The hundred of Marden: Introduction

THE HUNDRED OF MARDEN.

HAVING described the upper, or northern division of the lath of Scray, I now proceed to the lower, or southern division of it, which is wholly in the Weald, and is entirely separated from the former by a large district of the lath of Shipway intervening, which is occasioned by the hundreds of Calehill, Chart and Longbridge, Felborough and Wye, which antiently belonged to this lath, being severed from it, and added to the lath of Shipway, part of which they have been for a long time accounted.

THE HUNDRED OF MARDEN lies at the northwest corner of the lower division of the lath of Scray, adjoining to that of Maidstone north, and to Brenchley and Horsemonden west, both which have been already described in a former volume of this history.

This hundred is not mentioned particularly in the general survey of Domesday, but seems to be included in the description of the king's manor of Miltion, to which it was accounted an appendage. (fn. 1)

IT CONTAINS WITHIN ITS BOUNDS THE PARISHES OF
1. MARDEN.
2. GOUDHURST, and
3. STAPLEHURST.

And the churches of the two first of those parishes.