Parishes: Westwell

WESTWELL

LIES the next parish westward from Eastwell, taking its name of Wells, by which only it is mentioned in Domesday, from the springs which rise in and near it, and the addition of West from its situation, and to distinguish it from the adjoining parish of Eastwell.

THE PARISH, though it lies in a healthy part of the county, yet from its situation, partly in a variety of barren soils, and the rest of it low and watry, among a continuance of moorish, brooks and meadow land, is far from being pleasant, the greatest part of it is situated below the upper range of chalk hills, called the Downhills, which here cross this parish, part of which extends above them, where it is covered with coppice woods, among which is that called Long Beech wood, further notice of which will be taken hereafter, where the soil is a poor reddish, earth, mixed with slint stones. At the foot of these hills is a long slip of barren pasture land, called Westwell downs, which is uninclosed, and full of road tracks, over which the chalk soil of the hills continues, and for some distance below them, at the north-east side of the parish, is Eastwell park, part of which is within the bounds of it; not far from which is the village of Westwell, having the church and vicarage within it, and not far from it the court-lodge and park-house. From the village southward the parish is watered by several streams, which run from hence into the river Stour below Hothfield and Great Chart, where the land consists mostly of meadow ground, a moorish but fertile soil. Towards the west is a heath, called Westwell leacon, round which there is a hamlet of houses, where, and on that side of the parish next to Hothfield heath, it is a barren soil, mostly a deep sand.

THE MANOR of WESTWELL was part of the antient possessions of the church of Canterbury, but by whom, or when given, I have not found; but in the division made by archbishop Lanfranc of the revenues of it, this manor was allotted to the share of the monks, and was by them appointed ad cibum eorum, i. e. for the use of their refectory; accordingly it is thus entered in the survey of Domesday, under the general title of their lands:

The archbishop himself holds Welle. In the time of king Edward the Confessor it was taxed at seven sulings, and now for five. The arable land is eighteen carucates, in demesne there are four, and twenty-one villeins, with five borderers having twelve carucates and an half. There are seven servants, and one mill of thirty pence, and twenty acres of meadow. Wood sussicient for the pannage of twenty hogs. In the time of king Edward the Confessor it was worth seventeen pounds and eleven shillings and four-pnece, when he received it as much, now twenty-four pounds and four-pence, and yet it pays forty pounds.

But their title to this manor seems to have been very precarious, for it was continually contested; till at length, in the 8th year of king Henry III. Peter de Bending, who laid claim to it, acknowledged it to be their right, for which they gave him a sum of money, and their manor of Little Chart in see-farm, as therein mentioned. (fn. 1) The original deed being in the Surrenden library, with the seal annexed, being a coat of three bars, the legend, Sigil Petri de Bondingies. And three years afterwards Stephen, son of John Heringod, for a consideration, released to them all his title to it, which he prosecuted by writ of right, in the king's court, the original of which is likewise in the above library, the seal appendant, a coat, being a bordure of six fishes, one in chief and in base fessways, and two on each side bendways; the legend, Sigill ni de Herengot. The large price paid for these releases shews, not only the value of this manor, but likewise the doubtful title by which the prior and convent held it, nor did they even after this remain quiet in their possession of it, till on a process before the justices itinerant, in the 25th year of that reign, the prior pleaded, that he had the manor by the gift of the king's predecessors, who gave it to his church, as free as they themselves held it, in pure and perpetual alms; so that it never afterwards was parted, not was it partible. And further, that the king, who gave it to his predecessors, did not hold it by the name of gavelkind. And the jury found for the prior, &c. (fn. 2) who after this seems to have remained in the uninterrupted possession of it, and in the 7th of the next reign of king Edward I. he claimed and had allowed, before J. de Reygate and associates, justices itinerant, among other liberties, that of a market in the parish of Westwell, on a Wednesday weekly throughout the year. In the 1st year of king Edward II. he obtained a charter of free-warren for his manor here. In the 6th year of it there appears to have been a park within the prior's manor here, for he was then presented before H. de Stanton and his sociates, justices itinerant, at Canterbury, for obstructing a common footpath, which led through the middle of his park, from Hothfield to the court of Elcheston, (useque ad forum de Elscheston). And the jury found, that a prior his predecessor at some time inclosed the park, and afterwards the inclosure of it being broken in the time of war, there was a passing of the neighbours through the middle of it, to the above court, by the prior's leave, for almost thirty years, until the prior that then was again inclosed it; and they say, that it was not a common pathway, and therefore, &c. (fn. 3) In which state it continued till the dissolution of the priory in the 31st year of king Henry VIII. when it came, with the rest of the possessions of the monastery, into the king's hands, where this manor remained, till, in the 34th year of his reign, when he by agreement that year, granted it, with its appurtenances, and the land and wood in this parish, commonly called Westwellpark, the parsonage appropriate, and the advowson of the church, and the wood called Long beech wood, in this parish and Challock, with the lodge built on it, all parcel of the late priory, in exchange for other premises, to archbishop Cranmer, to hold by knight's service. Which grant was afterwards confirmed by the king, under the great seal. At which time there appears to have been land here, parcel of this manor, called the Vyneyarde. (fn. 4) After which, the above premises remained with the see of Canterbury, till the 3d year of queen Elizabeth, when the queen, being enabled so to do by act of parliament, took into her hands this manor and park of Westwell, among others, and annexed them to the crown, and recompenced archbishop Parker with other estates in lieu of them. After which, she, in her 10th year, granted the manor to John Fletcher and William Atkinson, for a term of years. In which state it continued till king Charles I. in his 4th year, granted it, together with the park in see, to Edward Ditchfield, John Highlord, Humphry Clark, and Francis Moss, and they immediately afterwards vested their interest in them in Sir John Tuston, knight and baronet, of Hothfield, whose eldest son Sir Nicholas Tuston, knight and baronet, having been created Lord Tuston and Earl of Thanet, died possessed of this manor, with the lands formerly the park of Westwell, the farm of which, now called the Park, claims an exemption from the payment of small tithes, in the 8th year of that reign, anno 1635, and in his descendants, earls of Thanet, it has continued down to the right hon. Sackvile, earl of Thanet, the present owner of them.

A court leet and court baron is regularly held for this manor.

RIPLEY-COURT, now usually called Ripple, is a manor here, which was formerly made more eminent from its affording a surname to a family of good rank in these parts, who resided at it; one of which, Richard de Ripley, died possessed of it in the 30th year of king Edward I. and Philipott says, in an old deed he is called Miles Archiepi, as holding this manor of the archbishop by knight's service. But before the latter end of king Edward III.'s reign the Brockhulls were become possessors of it, and they were succeeded by the Idens, a family of great antiquity and good estate about Iden, in Sussex, and Rolvenden, in this county; and in them it continued down to Alexander Iden, esq. who resided here in the 28th year of Henry VI. the latter half of which year he was sheriff, being appointed on the death of William Cromer, esq. who had been put to death by the rebel John Cade, and his followers, on the 4th of July that year; (fn. 5) but Cade being at length deserted by them, was forced to fly alone, and concealed himself among the woods belonging to this estate, and the king promised by proclamation one thousand marcs reward, to any one who would bring him, dead or alive. A few days after which, he was discovered by Iden the sheriff there, who attempting to take him, on his resistance, flew him, and cutting off his head, carried that with the body up to London, to the king's council, who gave him thanks, and ordered the reward to be paid him. He afterwards married Elizabeth, daughter of James, lord Say and Seal, and widow of William Cromer, esq. above-mentioned, and was sheriff again in the 35th year of that reign, in whose descendant, who bore for their arms, Azure, a fess, between three closed helmets, or, this manor continued till it was at length alienated to Darell, of Calchill, whose descendant George Darell, esq. in the last year of king Edward VI. conveyed it to Baker, in which name it remained till Giles Baker passed it away to Christopher Towers, esq. who alienated it to Sackville, earl of Thanet, whose great-grandson the right hon. Sackville, earl of Thaner, is now entitled to it.

BEAMONSTON, usually called Beamston, and in Domesday, Betmonteston, is a manor, which lies partly in this parish, and partly in Challock, in the borough of its own name, and within the bounds of the hundred of Wye, the scite of the court-lodge of it, which has been many years down, being, as is supposed, in that part of Eastwell-park within this parish. At the time of taking the general survey of Domesday, this manor was part of the possessions of Odo, bishop of Baieux, under the general title of whose lands it is thus entered in it:

Ralf de Curbespine holds of the bishop, Betmontestun. It was taxed at one suling. The arable land is six carucates. In demesne there are two, and thirteen villeins, with one borderer having three carucates. There are thirty three acres of meadow, and wood for the pannage of forty hogs. Of this manor Hugo de Montfort holds, between wood and pasture, what was worth in the time of king Edward the Confessor six pounds, and afterwards and now, as much. Ailric held it of king Edward.

Four years afterwards the bishop was disgraced, and all his possessions were consiscated to the crown, of which it was afterwards held by a family who took their surname from it; one of whom, John, son of Roger de Beamston, held it of the honor of Say in the reign of king Henry III. but in the next reign of king Edward I. Stephen de la Hay held it by knight's service of that honor, and his descendant William de la Hay died possessed of it in the 8th year of Edward III. After which it came into the possession of Thomas at More, who owned it in the 20th year of that reign, holding it as above-mentioned, from which name it was sold to Laurance de Amias, whose descendant, J. Amyas alienated it, in the reign of king Henry VIII. to Sir Thomas Moile, of Eastwell, who dying in 1560, without male issue, Catherine his daughter and coheir carried it in marriage to Sir Thomas Finch, afterwards of Eastwell, in whose descendants, earls of Winchelsea, this manor continued down to Daniel, earl of Winchelsea and Nottingham, who dying in 1769, without male issue, gave it, together with his other estates in this county, to his nephew George Finch Hatton, esq. now of Eastwell, the present proprietor of it.

SHOTTENDEN is situated in the eastern part of this parish, in the borough of Shottenden, and within the bounds of the hundred of Wye. It was, in the beginning of the reign of Henry VI. become the property of cardinal archbishop Kempe, who in the 10th year of that reign settled it, among other premises, on his new-founded college of Wye, with which it staid till the dissolution of that foundation in the 36th year of Henry VIII. when it came into the hands of the crown, where it remained till queen Elizabeth, in her 1st year, granted it, with the royal manor of Wye, and other premises, to her kingsman Henry, lord Hunsdon, to hold in capite by knight's service, and his grandson, Henry, earl of Dover, soon after 1628, alienated it to Sir Thomas Finch, of Eastwell, afterwards earl of Winchelsea, whose descendant Daniel, earl of Winchelsea and Nottingham, in 1769, devised it to his nephew George Finch Hatton, esq. of Eastwell, the present owner of it.

NASH-COURT is a manor here, lying at a small distance westward from Shottenton, which, as appears by old deeds, was once in the possession of a family who were at first written At-Nash, and afterwards Nash only. (fn. 6) They were extinct here before the 32d year of king Edward III. for it appears by the close-roll of that year, that Alanus de Hanekin then held it, but before the latter end of the next reign of Richard II. one of this family had alienated it to Thomas Brockhull, esq. of Calehill, whose son Henry Brockhull, in the beginning of king Henry IV's reign, passed it away to John Darell, esq. afterwards of Calehill, steward to archbishop Chicheley, and younger brother of Sir William Darell, of Littlecete, in Wiltshire, in whose descendants it continued down to George Darell, esq. of Calehill, who in the last year of king Edward VI. sold it to Sharpe, of Ninhouse, in Great Chart, whose descendants afterwards constantly resided here, many of whom, as appears by their wills in the Prerogative-office, Canterbury, lie buried in the north chancel of this church; and it is now in the possession of one of them, Mr. William Sharpe, gent. of Westwell. A court baron is held for this manor.

At a small distance northward from Nash, is a house and lands called Gig-Nash, formerly the property of Giles Baldock, who resided at it in 1531. It afterwards passed into the name of Bourne, and was sold by the heirs of Nicholas Bourne, of Westwell, to William Sharpe, of Nash, above-mentioned, who now owns it.

DEAN-COURT is a manor, in the north-east part of this parish, above the hill, next to Challock, in which parish most of the demesne lands belonging to it lie. It was, at the time of taking the survey of Domesday, in the year 1080, part of the possessions of Odo, bishop of Baieux, the Conqueror's half-brother, under the general title of whose lands it is entered in it as follows:

Adelold held Dene of the bishop. It was taxed at one suling. The arable land is two carucates. In demesne there is one carucate, and four borderers, and two servants, ana one acre of meadow, and wood for the pannage of nine hogs. Of this suling Ralph de Curbespine holds one yoke and an half, which is and was worth separately ten shillings. Adelold had half a suling and half a yoke, and in the time of king Edward the Confessor it was worth forty shillings, and afterwards twenty shillings, now forty shillings. This land is in the king's hands. Ulnod and Wana and Aluuard and Ulueron held this land of king Edward, and it was divided in three places.

Four years afterwards the bishop was disgraced, and all his estates were consiscated to the crown. After which, this manor was held by the family of Hoese, afterwards called Hussey, one of whom, Henry de Hoese, died possessed of it in the 18th year of king Edward I. and his son Henry did homage for it in the 30th year of that reign, to John Peckham, archbishop of Canterbury, of whom he then held it, together with lands in Sturmouth, and in his descendants it continued down to Henry Hussey, who in the reign of king Henry VIII. sold it to Sackville; after which it came into the possession of William Herbert, earl of Pembroke, who in the 7th year of king Edward VI. exchanged it with the king for other premises, and it remained in the crown till the 4th and 5th of Philip and Mary, when it was granted to Thomas and John White, and others, to hold in capite by knight's service, (fn. 7) who joined in the sale of it to Millen, in which name it remained in the reign of king Charles II. and from one of them it was afterwards alienated to Young, of Charing, who by deed settled it on Elizabeth Poole, daughter of Mr. Poole, of Charing, who marrying Dr. John Ludwell, M.D. late of Oriel college, Oxford, entitled him to it for his life, and surviving him she became again possessed of it in her own right, and at her death in 1765, by her last will, devised it to her kinsman George Carter, esq. of Kennington, whose son, the Rev. George Carter, now of Kenningston, is the present possessor of this manor.

DIGS-COURT, usually called Digges, lies about three-quarters of a mile westward from the church, which was so called from the eminent family of Digge, or Digges, as they were afterwards called, who were owners of it, and frequently resided here, being stiled sometimes of Barham, where their principal seat was, and sometimes of Westwell, as appeared by several of their antient evidences; and in the reign of king Edward III. there was one of them, Adomarus de Digge, who frequently wrote himself of Westwell, but whether the same person who was a judge in the preceding reign of king Edward II. I am not certain; soon after which, by Elizabeth, daughter of his descendant John Digge, of Barham, this seat went in marriage to Henry Anchor, esq. of Losenham, whose descendant of the same name, had two sons, Thomas, who succeeded him at Losenham, and Robert, who was afterwards of this seat of Digges-court; of which he died possessed in 1512, and was buried in Westwell church; (fn. 8) and in his descendants, who constantly resided here, it continued till it was, at the latter end of the last century, sold by one of them to Godden, and he, in the year 1700, alienated it to William Bokenham, esq. of Rochester, whose representatives, in 1719, joined in the sale of it to Henry May, esq. recorder of Chichester, who by will devised it to his kinsman Thomas May, esq. of Godmersham, who afterwards took the name of Knight, and died possessed of it in 1781, as did his son of the same name in 1794, s.p. and by his will devised it to his widow Mrs. Catherine Knight, now of Canterbury, the present owner of it.

LEYTON, alias LEYTON, is a small manor here, situated at a small distance northward from Diggscourt, which was part of the possessions of the see of Canterbury, and remained so till archbishop Cranmer, in the 31st year of king Henry VIII. conveyed it to the king, which sale was ratisfied by the prior and convent of Christ-church; but it did not remain long in the crown, for the king, in his 23d year, afterwards confirmed under his great sea, exchanged it again with the archbishop for other premises; and the king discharged the archbishop from all tenths, and all other outgoings whatever, payable to him from it. Since which this manor has continued parcel of the possessions of the see of Canterbury to this time.

The family of Honywood have been lesses of this manor for a considerable length of time. Filmer Honywood, esq. now of Markshall, is the present lessee of it.

PERRINTON, or as it is now vulgarly called, Perrytown, is another manor in this parish, of which I find no mention till the reign of king Edward I. in the 5th year of which, Philip de Columbers died possessed of it, holding it of the king in capite. After which it became the property of the family of Aldon; one of whom, Thomas de Aldon, died possessed of it in the 43d year of Edward III. How long it continued in that name, I have not found; but it most probably afterwards came into the possession of the Pyries, afterwards called and written Perry, from whom this manor, as well as Perry-court, in Wye, both assumed their names. Of the heirs of Geossire de Pyire, this manor seems to have been purchased by cardinal archbishop Kempe, in the beginning of king Henry VI's reign, who, in the 10th year of it, settled it, among other premises, on his new founded college of Wye, with which it said till the dissoultion of it, in the 36th year of Henry VIII, when this manor came into the hands of the crown, whence it was immediately afterwards granted, with the small adjoining manor of Broke, and other premises, to Thomas Cawarden, to hold in capite by knight's service; (fn. 9) from him they passed to Moyle, and from thence again to Sir John Baker of Sissinghurst. and his descendant Sir John Baker, knight and baronet, in 1657, alienated the manor of Peryton to Nathaniel Powell, esq. of Eweherst, in Sussex, afterwards, in 1661, created a baronet, one of whose descendants passed it away to Kingsford, from which name it was sold to Chapman, and it is now the property of Mr. William Chapman, of this parish.

WOLTON, alias WODITON, is a place here, which was originally parcel of the inheritance of a family called Wolton, or Woditon. Ivo de Woditon held it in the year 1236, and left it to his son John de Wolton, who had a son Richard, who in the 20th year of king Edward III. held both this manor and that of Wootton by Barham, and in his successor of that name this estate remained till the latter end of king Henry VI.'s reign, and then some part of it was sold to John Hampton, and he, about the beginning. of king Edward IV.'s reign, passed it away to Richard Rasel, who resided here, and died possessed of it, as appears by his will, in the 23d year of that reign; but there was some part of it which remained unsold, until William Wolton, at his death in 1540, ordered it to be vested in seossees, in trust, to discharge his debts; and they accordingly conveyed it to Rasel, who then became possessed of the entire fee of it; in whose descendants it remained at the restoration of king Charles II. But whereabouts it is situated, and who have been the proprietors of it since, I have not been able, after the most diligent enquiries, to find out.

LONGBEECH wood is a large tract of woodland, lying above the hill, on the north side of this parish, partly in it, and partly in Challock. It contains about 1100 acres, and was formerly part of the possessions of the priory of Christ-church, and on the dissolution of it, in the 31st year of king Henry VIII.'s reign, came into the hands of the crown, where it remained till the king, in his 34th year, granted it, by the description of all the wood and underwood, commonly called Long-beech, in Westwell and Challock, with the lodge there upon builded, and the soil and ground of the same wood, called Longbeech wood, parcel of the late monastery of Christ-church, (fn. 10) among other premises, in exchange to archbishop Carnmer; notwithstanding which, archbishop Parker, in the year 1570, was sued in the exchequer, for selling some part of this wood, under pretence of its being the queen's and though it was determined in his favour, yet the archbishop was obliged to relinquish his right to it, and Sir James Crosts, comptroller of the queen's household, had a grant of it from her, in her 17th year, and continued in the possession of it till archbishop Whitgist, on his first advancement to the see found, such favour with the queen, as to recover the possession of it. Since which it has remained parcel of the estates belonging to the archbishopric, and does so at this time. In 1643 it was rented of the archbishop by John Boys, gent. at the yearly rent of forty pounds. Since which the lease of it has been for some time in the family of Dering, of Surrenden. Sir Edward Dering, bart, is the present lessee of it.

Charities.

STEPJHEN HULES, rent. of Westwell, by will in 1678, gave to the poor of this parish for ever, two acres of land, and two tenements at Gignash, in this parish, which are not let, but are appropriated to the poor; supposed to be worth six pounds per annum.

JAMES TAYLOR, gent. by will in 1699, gave to the poor of this parish a parcel of land in Little Chart and Westwell, containing one acre, and now called Poor's meadow, which is not let, but is applied to the poor, and is supposed to be worth 1l. per annum.

The poor constantly relieved are about thirty-three, casually twenty-five.

WESTWELL is within the ECCESIASTICAL JURISDICTION of the diocese of Canterbury, and deanry of Charing, and is exempt from the jurisdiction of the archdeacon.

The Church, which is dedicated to St. Mary, is a large handsome building, consisting of three isles, two small chancels, and a high chancel, having a tall spire steeple shingled, at the west end of it. The pillars on each side the middle isle are slim and very beautiful, and between this isle and the chancel they are uncommonly elegant. In the middle window of the high chancel are good remains of painted glass, being four ovals, in each a figure sitting, crowned, with a scepter, and the rest filled with a bordure, &c. Within the altar-rails is a memorial for John Tucker, A. M. rector of Ringwold, and under master of the king's school, Canterbury; a man of a most worthy character, who died in 1776, universally esteemed and lamented. Without the rails are two stones, robbed of their brasses, one having had the figure of a priest, with his mitre and robes; the other, the stem of a cross, and at top, the half-figure of a priest. There are six stalls at the west end of the chancel, for the use of the members of the priory of Christ-church, during their residence here, and others of the clergy who might be present at divine service. On the south side is a confessionary-seat of stone, and one beside it, and a rich for holy water. At the east end of the south isle are four inches for statues. In the north chancel is a memorial for Mary Wolgate, virgin, daughter of John Woltage, of Borden, obt, 1634; and an inscription on brass on a gravestone, for John Sharp, of Nash, obt. 1607. In a window on the north side of the north isle, in a chancel, is a shield of arms, Azure, a cross, between four martlets, or, impaling, Azure, three crowns, or; another, Quarterly, azure, a cross between four martlets, or; and gules, a lion rampant, argent; and in another window are some good remains of figures. In a window of the north isle are the arms of the priory of Canterbury, and a shield, Argent, a cross, gules. In the south chancel is a stone, coffinshaped, about two feet long, with a cross flory on it. Robert at Ligh, by will in 1525. devised for a pair of organnys in this church, ten marcs; and Roger Baker, of this parish, by his will proved in 1553, devised forty marcs towards the reparation of the steeple of Westwell.

This church was antiently an appendage to the manor of Westwell, and as such was part of the possessions of the priory of Christ church, to which it was appropriated in the 21st year of king Richard II. towards the support of the sabric of that church, to which archbishop Arundel consented; for which the prior gave up to him the patronage of St. Mary Aldermary church, London; (fn. 11) and the same was confirmed by Henry IV. in his 2d year. After which this parsonage appropriate, together with the advowson of the vicarage, remained part of the possessions of that pirory till the dissoultions of it, in the 31st year of king Henry VIII. when it came, with the manor, into the king's hands, where it staid but a small time, for the king, in his 34th year, confirmed afterwards under his great seal, granted in exchange, among other premises. the manor of Westwell, with other lands here, and the parsonage of Westwell appropriate to the above late monastery, and the advowson to the archbishop of Canterbury. And the king exonarated and discharged the archbishop from the tenth part of the yearly value of the said premises, which he was entitled to by the act, made in the 26th year of his reign, In which state it has continued ever since, the archbishop being the present owner of the parsonage appropriate, and of the advowson of the vicarage of this church.

In 1643 John, earl of Thanet, was lessee of this parsonage. It was afterwards in the name of Gurney, and since, partly by purchase and partly by marriage, the lease became vested in the Rev. John Tucker, late of Canterbury, deceased, whose son, of the same name, is now entitled to it.

The vicarage of Westwell was endowed in the year 1298, the year after the appropriation of the church, with the consent of Henry de Northwode, then rector of this church, and yet no vicar seems to have been inducted for some years afterwards, though a portion had been before assigned to the vicar by the rector, of which the prior of Christ-church, the see of Canterbury being then vacant, granted his letters testimonial in 1293. (fn. 12)

It is valued in the king's books at thirteen pounds, and the yearly tenths at 1l. 6s. 14s. In 1588 it was va yearly certified value of 691. 14s. In 1588 it was valued at fifty pounds. Communicants three hundred and ninety-eight. In 1640 it was valued at sixtynine pounds. Communicants the same. In 1661, archbishop Juxon augmented this vicarage ten pounds per annum out of the great tithes. Archbishop Tenison gave fifty pounds towards putting the vicaragehouse, which was then much gone to ruin, in better repair. There is only half an acre of glebe to it.

Church of Westwell.