawn  of  hell ;  and  it  was  his  bold 
and  conscientious  adherence  to  these  principles 
that  alienated  him  from  his  master,  and  caused 
his  overthrow  and  death.  The  first  breach 
occurred  on  the  divorce  question,  he  telling  the 
King,  when  asked  his  opinion  on  the  marriage,  that 
"  there  could  be  no  doubt  of  its  validity,  since  it 
was  good  and  lawful  from  the  beginning,  and 
could  not  be  dissolved  without  sin,"  and  he 
appeared  before  the  Legates  Campeggio  and 
Wolsey,  to  plead  for  the  Queen,  which  he  did 
with  great  boldness  and  eloquence. 

He  still  further  displeased  the  King  in  1529,  by 
vigorously  denouncing  in  Parliament  the  Act  for 


THE  MARTYRED  CARDINAL.  185 

the  dissolution  of  the  lesser  monasteries  as  an  act 
of  sacrilege,  and  consummated  his  offence  by- 
protesting,  in  outspoken  plainness,  in  Convoca- 
tion, against  the  assumption  of  the  Headship  of 
the  Church  by  the  King.  He  now  began  to  be 
looked  upon  as  a  troublesome  character,  whom  it 
would  be  well  to  be  rid  of;  and  in  1530,  one 
Rouse  gained  admittance  to  his  kitchen,  and  put 
poison  in  the  food  then  being  prepared.  For- 
tunately, the  Bishop  was  ill,  and  unable  to  eat, 
but  of  seventeen  persons  who  partook  of  the 
food  two  died,  and  the  rest  never  wholly  recovered 
their  health.  The  crime  was  brought  home  to 
Rouse,  and  he  was  boiled  to  death  in  Smithfield. 

The  sought-for  opportunity  of  criminating 
Fisher  was  not  long  in  forthcoming.  He  listened 
to  the  utterances  and  gave  some  credence  to  the 
visions  of  "The  Holy  Maid  of  Kent,"  and  was 
indicted  for  misprision  of  treason,  tried,  and 
condemned  to  imprisonment  during  the  King's 
pleasure,  but  obtained  his  release  on  payment  of 
a  fine  of  ^300. 

In  1534,  the  Act  of  Succession  was  passed, 
enjoining  an  oath  of  submission  to  the  King  and 
his  heirs  begotten  of  "  his  most  dear  and  entirely- 
beloved     Queen    Anne,"    and     making    it    high 


1 86  BYGONE  KENT. 

treason  to  speak  against  his  marriage  with  her. 
Fisher  was  called  upon  to  take  this  oath,  and  on 
refusal  to  do  so  without  some  modification  of  it, 
was  cast  into  the  Tower,   but  was  liberated   on 
promising  allegiance  to  the   King  and  his  heirs 
by     his     new      marriage,      declaring,     however, 
that  "his  conscience  could  not  be   convinced  that 
the   marriage    was    not    opposed    to  the   laws   of 
God."     The  King  was  now  determined,  at  once 
and  for  ever,  to  get  rid  of  so  pestilent  a  subject, 
and   issued   a  commission    to    try    hirri    for    high 
treason,    specially    for    his   denial    of   the    King's 
supremacy    over   the   Church.       Solicitor-General 
Rich  deposed  that  the  prisoner  had  said  to  him, 
"  I      believe    in    my    conscience,     and    assuredly 
know  by  my  learning,   that   the   King  neither  is 
nor  can   be    head    of   the    Church    of   England," 
admitting,    however,   that   this    was    said    to    him 
privately  and  confidentially,  when  he  went  to  him 
from  the  King,  who  wished  his  candid  opinion  on 
the  question,  and  assuring  him  that  whatever  he 
might    say    should   not    be    made    use    of  to    his 
detriment.      The    aged  bishop,  then  "]"]  years   of 
age,     defended    himself   with    great    dignity   and 
ability,  but  a  packed  jury  found  him  guilty,  and  he 
was  condemned  to  death. 


THE  MARTYRED  CARDINAL.  187 

He  was  sent  back  to  the  Tower,  where, 
notwithstanding  his  venerable  age,  he  was  treated 
with  the  greatest  indignities,  and  subjected  to 
great  privation  and  suffering.  In  a  letter  to 
Cromwell,  still  extant,  he  writes — '*  I  beseech  you 
to  be  good,  master,  in  my  necessity ;    for   I    have 


E.MHLEMATIC    DEVICE. 

(Front  tlie  English  version  \lS(xi\  of  Fishers  treatise  on  the  "  Need  of  Prayer." ) 

neither  shirt  nor  other  clothes  that  are  necessary 
for  me  to  wear,  but  that  be  ragged  and  rent 
shamefully.  Notwithstanding,  I  might  suffer  that 
if  they  would  but  keep  me  warm.  But  my  diet, 
also,  God  knoweth  how  slender  it  is.  And  now,  in 
mine  age,  my  stomach  may  not  away  but  with  a  few 
kinds  of  meat,  which,  if  I  want,  I  decay  forthwith." 


1 88  BYGONE  KENT. 

On  the  morning  of  his  execution  he  was 
awakened  at  five  o'clock,  and,  when  told -the  time, 
turned  over,  saying,  "Then  I  can  have  two  hours 
more  sleep,  as  I  am  not  to  die  until  nine."  At 
seven  he  rose  and  dressed  himself  in  his  best 
apparel,  observing  that  "this  was  his  wedding 
day,  when  he  was  to  be  married  to  death,  and  it 
was  fitting  to  appear  in  becoming  attire."  He 
met  his  fate  with  the  greatest  firmness  and 
composure,  and  when  his  head  was  stricken  off, 
the  executioner  stripped  the  body,  and  it  was  left 
naked  on  the  scaffold  until  the  evening,  when  it 
was  taken  by  the  guard  to  All  Hallows'  Church- 
yard, and  buried  in  a  grave  dug  with  their 
halberds,  but  was  afterwards  exhumed  and  buried  in 
the  Chapel  of  St.  Peter  ad  Vincula,  in  the  Tower. 
The  head  was  placed  over  London  Bridge  for 
fourteen  days,  "the  features,"  says  Hall,  "becom- 
ing fresher  and  more  comely  every  day."  Thus 
died  this  good  and  famous  Kentish  bishop. 

When  the  news  reached  Rome,  the  King, 
whom  it  had  been  proposed  to  style  "  the  angelic," 
was  stigmatised  as  a  foul  miscreant  and  diabolical 
murderer,  and  branded  as  "the  Nero,  the  Domitian, 
the  Caligula  of  England."  A  short  time  before 
his  execution,  the  Pope   sent   Fisher  a   cardinal's 


THE  MARTYRED  CARDINAL.  189 

hat,  upon  which  the  King  made  a  brutal  jest, 
saying,  "  'Fore  heaven,  he  shall  wear  it  on  his 
shoulders  then,  for  by  the  time  it  arrives  he  shall 
not  have  a  head  to  place  it  upon." 

His  portrait,  by  Holbein,  is  in  St.  John's 
College,  and  another  is  in  the  English  Bene- 
dictine Monastery  at  Paris,  and  his  bust  was  one 
of  the  eight  on  the  Holbein  Gate,  at  West- 
minster. 

He  was  a  very  voluminous  writer  of  devotional 
and  polemical  works,  and  his  life  has  been 
frequently  written,  from  different  points  of 
view. 


Zbc   Ikentisb    dialects,  anb   pegae  an^ 
*3Lewi0,  tbe  ol^  County  (Bloesariste. 

By  R.  Stead,  b.a.,  f.r.h.s. 

TWO  friends  are  rather  inclined  to  find  fa,ult 
with  the  writer  for  including  in  a  volume 
on  "  Bygone  Kent"  a  short  paper  on  the  dialects 
of  the  county.  One  sees  no  connection  between 
"bad  English  "and  things  "  bygone,"  whilst  the 
other  finds  nothing  worthy  of  special  notice  in  the 
folk-speech  of  Kent,  he  supposes  "they  talk 
English  in  Kent,  just  as  they  do  all  over  the 
country."  Now  these  two  persons  well  represent 
two  great  classes  in  their  attitude  towards 
provincial  dialects.  Large  numbers  of  people — 
even  of  the  so-called  educated  classes — regard 
these  dialects  as  simply  ''bad  English^'  and  so 
not  worth  troubling  one's  head  about.  What 
they  say  is  in  effect  this  : — the  sooner  railways 
and  Board  Schools  knock  all  that  sort  of  thing  out 
of  existence  the  better.  On  the  other  hand  the 
uneducated  or  half  educated,  who  have  never  been 
much  out  of  their  own  district,  are  unable  to  see 


THE  KENTISH  DIALECTS.  191 

any  great  difference  between  their  own  dialect  and 
ordinary  received  English.  They  suppose  that  all 
their  own  peculiarities  of  grammar,  vocabulary, 
and  pronunciation  obtain  as  a  matter  of  course  all 
over  the  country.  An  amusing  instance  of  this 
was  furnished  in  Kent  itself  some  three  or  four 
years  ago.  The  Kent  Glossary,  by  Messrs.  Parish 
and  Shaw,  then  just  issued  by  the  English 
Dialect  Society,  received  a  long  notice  in  the 
columns  of  one  of  the  leading  Kentish  weeklies. 
The  writer  expressed  his  unbounded  astonishment 
that  some  of  the  commonest  words  in  his  own 
vocabulary  should  be  set  down  as  mere  provincial 
words,  and  not  ordinary  English — that  they  are  in 
fact  totally  unknown  to  millions  of  Englishmen. 
He  ended  by  saying  that  if  all  this  turned  out  to 
be  correct  I — he  was  evidently  more  than  a  little 
doubtful  about  the  correctness  of  Messrs.  Parish 
and  Shaw's  statements — it  would  be  news,  and 
amazing  news,  to  most  people.  Like  Monsieur 
Jourdain  with  his  prose,  this  young  man  had  been 
talking  a  dialect  all  his  life  without  knowing  it. 

Now  nothing  is  more  certain  than  that 
provincial  English  is  for  the  most  part  not  bad 
English  but  old  English.  Local  dialects  are,  in 
fact,  as   compared  with   the   received   or  literary 


192  BYGONE  KENT. 

tongue,  in  the  position  of  poor  (and  despised) 
relations.  Under  circumstances  that  need  not  be 
dwelt  upon  here,  one  of  the  many  provincial  forms 
of  speech  became  the  court  or  "  standard  "  English. 
The  favoured  dialect  was  that  of  the  South 
Midlands  (though  at  one  time  it  looked  as  if  that 
of  the  North  would  come  to  the  fore).  Of  course 
the  court  dialects  soon  came  to  be  regarded  as 
the  only  "good"  English,  and  fine  folks  began  to 
look  down  upon  the  poor  sister  dialects — dialects 
every  whit  as  good  as  that  of  the  South  Midlands 
— which  soon  found  themselves  stigmatised  as 
"bad"  English.  As  Tennyson's  "Northern 
Farmer"  says,  "the  poor  in  a  loomp  is  bad,"  and 
naturally  the  English  of  the  poor  is  set  down  "in 
a  loomp  "  as  bad  English.  Amongst  these  poor 
unfavoured  dialects  which  did  not  become  court 
English,  was  the  dialect  of  Kent — for  there  is  a 
dialect  of  Kent,  notwithstanding  the  incredulity  of 
the  young  newspaper-man  just  alluded  to,  and  it  is 
as  well  worth  studying  as  its  sister  dialects. 
Unluckily  but  little  attention  has  been  given  to 
the  Kentish  folk-speech  until  very  lately.  For 
years  there  was  an  ominous  blank  after  the  name 
of  Kent  in  the  English  Dialect  Society's  annual 
lists  of  what  was  being  done  in  the  way  of  dialect 


THE  KENTISH  DIALECTS.  193 

investigation  in  the  different  counties.  Whereas 
in  many  districts  workers  galore  were  to  be  found, 
in  Kent  there  was  apparently  not  a  single  one 
who  thought  it  worth  his  while  to  investigate  the 
old  Kentish  folk-speech.  Fortunately  this  re- 
proach has  now  been  removed,  as  will  be  explained 
further  on. 

The  famous  mediaeval  poem  entitled  th  e 
"  Ayenbite  of  Inwyt "  (or  "Remorse  of 
Conscience),"  by  Dan  Michel  of  Northgate,  in 
Kent,  is  written  in  the  Kent  dialect.  From  that 
time  till  1674  nobody  seems  to  have  much  regarded 
the  county  speech,  but  in  that  year  Ray,  the 
famous  naturalist  and  collector  of  local  words, 
included  a  good  many  Kentish  words  in  his 
"  South  and  East  Country"  collection.  In  1736, 
appeared  the  first  genuine  Kentish  glossarist. 
This  was  the  Rev.  John  Lewis,  who  gave  to  the 
world  a  short  glossary  of  words  used  in  the  Isle  of 
Thanet.  This  glossary  formed  part  of  his  work 
"  History  and  Antiquities,  as  well  Ecclesiastical  as 
Civil,  of  the  Isle  of  Tenet,  in  Kent."  In  the 
same  year  the  famous  Samuel  Pegge,  a  native 
of  Derbyshire,  but  long  vicar  of  Godmersham,  in 
Kent,    published   his    well-known    "Alphabet   of 

Kenticisms."     He  included  in   his  list  almost  all 

O 


194  BYGONE  KENT. 

the  words  previously  given  by  Lewis,  and  added 
to  them  some  hundreds  more.  Both  collections 
have  been  within  the  last  few  years  re-issued  by 
the  English  Dialect  Society.  And  under  the 
auspices  of  the  same  Society  has  lately  appeared 
a  far  more  important  work,  ''  A  dictionary  of  the 
Kentish  Dialect,"  by  the  Rev.  W.  D.  Parish  and 
the  Rev.  VV.  Frank  Shaw,  alluded  to  above.  A 
copy  of  this,  now  the  "  Authority  "  on  the  subject, 
together  with  copies  of  Pegge,  Lewis,  Ray,  and 
the  "  Ayenbite  of  Inwyt,"  ought  to  be  in  every 
public  library  in  the  county. 

Before  noting  its  peculiarities  it  may  be  well 
to  show  how  the  Kentish  dialect  is  related  to  the 
rest  of  the  English  provincial  dialects.  Leaving 
out  the  Lowland  Scotch  district,  the  English 
dialects  of  this  island  may  be  all  grouped  under 
one  or  other  of  three  great  divisions,  which  may 
be  called  respectively  the  Northern,  the  Midland, 
and  the  Southern.  These  three  leading  forms 
have  obtained  from  very  early  times.  A  line 
drawn  obliquely  across  England  from  Morecambe 
Bay  to  just  below  the  H umber  may  be  taken  as 
roughly  separating  the  Northern  dialects  from  the 
Midland  varieties ;  whilst  a  very  irregular 
boundary    line    between    the    Midland   and    the 


THE  KENTISH  DIALECTS.  195 

Southern  forms  of  speech  runs  from  a  little  below 
the  Wash  to  near  Bristol.  Each  of  these  three 
great  divisions  has  certain  well-marked  peculiari- 
ties of  pronunciation.  The  late  learned  Dr.  A.  G. 
Ellis,  whom  the  present  writer  was  privileged  to 
know,  and  to  assist  to  some  extent,  devoted  many- 
years  to  the  investigation  of  the  different  forms  of 
provincial  pronunciation.  Those  who  wish  to 
see  what  he  did,  should  consult  his  truly  marv^ell- 
ous  work  on  Early  English  Pronunciation  (Early 
English  Text  Society),  especially  his  Part  V. 
On  this  whole  subject,  Dr.  Ellis  was  far  and  away 
the  greatest  authority.  As  test  words  by  which  the 
great  divisions  of  dialect  (whatever  their  varieties) 
may  always  be  distinguished,  he  took  the  words 
"some  house."  In  the  Northern  dialects  these 
words  are  always  "  soom  hoose,"  in  the  Midland 
forms  they  appear  as  "  soom  house,"  and  in  the 
South  as  "sum  house."  Kent,  of  course,  belongs 
to  the  "sum  house  "  district. 

Coming  now  to  the  good  old  county  itself,  the 
labours  of  Dr.  Ellis  went  to  show  that  though  tl^ 
folk-speech  is  fairly  uniform  over  the  whole  of 
Kent,  yet  two  distinct  varieties  may  be  observed, 
viz.,  the  North  Kent  and  the  East  Kent  varieties. 
There  might  even  be  said  to  be  a  third  form,  for 


196  BYGONE  KENT. 

a  small  portion  near  the  western  boundary  of  the 
county  resembles  East  Sussex  in  its  dialect.  The 
line  dividing  the  north  Kent  from  the  East  Kent 
forms  is  not  very  clearly  ascertained,  but  it  would 
seem  to  be  roughly  a  line  drawn  from  about 
Staplehurst  through  Canterbury  round  to 
Sandwich,  with  a  little  fringe  round  the  coast, 
perhaps  as  far  as  Hythe,  to  include  the  boating 
and  fishing  population,  whose  dialect  seems  to 
agree  in  some  respects  with  that  of  North  Kent 
rather  than  with  that  of  East  Kent. 

Taking  the  county  as  a  whole,  the  pronunciation 
is  marked  by  many  peculiarities,  a  few  of  the 
more  important  of  which  may  be  given. 

1.  The  use  of  d  for  the  initial  th ;  this,  that, 
there,  etc.,  becoming  dis,  dat,  dere  ;  th  in  the 
middle  of  a  word  is  not  always  so  sounded, 
though  furder  and  farden  (farthing)  are 
common  enough. 

2.  The  use  of  a  for  the  short  ^  in  a  vast 
number    of  words  : — tap   (top),    spat    (spot), 

packet  (pocket).  With  many  speakers  the  0 
becomes  even  aa,  or  ah,  and  it  is  quite  a 
common   thing   to   hear  such   a  sentence  as 

putt  it  ahn  tahp  (put  it  on  the  top).  This  is  a 
very  striking  peculiarity  of  the  Kentish  speech,  , 


THE  KENTISH  DIALECTS.  ■  197 

3.  The  pronunciation  of  the  long  a  (as  in  slate), 
and  the  diphthong  ai  (or  ay).  Day, plate,  rain, 
become  dye,  plyte,  ryne.  This  is  ahnost 
universal  in  North  Kent,  but  much  less  so  in 
the  eastern  portion  of  the  county,  where  with 
many  speakers  it  is  almost  unnoticeable. 
This  pronunciation  of  a,  is  of  course  well 
known  in  the  cockney  dialect. 

4.  On  the  other  hand  the  peculiar  sound  of  00, 
or  u  long,  which  is  almost  universal  in  East 
Kent,  is  hardly  so  common  in  North  Kent. 
Two  becomes  tiw,  food,  Jiwd,  or  better  still, 
perhaps,  fiid,  where  the  ic  resembles  pretty 
closely  the  German  il.  Sometimes  it  even 
approaches  ee,  as  soo7t  is  not  very  different 
from  the  ordinary  English  seen. 

5.  Long  i  becomes  oi,  as  moine  (mine),  voilet 
(violet). 

6.  Ul  often  becomes  ol,  as  solphur  (sulphur), 
moltitude,  or  even  maultihide. 

7.  What  Dr.  Ellis  calls  the  "final  reverted 
/"  is  universal  in  Kent.  Large  numbers 
even  of  fairly  educated  people  use  it,  though 
they  would  be  indignant  if  told  they  were 
to  that  extent  using  provincial  forms  of 
pronunciation.     This    reverted    /  practically 


198  BYGONE  KENT. 

makes  the  letter  into  two  syllables  :  thus  bill 

becomes     bee-ul,     or     bi/il,    mail     becomes 

may-ul  {or  mek'l,)  steel,  stee-ul,  and  so  forth. 

8.   One  of  the  best  known  characteristics  is  the 

use  of  w  for  v — Nowember,  wacancy,  willage, 

wisit,  wittles. 

But  some  doubt  seems  to  have  been  expressed 

by  those  whom  Dr.  Ellis  consulted  as  to  whether 

the  contrary  use  of  v  for  w  obtained  in  Kent.      It 

is,  however,  quite  certain  that  this  usage,  though 

rapidly    becoming    obsolete,    is    still    to    be    met 

with   here   and   there.     An  old   man   living  near 

Westenhanger  said  to  the  present  writer  with  a 

hearty    laugh,    "  I     have    a    cousin    comes    here 

sometimes  and  amuses  us  all.      He  calls  this  place 

Vestenhanger.      He   lives  in  the  'veskit'  district 

you  know,"  he  added,  by  way  of  explanation.      It 

turned    out     that     this    cousin    came     from    near 

Wingham.     (The  worthy  old  fellow  who  was  so 

much    amused    with    his    relative's   Vestenhanger 

saw  nothing  funny  in  his  own  wery,  weal  [veal], 

and  ivinegar.)     It  is  worth  noting,  too,  that  even 

in  his  own  district  people  speak  of  Postling  Vents, 

instead  of   Wents,  or  roads.     And  the  writer  has 

heard  a  Folkestone  fisherman  call  a  friend  Vellard 

(Wellard).      But   this   cockneyism — as  it  may  be 


THE  KENTISH  DIALECTS.  199 

called — everyone  will  recall  Dickens'  "  Samivel 
Veller  " — is  rapidly  dropping  out  of  use  in  most 
parts  of  the  county.  Before  leaving  the 
pronunciation — and  we  have  indicated  but  a  very 
few  of  its  peculiarities — two  general  characteristics 
may  be  pointed  out.  First  the  vowel  sounds  are 
almost  without  exception  remarkably  impitre,  or 
rather,  undecided.  The  i  in  milk,  for  instance,  is 
a  sort  of  cross  between  the  short  e  and  the  short 
u,  ^nelk  or  vmlk.  Past  is  neither  clearly  pahst 
nor  past,  but  a  peculiar  half-way,  so  to  speak, 
between  the  two,  paest,  which  must  be  heard  to 
be  appreciated.  The  a  for  0,  oi  for  /,  it  for  00, 
and  so  forth  have  been  already  noted.  The 
second  great  characteristic  of  the  'Kentish 
provincial  pronunciation  is  a  very  remarkable 
clipping  out  or  jumbling  together  of  syllables, 
which  renders  the  dialect  at  first  very  puzzling  to 
a  stranger. 

It  rarely  happens  that  three  or  four  consecutive 
words,  are  uttered  complete;  some  one  or  more 
portions  are  sure  to  be  left  out:  "  Ae  paes  tiw  " 
does  duty  for  ''half-past  two,"  '^ goozbriz''  for 
gooseberries,  "  Satdy  "  (or  Setdy)  for  Saturday, 
"Eshf"  (or  "Eshfd")  for  Ashford,  "bar"  for 
barrow.      At    the   railway   stations    "  morn-peyp " 


200  BYGONE  KENT. 

stands  for  morning  paper,  "scursh,"  with  a 
very  faint  soupgon  of  an  n  at  the  end,  passes 
for  excursion.  Such  a  rapid  jumble  as 
"  moillgooberrneez  "  (!)  for  "  mine  will  go  better 
than  his,"  may  be  constantly  heard  from  the 
street  boys.  The  effect  of  all  this  is  very  striking, 
and  teachers  know  the  difficulty  there  is  sometimes 
in  getting  children  to  read  without  slurring  over 
or  dropping  two-thirds  of  the  syllables.  Thus 
the  sentence  "A  collision  between  ourselves  and 
the  natives  now  seemed  inevitable,"  will  sometimes 
be  read  something  like  this,  "  clizh-twee-seln-nate- 
now-see-nevl,"  with  a  faint  "filling  in,"  so  to 
speak,  between  these  strongly  marked  syllables. 

Of  the  grammar  little  need  be  said  here,  but 
a  few  curious  turns  of  expression  may  be  noted. 
Double  negatives  are  extremely  common,  and 
such  phrases  as  "  no  more  you  don't,"  "  no  more 
I  didn't,"  are  everywhere  heard.  Then  we  get 
"you  didn't  ought  to,"  for  "you  ought  not,"  "he 
don't   dare,"    for    "  he    dare    not,"    and  so   forth. 

"The  next  to  the  last,"  for  "the  last  but  one," 
is  one  of  the  commonest  of  phrases.  As  plurals 
we  get  nestles  (nests),  pastes  or posties  (posts),  etc., 
to  any  extent.  Baint  (or  beent),  for  "is  not" 
still  survives  here  and  there,  though  it  is  evidently 


THE  KENTISH  DIALECTS.  201 

dying  out.  To  after  help  is  omitted, — "  She  wont 
help  carry  the  basket."  "Directly  minute"  for 
"immediately"  is  a  curious  phrase  which  may  be 
heard  used  even  by  well-educated  people  of  the 
upper  middle  class.  "  Deleft "  is  the  past 
participle  of  believe.  Then  people  "  keep  all 
on "  doing  things,  and  boys  may  be  heard 
constantly  using,  "  No,  you  never,"  "  No,  I  never," 
and  so  on,  for  "No,  you  did  not,"  "No,  I  did 
not." 

The  rustic  Kentishman  has  a  fairly  copious 
vocabulary,  and  some  of  the  words  he  uses  are 
very  curious  ones.  A  very  familiar  word  is 
"  flead,"  which  Pegge  defines  as  "lard,  or  rather 
the  leaf  of  fat  whence  lard  is  got."  To  a  native 
of  the  county  it  seems  incredible  that  there  should 
be  millions  of  folk  in  England  who  never  heard  of 
either  *' flead "  or  "  flead  cakes."  "Lodge" 
means  a  wood  or  toolshed,  just  about  the  last 
place  where  one  would  like  to  lodge.  Oast  or 
oast-house  is  so  common  a  feature  of  the  Kentish 
hop  districts  that  the  inhabitants  look  upon  the 
word  as  inseparably  connected  with  hops.  Yet 
oast  was  used  in  Kent  for  a  kiln  long  before  hop 
culture  was  introduced.  There  were  "brick- 
oasts,"  or   "  brickhosts,"  "lymostes"  (lime-oasts), 


202  BYGONE  KENT. 

and  probably  other  species  as  well.  A  very  short 
and  handy  word  is  "lew,"  which  is  much  better 
than  the  ordinary  English  "sheltered."  "  It  lays 
lew,"  it  lies  in  a  sheltered  position.  Culverkeys, 
colverkeys,  or  cauverkeys  is  Kentish  for  cowslips, 
though  a  native  of  Charing  called  these  flowers 
"  horsebuckles."  The  word  shires,  pronounced 
skeeres,  is  used  in  a  vague  way  to  denote  any  part 
of  England  more  than  a  county  or  two  away. 
"  He  comes  from  the  sheeres,"  or  "he's  gone  to 
live  somewhere  in  the  sheeres,"  seems  delightfully 
vague  in  a  country  possessing  forty  shires,  but  it 
seems  to  satisfy  the  good  folks  of  rural  Kent. 

A  very  extraordinary  expression  is  "to  make 
old  bones,"  for  to  live  to  old  age.  To  make  bones 
at  all  seems  a  difficult  matter,  but  to  make  old 
bones  seems  a  truly  puzzling  feat.  Yet  the 
phrase  is  found  all  over  Kent  and  some  of  the 
neighbouring  counties.  "  Kentish  fire,"  for  long 
and  hearty  cheering,  is  so  well  known  that  it  need 
not  be  dwelt  upon.  Effet  for  newt,  crock,  a  large 
earthenware  pan  or  dish,  may  bug  for  cockchafer, 
cater,  for  aslant  or  askew,  with  scores  of  others 
are  good  Kentish  words.  Nailbourne  or  eyle- 
bourne,  deserves  a  passing  word.  It  signifies  an 
intermittent  brook,   of  which  many   exist   in   the 


THE  KENTISH  DIALECTS.  203 

county.  Similar  springs  are  met  with  in  or  near 
the  Yorkshire  Wolds,  and  are  there  called  gipseys 
[g  hard,  as  in  go).  Lathe  for  a  division  of  the 
county,  and  Miniiis,  a  common  [e.g.,  Stelling 
Minnis)  seem  peculiar  to  this  part  of  England, 
A  teg  (or  tag)  is  a  sheep  of  a  year  old  ;  a  hurdle 
is  called  a  wattle.  Ainpery,  mouldy,  decayed, 
and  tetter,  cross,  peevish,  are  very  common. 
Terrible,  often  pronounced  ter'bl,  is  almost 
invariably  the  word  used  to  intensify  the  meaning. 
"He's  ter'bl  bad,"  "  dat  aint  ter'bl  loikly," 
"  dere's  a  ter'bl  many  rabbits  'bout  here." 
"  There's  no  bounds  to  him,"  means  "  there's  no 
saying  what  he  may  do." 

One  might  go  on  culling  these  interesting 
words  and  phrases  from  the  Kentish  glossaries  to 
almost  any  extent.  Dip  where  you  will  into 
them,  and  you  can  hardly  fail  to  light  upon  some 
racy  old  word  or  form  of  speech  which  "  bygone  " 
Kentishmen  used,  but  which,  alas  !  is  now  either 
wholly  obsolete,  or  on  the  way  to  becoming  so. 
How  many  nowadays,  especially  of  town-dwellers, 
would  understand  such  a  sentence  as  this  given 
by  Lewis  : — "  I  took  up  the  libbit  that  lay  by  the 
sole,  and  hove  it  at  the  hagister  that  was  in  the 
poddergrotten  ?"      I    took  up   the   stick   that   was 


204  BYGONE  KENT. 

lying  by  the  pond,  and  threw  it  at  the  magpie 
that  was  in  the  pease-stubble.  Yet  libbet,  soaL 
hagister,  podder  (peas,  beans,  etc.)  grotten  or 
gratten  (stubble)  were  formerly  good  Kentish 
words,  if  they  are  now  all  but  forgotten  in  many 
parts  of  the  country. 

A  glance  at  some  of  the  old  Kentish  proverbs 
or  proverbial  sayings  given  by  Pegge  must 
conclude  this  imperfect  paper  : — 

"  A  knight  of  Cales, 
A  gentleman  of  Wales, 
And  a  Laird  of  the  North  Countree ; 
A  yeoman  of  Kent 
With  his  yearly  Rent, 
Will  buy  'em  out  all  three." 

This  is  one  of  the  best  known  of  these  proverbial 
sayings.  Learned  men  have  disputed  as  to  the 
origin  of  the  curious  phrase  "  Neither  in  Kent  nor 
Christendom."  Dover  figures  in  a  good  many  of 
these  old  sayings.  "  Dover  a  den  of  thieves,"  is 
as  uncomplimentary  to  that  town  as 

"  When  it's  dark  in  Dover 
It's  dark  all  the  world  over," 

is  the  reverse.  "  As  sure  as  there's  a  dog  in 
Dover  "  is  at  any  rate  rnore  picturesque  than  the 
common  "as  sure  as  a  gun."  "From  Barwick 
(Berwick)    to    Dover"    is    equivalent    to    saying 


THE  KENTISH  DIALECTS.  205 

"  from  one  end  of  the  land  to  the  other."  Further 
uncomplimentary  references  to  towns  are  found 
in  such  sayings  as 

"  I-'Ong,  lazy,  lousy  Lewisham." 

"  He  that  will  not  live  long, 
Let  him  dwell  at  Muston,  Tenham,  or  Tong." 

*'  Folkstone — Kent  Fools  "  is  an  anagram. 

"  He  that  rideth  into  the  Hundred  of  Hoo, 
Besides  pilfering  Seamen,  shall  find  Dirt  enow." 

"  Deal  Savages,  Canterbury  Parrots, 
Dover  Sharps,  and  Sandwich  "Carrots." 

"  Naughty  Ashford,  surly  Wye, 
Poor  Kennington  hard  by." 


^be  lkinQ'6  School,  Canterbury. 

By  the  Rev.  J.  S.  Sidebotham,  m.a. 

INHERE  is  no  question  that  this  old  school 
(a  school  which  has  the  Differentia  among 
cathedral  schools  of  being  known  by  initials,  for 
"  K.  S.  C."  are  sufficient  to  identify  it)  has  of  late 
years  attained  a  position,  if  different  in  degree,  at 
least  no  less  distinguished,  than  at  that  period 
which  is  said  to  have  been  one  of  the  times  of  its 
greatest  prosperity,  viz.,  during  the  head-mastership 
of  the  Rev.  Osmund  Beauvoir,  d.d.,  from  1750  to 
1782. 

In  the  very  incomplete  "Memorials"  of  the 
school  which  I  compiled  and  published  in  1865,  I 
cannot  consider  that  I  recovered  more  than  a 
very  fragmentary  account  of  a  foundation  which 
has  contributed  quite  an  average  quota  pro  rata 
to  the  list  of  England's  men  of  learning  and 
distinction. 

John  Johnson,  the  well-known  author  of  "The 
Unbloody  Sacrifice"  (17 14),  mentioned  in  his 
King's    School    Sermon,    in    17 16,    four    men    of 


THE  KINGS  SCHOOL,   CANTERBURY.      207 

eminence  as  having  received  their  education  at 
the  school,  viz.,  Bishop  White  of  Peterborough, 
Bishop  Gunning  of  Ely,  William  Somner,  the 
antiquary,  and  Dean  Spencer  of  Ely.  There 
was  no  question  as  to  the  three  last  named,  but  I 
could  nowhere  trace  the  connection  of  Bishop 
White  with  the  school.  I  abstained  from  saying 
in  the  "Memorials"  that  the  then  auditor,  Mr. 
Finch,  declined  to  allow  me  to  see  the  cathedral 
records  (although  Dean  Alford,  with  his  ready 
courtesy,  had  given  me  full  permission  to  consult 
them)  "  without  the  usual  office  fees,"  which 
would  of  course  have  added  seriously  to  the  cost 
of  publication.  "  Besides,"  added  the  auditor,  "  I 
do  not  know  what  use  might  be  made  of  the 
information."  As  if  any  use  of  such  facts  would  be 
prejudicial  to  anybody's  interests  !  This  refusal  is 
the  principal  cause  of  the  incompleteness  of  the 
work.  A  search  in  the  records  of  Canterbury 
Cathedral  would  most  likely  bring  to  light  at  least 
a  few  eminent  names,  as  connected  with  the  school, 
in  addition  to  those  which  are  now  known.  I  was 
enabled,  however,  to  recover  some  names  of  men 
of  learning  and  ability  prior  to  the  date  of  the 
existing  school  register  (the  earliest  known, 
begun   by   Dr.   Beauvoir  on   his  appointment  as 


2o8  BYGONE  KENT. 

head-master  in  1750),  from  Masters'  "  History  of 
Corpus  Christ!  College,  Cambridge ;"  Hasted's 
"  History  of  Kent  ;"  Nicholls'  "  Literary 
Anecdotes  ; "  and  from  various  manuscript 
collections  in  the  Bodleian  and  British  Museum 
Libraries. 

When  I  consulted  the  former  head-master,  to 
whom  I  shall  always  feel  that  I,  in  common  with 
many  others,  owe  so  much,  the  late  Rev.  George 
Wallace,  duringthe  compilation  of  the  "Memorials," 
he  gave  me,  with  his  usual  ready  kindness,  much 
valuable  assistance  and  information,  partly  from 
notes  which  he  had  made,  partly  from  his  own  early 
experiences  and  recollections.  He  added,  with 
his  characteristic  love  for  the  past :  "  Remember, 
I  shall  not  be  satisfied  unless  you  trace  back  the 
origin  of  the  school  to  Theodore  of  Tarsus." 
As  will  be  seen  on  a  reference  to  page  7  of  the 
work,  an  attempt  was  made  to  give  effect  to  his 
wish.  And  there  can  be  little  reasonable  doubt 
that,  although  the  existing  King's  School  is  well- 
known  to  owe  its  origin  to  Henry  VHL,  who 
founded  it  soon  after  he  had  dissolved  the 
monastery  of  St.  Augustine,  a  school  has  existed 
continuously  in  connection  with  Canterbury 
Cathedral  from  the  time  of  Archbishop  Theodore. 


THE  KINGS  SCHOOL,   CANTERBURY.      209 

The  name  of  "The  King's  School"  was,  however, 
first  given  to  it  by  Henry  VI 1 1.,  in  1542,  who  then 
re-modelled  the  entire  Cathedral  establishment,  as 
he  re-modelled  all  but  eleven  of  the  Cathedrals  of 
England  and  Wales,  those,  the  constitution  of 
which  remained  unchanged,  being  St.  Paul's  in 
London,  Wells,  Chichester,  Exeter,  Hereford, 
Lichfield,  Lincoln,  St.  Asaph,  St.  David's,  and 
Sarum  in  the  South  ;  and  York,  the  one  instance 
in  the  Northern  province.  These  are  still  known 
as  "  The  Cathedrals  of  the  Old  Foundation  ;"  the 
remaining  establishments,  which  were  remodelled 
more  or  less  on  the  principle  adopted  at  Canter- 
bury, being  known  as  "The  Cathedrals  of  the  New 
Foundation."  The  statutes  then  given  to  Canter- 
bury Cathedral,  and  afterwards  "corrected,  ex- 
plained, and  confirmed  "  in  the  reign  of  Charles  I., 
will  be  found  in  the  second  volume  of  the  works 
of  Archbishop  Laud,  in  the  "  Anglo-Catholic 
Library."  The  original  foundation  staff  of  a  head 
and  second  masters  and  fifty  scholars  remains,  but 
the  common  table  was  discontinued  as  early  as 
1 546  ;  and  the  school  underwent  other  changes 
about  that  time. 

The     idea     of     the     "  Memorials "     occurred 

simultaneously,  and  almost  accidentally,  to  Bishop 

P 


2IO  BYGONE  KENT. 

Mitchinson  and  myself.  I  happened  to  be  in 
Canterbury  on  the  day  he  entered  upon  his  duties 
as  head-master,  and  met  him  coming  down  the 
Norman  staircase  after  his  first  morning's  school. 
At  the  same  moment  the  idea  struck  us  both,  that, 
so  far  as  we  knew,  no  one  had  ever  attempted  to 
recover  any  history  of  the  school,  and  that  yet 
there  must  be  a  history.  "Why,"  said  he, 
"should  not  you  write  it?"  He  then  and  there 
invited  me  to  visit  him  for  a  few  days,  during 
which  time  I  collected  all  that  I  could  collect 
from  the  documents  he  was  then  able  to  place 
before  me.  Much  kind  assistance  was  also 
received  from  many  known  and  unknown  to  me  ; 
but  it  is  to  the  knowledge  and  recollections  of  the 
late  Rev.  George  Gilbert,  Prebendary  of  Lincoln, 
and  Vicar  of  Syston,  that  the  most  valuable 
information  of  all  is  due. 

In  my  own  time,  1843  to  1848,  not  so  much 
as  the  name  was  known  of  any  head-master 
earlier  than  Mr.  Naylor.  The  names  of  the  later 
head-masters  are  as  follow  : — 

1750.   Rev.  Osmund  Beauvoir,  d.d. 

1782.   Rev.  Christopher  Naylor,  m.a. 

1 8 16.   Rev.  John  Birt,  d.d. 

1833.   Rev.  George  Wallace,  m.a. 


THE  KINGS  SCHOOL,   CANTERBURY.      211 

1859.   Rev.  John  Mitchinson,  d.c.l. 

1873.   Rev.  George  John  Blore,  d.d. 

1886.   Rev.  Thomas  Field,  m.a. 
Dr.  Beauvoir  and  Mr.  Naylor  had  been  King's 
Scholars,  but,  till  the  election  of  Mr.  Field  to  the 
head-mastership  in   1886,  no  old  King's  Scholar 
had  been  so  elected  for  104  years.      I  believe  Dr. 
Mitchinson    was    always    desirous    that    an    old 
King's    Scholar    should    succeed    to   the    head- 
mastership,    and   he   has    lived    to   see    his    wish 
realised.     Mr.   Talbot,  head-master  from   1745  to 
1750,    had     a    future     Lord    Chancellor    (Lord 
Thurlow)  under  his  care ;    Dr.   Beauvoir  had  the 
early  education  of  Lord  Chief  Justice  Tenterden. 
It  is  in  Dr.   Beauvoir's  time  that  the  school  was 
said    to     have     reached     the    most     prosperous 
condition  it  had  then  known,  and  it  was  at  that 
time    the   resort   of  many   boys    of    old    county 
families.      But   although    that    connection    ceased 
about  a  century  ago,  the  reputation  of  the  school 
for  sound  scholarship  has  certainly  increased  very 
considerably    since    that    time,     and     successive 
masters — especially  In  the  last  half  century — have 
each  in  his  turn  rendered  essential  services  to  the 
school.     At   the    death   of    Mr.     Naylor    at    an 
advanced  age,  in  1816,  the  number  of  boys  in  the 


212  BYGONE  KENT. 

school  had  fallen  to  twenty-six.  Under  Dr. 
Birt,  his  successor,  the  number  rose  rapidly,  but 
he  also  left  but  a  small  number  of  boys  on  his 
presentation  to  the  Vicarage  of  Faversham  and 
election  to  the  head-mastership  of  Faversham 
School,  in  1833.  Mr.  Wallace,  a  master  of  much 
energy,  ability,  and  tact,  raised  the  school  again 
to  a  number  exceeding  a  hundred.  Twenty-six 
years  of  steady  and  conscientious  work  told  on  him, 
and  through  him  on  the  school ;  though,  on  his 
presentation  to  the  Rectory  of  Burghclere,  in 
Hampshire,  by  the  Earl  of  Carnarvon,  in  1859, 
the  number  had  not  fallen  to  anything  like  the 
extent  of  former  reductions.  To  him  the  school 
owes  its  present  Schoolroom,  which  replaced  the 
old  and  effete  building,  where,  however,  many 
sound  scholars  had  been  educated.  But  the  old 
building  was  rightly  condemned  on  sanitary 
grounds,  and  these  alone,  though  there  were 
many  others  would  have  amply  sufficed.  Indeed 
had  Mr.  Wallace  done  no  more  than  this,  the 
thanks  of  all  interested  in  the  King's  School 
would  be  due  to  him  for  this  most  essential 
service. 

In  some  points  he  thoroughly  understood  the 
character  of    boys,   in   others   less    clearly.      For 


THE  KINGS  SCHOOL,  CANTERBURY.      213 

instance,  he  always  inveighed  against  '*  paper- 
chases,"  but  never  succeeded  in  thoroughly 
putting  them  down.  When  I  had  been  a  short 
time  living  in  Canterbury,  as  rector  of  St. 
Mildred's  (1869-77),  ^  asked  his  successor,  Dr. 
Mitchinson,  how  it  was  that  "  paper-chases,"  to 
which  Wallace  had  always  been  so  strongly 
opposed,  were  now  not  only  permitted,  but 
thoroughly  recognised.  He  replied  that,  finding 
no  prohibitions  or  even  penalties  could  stop  them, 
the  only  remedy  was  to  legalise  them,  and  place 
them  under  proper  conditions.  But  Wallace  had 
certainly  gauged  boy-character  in  other  ways 
with  no  little  accuracy.  On  going  back  to 
Canterbury  to  reside  after  an  absence  of  just 
twenty  years,  I  found  as  Parish  Churchwarden  a 
plumber  and  glazier  who  had  married  the 
daughter  and  had  been  the  foreman  of  the 
glazier  who  did  all  the  school  work  in  my  time. 
He  told  me  that  Wallace  had  said  to  him,  "  Cole, 
never  wait  for  an  order  when  you  see  a  broken 
pane  of  glass,  but  mend  it  at  once,  because  when 
boys  see  one  broken  pane,  there's  an  immediate 
temptation  to  break  another."  Dr.  Butler,  of 
Shrewsbury,  once  gave  as  the  differentia  of  a  boy 
that  he  was  "  a  pelting  animal,"  and  he  was  not 


214  BYGONE  KENT. 

far  wrong.  Wallace  always  made  an  enquiry 
into  broken  windows,  but  he  had  the  discernment 
to  do  all  he  could  to  prevent  gratuitous  breakages. 
Dr.  Mitchinson,  who  succeeded  him,  sound 
Churchman  as  he  is,  is  not  a  more  sound 
Churchman  than  was  Wallace,  and  no  boys  could 
have  been  more  thoroughly  grounded  in  the 
Church  Catechism,  the  thirty-nine  Articles, 
and  religious  knowledge  generally  than  by 
Wallace ;  but  Dr.  Mitchinson  was  a  younger 
man  at  the  commencement  of  his  time 
than  Wallace  was,  and  a  more  accomplished 
scholar.  Wallace  had  been  educated  at  Charter- 
house, under  Russell ;  Mitchinson  at  Durham, 
under  Elder,  one  of  Russell's  best  boys ;  and 
Russell  used  to  say  that  he  thus  looked  on  him  as 
a  grandson  ;  and  he  thought  most  highly  both  of 
his  ability  and  his  attainments.  He  further 
procured  a  considerable  augmentation  in  the 
value  of  the  King's  Scholarships  and  Exhi- 
bitions, built  a  new  head-master's  house,  and 
greatly  added  to  and  improved  the  whole  of  the 
school  buildings.  In  his  time,  1859- 1873,  more 
university  honours  were  attained  by  King's 
Scholars  than  in  any  previous  period  of  the 
school's    history.      The    same    high    reputation, 


THE  KING'S  SCHOOL,   CANTERBURY.      215 

though  in  another  way,  was  maintained  as  it  had 
been  through  the  mastership  of  Dr.  Beauvoir  ;  and 
it  was  in  the  time  of  Dr.  Mitchinson's  successor,  Dr. 
Blore,  that  a  King's  Scholar,  Lawrence  J.  Ottley, 
scholar  of  C.  C.  C,  and  now  Fellow  of  Magdalen, 
who  had  received  his  earlier  education  under  Dr. 
Mitchinson,  gained  the  first  university  prize  since 
Lord   Tenterden   (who,    in    1784  and    1786,   had 
gained  the  Chancellor's  Prize  for  Latin  Verse  and 
English      Essay),     by    obtaining    the     Hertford 
Scholarship.     A  former  alumnus  of  the  school,  who 
knew  nothing  about  University  Scholarships,  once 
spoke  of  it  as  "a  poor  thing"  that  no  one  from 
the  King's  School  had  for  so  long  a  time  gained 
any  great   University   Scholarship   or    Prize.      It 
could  scarcely  be  said  "  to  be  a  poor  thing  "  not  to 
obtain    one,    but    it   was   unquestionably   a    great 
thing  to  be  successful  in  a  competition  for  which 
none  but  the  first  scholars  in  the  university  would 
ever  think  of  entering. 

Dr.  Blore  also  brought  great  and  varied 
attainments,  together  with  the  prestige,  like  Dr. 
Mitchinson,  of  the  highest  honours  from  Oxford, 
to  the  work  which  he  took  up,  on  Dr.  Mitchinson's 
consecration  to  the  Bishopric  of  Barbados.  He 
ably  and  worthily  maintained  the  high  character 


2i6  BYGONE  KENT. 

for  scholarship  which  the  school  had  obtained  ; 
and  on  his  retirement,  in  1886,  after  thirteen 
years  of  successful  work,  he  was  succeeded  by  the 
present  headmaster,  the  Rev.  Thomas  Field,  a 
pupil  of  Dr.  Mitchinson.  He  brought  to  the 
work  before  him  the  antecedents  of  a  scholarship 
of  C.  C.  C,  Oxford,  two  classical  first  classes,  a 
fellowship  at  Magdalen,  and  a  mastership  at 
Harrow.  Under  his  careful  diligence  the  school 
has  no  doubt  before  it  a  brilliant  future.  Its  visitors, 
the  Archbishops  of  Canterbury,  have,  of  late  years 
especially,  shown  an  active  interest  in  it,  and  the 
Dean  and  Chapter,  as  its  governors,  have 
promoted  those  interests  not  only  by  their 
influence,  but  by  their  personal  care  and  knowledge 
of  the  boys.  One  of  its  warmest  friends  was  the 
late  Bishop  (Parry)  of  Dover ;  and  his  successor, 
Bishop  Eden,  shows  similar  interest  in  the  school. 

Among  the  more  eminent  of  its  alumni  who 
have  not  yet  been  mentioned  in  this  brief  notice, 
are  : — Christopher  Marlowe,  the  dramatist  (1574) ; 
John  Boyle,  Bishop  of  Cork  (1578);  Richard 
Boyle,  Earl  of  Cork  (1580);  Dean  Boys  of 
Canterbury  (1582) ;  Dr.  Wm.  Harvey,  of  immortal 
memory,  as  one  of  the  greatest  of  England's 
physicians  (1588) ;  Accepted  Frewen,  Archbishop 


THE  KING'S  SCHOOL,  CANTERBURY.      217 

of  York  (1598) ;  Gostling,  the  historian  of  Canter- 
bury (1736) ;  Dean  Lynch  of  Canterbury  (1707) ; 
Archdeacon  Randolph,  President  of  C.  C.  C, 
Oxford  (1709);  Castle,  Dean  of  Hereford,  and 
Master  of  C.C.C,  Cambridge  (1710);  Herbert 
Marsh,  Bishop  of  Peterborough  (1770)  ;  and 
William    Grant    Broughton,    Bishop   of    Sydney 

(1797)- 

This  notice  cannot  claim  to  be  more  than  a 
sketch  in  but  faint  outlines,  and  touching  if 
anything  more  on  the  modern  and  present,  than 
on  the  origin  and  past,  history  of  the  school.  But 
perhaps  those  who  read  this  paper  will  for 
the  most  part  feel  greater  interest  in  this  more 
modern  period  of  the  school's  history.  As  for 
the  past  history  of  the  institution  it  is  greatly  to 
be  wished  that  a  fuller  and  more  complete  account 
may  some  day  be  produced  than  my  "  Memorials  " 
of  1865.  It  is  to  be  hoped  too  that  the  time  has 
passed  when  office  fees  and  other  such  obstacles 
can  prevent  access  to  documents  which  any  one 
engaged  in  such  a  pursuit  can  have  but  one 
object  in  wishing  to  search. 


SmuggliriG  in  1Rcnt 

ANY  book  on  the  Kent  of  past  days  would  be 
lamentably  defective  if  it  did  not  contain 
some  allusions  to  smugglers  and  smuggling. 
Whatever  else  "  Bygone  Kent "  did,  it  smuggled. 
It  smuggled  hard,  it  smuggled  long,  it  smuggled 
not  unprofitably.  Not  a  few  substantial  or 
comfortable  Kentish  folk  of  to-day  owe  their 
substance  and  comfort  mainly  to  their  grandfathers, 
the  eminent  "free  traders."  For  it  is  to  be  noted 
these  bygone  worthies  did  not  call  themselves 
smugglers,  or  anything  else  so  coarse.  They  were 
law-abiding,  or  if  the  law  and  their  trade  did  seem 
at  variance  sometimes,  it  was  the  law  which  was 
wrong.  They  were  "free-traders,"  as  had  been 
their  forefathers  ever  since  the  days  of  the 
Conqueror.  They  explained  the  matter  in  this 
wise.  The  Norman  William  struck  a  bargain 
with  the  five  chief  ports  of  the  south-eastern  coast ; 
these  Cinque  Ports  were  to  furnish  ships  and  men 
for  the  use  of  their  country  when  need  was,  and 
in  return  they  were  to  export  and  import  as  freely 


SMUGGLING  IN  KENT.  219 

as  they  could  wish.  This  compact  was  loyally 
kept  on  both  sides  for  one  hardly  knows  how 
many  hundreds  of  years.  Many  a  gallant  ship 
did  the  ports  send  to  their  country's  assistance, 
and  many  a  brave  sailor  from  Sandwich,  or 
Hastings,  or  Dover,  went  out  to  fight  his 
sovereign's  battles,  and  never  to  return.  And 
many  a  goodly  cargo  of  wines  or  silks  from 
France,  of  woollens  and  diapers  from  the  low 
countries,  did  the  citizens  land  on  the  Kentish 
coasts,  without  fear  of  custom-house  official  or 
revenue  cutter.  And  as  almost  every  town  and 
hamlet  on  the  coast  was  either  a  Cinque  Port  or 
a  "  limb  "  of  one,  it  followed  that  the  whole  of  the 
Kentish  shore  was  within  the  limits  of  "free-trade." 
Of  course  the  men  of  the  neighbouring  counties 
were  not  to  be  expected  to  be  behind  their 
Kentish  neighbours,  and  indeed  the  Cinque  Port 
jurisdiction  extended  over  parts  of  the  coasts  of 
Essex  and  Sussex,  so  that  "free  trade"  was 
pretty  well  established  from  Yarmouth  to  the  Isle 
of  Wight. 

But  degenerate  days  came.  There  arose 
governments  which  knew  not  the  Cinque  Ports, 
and  which  said  that  the  smuggling,  as  they 
coarsely    called    it,    must    stop.       To    take   away 


2  20  BYGONE  KENT. 

privileges  without  giving  a  quid  pro  quo  was  held 
to  be  a  shabby  proceeding  on  the  part  of  the 
government,  and  the  honest  seafaring  men  of 
Kent  snapped  their  fingers  at  authorities,  and 
went  on  running  cargoes  as  before.  They  were 
as  law-abiding  as  ever,  when  the  law  was  in  the 
right,  but  in  this  case  the  law  was  clearly  in  the 
wrong.  Unluckily,  the  law  had  armed  men  and 
revenue-cutters  on  its  side,  and  the  ancient  coast 
industry  was  at  times  carried  on  under  decidedly 
hampering  conditions.  But  this  was  not  by  any 
means  the  first  time  the  men  of  the  fine  old 
county  had  resisted  tyranny  on  the  part  of  govern- 
ments, and  so  now  official  watchfulness  was  met 
by  extra  caution,  and  trained  troops  by  extra  tact 
and  audacity. 

Many  a  cave  in  the  chalk  cliffs  was  used  as  a 
hiding-place  for  goods  which  had  not  been 
subjected  to  the  indignity  of  a  duty,  and  there  is 
hardly  a  mile  of  rock-bound  coast  in  Kent  which 
has  not  its  "  Smuggler's  Cave."  Still  better 
hiding-places  were  found  in  the  Sandwich  Flats 
district,  and  in  the  water-logged  Romney  Marsh. 
Casks  of  brandy  and  water-tight  boxes  of  valuable 
silks  or  tobaccos  were  weighted  and  sunk  in  the 
interminable    open    land    drains    of     the    latter 


SMUGGLING  IN  KENT. 


district,  to  be  fished  up  again  when  the  meddhng 
revenue  officers  had  for  the  nonce  ceased  their 
prying.  Look-out  places  were  built  or  adapted, 
from  which  cunning  systems  of  signals  were  sent 


THE  "smuggler's  NEST "  AT  HYTHE. 


to  comrades  afloat.  Of  these  the  famous 
''Smuggler's  Nest "  at  Hythe  has  happily  remained 
to  our  own  days  in  pretty  much  its  old  form,  and  an 
illustration  of  this  picturesque  old  place  is  here 


22  2  BYGONE  KENT. 

given.  Then,  rightly  or  wrongly,  a  certain 
Belvedere  at  Deal,  near  the  present  well-known 
Lloyd's  signalling  station,  is  credited  with  having 
been  a  guide  and  friend  to  the  good  men  of  that 
locality.  But  for  that  matter  well  nigh  every  village 
along  the  coast  of  Kent  can  show  its  "  Smuggler's 
Nest,"  whatever  may  happen  to  be  the  particular 
appellation  of  the  building.  All  sorts  of  odd  hiding 
places  were  found,  and  adjoining  families  arranged 
through  communication  by  means  of  the  cellars. 
At  Folkestone,  we  are  gravely  told,  the  whole  of 
the  houses  on  one  side  of  the  street  were  thus 
connected,  so  that  whilst  the  officers  were  diligently 
fumbling  about  the  cellar  of  No.  i  in  search  of  a 
"  free  trader "  who  had  been  seen  to  enter  the 
house,  the  said  free  trader  was  quietly  coming  out 
of  No.  45  at  the  other  end  of  the  street. 

Vessels  galore  were  built  for  the  "  trade,"  and 
very  fine  boats  they  were  many  of  them,  capacious 
yet  swift,  and  in  all  ways  admirably  adapted  for 
their  peculiar  duty.  And  a  bolder  yet  withal  a 
better-humoured  set  of  fellows  never  manned  boat 
than  their  crews.  The  whole  of  the  seaside 
population  was  of  course  interested  in  the 
business,  and  each  and  all  were  ever  ready  to  rally 
round  comrades  in   case  of  a  contretemps,  or  to 


SMUGGLING  IN  KENT.  223 

help  to  trick  the  government  officials.  Many  a 
hard  knock  was  received  on  both  sides,  and  many 
a  goodly  haul  was  made  by  the  revenue. 

Yet  sometimes  the  "  trade  "  had  it  all  its  own 
way,  and  cargoes  of  untaxed  goods  were  often 
sold  in  broad  daylight  on  the  very  beach.  Many 
are  the  funny  stories  told  of  how  the  officers  were 
outwitted,  so  many  indeed  that  some  of  them  may 
probably  be  not  uncharitably  set  down  as  pious 
fictions.  In  one  case  however,  the  depositions 
before  the  magistrates  show  that  the  unauthorised 
cargoes  were  carried  off  under  the  very  eyes  of 
the  revenue  officials,  who  were  held  by  the  mob  at 
the  gate  of  the  field  in  which  the  goods  were 
hidden.  This  took  place  at  Folkestone  in  1723. 
But  for  really  thrilling,  and  withal  often  funny, 
accounts  of  "free  trading"  exploits  the  reader  is 
commended  to  some  of  the  genuine  old  salts  to  be 
met  with  even  yet  in  some  of  the  Kentish  fishing 
towns,  notably  Folkestone.  A  capital  little 
collection  of  stories,  gathered  from  this  and  other 
sources,  is  published  by  Mr.  English  of  that 
town.  Many  of  the  incidents  related  are  very 
droll,  but  we  must  not  venture  upon  more  than 
one  extract,  or  we  may  lay  ourselves  open  to  the 
charge  of  being  literary  "  free-traders."     On  the 


224  BYGONE  KENT. 

incumbent  of  a  country  parish  a  mile  or  two 
inland  going  to  his  "  coach-house  one  morning,  he 
found  to  his  surprise  that  he  could  not  open  the 
door,  and  had  to  obtain  access  from  the  hay-loft 
above.  To  his  utter  astonishment  he  discovered 
the  place  was  almost  filled  with  kegs  of  spirits, 
which  had  evidently  been  deposited  there  by  smugg- 
lers. He  was  in  a  fix,  and  quite  at  a  loss  what 
course  to  pursue.  H  is  loyalty  would  have  prompted 
him  to  give  information,  but  his  consideration  for 
his  poor  parishioners  overcame  his  conscientious 
scruples,  and  he  resolved  to  take  no  notice,  but  to 
wait  the  result.  Perhaps  it  was  well  that  he  did 
so,  for  we  may  be  sure  he  was  pretty  closely 
looked  after  by  those  interested  in  the  consign- 
ment, who,  if  they  had  seen  any  attempt  to 
'peach,'  would  have  taken  measures  to  prevent 
it.  Accordingly  the  tubs  remained  secure  all  day, 
but  the  next  morning  they  were  all  cleared  out, 
with  the  exception  of  one,  which  was  labelled 
'  For  our  Parson.'  " 

Did  all  these  little  "free  tradings"  succeed  on 
the  whole  ?  Well,  the  present  writer  can  only  say- 
he  was  informed  by  an  old  gentleman  that  his 
grandfather,  a  noted  smuggler — the  word  has 
slipped  out  somehow — a  native  of  Deal,  made  at 


SMUGGLING  IN  KENT.  225 

the  trade  the  round  Httle  sum  of  ;^40,ooo.  That 
certainly  looked  like  paying,  but  it  is  to  be  feared 
his  was  a  somewhat  solitary  case.  Yet  not  a  few 
of  the  "somebodies"  inhabiting  the  coast  towns, 
who  have  never  been  known  to  toil  or  spin  them- 
selves, are  the  descendants  of  the  old  contra- 
bandists, so  that  somebody  must  have  made  money. 
The  descendants  not  only  feel  no  shame  respect- 
ing, but  in  many  cases  are  very  distinctly  proud 
of,  their  descent.  And  it  would  be  both  useless 
and  unpleasant  to  recall  some  of  the  not  very 
merciful  or  law-abiding  exploits  of  the  "  bygones." 
It  is  well  known  that  the  export  of  gold, 
though,  as  far  as  possible  prevented,  was  carried 
on  with  great  vigour,  especially  at  Folkestone. 
The  profits  were  too  enormous  for  the  temptation 
to  be  resisted.  With  the  recital  of  a  little  story 
anent  this  "  guinea  "  trade  this  little  sketch  may  be 
brought  to  a  conclusion.  The  writer  heard  the 
story  from  the  lips  of  a  most  worthy  old 
Folkestone  sailor — now  alas!  no  more — who 
vouched  for  the  truth  of  the  story  in  every 
particular.  The  father  and  mother  of  the 
narrator  lived  in  one  of  the  narrow  streets  of  old 
Folkestone,  famous  as  a  haunt  of  smugglers. 
The  couple  were  about  to  retire  to  rest  one  dark 


2  26  BYGONE  KENT. 

and  stormy  night,  when  they  were  startled  by  a 
particular  tapping  at  the  window.  Opening  the 
door,  the  occupant  of  the  house  perceived  a  man 
enveloped  in  a  huge  cloak,  and  wearing  a  big 
slouch  hat,  which  prevented  his  face  fromb  eing 
seen.  Motioning  to  him  to  keep  silence,  the 
stranger  entered,  and  threw  off  his  hat  and  cloak. 
He  was  the  head  of  a  very  great  financial  firm, 
whose  name  is  known  all  over  the  world.  The 
old  Folkestoner  knew  his  visitor  well.  A  few 
moments  sufficed  to  explain  how  matters  stood. 
The  eminent  financier  had  a  trifling  matter  of  a 
hundred  thousand  guineas,  which  he  wanted  to  get 
safely  across  the  Strait,  and  he  wanted  to  secrete 
the  sum  till  a  favourable  opportunity  occurred. 
After  much  debating  it  was  agreed  at  last  that 
the  couple  should  "  sleep  upon  it  "  literally. 

Accordingly  the  gold  was  carefully  brought  in, 
in  bags  of  a  thousand  guineas  each.  This  was 
laid  between  the  bed  and  the  mattress, — a 
hundred  bags  of  shining  gold  !  The  couple  slept 
on  this,  or,  at  least,  tried  to  do,  for  the  old  boy 
afterwards  declared  that  he  spent  the  very 
uneasiest  night  of  his  life  on  that  gold.  Next 
day  every  bag  was  taken  away.  "  What  every 
bag.'*"    we  asked,   "surely  one  was  left,  or  a  part 


SMUGGLING  IN  KENT.  227 

of  one!"  "Not  a  single  guinea  out  of  a  single 
bag,"  replied  the  narrator,  "  and  the  best  of  it  was, 
my  father  could  have  stuck  to  it  all !  They  dared 
not  have  made  a  row  about  it  if  he  had  stuck  to 
it,  or  it  would  have  been  worse  still  for  'em. 
However,  the  firm's  going  to  take  my  boy  into 
their  bank,  so  it's  all  right." 


Ibuoucnot  Ibomee  in  Ikcnt. 

By  S.  W.  Kershaw,   f.s.a. 

THE  county  of  Kent  is  perhaps  richer  than 
many  others  in  historical  associations  ;  its 
proximity  to  the  coast,  the  main  roads  leading  to 
the  metropolis,  the  former  importance  of  the 
Minster  City  of  Canterbury,  all  contributed  to 
make  the  so-called  "Garden  of  England"  famous. 
Among  its  past  annals,  few  have  inter-twined 
themselves  so  closely  with  the  religious,  intellectual, 
and  commercial  life  of  the  district,  as  the  advent 
of  the  refugees,  first  from  the  Netherlands  and 
later  from  France,  escaping  the  cruelty  of  the 
Duke  of  Alva  in  the  Low  Countries,  the  St. 
Bartholomew  massacre  in  1572,  and  from  the' 
results  of  the  Revocation  of  the  Edict  of  Nantes 
in  1685. 

Thus,  two  great  emigrations  occurred,  distinct 
in  their  bearings,  but  of  much  consequence  to  our 
own  history.  The  Reformation  had  sounded  the 
key-note  to  the  changes  in  the  ecclesiastical  world, 
and   the  advent  of  Edward   VI.    to   the    throne, 


HUG  UENOT  HOMES  IN  KENT.  229 

coupled  with  the  Charter  which  he  granted  to  the 
foreign  Protestants  in  1550,  for  the  free  exercise 
of  their  religion,  made  a  fixed  rallying  point  for 
the  fugitives  to  settle  in  England.  These 
advantages  were  increased  in  many  ways, — by 
the  arrival  of  John  a  Lasco,  a  famous  Pole,  who 
had  the  general  superintendence  of  the  foreign 
churches.  His  influence,  and  the  subsequent  aid 
of  Cecil,  Lord  Burleigh,  who  obtained  the  King's 
Letters  Patent  for  a  Protestant  to  set  up  a  French 
printing  press,  in  1552,  are  recorded  in  Strype's 
life  of  Archbishop  Cranmer. 

The  Book  of  Common  Prayer  was  now 
translated  into  F"rench,  printed  by  Thomas 
Gualtier  in  1553,  and  dedicated  to  Thomas 
Goodrich,  Bishop  of  Ely. 

The  "  Marches  of  Calais,"  as  they  were  called, 
were  then  in  English  possession,  and  the  towns 
therein  had  their  orders  from  Cranmer  for  the 
Bible  to  be  read,  and  its  different  versions, 
especially  those  in  French,  all  had  their  in- 
fluence in  spreading  the  truth  of  the  Reformed 
doctrines,  added  to  which  the  French  church 
of  Guisnes,  near  Calais,  was  founded,  and 
drew  together  more  closely  both  native  and 
foreign   inhabitants,   in    one    common    sympathy. 


230  B  YGONE  KENT. 

It  is  not  surprising,  then,  as  we  shall  see,  that  a 
larpfe  number  of  those  who  settled  in  Eastern 
Kent  may  be  traced  into  districts  round  the 
northern  and  opposite  shore  of  France.  Another 
powerful  aid  was  given  by  Archbishop  Cranmer, 
who,  at  his  archiepiscopal  houses  of  Lambeth 
and  Canterbury,  warmly  received  John  a  Lasco, 
Peter  Martyr,  Bucer,  and  other  learned  foreigners, 
for  the  discussion  of  doctrinal  questions  which 
were  then  uppermost  in  men's  minds. 

The  old  Palace  of  Canterbury  is  fraught  with 
many  memories  of  Cranmer  and  the  Elizabethan 
Archbishops,  who  made  it  one  of  their  chief  homes; 
the  business  of  the  See  was  as  much  transacted 
in  this  glorious  Kentish  city, 

"  Where  thoughts  and  shadows  gather  round," 
as  in  the  distant  metropolis.  A  fragment,  how- 
ever, but  remains  of  this  Palace,  near  the 
Cathedral,  and  an  archway  and  other  portions, 
built  into  modern  houses,  alone  testify  to  the 
former  importance  of  a  building  in  which  so 
many  stirring  events  took  place,  from  having 
been  a  refuge  to  Thomas  a  Becket  before  his 
murder,  to  the  invasion  of  its  precincts  by  the 
Commonwealth  soldiery. 

Thus  those  refugees  who  first  came  into  Kent, 


HUG  UENO T  HOMES  IN  KENT.  2  3 1 

or  who  approached  It  from  London,  found  a 
congenial  welcome  in  the  freedom  of  reHgious 
worship  and  thought  which  the  times  afforded. 
The  arrival  of  many  Walloons  to  Canterbury,  in 
1547,  was  the  first  actual  settlement,  and  a  con- 
gregation of  exiles  was  formed  under  the  care  of 
Utenhovius,  and  the  leadership  of  other  eminent 
men. 

The  death  of  Edward  the  VI.  caused  a  great 
change.  Several  of  the  English  bishops  and 
divines,  who  had  upheld  Protestantism,  fled  to 
Frankfort,  Zurich,  or  Geneva,  and  then  began  that 
dire  persecution  which  darkened  Queen  Mary's 
reign.  In  Canterbury,  the  spot  known  as  the 
"  Martyrs'  Field,"  a  little  outside  the  city, 
commemorates  their  place  of  suffering,  and  it  is 
probable  some  of  these  were  foreigners.  The 
accession  of  Elizabeth,  in  1558,  opens  a  brighter 
page  on  this  refugee  colony,  for  about  that  date  we 
may  assign  the  regular  congregation  in  the  Crypt 
church  of  the  Cathedral,  which  had  been  granted 
for  their  use  by  the  Queen,  and  afterwards  by 
the  Dean  and  Chapter,  remains  in  historic 
sequence  to  this  day. 

The  Walloons  had  now  been  increased  by  the 
French    contingent,    who,  even    before    the    fatal 


232  BYGONE  KENT. 

St.  Bartholomew,  escaped  from  the  untold 
severities  which  had  been  imposed  on  all  who 
tried  to  leave  France. 

Besides  religious,  commercial  advantages  were 
secured  to  the  newly-formed  group  of  refugees 
by  their  admission  as  freemen  of  the  City  of 
Canterbury,*  and  in  their  successful  petition  to  the 
Mayor  for  grants  of  liberty  and  privilege  to 
exercise  their  callings,  about  the  year  1561. 
Weaving,  and  making  of  different  woollen  fabrics, 
formed  the  staple  industry,  in  1564,  we  read 
of  one  Giles  Cousin,  as  "  superintendent "  of  these 
trades,  and  described  by  the  local  historian, 
Somner,  as  "  Magister  operum  et  conductor  totius 
congregationis  in  opere." 

The  manufactories  increased  so  rapidly  that  a 
hall  for  essaying  and  receiving  such  goods, 
and  for  other  purposes,  was  established  in  the 
quarter  of  the  "  Black  Friars,"  along  which  the 
little  river  Stour  pursues  its  maze-like  track. 
This  hall,  though  now  converted  to  other  uses,  re- 
mains in  part,  and  shews  how  extensive  a  craft 
must  have  been  carried  on  by  the  "strangers." 
The   fanciful    but  picturesque   tradition   that   the 


*A  paper  on   above   subject,  by  R.   Hovenden,    F.s.  A. ,   appeared    in 
Canterbury  Press,  1884. 


HUGUENOT  HOMES  IN  KENT.  233 

cathedral  Crypt,  fashioned  so  deftly  by  the  great 
medieval  builder,  Prior  Ernulph,  was  used  by 
the  weavers,  is  without  real  foundation  in  fact. 
Rather  can  we  imagine  that  the  long  and  narrow 
rooms,  with  their  glazed  windows,  in  the  upper 
floors  of  many  a  house  in  the  old  city  lanes,  were 
the  veritable  houses  where  the  loom  and  the 
shuttle  plied  their  busy  trade.  The  influx  of 
Walloons  and  others  was  so  great  that,  in  1641,  a 
book  was  furnished,  "  where  their  names  shall  be 
entered,  with  their  testimonials,  it  being  found 
that  by  their  trade  they  are  beneficial  to  the  city." 
In  1665,  there  were  126  master  weavers,  and  the 
number  so  great  that  Charles  II.  granted 
them  a  charter  to  become  a  company ;  the  first 
master  was  John  Six,  the  warden  and  assistants 
were  John  de  Bois,  John  Lepine,  Gideon 
Despaigne,  Peter  le  Houcq,  Henry  Despaigne, 
Philip  Leper,  and  others.  Now  that  the 
industrial  element  had  grown  so  large,  the  con- 
gregations had  also  increased,  and  we  turn  for  a 
moment  to  the  annals  of  the  Crypt  church. 

From  its  encouragement  under  Queen  Elizabeth, 
aided  by  the  Primates  Parker,  Grindal,  and 
Whitgift,  the  community  became  very  influential, 
and  at  one  period,  about   1640,  we  learn  that  the 


234  BYGONE  KENT. 

^  "  congregation,  for  the  most  part  of  distressed 
exiles,  had  grown  so  great  that  the  place,  in  a 
short  time,  is  likely  to  prove  a  hive  too  little  to 
contain  such  a  swarm." 

This  protection  lasted  till  the  days  of  Arch- 
bishop Laud,  when  that  Primate  exercised  a 
coercive  domination  over  all  the  refugee  churches, 
forcing  them  to  a  strict  conformity  with  the 
English  ritual,  causing  thereby  many  dissensions, 
and  a  breaking  up  of  their  numbers. 

It  is  not  to  be  supposed,  however,  that  the 
members  of  the  foreign  church  here  were  without 
their  own  differences,  which  arose  on  doctrinal 
questions,  to  which  the  rise  of  Socinianism  gave 
a  powerful  impetus.  It  was  owing  to  such 
disagreement  that  many  severed  themselves  from 
the  Crypt  church,  and  formed  a  new  place  of 
meeting  in  a  building  called  the  "  Malthouse 
Chapel,"  in  or  adjoining  the  once  existing  Arch- 
bishop's Palace  before  alluded  to,  and  called 
themselves  the  "  French  uniform  church."  We 
cannot  pass  unnoticed  the  long  list  of  "  Pasteurs" 
who  have  presided  over  the  fortunes  of  the  Crypt 
congregation  from  1564  to  the  present  day,  and 
whose  names  are  recorded  on  a  tablet  inside  the 

*  Somner's  "  Canterbury." 


H  UG  UENO  T  HOMES  IN  KENT.  2  3  5 

building.  On  the  arched  recesses,  scripture 
verses,  copied  from  earlier  sources,  are  to  be  seen, 
reminding  the  exiled  worshippers  of  their  old 
custom,  when  on  the  mountain  slopes  of  southern 
France  they  would  sing  aloud  these  hymns  in  one 
vast  assembly,  thus  recalling  to  them  the  sunny 
land  of  their  forefathers. 

As  time  progressed,  the  foreign  colony  amalga- 
mated with  the  native  inhabitants,  and  resorted  to 
many  of  the  parish  churches,  especially  St. 
Peter's,  Holy  Cross,  and  St.  Alphage,  whose 
registers,  replete  with  the  names  of  "strangers," 
have  been  published  and  ably  edited  by  Mr.  J.  M. 
Cowper,  of  Canterbury. 

In  the  eighteenth  century  is  recorded  many  an 
interchange  of  service  between  the  incumbents 
of  these  churches  and  the  pastors  of  the  French 
congregation,  and  we  may  now  trace  the  assimila- 
tion of  the  two  nationalities,  and  the  absorption  or 
change  of  many  a  foreign  family  name  into  that 
of  its  English  equivalent. 

In  so  rapid  a  survey,  it  is  impossible  to  mention 
more  than  some  of  the  noted  refugees  who,  either 
at  Canterbury  or  around,  have  left  a  distinct 
memorial  in  the  ranks  of  theology,  literature,  or 
commercial  enterprise.     Of  these  may  be  named 


236  BYGONE  KENT. 

Meric  Casaubon,  prebend  and  rector  of  Minster 
and  Monkton,  whose  father,  Isaac,  was  illustrious 
for  his  learning ;  M.  de  L'Angle,  who  also  held 
Kentish  livings,  and  died  in  1724.  John  Castillion, 
— the  Dombrain  family  whose  ancestors  escaped 
from  France  in  an  open  boat,  and  whose 
descendant  is  the  present  Vicar  of  Westwell, 
Herault,  Du  Moulin,  Charpentier,  Durand,  Le 
Sueur  and  M.  le  Cene,  from  Caen,  whose  transla- 
tion of  the  Bible  and  collection  of  rare  manuscripts 
worthily  endorsed  his  memory.  Among  others 
who  have  held  official  positions,  representing  the 
county,  may  be  cited  the  names  of  Cartier, 
Delasaux,  Fineux,  Harrenc,  Perrin,  Petit,  Picard, 
and  others  to  be  found  either  in  the  city  archives, 
local  histories,  or  in  Diocesan  registers. 

The  weaving  trade,  towards  the  end  of  the 
eighteenth  century,  had  greatly  declined,  though 
efforts  were  made  to  uphold  it,  and  a  petition  was 
presented  by  Archbishop  Tenison,  asking  him  to 
promote  the  bill  to  restrict  the  importation  of 
East  India  silks.  Here  may  be  mentioned  the 
influence  and  aid  given  by  the  Primates,  Wake, 
Tillotson,  and  Seeker,  generally,  in  the  cause  of 
relief  for  the  distressed  refugees,  and  specially  to 
those    who    were    connected    with     the     Kentish 


HUG  UENO T  HOMES  IN  KENT.  2 3  7 

capital  or  its  district.  In  1779,  Hasted,  the 
historian,  writes,  "  There  are  not  more  than  ten 
master  weavers." 

Though  the  industries  rapidly  lessened,  and  the 
foreign  families  have  dispersed,  there  still  lingers 
in  this  Minster  city  a  strong  representative 
lineage,  descended  from  those  who  lived  and 
laboured  here  and  whose  names  survive  on  many 
a  tombstone,  tablet,  or  ancient  inscription  : — 

"As  records  stand  alone 
Of  races  that  have  passed  away." 

So  powerful  was  this  element  that  it  was  thought 
advisable  to  place  a  stained  glass  window  in  the 
east  end  of  Holy  Cross  Church,  and  this  memorial 
to  the  Huguenots  was  unveiled  in  December, 
1889. 

There  is  thus  a  standing  remembrance  to 
perpetuate  the  recollection  of  those  who  left  home, 
house,  and  kindred,  to  enjoy  that  freedom  of 
conscience  which  France  had  denied  them. 
Among  the  historical  features  with  which  this 
ancient  city  is  surrounded,  not  the  least  has 
been  the  welcome  and  noble  reception  of  those 
strangers,  who  have  not  ungenerously  requited 
such  kindness,  and  whose  association  with  our 
own  lives  has  been  vividly  described  by  the  late 


238  BYGONE  KENT. 

Archbishop  Tait.  "  I  do  not  forget  that  in  this 
cathedral  there  still  remains  a  memorial  of  those 
days  when  the  Church  of  England  gave  an  asylum 
to  our  persecuted  brethren  who  came  from  other 
lands,  so  there  is  something  to  remind  us  of  our 
connection  with  those  who  in  distant  lands 
maintain,  under  great  disadvantages,  the  truths  for 
which  the  Reformers  were  contented  to  die."* 

Dover  has  been  much  identified  with  the 
landing  of  the  refugees.  As  the  nearest  port  to 
France,  it  would  naturally  attract  the  strangers, 
whose  stay  here  was  often  of  short  duration,  most 
of  them  proceeding  to  more  industrial  centres, 
or  to  London. 

The  early  settlements  here  are  obscure,  and  the 
trade,  which  was  principally  shipping,  did  not 
admit  of  long  continuance  at  a  time.  Our  tenure 
of  the  district  round  Calais  caused  much  reciprocal 
communication,  and  the  migration  of  many 
families  from  northern  France  to  East  Kent  is  not 
surprising.  This  fact  is  corroborated  by  several 
names  in  the  register  of  the  foreign  church  at 
Guisnes  re-appearing  round  Dover  and  the  locality. 
Sir  Hugh  Paulet  was  Governor  of  Calais  in  the 
reign  of  Edward  VI.,  when  the  French  translation 

*  Diocesan  charge,  1876. 


nUGVENOr  HOMES  IN  KENT.  239 

of  our  Prayer  Book  was  made  and  prepared  by 
the  King's  authority. 

The  State  papers  (domestic  series)  mention 
that  from  1619-23,  the  influx  of  strangers  was 
great,  and  that  through  Lord  Zouch's  mediation 
Archbishop  Abbot  granted  them  the  occasional 
use  of  the  parish  church  of  St,  Mary's.  A  return 
of  their  members  was  ordered  to  be  made, 
communicants  and  non-communicants  who  are 
worthy  of  receiving  alms,  and  also  that  they 
contribute  towards  the  support  of  their  fellow 
countrymen.  The  varied  nature  of  those  refugees 
who  settled  at  Dover  has  always  been  a  subject 
for  discussion,  but  it  may  be  generally  affirmed 
that  they  were  the  French  speaking  Flemish  of 
northern  France,  who  were  succeeded  by  those 
from  the  interior  parts  of  that  country. 

A  regular  community  appears  to  have  been 
formed  in  1646,  Philippe  le  Keux  was  their  first 
minister,  and  from  the  researches  of  W.  H. 
Overend,  f.s.a.,^  four  distinct  congregations 
were  at  different  times  represented  in  Dover, 
beginning  at  the  above  date,  and  lasting  till  17 10. 

It  does  not  appear  the  refugees  ever  had  a 
church   of   their  own,    though    a   most    fortunate 

"Strangers  at  Dover."     Huguenot  Society  Proceedings,  1890,  Vol.  III. 


240  BYGONE  KENT. 

circumstance  lately  occurred  which  resulted  in 
recovering  its  registers,  not  long  ago  "  edited  "  and 
published.  The  Dover  church  was  represented  in 
the  London  colloquy  of  the  foreign  churches  in 
1646,  and  some  of  its  pasteurs  have  been  associated 
with  that  at  Canterbury  and  elsewhere  in  Kent. 

The  constant  and  shifting  transit  of  the 
strangers  to  and  from  this  port  has,  notwith- 
standing, left  its  impress  on  names  which  have  sur- 
vived, and  given  a  local  colouring  to  the  town  and 
adjacent  district.  Especially  that  of  Minet,  a  family 
connected  with  the  church  of  Guisnes,  is  found 
again  in  or  round  Dover.  Others  of  foreign  lineage 
may  be  quoted,  as  Beauvoir,  Delannoy,  Campre- 
don,  d'Evereux,  Lavaure,  Lernoult,  Quetville, 
Monins,  Mommerie,  and  several  which  the 
limits  of  this  sketch  will  not  allow. 

Sandwich  claims  peculiar  interest.  For  a  very 
long  time  it  was  the  home  of  Dutch,  Walloon,  and 
French  refugees,  its  trading  capabilities,  harbour, 
and  river  all  contributed  to  make  it  a  desirable 
resort.  The  picturesque  and  quaint  town  of  to-day, 
its  red  tiled  houses  and  sloping  eaves,  over  which 
the  massive  towers  of  St.  Peter's  and  St.  Clement's 
rise  so  boldly,  seems  to  be  the  very  same  as  when 
it  welcomed  the  weary  and  distressed  fugitives  of 


HUGUENOT  HOMES  IN  KENT.  241 

the  1 6th  century.  An  ancient  gateway  or  grey 
stone  parapet  peeps  out  from  some  hidden  corner, 
while  a  carved  bracket  or  oaken  beam  juts  forth 
from  many  a  half  timbered  house. 

Almost  the  first  settlement  here  was  in  Queen 
Elizabeth's  reign,  though  there  had  been 
arrivals  from  the  Low  Countries  before  that  date. 
Archbishop  Parker  visited  Sandwich  in  1563, 
and  noticed  the  French  and  Dutch,  or  both,  and 
it  is  recorded  in  his  life  by  Strype  that  the 
Primate  said,  on  the  occasion  of  his  visit  here, 
"  that  profitable  and  gentle  strangers  ought  to  be 
welcomed  and  not  grudged  at."  Industrial 
resources  were  abundant,  and  the  archives 
of  1622  (James  I.)  give  a  return  of  some  150 
weavers,  their  trades  and  professions,  the  chief 
of  which  was  making  of  "  bayes,  lynsie  woolsies," 
etc. 

We  find  several  foreign  names  at  this  port  again 
recurring  at  Norwich  and  Colchester,  shewing  that 
there  must  have  been  inter-communication  with 
these  towns,  and  that  trade  was  diverted  from  one 
place  to  another,  according  to  its  success  or 
decline. 

Though  jealousy  could  not  fail  to  exist  between 
the  natives  and  the  strangers,   the  former  learned 


242  BYGONE  KENT. 

from  the  latter  many  industries,  especially  that  of 
cloth-making,  spinning,  etc.,  and  on  the  Queen's 
visit  to  Sandwich,  in  1573,  on  one  of  her  progresses 
through  Kent,  these  fabrics  were  exhibited  to  her. 
Other  occupations  were  carried  on,  as  hatmakers, 
taylors,  whitesmiths,  so  that  great  activity  prevailed 
for  some  years. 

A  French  congregation  seem  to  have  existed 
here  in  1568,  according  to  a  book  of  receipts,  in 
which  is  mentioned  "  I'eglise  de  Sandevuyt 
Francaise."  It  does  not  appear  the  refugees  ever 
had  a  church  of  their  own,  but  were  allowed  the 
use  of  St.  Clement's,  to  which  they  contributed  a 
sum  for  expenses,  and  a  proportionate  cost  for 
repairs. 

This  congregation,  like  the  others  in  Kent, 
came  under  the  ban  of  Archbishop  Laud,  and 
proceedings  were  taken  against  it  to  enforce 
uniformity  of  worship,  but  the  mightier  events 
which  preceded  the  Scotch  war  were  at  hand,  and 
precluded  further  action.  The  harsh  treatment 
of  the  "strangers"  is  fully  set  forth  in  a  rare 
pamphlet  by  John  Bulteel,  minister  of  the  French 
church  in  Canterbury,  and  entitled  "Troubles  of 
the  three  foreign  churches  in  Kent."  Allusion 
has  been  made  before  to  the  industries  which  were 


HUGUENOT  HOMES  IN  KENT.  243 

begun  or  perfected  by  the  refugees,  but  we  must 
not  forget  that  Sandwich  claims  the  honour  of 
introduction  by  the  Flemish  of  the  homely 
cabbage  and  celery,  and  so  much  were  these 
vegetables  in  demand  that  gardeners  from  this 
ancient  Cinque  Port,  settled  at  Battersea, 
Bermondsey,  and  round  London,  and  planted 
those  fields  that  even  to-day  shew  traces  of  past 
and  successful  culture. 

Similarly,  with  the  settlements  at  Dover  and 
Canterbury,  that  of  Sandwich  has  bequeathed 
names  surviving  to  the  present,  and  tracing  back  to 
the  time  of  the  different  immigrations.  Of  these 
may  be  mentioned  Van  Dale,  De  Long,  Cowper, 
Sayer,  Verrier,  Rondeau,  and  others  — in  the 
district  around  the  same  foreign  element  can 
be  identified. 

Hythe,  though  in  a  lesser  degree,  is  also 
associated  with  our  annals  ;  it  is  probable  that  the 
refugees  were  few  in  number,  and  for  their 
religious  exercises  resorted  to  Dover  or  Canter- 
bury. Connected  with  this  place,  however,  is  the 
family  of  De  Bouveries  (Earl  of  Radnor),  who 
represented  it  in  Parliament  on  several  occasions. 

The  valued  name  of  Huguessen,  originally  a 
refugee  from    Dunkirk,   and    now  better   known 


244  BYGONE  KENT. 

as  Lord  Brabourne,  claims  local  importance. 
Several  well-born  emigrds  were  chiefly  mer- 
chants from  the  Low  Countries,  and  a  list  of 
them,  with  their  callings,  is  to  be  found  in  a 
volume  of  the  Camden  Society,  entitled  "  Foreign 
Protestants,  etc.,  resident  in  England,"  1618-88, 

In  1622,  it  appears  that  a  return  of  the 
strangers  of  Hythe  by  the  mayor  and  jurists 
was  ordered  to  be  sent  to  the  Lieutenant  of 
Dover  Castle. 

The  Weald  of  Kent  can  hardly  be  passed 
unnoticed,  for  its  varied  industrial  resources, 
which  naturally  attracted  the  refugees,  would  lend 
them  substantial  aid. 

Foremost  was  the  cloth  trade,  specially  at 
Cranbt-ook  and  Headcorn  ;  the  arrival  of  Flemish 
weavers,  so  long  as  the  time  of  Richard  IL, 
may  have  induced  succeeding  strangers  to 
settle,  and  it  was  only  towards  the  middle  of  the 
18th  century  that  the  Kentish  industry  had  to 
compete  with  the  great  cities  of  Leeds  and  Brad- 
ford, and  to  relinquish  its  local  ascendancy. 
Woollen  goods  were  exported,  and  the  sacking  of 
Antwerp,  in  1576,  transferred  much  of  the  trade 
to  England,  and,  in  all  probability,  many  foreign 
craftsmen    followed.       Queen    Elizabeth,    always 


HUGUENOT  HOMES  IN  KENT.  245 

ready  to  promote  her  subjects'  welfare,  secured 
her  manufacturers  great  prosperity.  The  cast  Iron 
industry,  though  much  practised  in  Sussex,  was 
found  in  the  Weald,  and  one  of  the  master 
founders  employed  as  his  principal  assistant,  Peter 
Baude,  a  Frenchman,  and  to  this  day  some  of 
the  old  furnace  ponds  remain.  * 

The  Wealden  annals,  though  scattered,  may 
fairly  claim  a  part  in  "  Bygone  Kent,"  for  in  1689, 
four  years  after  the  Revocation  of  the  Edict  of 
Nantes,  we  read  that  there  was  a  collection  at 
Cranbrook  in  aid  of  the  Protestant  exiles,  and 
that  Sir  Thomas  Roberts,  an  old  inhabitant, 
greatly  sympathized  in  their  cause.  There 
appears  to  have  been  no  foreign  church  at  all  in 
the  district,  but  the  strangers  would  have  resorted 
to  the  border  town  of  Rye,  where  a  French  con- 
gregation had  been  formed.  The  results  from 
their  advent  and  residence  are  ably  commented 
on  by  Canon  Jenkins,  •  who,  in  his  "  Diocesan 
History,"  observes  "  they  tended  to  leaven  the 
population  with  which  they  held  daily  intercourse — 
those  who  had  established  their  industries  anions 
them— -the  clothiers  of  the  Weald,  the  ironworkers 

*  "  The  names  of  Furnace  Farm,   Furnace   Pond,  and  Cinder  Hill,  are 
still  preserved.'' — Furley's  "  Weald  of  Kent." 


246  BYGONE  KENT. 

of  the  district  bordering  on  Sussex,  and  the 
gardening  population  of  Sandwich  and  South- 
East  Kent — all  contributed  to  the  signal  and 
almost  unparalleled  success  of  a  movement  which 
brought  at  the  same  time  temporal  prosperity 
and  spiritual  freedom."  Little  remains  to  indicate 
the  past,  but  in  the  picturesque  and  gabled  houses 
in  and  near  Cranbrook,  which  shew  traces  of 
Flemish  architecture,  and  in  the  cloth  halls  (now 
converted  into  private  use)  the  story  of  refugee 
life  can  still  be  told. 

At  Faversham  there  was  a  French  congregation 
about  1696,  and  although  few  particulars  are 
extant  as  to  this  settlement,  there  is  evidence  in 
the  local  names  of  a  distinct  foreign  element,  of 
which  the  family  of  Giraud,  both  in  this  town  and 
surrounding  districts,  has  long  held  honourable 
mention. 

Intimately  connected  with  our  subject  is 
Maidstone,  where  many  industries  attracted  the 
Walloon  and  Flemish  fugitives,  who  came  from 
the  Netherlands  and  formed  a  strong  contingent 
in  1573,  having  the  Royal  protection  and 
sympathy.  The  corporation  granted  them  the 
use  of  S.  P'aith's  Chapel  and  burial  ground,  and 
before    that  date  they  petitioned    the    Queen    to 


H UG  UENOT  HOMES  IN  KENT.  247 

allow  them  to  establish  their  manufactures,  which 
was  af  ran  ted. 

The  cloth  trade  was  one  of  the  staple  com- 
modities ;  Guilds  were  established,  to  which 
strangers  had  to  be  admitted  before  they  could 
practise  their  craft. 

Threadmaking  was  another  enterprise,  and  this 
flourished  in  Maidstone  for  some  time,  till  the 
trade  decayed  by  the  importation  of  thread  from 
Flanders, 

The  State  Papers  of  1622  give  a  list  of  such 
strangers  born  in  the  town,  of  which  the  thread- 
makers  formed  a  considerable  portion.  Their 
religious  liberties  were  permitted  until,  like  the 
other  Kentish  settlements,  they  came  under  the 
Laudian  sway,  when  many  left  the  country,  dis- 
persing with  them  the  industries  which  had 
already  benefited  this  district,  and,  as  related  by 
the  late  Mr.  Furley  in  his  "  History  of  the 
Weald,"  "clothiers,  merchants,  and  others,  being 
deprived  of  their  ministers,  and  overburdened 
with  grievances,  have  departed  the  kingdom  to 
Holland  and  other  parts." 

Towards  the  end  of  the  seventeenth  century 
the  refugee  annals  of  Maidstone  are  not  so 
frequent,  and  the  strangers  had  either  repaired   to 


248  BYGONE  KENT. 

the  parish  churches  or  had  embraced  Noncon- 
formity, whose  progress  was  much  increased  by 
this  addition  to  its  ranks, 

A  remarkable  instance  of  the  effects  of  the 
persecutions  in  France,  and  the  singular  accident 
of  its  results  in  the  little  colony  at  Boughton 
Malkerbe,  near  Maidstone,  may  fitly  close  this 
chapter. 

In  1 60 1,  the  Marquis  de  Venours,  of  Poitou, 
sought  protection  in  England,  and  having  taken  a 
house  and  land  here  (probably  Boughton  Place), 
the  seat  of  the  Wottons,  had  a  recommendatory 
letter  from  Archbishop  Bancroft  to  the  Rector 
of  this  spot.  '*  That  the  inhabitants  shall  receive 
him  and  his  following  with  Christian  charity,  and 
that  as  they  do  not  understand  English,  the  Arch- 
bishop appoints  M.  Jacques  Rondeau  to  preach 
in  the  parish  church  of  Boughton,  to  which  access 
may  be  given  at  such  times  as  shall  not  hinder  the 
ordinary  congregation."  This  proceeding  fully 
beArs  out  the  generous  character  of  Bancroft, 
who,  on  more  than  one  occasion,  like  Bishop 
Ken,  showed  warm  sympathy  with  the  cause 
of  the  suffering  refugees,  both  by  recom- 
mending his  clergy  to  raise  subscriptions,  and  by 
other  assistance. 


HUGUENOT  HOMES  IN  KENT.  249 

Round  this  neighbourhood,  of  which  Maidstone 
may  be  called  a  centre,  many  foreign  names 
assuredly  had  their  origin  ;  in  the  settlements  of 
those  was  found  freedom  in  this  fair  and  favoured 
County.  The  following  may  serve  as  examples  : — 
De  la  Douespie  (East  Farleigh).  Le  Geyt 
(Chislet),  De  L'Angle  (Tenterden),  Fremoult 
(Wotton),  who  were  incumbents  of  the  above 
parishes. 

In  tracing  but  a  few  of  the  "homes  and 
haunts "  of  the  strangers,  we  may  apply  to 
them  the  graphic  words  which  Canon  Jenkins* 
uses  to  those  of  the  Cathedral  city,  "The  numer- 
ous surnames  of  purely  French  origin  which 
meet  the  eye  in  every  direction,  prove  that  a  large 
proportion  of  the  inhabitants  are  the  descendants 
of  the  settlers  from  France  and  Flanders,  in  the 
time  of  Edward  the  Sixth,  and  some  of  the  most 
eminent  prebendaries  of  the  Cathedral  had  a 
similar  origin." 

*  Diocesan  History.     Rev.  R.  C.  Jenkins,  1881. 


H)over  Cacitle. 

By  E.  Wollaston  Knocker. 

THIS  fortification,  crowning  the  white  cliffs  of 
Albion,  overlooked,  centuries  since,  the 
valley  through  which  ran  the  estuary  now  known 
as  the  river. Dour,  three-and-a-half  miles  long,  and 
on  its  south  side  the  antient  small  but  walled 
town  of  Dover. 

The  banks  of  the  stream  formed  the  landing- 
place  of  Romans,  Saxons,  Vikings,  and  Normans  ; 
and  around  it  in  later  years  was  formed  the  port, 
at  which  in  successive  ages  have  arrived  and 
departed  crusaders,  pilgrims,  sovereigns,  tourists, 
and  pleasure-seekers. 

The  position  is  almost  unrivalled  throughout 
the  world  ;  it  was  the  true  clavis  regni,  and  it  has 
been  the  scene  of  many  interesting  events  and 
several  sieges. 

When  in  b.c.  55  Julius  Caesar  landed  in  Kent, 
he  found  hardy  warriors  with  well-found  chariots 
to  oppose  his  march  inland,  and  it  is  not 
improbable  that  the  art  of  warfare  thus  learnt  by 


DOVER  CASTLE.  251 

the  Britons  may  have  led  to  the  construction  of 
such  an  earthwork  as  that  on  which  the  Roman 
Pharos  still  stands. 

Caesar  in  his  Commentaries  makes  no  mention 
of  any  fortifications  which  he  constructed  in  this 
realm.  The  first  Roman  cohort,  11 00  strong, 
was  stationed  at  Dover.  It  claimed  the  post  of 
honour  and  the  custody  of  the  imperial  eagle.  It 
is  not  improbable  that  a  fortification  was  erected 
(a.d.  43-49)  by  Aulus  Plautius  or  Publius  Ostorius 
Scapula,  both  generals  of  consular  dignity,  who 
had  been  despatched  with  armies  by  the  Emperor 
Claudius, — the  first  to  reduce  part  of  Britain  to  a 
Roman  province,  and  the  second  to  quell  the 
turbulent  Britons  who  had  refused  to  pay  their 
stipulated  tribute.  The  castle  was  called  Caesar's 
Castle  for  some  centuries. 

The  Pharos,  or  light-house,  and  its  companion 
on  the  opposite  hill,  were  probably  both  of 
Roman  construction. 

The  one  in  the  castle  is  thought  to  have  been 
used  by  the  Normans  for  the  purposes  of  defence. 

The  early  Christian  Church,  dedicated  to  Saint 
Mary,  adjoining  the  Pharos,  is  said  to  have  been 
reconsecrated  by  St.  Augustine.  It  requires  a 
volume    to   itself,    and    this    has    been   admirably 


252  BYGONE  KENT. 

provided    by    the     Rev.    Canon     Puckle    in    his 
history. 

Much  controversy  has  raged  over  its  origin 
and  date,  but  these  cannot  be  entered  upon  within 
the  hmits  of  this  paper.  Its  restoration  by  the 
Government  for  a  military  church  has  saved  it 
from  the  oblivion  its  ruined  state  for  many  years 
seemed  to  portend. 

Eadbald,  the  son  of  Ethelbert,  who  had  been 
Governor  of  the  castle,  after  the  death  of  his 
father  succeeded  to  the  kingdom  of  Kent  about 
A.D.  600,  and  we  are  told  that  he  founded  a 
college  in  connection  with  the  church,  and  its 
establishment  has  been  stated  at  from  six  canons 
and  a  provost  to  twenty-four. 

It  is  difficult  to  determine  the  site  of  the 
religious  house  used  by  these  clerics,  but  it  is 
supposed  to  have  been  situated  near  Colton's  Gate. 

From  the  time  of  St.  Augustine  therefore  (who 
landed  in  Kent  a.d.  596)  it  is  probable  that  there 
was  a  small  separate  ecclesiastical  establishment 
in  the  castle. 

During  the  Wardenship  of  John  de  Fienes, 
about  A.D.  1084,  it  is  said  there  were  three  chap- 
lains, who  had  separate  duties  assigned  to  them,  and 
among  these,  that,  not  of  punishing  offenders,  but 


DOVER  CASTLE.  253 

of  advising  the  Constable  in  the  exercise  of  his 
judicial  functions. 

From  the  subordinate  position  of  these 
chaplains  and  their  successors  is  probably  to  be 
attributed  the  fact  that  history  tells  so  little  about 
the  religious  part  of  the  castle  administration. 

At  the  Reformation  the  number  of  chaplains 
was  reduced  to  one,  but  service  was  regularly 
performed  until  the  year  1690. 

Hengist  (a.d  449-455)  probably  extended  the 
Brito-Romanic  earthworks  so  as  to  include  what 
is  now  the  keep  yard,  and  he  is  stated  to  have 
built  the  fortress.  Its  extension  would  at  least 
have  provided  for  a  larger  garrison. 

Horsa  became  Governor  of  the  castle. 

Alfred  the  Great  was  the  first  of  the  Saxon 
kings  who  employed  the  mason  in  the  art  of 
fortification,  and  he  doubtless  enclosed  the  Saxon 
and  Roman  earthworks  of  the  castle  with  walls, 
gates,  and  towers. 

Earl  Godwin  (who  died  a.d.  1053)  ^'^  ^^  reign 
of  King  Edward  the  Confessor,  was  perhaps  the 
first  Lord  Warden  who  was  also  Governor  of  the 
castle.  These  offices  have  remained  in  combina- 
tion to  the  present  day.  Godwin  made  consider- 
able additions  to  the  castle,  and  one  tower,  which 


254  BYGONE  KENT. 

formerly  stood  at  the  entrance  of  the  keep  yard, 
bore  his  name. 

At  the  Norman  Conquest  (a.d.  1066)  and  after 
the  Battle  of  Hastings,  William,  Duke  of 
Normandy,  marched  first  towards  Dover  Castle, 
then  the  most  important  fortress  of  the  kingdom, 
and  during  the  opposition  to  his  approach,  among 
the  privileges  extracted  from  the  Duke  was  the 
one  known  as  the  law  of  gravelkind,  which  is 
still  in  force  in  Kent,  and  regulates  the  descent 
and  inheritance  of  land  in  it.  At  the  same  time 
(it  is  said)  arose  the  fabled  distinction  between 
"  Men  of  Kent "  and  "  Kentish  men." 

Duke  William  did  not  cross  the  Medway  as  a 
Conqueror,  so  the  inhabitants  of  the  eastern 
division  of  the  county  were  styled  "  Men  of 
Kent."     Hence,  too,  the  County  motto,  "  Invicta." 

William    remodelled   and    extended    the    castle 
fortifications,  enclosing  the  portion  between   the 
British,  Roman,  and  Saxon  works  and  the  edge  of   . 
the  cliff      He  also  built  some    of  the    additional 
towers  in  the  outer  wall. 

To  each  he  assigned  one  of  his  knights,  and, 
according  to  the  custom  of  feudal  tenure,  made 
him  a  grant  of  land  on  condition  that  he  kept  his 
tower  in  a  state  of  defence,  and  did  service  in  the 


DOVER  CASTLE.  255 

castle  with  a  fixed  number  of  retainers  for  a 
specified  period  of  the  year. 

Among  these  towers,  commencing  from  the 
south-east,  are  those  of  Albranche  of  Folkestone. 
He  delegated  his  command  to  one  Rokesley, 
whose  name  the  tower  afterwards  bore. 

Fulbert  of  Dover  was  Lord  of  the  Manor 
and  Castle  of  Chilham  in  Kent,  on  condition  that 
he  kept  one  fort  in  repair.  Hence  the  tower 
was  first  called  Chilham,  but  its  Deputy-Governor 
was  one  Chaldercot,  and  the  tower  later  was 
called  by  his  name.  This  tower  had  a  small  one 
as  an  appendage  to  it,  which  took  its  name  from 
Hurst,  a  village  near  Chilham,  the  rents  of  which 
were  allotted  to  its  repair  and  defence. 

Near  Fulbert's  Tower  was  the  Bodar's  house. 
As  sergeant-at-arms  he  was  also  gaoler  of  the 
adjoining  prison. 

For  many  centuries,  and  within  the  recollection 
of  the  present  generation,  it  was  used  as  a  prison 
for  debtors.  These  used  to  rincj  a  bell  near  the 
outside  of  the  Canon's  Gate,  and  attract  the 
attention  of  passers  by,  to  obtain  alms  in  a  box 
placed  close  to  the  bell. 

The  next  tower  anciently  took  its  name  from 
Arsick,  its  first  commandant.      He  got  Say  to  take 


256  BYGONE  KENT. 

charge  of  it,  and  it  was  called  after  him,  Say's 
Tower.  Two  good  estates,  Langdon  and 
Pevington,  were  held  by  this  tenure. 

In  the  same  way  the  defence  of  other  towers 
was  provided  for.  Galton  Tower,  with  which 
was  held  Galton  in  Surrey  on  castle-guard  tenure. 
Peverill's,  called  also  Beauchamp's  and  Marshal's 
Tower.  The  Marshal  resided  in  it.  Porth's 
Tower  later  named  Castings.  It  was  rebuilt  by 
Queen  Mary  and  then  called  Mary's  Tower. 
The  Constable's  Tower,  which  was  larger  than 
the  others,  was  first  named  Fienes,  or  the 
Newgate  Tower,  later  after  Hubert  de  Rurgh, 
but  because  of  its  use  by  the  governors  for 
business  purposes  it  afterwards  had  its  present 
name,  The  Constable's  Tower.  It  was  for  many 
years  the  residence  of  the  Deputy- Warden  or 
Deputy-Covernor  of  the  castle  (an  office  which 
continued  to  the  present  century)  and  it  is  now 
the  official  residence  of  the  General  commanding 
the  south-eastern  district. 

The  towers  to  the  north  of  this  one  are  : — 
Pencester  (which  was  the  Treasurer's  or  Pay- 
master's residence) ;  Godsfoes ;  the  Earl  of 
Norfolk's  (Marshal  of  England)  or  Craville,  which 
commanded  the    royal  bridge  supposed  to  have 


DOVER  CASTLE.  257 

been  built  by  the  Romans  leading  to  the  castle  ; 
Fitzwilliam's  or  John's  ;  Avranche  or  Maunsell's  ; 
Veville's ;  Godwin's ;  and  Valence's  or  Morti- 
mer's. 

The  commandants  of  all  these  towers  held 
estates  on  the  castle-guard  tenure. 

Inside  the  castle  were  several  towers : 
Clintons ;  Colton's  Gate,  near  the  Church  (in 
which  were  the  chaplain's  lodgings)  ;  Harcourt's 
Tower  ;  The  Fountain  or  Well  Tower  ;  Arthur's 
Gate,  leading  to  Pencester  Tower ;  the  Palace 
Gate,  leading  to  the  palace  or  keep ;  and  the 
Duke  of  Suffolk's  Tower  adjoining. 

Near  the  last  named  was  another  Tower,  in 
which  were  stored  all  the  arms,  machines,  and 
stones  necessary  for  the  defence  of  the  castle  ; 
adjoining  to  this  arsenal  was  the  King's  kitchen. 

Surrounding  the  keep  and  the  keep  yard  are 
lofty  walls,  having  in  them  some  of  the  towers 
already  named,  and  built  against  them  were  many 
rooms  formerly  used  for  the  accommodation  of 
the  Court,  and  which  are  now  used  by  men  of  the 
Royal  Artillery  quartered  there.  Among  these 
was  a  hall  called  after  the  renowned  King 
Arthur. 

The   mere   enumeration    of  these    towers  and 

S 


258  BYGONE  KENT. 

gates  shows  the  importance  attached  to  the 
defence  of  the  castle  ;  the  large  and  numerous 
estates  alloted  to  its  maintenance,  and  the 
strength  of  the  garrison. 

The  principal  gates  of  the  castle  were  the 
Canons'  Gate  ;  Friars  or  Old  Gate  ;  the  principal 
one,  long  called  the  New  Gate,  because  it  took 
the  place  of  the  older  one  through  the  Constable's 
Tower,  now  known  as  the  Queen's  Entrance  or 
Constable's  Gate ;  a  postern  in  Earl  Godwin's 
Tower  ;  and  a  small  gate  called  the  Ethetisfordian 
Gate. 

There  is  yet  another  approach.  At  the  foot  of 
the  cliff,  between  the  castle  and  the  sea, 
Henry  VIII.  built  a  fortification  called  Moat's 
Bulwark.  A  shaft  was  made  in  the  cliff  with 
circular  steps,  by  which  access  was  given  from  the 
bulwark  to  the  castle.  It  is  said  that  George  IV., 
then  Prince  of  Wales,  in  1798,  was  conducted  down 
these  steps  as  the  nearest  way  to  the  town. 

The  keep,  we  are  told,  was  89  feet  in  height, 
and  its  walls  so  thick  that  they  had  apartments 
within  them,  and  some  of  these  can  still  be  seen. 
In  it  is  Harold's  Well,  said  to  have  been  240  paces 
deep.  Its  importance  during  the  sieges  was  duly 
estimated.     Harold    swore   to    William    of    Nor- 


DOVER  CASTLE.  259 

mandy  to  deliver  it  up  with  the  castle.  The  well 
still  exists,  though  it  has  been  partially  filled  in 
from  visitors  having  been  allowed  for  many  years 
to  throw  pebbles  down  it  to  enable  them  to  judge 
of  its  great  depth. 

The  keep  contains  two  chapels  ;  the  lower  one, 
called  St.  John's,  near  the  grand  staircase,  is  of 
beautiful  Norman  work,  which  has  been  partially 
restored.  The  upper  one  above  it  was  a  private 
chapel  for  the  use  of  the  sovereigns  and  others 
occupying  the  keep.  The  banqueting  hall  and 
presence  chamber  are  now  used  as  armouries. 
One  of  these  was  called  Arthur's  Hall,  though  it 
is  different  from  another  in  the  Keep  Yard  which 
bore  the  same  name.  These  halls  are  of  large  size, 
and  were  fitted  for  the  uses  of  a  royal  residence 
at  the  time  they  were  so  appropriated.  Their  oak 
floors  are  said  to  consist  of  the  original  timber  used 
when  they  were  constructed. 

How  many  sieges,  surprises,  and  reliefs  the 
castle  has  witnessed  it  would  be  difficult  to 
recount,  even  if  the  present  space  allowed. 

The  most  important  siege  was  that  by  the 
Dauphin  of  France  in  12 16,  after  he  had  marched 
to  London  and  laid  waste  Essex,  Norfolk,  and 
Suffolk. 


26o  BYGONE  KENT. 

Stephen  de  Pencester,  with  400  men,  succeeded 
in  reinforcing  the  garrison  by  entering  it 
undiscovered,  it  is  said,  through  the  sally-port 
under  Godwin's  Tower,  But  the  Dauphin,  after 
a  long  siege,  did  not  succeed  in  taking  the  castle. 

In  most  of  our  civil  commotions  the  castle 
attracted  the  attention  of  both  parties.  So  lately 
as  the  troubles  during  the  reign  of  Charles  I.,  it 
was  taken  by  surprise  in  the  night  of  the  ist 
August  1642,  by  a  merchant  named  Drake,  with  a 
few  men  who  had  scaled  the  cliff  by  the  aid  of 
ladders  and  ropes. 

Having  secured  the  sentinel,  they  threw  open 
the  gates,  and  the  garrison  being  weak,  and  the 
officer  in  command  supposing  in  the  dark  that 
the  force  against  him  was  large,  surrendered 
the  castle.  The  Earl  of  Warwick,  who  was  at 
Canterbury,  sent  a  small  force  to  guard  it.  It  was 
besieged  afterwards  by  the  Royalists,  but  the 
siege  was  raised  by  a  Parliamentary  force  sent  for 
that  purpose. 

Many  of  our  Sovereigns  have  occasionally 
resided  there.  Among  these  were  : — Stephen,  who 
died  at  Dover,  either  in  the  castle  or  at  one 
of  the  religious  houses.  Henry  II.,  on  his  way  to 
Normandy,  Richard  I.,  on  embarking  for  the  Holy 


DOVER  CASTLE.  261 

Land,  as  well  as  on  other  occasions.  Edward  I., 
on  his  way  to  and  from  the  Continent.  Edward  1 1. 
and  Edward  III.,  each  several  times. 

Henry  V.  In  his  reign  the  Emperor  Sigismund 
was  allowed  to  land  on  his  assurance  that  he  was 
a  messenger  of  peace.  After  seventy  years, 
during  which  period  none  of  our  kings  visited  the 
castle,  Henry  V.  embarked  at  Dover  with  an 
army. 

Henry  VIII.  was  a  regular  visitor  to  the  castle, 
and  embarked  there  for  the  Field  of  the  Cloth  of 
Gold,  having  his  then  Queen  at  the  castle. 

Its  last  royal  occupant  is  believed  to  have  been 
Charles  I.,  who  met  his  Queen,  Henrietta  of 
France,  on  the  grand  staircase,  and  she  made  the 
keep  her  abode  on  the  night  of  her  arrival,  Sunday, 
13th  June  1625. 

Beyond  a  visit  by  day  made  by  Her  present 
Majesty,  with  Arthur,  Duke  of  Wellington,  there 
appears  to  be  no  record  of  any  intermediate  visit 
of  an  English  sovereign.  . 

Many  of  the  Lord  Wardens  of  the  Cinque 
Ports,  as  Governors  of  Dover  Castle,  resided  there 
from  time  to  time. 

Several  were  members  of  the  royal  family, 
others    distinguished     generals    and     statesmen. 


262  BYGONE  KENT. 

Those  of  the  present  century  have  been,  Pitt, 
Hawkesbury,  Wellington,  Dalhousle,  Palmerston, 
Granville,  W.  H.  Smith,  and  the  present  Lord 
Warden,  who  is  believed  to  be  the  150th,  the 
Marquis  of  Dufferin  and  Ava. 

Possibly  no  castle  can  boast  such  a  succession 
of  governors,  so  identified  with  the  interests  of 
the  kingdom  that  to  write  their  lives  would  be  to 
re-write  its  history. 

Many  have  seen  something  of  the  wonder- 
ful subterranean  passages  of  the  castle. 
These  were  perhaps  originally  formed  to  give 
means  of  escape,  or  communications  with  the 
outside,  to  a  beleaguered  garrison.  Tradition  says 
that  there  were  passages  to  Walmer  Castle, 
Langdon  Abbey,  and  St.  Radigund's  Abbey.  At 
Langdon  there  is  still  an  opening  to  what  may 
have  been  such  a  passage. 

During  later  years  the  passages  inside  the 
castle  have  been  adapted  and  extended  for 
defensive  purposes.  Whether  or  not  they  can  be 
so  utilized  now  seems  doubtful.  As  a  modern 
fortification  the  castle  cannot  take  a  high  rank. 

During  the  present  century,  Fort  Burgoyne 
has  been  constructed  on  the  higher  land  to  the 
north    and    west,    with    the    object    no    doubt    of 


DOVER  CASTLE.  263 

giving  additional  strength  to  the  other  fortifica- 
tions at  Dover,  and  thus  of  compelling  an 
invading  army  either  to  reduce  the  place  or  leave 
a  force  of  observation  to  protect  its  communica- 
tions. 

At  present  the  castle  is  a  garrison  and  military 
storehouse  only.  Another  well  besides  Harold's 
has  been  sunk,  but  water  is  raised  by  steam 
power. 

Married  soldiers'  quarters,  recreation  rooms, 
and  all  the  modern  accessories  of  barracks, 
cluster  round  the  remains  which  still  speak  to  us 
of  bygone  ages. 

If  there  is  but  little  other  similarity  between 
the  Dover  Castle  of  the  early  Christian  era,  and 
the  Dover  Castle  of  1892  the  sounds  of  discipline 
and  trumpets  still  echo  within  its  walls. 

This  paper  cannot  lay  claim  to  be  original,  or  to 
contain  anything  new,  but  it  is  only  an  attempt  to 
give  a  few  facts  upon  a  large  subject  deserving  of 
a  better  hand  and  more  extended  treatment. 


3n^cv. 


Abbey,  St.  Augustine's,  48 

A'Becket,  Thomas,  the  "  trans- 
lation," 102;  Relics,  no,  113; 
Shrine,  112,  114 

Act  of  Succession,  185 

Alms  box,  ancient,  105 

Appiedore,  William,  138 

Arran,  Earl  of,  161 

Ayenbite  of  Inwyt,  193 

Ball,  John,  10,  130,  133134 
Bampton,  Thomas  de,  132 
Battles,  Hastings,  5,  at  Maidstone, 

16 
Bealknass,  Sir  Robert,  132 
Bean,  Ellen,  12-13 
Bek,  Anthony,  Bishop  of  Durham, 

144-146 
Bertha,  Queen,  42-48 
Boxley  Rood  of  Grace,  the,  125 
Boy,  definition  of  a,  213 
Bralwurne,  Lord,  244 
Bulteel's  pamphlet,  242 
Burley,  Sir  Simon,  134 

Canterbury,  5-6,  134 

Canterbury,    Archbishop    of,     134, 

138  ;  Cathedral,  46 
Canterbury  Pilgrims,  97 
Capitation  Tax,  131 
Cathedral   of  the  Old  Foundation, 

209 
Celery,  etc.,  introduced,  243 
Chrism  due,  62 
Christianity,  decline  of,  39 
Christmas  at  Elthani,  148 
Church  or  Basilica  of  Lyminge,  86- 

96  ;  P^oundation,  87  ;  Restored 

by  Dunstan,  89  ;  Endowed  with 

relics,  90  ;  Manor  House,  91  ; 

Surrendered,       94 ;       Ancient 

Charters,  95 
Church,    St.    Martin's,   4,  45 ;    St. 

Pancras,  47 


Cloth  trade,  244 
Cobham,  Lord,   10 
Coucy, Ingebrand  de,  149 

Danes,  the,  4-5 

Dancing  booth  at  Greenwich,  173 
Dark  Entry,  Legend  of,  12 
Devil,  the,  at  Montindene,  124 
Dover  Castle,    250 ;    Roman  I'ost, 
251  ;    Pharos,   251  ;  Church  of 
St.      Mary,     251  ;      Eadbald's 
College,  252  ;  Chaplains,  252  ; 
Hengistand  Horsa,253;  Alfred 
the  Great,  253  ;  Godwin,  253  ; 
William      L,      254;      Knight 
service,  254  ;    Debtor's  prison, 
255  ;  Towers,  255-258  ;  Gates, 

258  ;  the  Keep,  258 ;  Chapels, 

259  ;  Sieges,  259,  Wells,  259, 
263  ;  Royal  residents,  etc. ,  260  ; 
Governors,  261-262  ;  Subter- 
ranean passages,  262 

l^unstan,  89 

Dutch  in  the  Med  way,  17 

Elizabeth,  Queen,  161 
Ellis,  Dr.  A.  J.,  195 
Erasmus,  158 
Essex,  Earl  of,  162 
Ethelbert  L,  4,  42-48 
Ethelburga,  Queen,  86-89 
Ferry  Chapels,  54 

Fisher,  John,  177;  Early  history,  177- 
178;  appointed  to  Rochester, 
181  ;  Defends  Catherine,  184; 
his  superstition,  185  ;  imprison- 
ment, 185  ;  trial,  186  ;  priva- 
tion, 187  ;  execution,  188 

Fleet,  revolt  in  the,  16 

Folkestone  Smugglers,  225 

French  Invasion,  6 

Froissart  and  Richard  H. ,  151 

T 


266 


INDEX. 


Gaunt,  John  of,  151 
Gloucester,  Duke  of,  152 
Gold,  Export  of,  225 
Gravclkind,  254 

Greenwich  Fair,  167  ;  Abolition, 
176 

I  Tales,  Sir  Robert,  138 

Henry  VI.,  151 

Henry  VIII.  (Defender  of  the 
Faith),  182-184;  A  cruel  jest 
of,  189 

Hereford  accuses  Norfolk,  152 

Historic  Kent,  i 

Holy  Maid  of  Kent,  the,  185 

Hubert  de  Burgh,  6 

Huguenot  Homes  in  Kent,  228  ; 
Foreign  weavers,  232  ;  Laud's 
action,  234;  Places  of  Worship, 
234  ;  Noted  refugees,  235  ; 
Decline  of  Weaving,  236  ;  re 
Dover,  238  ;  re  Sandwich,  240; 
1-e  Hythe,  243  ;  re  Cranbrook, 
245  ;  7-e  Faversham,  246  ;  re 
Maidstone,  246 ;  re  Boughton, 
248 

Iron,  cast,  245 

James  II.,  flight  of,  18 
John,  King  of  France,  149 

Kent,  the  Fair  Maid  of,  134,  138 

Kentish  dialects,  etc.,  190  ; 
Provincial  English,  191  ;  Court 
Dialect,  192 ;  pronunciation, 
196 ;  curious  phrases,  200  ; 
Rustic  vocabulary,  201  ;  Pro- 
verbs, etc.,  204 

Kentish  Place-Names,  21  ;  Deriva- 
tions, 24-26  ;  terminals,  27-31  ; 
Ancient  Ports,  31  ;  Romney 
Marsh,  33  ;  Danish  derivations, 
35  ;  Anglo-Saxon  names  in 
France,  36 

Kentish  ships,  etc.,  218 

King's  School,  the,  Canterbury, 
206  ;  Eminent  scholars,  207  ; 
Head  Masters,  210;  Celebrities, 
216 

Knowles,  Sir  Robert,  140 

Lambarde,  William,  115;  genealogy 

of,  120;  works  of,  126 
Lambeth  Palace  sacked,  136 


Lanfranc,  90 
Leland,  John,  117 
Lewis,  Rev.  John,  193 
Lollards  and  Wiclifites,  10,  154 
London  Bridge,  136 

Macomo,  172 

Marriage  by  proxy,  1 53 

Martyred  Cardinal,  the,  177 

Mary,  Queen,  161 

Masque  on  Twelfth-Night,  159 

Mildretha,  88 

Miracles,  re  A'Becket,  101 

Mitchinson,  Rev.  John,  D.C.L.,  213 

Mylner,  lakke,  131 

Navarre,  Joanna  of,  153 

Newton,  Sir  John,  134 

Paper-chases,  213 
Pegge,  Samuel,  193 
Penance  of  Henry  II.,  loo,  106 
Priest,  tragic  death  of  a,  7-9 
Priestly  imposture,  1 1 
Punishment  by  Boiling,  185 

Ray,  193 

Reformation,  lo-ii 

ReguUjium  (Reculver),  3-4 

Restoration,  the,  17 

Revolt  of  the  Villeins,  128 ; 
Causes,  131  ;  Leaders,  133  ;  at 
London,  136;  Demands,  138; 
leave  London,  140;  St.  Alban's, 
141  ;  Essex  men,  141  ;  Suppres- 
sion, 142;  Parliament  on,  142; 
Royal  grace,  143 

Rich,  Major  General,  162 

Richard  II.,  135,  137,  138-143 

Richardson's  Theatre,  168  ;  riot  at, 

174 
Richmond,  Margaret,  Countess  of, 

179 
Rochester  Cathedral,  48 
Roman  Remains,  etc.,  2-3 
Royal    Eltham,    144 ;    re  Building, 

146  ;  royal  residents,  147-154  ;. 

Armenia,  King  of,    151  ;  royal 

births,    147  ;  decay,  etc.,   162- 

166 
Royalist  Rising,  a.d.  1648,  15 
Ruined  Chapels  and  Chantries,  51  :; 

St.   Katherine,  Shorne,  51-54  ; 

Bridge  Chapel,  Rochester,  54- 

59  ;  St.  Lawrence  de  Longsole,, 

59-60 ;    St.    Margaret,    Helle,. 


INDEX. 


267 


61-62;  St.  Mary  at  Milton, 
63;  Eslingham  Chapel,  60; 
St.  Lawrence,  Mailing,  65 ; 
Dode  Chapel,  Luckiesclown, 
65  ;  Maplescoml)  Church,  66  ; 
Rokesley  Church,  67  ;  Lulling- 
slone  Church,  68  ;  St.  Leonard, 
69  ;  St.  John,  Chapel  of,  70 ; 
^lerston  Church,  72  ;  Paddles- 
worth  Church,  73  ;  St.  Mary's 
Chapel,  Swanscomb,  73  ;  St. 
Mary's  Chapel,  Pembury,  74  ; 
St.  James's  Chantry,  75  ;  .St. 
Bartholomew's,  75  ;  Chapel  of 
Scots  Grove,  77 ;  St.  Cathe- 
rine, Fawkhaiii,  78 ;  Cosenton 
Chapel,  79  ;  Tottington  Chapel, 
80;  Cobham  Chapel,  80;  St. 
Edmund  the  Martyr,  82 ; 
Horsemonden  Chantry,  83  ; 
Maidstone,  Chapel  of  Corpus 
Christi,  84  ;  Dover  Round 
Church,  85 

Savoy,  the,  burnt,    136 

Saxons,  4 

.Shaw,  the  pantomimist,  170 

Shurland,  .Sir  Robert,  his  crime,  7-9 


Sigismund,  Kmperor,  156 
.Skippon,  (jeneral,  17 
Smuggling  in  Kent,  218 
Smugglers'   Nests,    221  ;  Anecdote,. 

223 
Stable  (Jate,  45 
Statutes  of  Eltham,  161 
St.  Augustine  and  his  Mission,  39 
.St.  Cregory,  40,  44 
Still  Christmas,  the,  160 
Straw,  Jack,  132,  137 

Taylor,    Canon    Isaac,    on     place- 
names,  21 
Threadmaking,  247 
Tower,  the,  seized,  137 

Villeins,    league    of,    129  ;    .Sir    .S, 
Hurley's  bondman,  134 

Wallace,  Rev.  George,  .M.A.,  212 
Walworth,  Sir  William,  139-140 
Wat  Tyler,  9,    133,  137  ;  death  of, 

139-140 
Windsor  Castle,  building  of,  129 
Wolsey,  Cardinal,  158 
Wombwell's,  Catastrophe  at,  171 
Wyatt's  rising,  14 


LIST  OF  PUBLICATIONS 

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THE  HULL  PRESS. 


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Social  Studies  in  its  Historic  Byways  and  Highways. 
By  WILLIAM  ANDREWS,  F.R.H.S. 

Author  of  "  Old  Church  Lore,^'   "Curiosities  of  the 
Chnrch"  "  Old  Time  Punishments,"  etc. 


Contents : 

Under  Watch  and  Ward. 

Under  Lock  and  Key. 

The  Practice  of  Pledging. 
The  Minstrel  in  the  Olden  Time. 

Curious  Landholding  Customs. 

Curiosities  of  Slavery  in  England. 
Buying  and  Selling  in  the  Olden  Time. 
Curious  Fair  Customs. 

Old  Prejudices  against  Coal. 
The  Sedan-Chair. 

Running  Footmen. 

The  Early  Days  of  the  Umbrella. 
A  Talk  about  Tea. 

Concerning  Coffee. 

The  Horn-Book. 
Fighting-Cocks  in  Schools. 
Bull-Baiting. 

The  Badge  of  Poverty. 
Patents  to  wear  Nightcaps. 

A  Foolish  Fashion. 

Wedding  Notices  in  the  Last  Century. 
Selling  Wives. 

The  Story  of  the  Tinder  Box. 

The  Invention  of  Friction  Matches. 
Body  Snatching. 

Christmas  Under  the  Commonwealth. 

Under  the  Mistletoe  Bough. 
A  carefully  prepared   Index. 

NUME-ROUS     I  L  LUST-RAT  IONS. 


©pinions  of  tkt  I^xzbb,  q.^^ 


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Contentfi : 

Historic  Leicestershire.     By  Thomas  Frost. 

John  Wiclif  and  Lutterworth.      By  John  T.  Page. 

The  Last  Days  of  a  Dynasty :  An   Introduction  to  Redmore 

Fight. 
The  Battle  of  Bosworth.      By  Edward  Lamplough. 
Scenes  at  Bosworth  :  The  Blue  Boar  at  Leicester. 
Bradgate  and  Lady  Jane  Grey.      By  John  T.  Page. 
Leicester  Castle.      By  L  W.  Dickinson,  B.A. 
Death  of  Cardinal  Wolsey  at  Leicester  Abbey.      By  L  W. 

Dickinson,  B.A. 
Belvoir  Castle. 

Robert,  Earl  of  Leicester :  A  Chapter  of  Mediaeval  History. 
Local  Proverbs  and  Folk  Phrases.    By  T.  Broadbent  Trowsdale. 
Festival  Customs  in  Leicestershire.      By  Henrietta  Ellis. 
Witchcraft  in  Leicestershire.    By  J.  Potter-Briscoe,  F.R.H.S. 
William  Lilly,  The  Astrologer.      By  W.  H.  Thompson. 
Gleanings  from   early    Leicestershire  Wills.      By    the    Rev. 

W.  G.  D.  Fletcher,  M.A.,  F.S.A. 
Punishments  of  the  Past. 
Laurence    Ferrers,    the    Murderer-Earl.      By    T.    Broadbent 

Trowsdale. 
The  Last  Gibbet.      By  Thomas  Frost. 
The  Ancient  Water-Mills   at   Loughborough.      By    the    Rev. 

W.  G.  D.  Fletcher,  M.A.,  F.S.A. 
Ashby-de-la-Zouch  Castle  and  its  Associations ;  Ashby-de-la- 

Zouch  and  the  French  Prisoners.     By  Canon  Denton,  M.A. 
Miss  Mary  Linwood :  An  Artist  with  the  Needle.     By  William 

Andrews,  F.R.H.S. 
Street  Cries.      By  F.  T.  Mott,  F.R.G.S. 
Minstrelsy  in  Leicester.     By  the  Rev.  Geo.  S.  Tyack,  B.A. 
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Coii/ent.s  of  Volume  I.  : — Historic  Lincolnshire,  by  John  Nicholson — The 
Ancient  Boat  at  Brigg,  by  T  Tindall  Wildridge — Havelok,  the  Dane,  by 
Mabel  Peacock — The  Crowle  Stone,  by  the  Rev.  Geo.  S  Tyack,  «.a. — 
A  Roman  Arch — A  Curious  Legend,  by  the  Rev.  VV  Henry  Jones — 
Quaint  Land  Tenures  and  Customs  of  the  Manor,  by  T  Broadbent 
Trowsdale,  f.r.h.s. — Swineshead  :  The  Story  of  King  John's  Death,  by 
Edward  Lam  plough — Barton-on-Humber  in  the  Olden  Time,  by  C  H 
Crowder — Pirates  in  the  Humber,  by  Edward  Peacock,  f.s.a. — The 
Pilgrimage  of  Crace,  by  Frederick  Ross,  k.r.h.s. — Horncastle  or  Winsby 
Fight,  by  Edward  Lamplough — Somersby  Manor  and  Gross,  by  J  G  Hall 
— Some  Old  Lincolnshire  Gilds,  by  the  Rev.  J  Malet  Lambert,  m.a.,  ll.d. 
— Somerton  Castle  and  its  Royal  Captive,  by  Theo  Arthur — The 
Champion,  by  William  Andrews,  f.k.h.s. — Haxey  Hood — Bull-Running, 
by  John  H  Leggott,  k.k.h.s. — Henry  Welby,  the  Grub  Street  Hermit, 
by  Theo  Arthur— The  Plague  in  Alford,  1630,  by  the  Rev.  Geo  S 
Tyack,  b.a. — Kirke  White  in  Lincolnshire,  by  Alfred  Lishman — Index. 

Contents  of  Volume  II.  : — Lincoln  Cathedral,  by  T  Tindall  Wildridge 
— Lincoln  Castle,  by  E  Mansell  Sympson,  m.d. — ^Tattershall,  its  Lords, 
its  Castle,  and  its  Church,  by  E  Mansell  Sympson,  m.d. — Bolingbroke 
Castle,  by  Tom  Robinson,  m.d. ^Ancient  Stained  Gla.=s  at  Barton-on- 
Humber,  and  the  great  Earl  Beaumont,  by  T  Tindall  Wildridge — On  the 
Population  of  Lincolnshire,  by  Tom  Robinson,  m.d. — Su{)erstitious 
Beliefs  and  Customs  of  Lincolnshire,  by  the  Rev.  Wm.  Proctor  Swaby,  d.d. 
— The  Legend  of  Byard's  Leap,  by  the  Rev.  J  Conway  Walter — 
Thornton  Abbey,  by  Frederick  Ross,  f.r.h.s. — The  Witches  of  Belvoir, 
by  T  Broadbent  Trowsdale — The  Battle  of  Lincoln,  by  Edward 
Lamplough — Lincoln  Fair,  by  Edward  Lamplough — Alford  Fight,  by  the 
Rev.  Geo  S  Tyack,  b.a. — Robert  de  Brunne,  by  Frederick  Ross,  f.k.h.s. 
— Dr.  Dodd,  the  Forger,  by  John  T  Page — Sir  Isaac  Newton — Barton- 
on-Humber  Ferry,  by  C  H  Crowder — An  Eighteenth  Century  Poet,  by 
the  Rev.  Alan  Cheales,  m.a. — Lincolnshire  a  Century  Ago — Spalding 
Gentlemen's  Society,  by  Dr.  Perry — The  Great  Brass  Welkyn  of  Boston, 
by  William  Stevenson — The  Great  Hawthorn  Tree  of  Fishtoft — Index. 

PRESS  OPINION. 
"  Mr.  W^m.  Andrews  collects  together  a  series  of  papers,  by  various 
competent  hands,  on  the  history,  antiquities,  and  folk-lore  of  the  great 
eastern  county  whicli  has  borne  so  conspicuous  a  part  in  the  past  history 
of  England,  and  produced  so  many  men  who  have  illustrated  it.  .  .  A 
valuable  contribution  to  local  history." — The  Times. 

HULL  :  WILLIAM  ANDREWS  &  CO.,   THE  HULL  PRESS. 
London :  SImpkin,  Marshall,  Hamilton,  Kent,  &  Co.,  Ltd. 

T 


Elegantly  bound  in  cloth  gilt,  demy  8uo.,  price  7s.  6d. 
Only    750    copies    printed,     and    each    copy    numbered. 

(§^%ou  (B60e;r : 

Its  History,  Folk-Lore,  and  Memorable  Men  and 

Women. 

Edited  by  WILLIAM  ANDREWS,  f.r.h.s., 

Author  of  **01d-Time  Punishments,"  **  Curiosities  of 
the  Church,"  "Old  Church  Lore." 


CONTENTS. 

Historic  Essex,  by  Thomas  Frost— Epping  Forest :  Its  History, 
Customs,  and  Laws,  by  Jesse  Quail — Greenstead  Church,  by  Edward 
Lamplough — The  Burial  of  Harold  at  Waltham,  by  William 
Winters,  f.k. h.s. — St.  Osyth's  Prioiy,  by  John  T  Page — Colchester  in 
Olden  Times,  by  Joseph  W  Spurgeon — The  Siege  of  Colchester,  by 
Joseph  W  Spurgeon — Colchester  :  Its  Historic  Buildings  and  Famous 
Men,  by  Joseph  W  Spurgeon — Essex  Tokens,  by  Thomas  Forster — 
Queen  Elizabeth  at  Tilbury  :  A  Glance  at  Armada  Days,  by  Edward 
Lamplough — The  Lawless  Court,  by  the  Rev.  Geo.  S  Tyack,  b.a. — The 
Dunmow  Flitch — A  Deserted  Primitive  Village,  by  ii  Fredk.  Beaumont 
— W^illiam  Hunter,  the  Young  Martyr  of  Brentwood,  by  John  W  Odling 
— Fairlop  Fair  by  John  W  Odling — Thomas  Tusser  and  his  "Five 
Hundred  Points  of  Good  Husbandry,"  by  W^  H  Thompson — John  Ray, 
Naturalist,  by  W  H  Thompson — Wanstead  House,  by  John  T  Page^ 
Hopkins,  the  Witchfinder,  by  Frederick  Ross,  f.r.h.s. — An  Essex  Poet, 
by  the  Rev.  Geo.  S  Tyack,  b.a.  —Historic  Harwich — Old  Bow  Bridge,  by 
John  T  Page — Index. 

PRESS  OPINIONS. 

"  Readable  as  well  as  instructive,  and  it  has  an  interest  for  many  more 
than  Essex  people." — The  Globe. 

"  Good  paper,  good  type,  and  good  illustrations  all  help  to  make 
'Bygone  Essex'  an  exceedingly  pleasant  and  agreeable  book." — Sala'f 
Journal. 

' '  This  work  will  be  welcomed  by  all  intelligent  explorers  of  their  own 
country,  who  cannot  fail  to  regard  its  ancient  monuments  and  historic 
localities  with  renewed  interest  after  perusing  it." — The  Gentlewoman. 

HULL:  WILLIAM  ANDREWS  &  CO.,   THE  HULL  PRESS. 
London :  Simpkin,  Marshall,  Hamilton,  Kent,  &  Co.,  Ltd. 


Only  750  copies  printed,  and  each  copy  numbered. 


Elegantly  bonud  in  cloth  gilt,  demy  8vo. ,  js.  6d, 

^y^o^owt  Xanca6birc» 

Edited   by  ERNEST  AXON. 


Contents  : — Historic  I-Ancashire,  by  Ernest  Axon — The  Religious  Life  of 
Lancashire  during  the  Commonwealth,  by  W  A  Shaw,  m.a., — Kersal 
Moor,  by  Janet  Armytage — A  Lancaster  Worthy  (Thomas  Covell),  by 
William  Hewitson — Some  Early  Manchester  Grammar  School  Boys,  by 
Ernest  Axon — The  Sworn  Men  of  Amounderness,  by  Lieut. -Col.  Henry 
Fishwick,  f.s.a. — Lancashire  Sundials,  by  William  E  A  Axon,  m.r.s.l, 
— The  Plague  in  Liverpool,  by  J  Cooper  Morley — The  Old  Dated  Bell  at 
Claughton,  by  Robert  Langton,  f.r.h.s. — The  Children  of  Tim  Bobbin,  by 
Ernest  Axon — The  "  Black  Art  "  at  Bolton — An  Infant  Prodigy  in  1679, 
by  Arthur  W  Croxton — Wife  Desertion  in  the  Olden  Times — The  Colquitt 
Family  of  Liverpool — Some  Old  Lancashire  Punishments — Bury  Siranels — 
Eccles  Wakes,  by  H  Cottam — Furness  Abbey — Colonel  Rosworm  and  the 
Siege  of  Manchester,  by  Ceorge  C  Yates,  f.s.a. — Poems  of  Lancashire 
Places,  by  William  E  A  Axon,  m.r.s.Tj. — Father  Arrowsmith's  Hand,  by 
Rushworth  Armytage — Index — Illustrated. 

"A  work  of  considerable  historical  and  archa;ological  interest."— 
Ltrerpool  Daily  PoMt. 

' '  The  book  is  handsomely  got  up. " — Manchester  Guardian. 

"  In  the  collection  of  papers  forming  this  highly  interesting  volume, 
many  antiquarian  and  historical  matters  connected  with  the  County 
Palatine  are  dealt  with,  and  at  least  a  dozen  authors  have  contributed 
essays  rich  in  curious  facts.  .  .  All  the  articles  are  good,  and  should 
make  this  volume  a  favourite  among  the  historical  students  of  the  County 
Palatine. " — Liverpool  Mermry. 

"  The  book  is  excellently  printed  and  bound." — Library  Review. 

"  '  Bygone  Lancashire'  is  a  welcome  addition  to  the  literature  of  the 
County,  and  we  echo  the  hope  expressed  by  the  editor  that  its  appearance 
'  may  encourage  the  local  patriotism  which  is  such  a  striking  character- 
istic of  the  Lancashire  Lad.'  It  may  be  added  that  the  work,  which 
contains  a  few  illustrations,  is  well  got  up,  and  does  credit  to  the 
publishers. " — Manchester  Courier. 

"  This  is  another  of  those  clearly-printed,  well-covered,  readable, 
accurate,  and  entertaining  '  Bygone  '  volumes  that  come  forth  with 
pleasant  frequency  from  the  Andrews'  press,  Hull.  .  .  The  volume  is 
sure  of  a  ready  sale  among  the  more  intelligent  of  the  '  Lanca.shire  Lads.' " 
— Antiquary. 

HULL  :  WILLIAM  ANDREWS  &  CO.,   THE  HULL  PRESS. 
London  :  Simpkin,  Marshall,  Hamilton,  Kent,  &  Co.,  Ltd, 


Elegantly  hound  in  cloth  gilt,   demy  8vo.,  price  ys.  6d. 

Only  500  copies  printed,  and  each  copy  numbered. 

BYlJOJlE  WOpAMpTOWgpII^E, 

Its  History,  Folk-Lore,  and  Memorable  Men  and  Women. 
Edited  by  WILLIAM  ANDREWS,  F.R.H.S., 

Author  of  "Old-Time  Puniseiments,"  "Curiosities  op"  the  Church," 
"Old  Church  Lore." 


Content!^ : — Historic  Norfchamptonshire,  by  Thomas  Frost — The  Eleanor 
Crosses,  by  the  Rev.  Geo.  STyack,  b.  a. — Fotheringhay :  Past  and  Present, 
by  Mrs.  Dempsey — The  Battle  of  Naseby,  by  Edward  Lamplough — The 
Cottage  Countess — The  Charnel  House  at  Rothwell,  by  Edward  Chamber- 
lain— The  Gunpowder  Plot,  by  John  T  Page— Earls  Barton  Church,  by 
T  Tindall  Wildridge— Old  Fairs,  by  William  Sharman— Witches  and 
Witchcraft,  by  Eugene  Teesdale — The  City  of  Peterborough,  by  Frederick 
Ross,  F.R.H.s. — The  English  Founders  of  the  Washington  Family  of 
America,  by  Thomas  Frost — Ann  Brad  street,  the  Earliest  American 
Poetess— Liber  Custumarum,  Villas  Northamptonia?,  by  Christopher  A. 
Markham,  f.s.  a. — Thomas  Britton,  the  Musical  Small-Coal  Man,  by  E  E 
Cohen — Old  Scarlett,  the  Peterborough  Sexton — Accounts  of  Towcester 
Constables,  by  John  Nicholson — Miserere  Shoemaker  of  Wellingborough, 
by  T  Tindall  Wildridge— Sir  Thomas  Tresham  and  his  Buildings,  by  John 
T  Page — Northamptonshire  Folk-Lore,  by  John  Nicholson — Northampton- 
shire Proverbs — An  Ancient  Hospital,  by  the  Rev.  I  Wodhams,  m.a. — 
A  carefully  prepared  Index — lUustrafioihs. 

PRESS   OPINIONS. 

"The  volume  is  very  interesting,  and  for  those  vi'ho  dwell  in  the  county, 
or  whose  tastes  lead  them  to  explore  its  history,  it  will  have  especial 
attraction. " — Publishers'  Circular. 

"A  welcome  contribution  to  the  literature  of  the  county." — North- 
ampton Herald. 

"  The  book  is  published  in  a  form  that  is  well  worthy  of  the  high 
standard  that  the  Hull  Press  has  achieved,  and  we  can  congratulate  Mr. 
Andrews  on  adding  one  more  stone  to  the  fabric  of  the  bygone  history  of 
the  Midlands." — Hull  Daily  News. 

"  An  interesting  volume,  as  well  as  being  got  up  in  exceptionally  good 
style.  The  matter  is  well  chosen  and  well  rendered,  so  that  the  book  is 
not  only  a  thing  of  beauty,  but  also  a  veritable  treasure-house  of  reliable 
and  entertaining  articles." — Beverley  Independent. 

"  A  welcome  addition  to  the  shelves  of  anyone  interested  in  the 
antiquities  of  Northamptonshire,  while  even  those  who  are  not,  will  be 
able  to  pleasantly  while  away  many  odd  half-hours  by  perusing  its  pages." 
— Kettering  Leader. 

HULL  :   WILLIAM  ANDREWS  &  CO.,  THE  HULL  PRESS. 
I^ONpoN  :  SiMPKTN,  Marshall,  Hamilton,  Kent,  &  Co.,  Ltd, 


Elegantly  bound  in  cloth  gilt,  demy  8vo.,  price  7s.  6d. 

JS^gone  2)erb^6bire: 

Its  History,  Romance,  Folk-Lore,  Curious 
Customs,  etc. 

Edited  by  WILLIAM  ANDREWS,  f.r.h.s. 

T~\ERBYSHIRE  is  rich  in  historical  associations  of  an  out-of-the-way 
^-^  character.  In  the  pages  of  ' '  Bygone  Derbyshire "  are  presented 
in  a  readable,  and  at  the  same  time  in  a  scholar-like  style,  papers,  pro- 
fusely illustrated,  bearing  on  such  subjects  as  the  history  of  the  county, 
ancient  castles,  monumental  brasses,  gleanings  from  parochial  records, 
old  church  lore,  family  romance,  traditions,  curious  customs,  witchcraft 
well-dressing,  old-time  sports,  etc.,  etc. 


Contents : — Historic  Derbyshire — On  an  Early  Christian  Tomb  at  Wirks- 
worth — Curious  Derbyshire  Lead-Mining  Customs — The  Place-Nam 
Derby — Duffield  Castle— Haddon  Hall— The  Romance  of  Haddon  Hall — 
The  Ordeal  of  Touch— The  Monumental  Brasses  at  Tideswell — Bolsover 
Castle — The  Lamp  of  St.  Helen — Peveril  Castle — Samuel  Slater,  the 
Father  of  the  American  Cotton  Manufacture — The  Bakewell  Witches — 
Mary  Queen  of  Scots  in  Derbyshire — The  Babington  Conspiracy — Eyam 
and  its  Sad  Memories — Well-Dressing — Old-Time  Football — After  Thirty 
Years ;  An  Incident  of  the  Civil  War — Derbyshire  and  the  '45 — Bess  of 
Hardwick — Shadows  of  Romance — Index. 


-^1-  PRESS  OPINIONS.  -1^- 

"' Bygone  Derbyshire '  is  a  valuable  and  interesting  contribution  to 
local  history  and  archs^ology." — The  Times. 

"  The  volume  is  pleasant  reading  of  a  most  attractive  county." — Daily 
Telegraph. 

"A  very  interesting  and  welcome  addition  to  the  literature  of  Derby 
shire. " — Derbyshire  Courier. 

"  Mr.  Andrews  is  to  be  warmly  complimented  on  the  all-round 
excellence  of  his  work,  which  forms  a  valuable  addition  to  Derbyshire 
literature." — Alfreton  Journal. 

"  A  valuable  addition  to  any  library." — Derbyshire  Times. 

HULL  :  WILLIAM  ANDREWS  &  CO.,  THE  HULL  PRESS. 
London  :  Simpkin,  Marshall,  Hamilton,  Kent,  &  Co.,  Ltd. 


Elegantly  bound  in  cloth  gilt,  demy  8vo.,  price  7s.  6d. 

By  FREDERICK  ROSS,  F.R.H.S., 

Author  of  "  Yorkshire  Family  Romance,"  "Legendary 
Yorkshire,"  etc. 


CONTENTS. 

The  Walls  and  Gates — Episodes  in  the  Annals  of  Cheapside — Bishops- 
gate  Street  Within  and  Without — Aldersgate  Street  and  St.  Martin's-le- 
Grand — Old  Broad  Street — Chaucer  and  the  Tabard — The  Priory  of  the 
Holy  Trinity,  Aldgate — Convent  of  the  Sisters  Minoresses  of  the  Order 
of  St.  Clare,  Aldgate — The  Abbey  of  St.  Mary  of  Graces,  or  East  Minster 
— The  Barons  Fitzwalter  of  Baynard's  Castle — Sir  Nicholas  Brember, 
Knight,  Lord  Mayor  of  London — An  Olden  Time  Bishop  of  London  : 
Robert  de  Braybrook — A  Brave  Old  London  Bishop  :  Fulco  Bas.set — An 
Old  London  l>iarist — Index. 

PRESS     OPINIONS. 

"  Mr.  Ross  deals  with  the  chief  episodes  in  the  history  of  London 
architecture,  and  with  existing  London  antiquities  in  a  garrulous,  genial 
spirit,  which  renders  his  book  generally  attractive."— T/te  Times. 

"Beyond  all  doubt  a  more  interesting  and  withal  informing  volume 
than  '  Bygone  London  '  it  has  not  been  our  good  fortune  to  come  across 
for  many  a  long  day." — The  City  PreM. 


PRICE   ONE    SHILLING. 

^^  In  the  Temple, 


eO/NTEMTS. 

In  the  Temple — The  Knights  Templars — The  Devil's  Own — Christmas  in 
the  Temple — Howto  become  a  Templar — On  Keeping  Terms — Call  Parties. 


•'  Amusing  and  interesting  sketches." — Law  Times. 

"  Pleasant  gossip  about  the  barristers'  quarter." — Genfleiroman. 

"  A  very  pleasant  little  volume." — Globe. 

"  An  entertaining  little  book." — Manchester  Examiner. 

HULL:  WILLIAM  ANDREWS  &  CO.,  THE  HULL  PRESS. 
London  :   Simpkin,  Marshall,  Hamilton,  Kent,  &  Co.,  Ltd. 


Rlei^atitly  bound  in  cloth  gilt,   demy  8vo.,   6s. 

Legendary  -  yorkshire. 

By  FREDERICK  ROSS,  F.R.H.S. 


Conteufx  : — The  Enchanted  Cave— The  Doomed  City — The  Worm  of 
Nunnington — The  Devil's  Arrows — The  Giant  Road  Maker  of  Mulgrave — 
The  Virgin's  Head  of  Halifax— The  Dead  Arm  of  St.  Oswald  the  King — 
The  Translation  of  St.  Hilda— A  Miracle  of  St.  John — The  Beatified 
Sisters— The  Dragon  of  Wantley — The  Miracles  and  Ghost  of  Watton — 
The  Murdered  Hermit  of  Eskdale — The  Calverley  Ghost-  The  Bewitched 
House  of  Wakefield. 

PRESS   OPINIONS. 

Beverley  Recorder  says — "  It  is  a  work  of  lasting  interest,  and  cannot 
fail  to  delight  the  reader." 

Driffield  Obxerrer  says  : — The  history  and  the  litei-ature  of  our  county 
are  now  receiving  marked  attention,  and  Mr.  Andrews  merits  the  support 
of  the  public  for  the  production  of  this  and  the  other  interesting  volumes 
he  has  issued.  We  cannot  speak  too  highly  of  this  volume,  the  printing, 
the  paper,  and  the  binding  being  faultless." 


Elegantly  bound  in  cloth  gilt,  demy  8vo. ,  6s. 

l!)orh8bive  jfamil^  IRomaiice. 

By  FREDERICK  ROSS,  FR.H.S. 


Coiittitls : — The  Synod  of  Streoneshalh — The  Doomed  Heir  of  Osmother- 
ley — St.  Eadwine,  The  Royal  Martyr — The  Viceroy  Siward — Phases  in  the 
Life  of  a  Political  Martyr — The  Murderer's  Bride— The  Earldom  of  Wiltes 
— Blackfaced  Clififord— The  Shepherd  Lord— The  Felons  of  Ilkley— The 
Ingilby  Boar's  Head — The  Eland  Tragedy — The  Plumpton  Mairiage — The 
TopclifiFe  Insurrection — Burning  of  Cottingham  Castle — The  Alum  Workers 
— The  Maiden  of  Marblehead — Rise  of  the  House  of  Phipps — The  Traitor 
Governor  of  Hull. 

PRESS  OPINIONS. 

"  The  grasp  and  thoroughness  of  the  writer  is  evident  in  every  page, 
and  the  book  forms  a  valuable  addition  to  the  literature  of  the  North 
Country. " — Gentlewoman. 

"  Many  will  welcome  this  work." — Yortihire  Pout. 

HULL  :  WILLIAM  ANDREWS  &  CO.,  THE  HULL  PRESS. 
London  :   Simpkin,  Marshall,  Hamilton,  Kent,  &  Co.,  Ltd. 


EteijanUy  hound  in  cloth  gilt,  demy  Svo. ,  price  6s. 

LJorkshire  Battles. 

By  EDWARD  LAMPLOUGH. 

Contents: — Winwidfield,  etc. — Battle  of  Stamford  Bridge — After  Stam- 
ford Bridge — Battle  of  the  Standard— After  the  Battle  of  the  Standard — 
Battle  of  Myton  Meadows — Battle  of  Boroughbridge — Battle  of  Byland 
Abbey — In  the  Days  of  Edward  III.  and  Richard  II. — Battle  of  Bramham 
Moor — Battle  of  Sandal — Battle  of  Towton — \orkshire  under  the  Tudors 
— Battle  of  Tadcaster — Battle  of  Leeds — Battle  of  Wakefield — Battle  of 
Adwalton  Moor — Battle  of  Hull — Battle  of  Selby — Battle  of  Marston 
Moor — Battle  of  Brunnanburgh — Fight  off  Flamborough  Head — Index. 
PRESS  OPINIONS. 

"  A  remarkably  handsome  volume,  typographically  equal  to  the  best 
productions  of  any  European  capital." — North  British  Daily  Mail. 

"An  important  work." — Beverley  Independent. 

"  Does  great  credit  to  the  new  firm  of  book  publishers." — Yorkshire 
County  Magazine. 

"  A  beautifully  printed  volume." — Halifax  Coiirier. 

Cloth,  4s. 

yorkshire  in  Olden  Times. 

Edited  by  WILLIAM  ANDREWS,  F.R.H.S. 

Contents: — An  Outline  History  of  Yorkshire,  by  Thomas  Frost — The 
Cow-'Devil :  A  Legend  of  Craven,  by  William  Brockie — The  First  Anglo- 
Saxon  Poet,  by  John  H  Leggott,  k.r.h.s — The  Battle  of  Brunnanburgh, 
by  Frederick  Ross,  f.r.h.s — Old  Customs  of  York,  by  George  Benson — 
Elizabethan  (cleanings,  by  Aaron  Watson — The  Fight  for  the  Hornsea 
Fishery,  by  T  Tindall  Wildridge — Folk  Assemblies,  by  John  Nicholson 
— Quaint  Cleanings  from  the  Parish  Register-Chest  of  Kirkby  Wharfe, 
by  the  Rev  Richard  Wilton,  m.a. — The  Wakefield  Mysteries,  by  William 
Henry  Hudson- — A  Biographical  Romance,  by  William  Andrews,  f.k.h.s. 
— Some  Scraps  andShredsof  Yorkshire  Superstitions,  by  W  Sydney,  f.r.s.l. 
— The  Salvation  of  Holderness,  by  Frederick  Ross,  f.r.h.s.— Yorkshire 
Fairs  and  Festivals,  by  Thomas  Frost — James  Nayler,  the  Mad  Quaker 
who  claimed  to  be  the  Messiah,  by  William  Andrews,  f.r.h.s — Duke 
Richard's  Doom  :  A  Legend  of  Sandal  Castle,  by  Edward  Lamplough — 
Obsolete  Industries  of  the  East  Riding,  by  John  Nicholson — Bolton 
Abbey:  Its  History  and  Legends,  by  Alfred  Chamberlain,  ii.A. — To 
Bolton  Abbey,  by  the  Rev  E  G  Charlesworth. 
PRESS  OPINION, 

"The  work  consists  of  a  series  of  articles  contributed  by  various 
authors,  and  it  thus  has  the  merit  of  bringing  together  much  special 
knowledge  fi'om  a  great  number  of  sources.  It  is  an  entertaining 
volume,  full  of  interest  for  the  general  reader,  as  well  as  for  the  learned 
and  curious." — Shields  Daily  Gazette. 

HULL:  WILLIAM  ANDREWS  &  CO.,  THE  HULL  PRESS. 
London  :    Simpkin,  Marshall,  Hamilton,  Kent,  &  Co.,  Ltd. 


SECOND  EDITION.       Bound  in  cloth  gilt,  demy  800.      63 

Cutmxim  of  t^t  CPurc^: 

studies  of  Curious  Customs,  Services,  and  Records, 
By    WILLIAM     ANDREWS,   F.R.H.S., 

Author  of  "Historic  Romance,"  "Famous  Frosts  and 
FK.OST  Fairs,"  "  Historic  Yorkshire,"  etc. 


eO/MTEMTS: 


Early  Religious  Plays :  being:  the  Story  of  the  English  Stage  in 
its  Church  Cradle  Days — The  Caistor  Gad-Whip  Manorial 
Service — Strange  Serpent  Stories— Church  Ales — Rush-Bearing 
—Fish  in  Lent— Concernirg  Doles— Church  Scrambling  Chari- 
ties—Briefs—Bells and  Beacons  for  Travellers  by  Night— Hour 
Glasses  in  Churches — Chained  Books  in  Churches — Funeral 
Effigies — Torchlight  Burials — Simple  Memorials  of  the  Early 
Dead — The  Romance  of  Parish  Registers — Dog  Whippers  and 
Sluggard  Wakers— Odd  Items  from  Old  Accounts— A  carefully 
compiled  Index. 

--®      I  LLUST-RATE-D.    <®^ 


press   ©pinions. 

"  A  volume  both  entertaining  and  instructive,  throwing  much  light  on  the  manner* 
and  customs  of  bygone  generations  of  Churchmen,  and  will  be  read  to-day  with  much 
interest." — Xc-:('dery  House  Magazine. 

"An  extremely  interesting  volume." — North  British  Daily  Mail, 

"A  work  of  lasti:ig  \n\.e.Tcsl."~huU  Examiner. 

"  The  reader  will  find  much  in  this  book  to  interest,  instruct,  and  amu.se." — Home 
Chimes. 

"  We  feel  sure  that  many  will  feel  grateful  to  Mr.  Andrews  for  having  produced  such 
sn  interesting  book."  —  Tie  Antiquary. 

"  A  volume  of  great  research  and  striking  interest." — The  Bookbuyer  (Sew  I'or/:). 

"  A  valuable  book." — Literary  World  {Boston,  U.S.A.), 

"  An  admirable  book." — Sheffield  Independent, 

"An  interesting,  handsomely  got  up  volume.  .  .  ,  Mr.  Andrews  is  always  chatty 
and  expert  in  making  a  paper  on  a  dry  subject  e.vceedingly  readable." — Newcastle  Courant 

"  Mr.  William  Andrews'  new  book,  'Curiosities  of  the  Church,'  adds  another  to  the 
series  by  which  he  has  done  so  much  to  popularise  antiquarian  studies.  .  .  .  The  book, 
it  should  be  added,  has  some  quaint  illustrations,  and  its  rich  matter  is  made  available  foi 
reference  by  a  full  and  cajrcfullv  comuiled  index." — Scotsman. 


Hull :  William  Andrews  &  Co.,  The  Hull  Press. 
London :  Simphin,  Marshall,  Hamilton,  Kent,  &  Co.,  Ltd. 

X 


Elegantly  bound  in  cloth  gilt,  demy  8uo.,  price  6s.  • 

Of^   epurcp   Bore. 

By    WILLIAM    ANDREWS,     F.R.H.S., 

Author  of  "  Curiosities  of  the  Church"  "  Old-Tiyne  Punishments,''' 
^^  Historic  Romattce,"  etc. 


coi<rT]E:rq:Ts. 

The  Rig-ht  of  Sanctuary— The  Romance  of  Trial— A  Fight 
between  the  Mayor  of  Hull  and  the  Archbishop  of 
York— Chapels  on  Bridges— Charter  Horns— The  Old 
Eng-lish  Sunday  — The  Easter  Sepulchre  — St.  Paul's 
Cross— Cheapside  Cross— The  Biddenden  Maids  Charity 
—Plagues  and  Pestilences— A  King  Curing  an  Abbot 
of  Indigestion— The  Services  and  Customs  of  Royal 
Oak  Day— Marrying  in  a  White  Sheet— Marrying  under 
the  Gallows— Kissing  the  Bride— Hot  Ale  at  Weddings 
—Marrying  Children  — The  Passing  Bell  — Concerning 
Coffins— The  Curfew  Bell— Curious  Symbols  of  the  Saints 
—Acrobats  on  Steeples— A  carefully-prepared  Index. 


--••    PRESS    OPINIONS.-'^ 


"  A  worthy  -work  on  a  deeply  interesting  subject.  .  .  .  Wo 
commend  this  book  strongly." — European  Mail. 

"An  interesting  volume." — The  Srotsvian. 

"Contains  much  that  will  interest  and  instruct." — Glaxijow 
JJercdd. 

"  The  author  has  produced  a  book  which  is  at  once  entertaining 
and  vjiluable,  and  which  is  also  entitled  to  unstinted  praise  on  the 
ground  of  its  admirable  printing  and  binding." — S/iie/da  Daily  Gazette. 

"  Mr.  Andrew.s'  book  does  not  contain  a  dull  page.  .  .  . 
Deserves  to  meet  with  a  very  warm  welcome." — Yorkuhire  Post. 

"Mr.  Andrews,  in  'Old  Church  Lore,'  makes  the  musty 
parchments  and  records  he  has  consulted  redolent  with  life  and 
actuality,  and  has  added  to  his  works  a  most  interesting  volume, 
which,  written  in  a  light  and  easy  narrative  style,  is  anything  but 
of  the  '  dry -as-dust '  order.  The  book  is  handsomely  got  up,  being 
both    bound   and    printed   in   an   artistic   fashion." — Northern    Daily 


Hull :  William  Andrews  &  Co.,  The  Hull  Press. 
London  :  Simphin,  Marshall,  Hamilton,  Kent,  &  Co.,  Ltd. 


Fcap  4to.    Bevelled  boards,  gilt  tops.  .  Price  4s, 

jpamous  jf vosts  anb  jfrost  jfaits 
in  (Bteat  Bvitain. 

Chronicled  from  the  Earliest  to  the  Present  Time. 
By  WILLIAM  ANDREWS,  f.r.h.s. 


This  work  furnishes  a  carefully  prepared  account  of  all  the  great  Frosts 
occurring  in  this  country  from  a.  d.  134  to  1887.  The  numerous  Frost 
Fairs  on  the  Thames  are  fully  described,  and  illustrated  with  quaint 
woodcuts,  and  several  old  ballads  relating  to  the  subject  are  reproduced. 
It  is  tastefully  printed  and  elegantly  bound. 

PRESS  OPINIONS 
"  The  work  is  thoroughly  well  written,  it  is  careful  in  its  facts,  and  may 
be  pronounced  exhaustive  on  the  subject.  Illustrations  are  given  of 
several  frost  fairs  on  the  Thames,  and  as  a  trustworthy  record  this  volume 
should  be  in  every  good  library.  The  usefulness  of  the  work  is  much 
enhanced  by  a  good  index." — Public  Opinion. 

"  A  very  interesting  volume."-  Northern  Daily  Teleijraph. 

"  A  great  deal  of  curious  and  valuable  information  is  contained  in  these 
pages.     ...     A  comely  volume." — Literary  World. 

"  The  work  from  first  to  last  is  a  most  attractive  one,  and  the  arts  alike 
of  printer  and  binder  have  been  brought  into  one  to  give  it  a  pleasing 
form." —  Wakefield  Free  Press. 

"  An  interesting  and  valuable  work." — Went  Middlesex  Times. 

"  Not  likely  to  fail  in  interest." — Manchester  Guardian. 

"  The  book  is  beautifully  got  up."—Barnfiley  Independent. 

' '  This  chronology  has  been  a  task  demanding  extensive  research  and 
considerable  labour  and  patience,  and  Mr.  Andrews  is  to  be  heartily  con- 
gratulated on  the  result." — Derby  Daily  Gazette. 

"  A  volume  of  much  interest  and  great  importance." — Botherham 
Advertiser. 

One  hundred  copies  only  printed  for  sale,  and  each  copy  numbered. 

Xtbe  Evolution  of  Brama* 

By  SIDNEY  W.  CLARKE. 

"  A  carefully  written  work.  .  .  .  It  is  a  readable  contribution  to 
dramatic  history." — The  Critic. 

HULL  :  WILLIAM  ANDREWS  &  CO.,  THE  HULL  PRESS. 
London :  Simpkin,  Marshall,  Hamilton,  Kent,  &  Co.,  Ltd. 


Price  6s.     Demy  8uo.     Elegantly  bound  cloth  gilt. 

(^  (Ttton^^  in  a  ©anbi : 

A  Woman's  Wanderings  in  Northern  India. 

By  CHRISTINA  S.   BREMNER. 


Contents : — The  Ascent  from  the  Plains  to  the  Hills — Kasauli  and  its 
Amusements — Theories  on  Heat — Simla,  the  Queen  of  the  Hill  Stations — 
Starting  Alone  for  the  Interior — ^In  Bussahir  State — The  Religious  Festival 
at  Pangay — On  Congress — ^On  the  Growing  Poverty  of  India. 

PRESS    OPINIONS. 

"  The  author  of  a  '  Month  in  a  Dandi '  has  a  facile  pen,  and  is  evidently 
a  shrewd  observer.  Her  book  differs  from  many  belonging  to  the  same 
class  by  reason  of  its  freshness,  its  spontaneity,  and  its  abundance  of 
interesting  detail.  Moreover,  the  book  is  written  with  a  purpose.  '  If  by 
perusing  these  pages  the  reader  obtains  a  clearer  view  of  England's 
attitude  to  her  great  dependency,  if  his  prepossessions  against  '  black 
men '  and  the  '  poor  heathen  '  should  melt  away  in  any  degree,  if  the 
assumption  that  what  is  good  for  England  must  necessarily  be  so  for 
India  receives  a  slight  shake,  the  writer  will  feel  rewarded.'  To  these 
conclusions  one  is  almost  certain  to  come  when  the  experiences  of  Miss 
Bremner's  '  Month  in  a  Dandi '  are  recalled.  There  would  be  no  end  to 
our  quotations  were  we  to  reproduce  all  the  passages  we  have  marked  as 
being  interesting.  Miss  Bremner  is  always  in  good  spirits,  and  writes 
with  ease,  and  evidently  con  amove." — Birmimjham  Daily  Gazette. 

"  Miss  Bremner's  book  describes  a  woman's  wanderings  in  Northern 
India,  and  it  is  written  from  adequate  knowledge,  with  shrewd  discern- 
ment, and  a  pleasing  amount  of  vivacity." — Speaker. 

"  '  A  Month  in  a  Dandi '  is  full  of  instruction.  It  shows  a  great  deal  of 
ability  and  determination  to  express  truths,  even  if  they  be  unpalatable. 
The  chapters  on  the  vexed  questions  of  Baboo  culture  and  Indian 
Congress  are  well  worth  reading." — Manchester  Guardian. 

"  Miss  Bremner's  style  is  chastened,  for  the  most  part  humorous,  faithful 
to  detail,  and  oftentimes  polished  to  literary  excellence.  The  earlier 
chapters  are  full  of  raciness  and  agreeable  personality. —^/m//  Daily  Mail. 

"  '  A  Month  in  a  Dandi '  describes  the  writer's  wanderings  in  Northern 
India,  following  upon  a  shrewdly  observant  account  of  the  seamy  side  of 
Anglo-Indian  Society.  The  subject  throughout  is  approached  from  a 
political  economist's  point  of  view.  The  chapter  on  the  growing  poverty 
of  India  sounds  a  warning  note." — Gentlewoman. 

"  The  author  of  a  '  Month  in  a  Dandi '  is  evidently  a  keen  observer  of 
men  and  things,  and  we  know  that  her  opinion  is  shared  by  many  of  our 
countrymen  who  have  had  a  much  larger  experience  of  India  and  Indian 
affairs  than  herself.  The  book  is  full  of  the  most  exquisite  word  pictures, 
pictures  that  are  full  of  light,  beauty,  and  grace,  but,  unfortunately,  some 
of  them  have  more  shade  than  we  care  to  see  ;  but,  doubtless.  Miss 
Bremner's  treatment  is  correct  and  life-like." — Hull  Daily  Neirs. 

HULL  :    WILLIAM  ANDREWS  &  CO.,   THE  HULL  PRESS. 
London  :  Simpkin,  Marshall,  Hamilton,  Kent,  &  Co.,  Ltd. 


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