Canterbury: Description of the city

The History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent: Volume 11. Originally published by W Bristow, Canterbury, 1800.

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Citation:

Edward Hasted, 'Canterbury: Description of the city', in The History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent: Volume 11( Canterbury, 1800), British History Online https://prod.british-history.ac.uk/survey-kent/vol11/pp106-120 [accessed 26 November 2024].

Edward Hasted, 'Canterbury: Description of the city', in The History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent: Volume 11( Canterbury, 1800), British History Online, accessed November 26, 2024, https://prod.british-history.ac.uk/survey-kent/vol11/pp106-120.

Edward Hasted. "Canterbury: Description of the city". The History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent: Volume 11. (Canterbury, 1800), , British History Online. Web. 26 November 2024. https://prod.british-history.ac.uk/survey-kent/vol11/pp106-120.

Description of the city

THE APPEARANCE of the city of Canterbury, from whatever part you approach it, is beautiful, and equals the most sanguine expectation. The magnificent tower of the cathedral, for symmetry and proportion hardly to be paralleled, strikes the eye as the principal object of admiration; after which, it is directed to the tower of king Ethelbert, and the other stately ruins of St. Augustine's monastery, the steeples and towers of the several parish churches, the towers of St. George'sgate, and of West-gate, the Old Castle, the river Stour, meandering through the fertile meads, the rich plantations of hops on every side, the fine appearance of Hales-place, the view of St. Martin's hill and church, and the royal cavalry barracks; and lastly the surrounding hills encircling the whole, all together combining to form a prospect so pleasing, as is hardly to be exceeded any where for the extent of it.

The city of Canterbury is of an oval shape. It is within its walls about half a mile from east to west, and somewhat more from north to south. The circumference of its walls is not quite a mile and three-quarters; it has four large suburbs, situated at the four cardinal points. The western part of the city may be called an island, being incircled by two branches of the river Stour, which divides just above it, and unites again at a small distance below it, the road through the city passing over two bridges, the one at Westgate, the other at Kingsbridge. Here are several corn and other mills on the river. Besides the streams of the Stour, the city is supplied with plenty of excellent water, which flows from two springs rising, the one among the ruins of St. Augustine's monastery, and the other on St. Martin's hill; for the dispensing of which there are several public conduits in the principal streets of the city; (fn. 1) and there is a strong chalybeat water in the wes tern part of it. (fn. 2) Within the precinct of the cathedral, the inhabitants there enjoy likewise the benefit of most excellent water, brought in pipes from two springs, which arise in the North Holmes, about a quarter of a mile north-east of the city.

From the river the ground rises with a gentle ascent towards the east. The parish churches and the remains of the several religious houses are interspersed in different parts of the city; at the north-east part of it is the precinct of the cathedral, being in size something more than three quarters of a mile in circuit, and nearly of a quadrangular form; adjoining to the north west side of it is the precinct of the archbishop's palace.

There are four principal streets, where, as well as in the other parts of the city, though the houses are in general antient, yet the fronts of them have been so far modernized, as to make a chearful and sightly appearance. The High-street, through which the way leads from London to Dover, crosses the middle of the city eastward, and is a fine street, of considerable width, being half a mile in length, in which are the church of Holy Cross Westgate, (fn. 3) Kingsbridge hospital, All Saints church, two of the principal inns, and the guild or court hall, as it is usually called, of the city, situated in the middle of this street, as the fittest and most conveof them, was pulled down in 1754, and the reservoir for the water was placed in the upper part of the two towers of St. George's gate.

nient place for it. It is a very handsome commodious building, for the several purposes it is intended for. In the hall, on each side, there hang some match-locks, brown-bills, and other old weapons; and at the upper end, where the court of justice is kept, there are several portraits, most of them whole lengths; one of which over the mayor's seat, being that of queen Anne; the others being of those who have been benefactors to the city, and underneath each is some account of their donations. In the middle of the hall, is a handsome brass branch for candles, given by Sir Thomas Hales, bart. and Thomas Knight, esq. (fn. 4)

In the street, close to the court hall, is a public water cock, with an inscription, commemorating that Sir John Hales, bart. brought the excellent water of it from St. Austin's into this city, at his own expence, in 1733; which generous benefaction was continued by his descendant Sir Edward Hales, bart. in 1754.

Beyond this, in the same street, are St. Mary Bredman's church, the public assembly-rooms, (fn. 5) the cornmarket, (fn. 6) the meat-market or shambles, (fn. 7) and St. George's church; nearly opposite to the corn-market, is the new-built church of St. Andrew, and on the same side eastward, the mansion of the White Friars.

The middle of the High-street is crossed by two streets; along that to the southward, called St. Margaret's, and Castle street beyond it, the high road leads by the castle and the suburb of Wincheap, to the town of Ashford; in the former is St. Margaret's church, and not far from it, on the opposite side of the street, a handsome house called the Whitfield-house, from its having been for many years the residence of the family of Whitfield, a branch of those of Tenterden, in this county; of whom John Whitfield, esq. died possessed of this house in 1691, whose descendants resided here till his great grandson John Whitfield, esq. (fn. 8) alienated it to John Jackson, esq. (fn. 9) an alderman of the city, who resided in it till his death in 1795; after which it was sold by his devisees to G Gipps, esq. who again conveyed it to Mrs. Lydia Frend, who occupied it as a boarding school for young ladies. She is since deceased, and it now belongs to Mr. Thomas Frend, and still continues to be occupied for the like purpose.

At the end of St. Margaret's street, where formerly was an iron cross, are four vents or streets. That strait forward leads to the Old Castle and the county sessions house, whence the road continues through Wincheap to Ashford. That to the right leads to Stour-street, at the end of which is St. Mildred's church; and that to the left or eastward leads to the Dunjeon, through the scite of the antient Ridingate over the Roman Watling-street, towards Dover, and by a branch from it southward, to Hythe and Romney Marsh, over the Stone-street way.

On this road, at a very small distance from St. Margaret's street, before you come to the Dunjeon and Ridingate, is a large capital mansion-house, formerly the property and residence of the family of Man, who were possessed of the aldermanry of Westgate, held of the crown in king Henry III's reign, from which time they continued resident in this city. In Henry VIII.'s reign, John Man, gent. was of Canterbury, as appears by his deed dated in the 8th year of it, sealed with his coat of arms, which was, Or, a chevron ermine, between three lions rampant-guardant, sable. His great-grandson William Man, esq. resided in this parish of St.

Mary Bredin, (the church of which is situated close to the gardens of this house northward) whose son Sir Charles Man, anno I Charles I. built this mansion, which has a most respectable appearance; at length, after it had continued in his descendants till the latter end of the last century, (fn. 10) it was alienated by one of them to the family of Denew, which had resided at Staplegate in this city for many descents; one of whom, Nathaniel Denew, resided here, and dying in 1720, (fn. 11) left it to his widow Dorothy, eldest daughter of Sir Abraham Jacob, of Dover, and she alienated it to Capt. Humphry Pudner, who died possessed of it in 1753, (fn. 12) upon which it passed by his will to his daughter Katherine, wife of Thomas Barrett, esq. of Lee, in this county, whom she survived, and afterwards sold it to Mrs. Cecilia Scott, of the family of Scott's hall, who resided in it, and dying unmarried in 1785, devised it by her last will to her brother William Scott, esq. of Blendon-hall, in Bexley, in this county, who afterwards removed hither, and now resides in it.

To return to the High-street, where, on the northern side, opposite to St. Margaret's-street, is a narrow way called Mercery-lane, antiently le mercerie, no doubt from that trade having been principally carried forward in it; the houses of it are the most antient of any in the city, each story of them projecting upwards, so as almost to meet at top; the west side of it being the scite of one of those antient inns, which Chaucer mentions as frequented by the pilgrims in his time. (fn. 13)

This lane leads to the entrance into the precincts of the cathedral, the principal gate of which is opposite to it. Hence to the eastward, and parallel with the Highstreet, is Burgate-street, (fn. 14) through which the high road leads to Deal and Sandwich. In this street is the market place, recently built by the corporation, in an elegant airy stile, for poultry, butter, and garden-stuff, (fn. 15) and further eastward, St. Mary Magdalen's church.

From the end of Mercery-lane, opposite to Burgate-street, the street leads through that of St. Alphage northward towards Northgate, through which the high road leads to the island of Thanet. On the east side of Palace-street, is the precinct of the Archbishop's palace, and opposite to it St. Alphage church; a little distance behind which is the precinct of the Black Friars; all which will be further mentioned in their proper places; I shall only notice further, that not far northward from the latter, stood a small house, the property of the Templars, (fn. 16) and one likewise formerly belonging to the chaplains of the chantry of Edward the black prince, (fn. 17) the scite of which has been for many years known by the name of the Mint, from its being esteemed a privileged place, under the controul of the board of green cloth.

THE SUBURBS without the walls of the city are very extensive; that of St. Dunstan's, westward of the city, through which the high road leads to Whitstaple and London, is in a strait line with the High-street of the city, being a broad and handsome approach to it, and is within the jurisdiction of the county of Kent. A description of it has already been given in the History of the county. The suburb without Northgate, through which the road leads to the Isle of Thanet, was till of late but meanly built and inhabited; it is now much improved in buildings, In this suburb, near the city wall, is a fine spring of water, called St. Radigund's bath, built over and sitted for cold bathing. In the altering of a very antient house near the bath some time since, some hollows or pipes were discovered, carried along in the thickness of an old stone wall, which seemed a contrivance for heating the room in former times, and making a sudatory or sweating room of it. This estate of St. Radigund's is now held under a lease from the corporation, by James Simmons, esq. who has greatly improved it, as well as the cold bath, which he has much enlarged. In this suburb are the hospitals of St. John, and of Jesus, usually called Boys's hospital, and the remains of St. Gregories priory. The suburb towards the south, called Wincheap, through which the high road leads to Ashford, is much better built, though not so populous; great part of the western side is in the parish of Thanington, and county of Kent; at the south extremity of it are the remains of the hospital of St. Jacob. The last suburb remaining to be mentioned, is, that on the eastern side of the city, by far the largest of them, through which the high road leads to Sandwich, Deal, Dover and Romney Marsh.

That to Sandwich and Deal, passes from Burgate along St. Paul's, where is the church of that name, along the borough of Longport, where the way or street is remarkably wide and spacious, being the highest ground and esteemed the most pleasant and healthy of any part within the city, or without. On the north side of it is the wall which bounds the precinct of St. Augustine's abbey, on which the Kent and Canterbury hospital is built, and on the opposite side the mansion of Barton. Hence the road continues through the borough of Longport, to St. Martin's parish; on the south side at the bottom of the hill is a good house, which, as appears by the wills in the Prerog-office, has been in the possession of the family of Austen, branched off from those of Adisham, ever since queen Elizabeth's reign, and continued so down to Mr. John Austen, lately deceased; it is now inhabited by William Hougham, sen. esq. who married Mr. Austen's sister; partly up the hill, on the opposite side is St. Martin's church, and a little above it a good gentleman's house; it was formerly the residence of the family of Wylde, who remained owners of it, till Sir John Wylde, then of the precincts of the archbishop's palace, conveyed it in 1634 to Cheney Ebourne, merchant, of St. Martin's, who in 1653, alienated it to Sir Henry Palmer, late of Howlets, but then of Covent-garden, in Middlesex, who died possessed of it in 1659, and gave it to Anne his wife, and she, previous to her re-marriage with Sir Philip Palmer, settled it on her three daughters, Eliza, who married James Smith, gent. Mabella, who married William Glover, vicar of Burnham, in Buckinghamshire, and Priscilla; the two latter of whom conveyed their shares in it afterwards to Mr. James Smith, above-mentioned, who then became entitled to the whole of it, which in 1677 he sold to Thomas Conyers, gent. whose daughter Mary carried it in marriage to John Wilson, gent. of Canterbury, and they in 1694 joined in the sale of it to the Rev. Owen Evans, rector of St. Martin's. He died in 1742, having been rector of that church fifty years. He married first Anne, daughter of John Whitfield, esq. of Canterbury, by whom he had no issue; and 2dly, Frances, daughter of Dr. Martin Lister, physician to queen Anne, whom he left surviving, as well as a daughter Frances by her, and they joined in the sale of it to Charles Pyott, esq. of the city of Canterbury, who resided here and died possessed of it in 1789, (fn. 19) leaving by his first wife an only daughter and heir Anne, whose husband Robert-Thomas Pyott, esq. is now, in her right, in the possession of it.

About half a mile further beyond the summit of the hill, is Stone-house, the property of Mr. William Hammond. (fn. 18)

The remaining part of this suburb southward lies without St. George's-gate, near which, on the right hand, close under the city wall, where formerly was the city ditch, a market is held on a Saturday weekly, for the sale of all kinds of cattle. Hence the high road divides that which leads strait forward towards Dover, being newly made through part of Barton field; on the sides of which there have been built several genteel houses, now called St. George's place; and the other which turns south-eastward, in a circular rout by Oaten-hill, where was formerly the place of execution for criminals, and St. Sepulchre's priory, falls in with the old road coming from the antient Riding-gate, on the Watling-street way, leading towards Dover, and likewise to Hythe and Romney Marsh. On the south side of this road, about half a mile from the city, is a seat, formerly the hospital of St. Laurence, now the property and residence of Mrs. Graham.

Since the commencement of the present war, there have been erected for the military several ranges of barracks in and near the city. Near the northern suburbs, on the Margate road, opposite Barton mill, there were erected in 1794 the royal cavalry barracks, for a compleat regiment, on land purchased of Sir Edward Hales, by the board of ordnance. They are substantially built of brick, elegant and spacious, forming three sides of a quadrangle, and are said to have cost about 40,000l. The barracks for the infantry are private property, and were built in 1798 and 1799, by Messrs. Baldock and Delasaux, to contain near 2000 men. The situation of both is pleasant and healthy, the soil being dry, though well supplied with excellent water.

There are besides these, temporary barracks in different parts of the city, for detachments of the royal artillery, for two regiments of cavalry, and a proportionate number of infantry. The southern district comprizes Kent, Sussex, and Suny. The depository for the cannon, ammunition, and ordnance stores of the royal artillery, is in a field adjoining to the old Dover road, at the corner of Nackington-lane.

Footnotes

  • 1. As a public reservoir for the use of the inhabitants of this city, archbishop Abbot built a handsome conduit or waterhouse of stone, and he intended to have left a yearly revenue for the support of it; but some dissentions which he had with the mayor and corporation, in which he thought he had been ill used, changed his intention. This conduit, which stood in the midst of the High-street, proving a great interruption to the free passage of carriages, especially since the great increase of them was pulled down in 1754, and the resrevoir for the water was placed in the upper part of the two towers of St. George's gate.
  • 2. This arises from two springs a little northward of St. Peter's street; they are of a different quality, though rising within seven feet of each other. These waters have been prescribed and taken with good success from the first discovery of them.— They were discovered in 1693, and described by Dr. Scipio des Molins, in the Phil. Trans. vol. xxv. No. 312, p. 2462. See Kennet's Parochial Antiq. where mention is made of Edburg well, in Canterbury.
  • 3. St. Peter's church, not far from it, stands but a very small distance from the north side of this street.
  • 4. In this hall the court, tribunal, or place of judicature of the city, is seated and held, where distributive justice in both civil and criminal causes, of a secular nature, proper for the cognizance of that court is administered. The name of Guild or Gildhall, deriving its etymology from the Saxon or old English word gild, signifying a society or corporation. It had not antiently this name, nor does it occur, that I know of, in any record till the 26th year of king Henry VI. who then in his charter of the change of bailiffs to mayor, makes mention of it by this name, granting, among other things, that the mayor should hold pleas in the Guildhall of this city; before this, it was commonly called and known by the name of the Spechhouse; and the common gaol or prison of the city, since removed to Westgate was then kept by it, in that part of it to the streetward, and from its contiguity was called by the same name likewise; but the town court was not always kept at this place, for both that and the prison were formerly kept together elsewhere, and that probably at the place where the present cornmarket is, and were then both called by the name of the Spechhouse. Battely's Somner, p. 66.
  • 5. These rooms were erected mostly at the expence of the gentry of the eastern part of the county by public subscriptions, and the property of them was vested in trustees in order to secure the use of them to the public; the last surviving trustee was Charles Pyott, esq. late of St. Martin's hill, deceased; the use of these rooms and the rest of the building, at other times, was vested in Mr. Whitsield the elder, who paid the rest of the expence, and had the care of the building and the future management of them.
  • 6. The corn-market, with a granary over it, is situated on the north side of the High street, further eastward. It has not been for many years made use of as a market, that being held in the open street, on the side opposite to it. The lower part of this building is partly inclosed as a night watch house, and the rest or forepart of it, for the sale of fish, toll free; a few hucksters for greens, and such like commodities; on the spot where this building now stands, was formerly the town house, or guildhall of the city, with the prison adjoining to it, before the present one was built, being called at that time the Spech house, as has been mentioned before.
  • 7. This meat-market, or shambles, for the butchers, is built on a spot of ground on the same side of the High-street, but inclosed and apart from it; it was erected in 1740, in the room of some antient shambles, which stood along the middle of the High-strect, to the great inconvenience of passengers, and to the discredit of the city itself.
  • 8. John Whitfield, gent. who died in 1691, was son of Henry and Anne, and grandson of John and Catherine Whitfield; he appears by his will proved in Prerog. off. Canterbury, to have been of the law, and of the society of the Middle Temple; but he seems to have had no great opinion of his prosession, which he debarred both his sons from following. He appears to have been an ingenious man, for he mentions in his will, his fire-engine, which he himself had constructed, and the furnace which he had lately built in St. Margaret's in which he had made some glasses. He was a man of considerable property both in lands and money, and was a good benefactor to this city, of which the reader will find an account hereafter, among the charities left to it. By his will, he gave, among other bequests to his son John, a large medal of Arabian gold, of about 10l. value; a large medal of the king of Sweden; his mother's locket of diamonds in 3 parts; his grandfather's sealed ring; his striking watch; the Estritch cup, and queen Elizabeth's glass, which was his grandfather's, and 40 rings of gold made with the motto of his coat of arms engraven on each of them, to be given to his particular friends and relations; all which are mentioned here to shew his respectability of life. He married Rebecca, daughter and coheir of Robert Jaques, esq. of Elmsted, by whom he had a numerous issue, of whom two sons lived to maturity, and three daughters. Rebecca married to William Henman; Roberta first to Sampson Pierce, and 2dly to David Jones: and Anne to the Rev. Owen Evans. Of the sons, John was of Conterbury, and possessed this house, and Robert was of Chartham deanry, and by his second wife Anne, daughter of Herbert Palmer, esq. left several children. John Whitfield, esq. the eldest son above-mentioned, died in 1705, leaving Anne his wife surviving, (who married 2dly Laurence Bridger) and one son John Whitfield, esq. of Canterbury, who married Ann Wase, and left by her, who died in 1758, 3 sons, John, of Canterbury, and Henry and Wase, who both married, but died without issue, and two daughters; Anne married to the Rev. John White, of Minchinhampton, and Mary to Wm. Philpott, gent. attorney at law. John Whitfield, esq. of Canterbury, the eldest son, resided in this house till he alienated it. He married Elizabeth Johnson, by whom he left issue three sons and four daughters. They bore for their arms, Argent, a bond, between two cotize; engrailed, sable. Many of them he buried in St. Mary Magdalen Burgate, church, in this city.
  • 9. Mr. Jackson was formerly of Salisbury; he had issue by Sarah his wife, who died in 1793, an only son William Jackson, esq. a young man of a most amiable character, who being hurt by the viciousness of a horse, died unmarried in 1789, æt. 31, and was boried, as was his mother and father near him afterwards, in St. Mildred's church. They bear for their arms, Argent, on a chevron, sable, three cinquefoils, pierced of the first, between as many falcons heads, crased, azure.
  • 10. There is a pedigree of this family in the Heraldic visitation of the co. of Kent, anno 1619, beginning with John Man before-mentioned. T. Hen. VIII. Many of them lie buried in St. Mary Bredin church, in the account of which, their monuments are taken notice of.
  • 11. Nathaniel Denew was son of John Denew, esq. of Canterbury, by Mary his wife, and lies buried with Dorothy his wife, above-mentioned, who died in 1743, in St. Mary Bredin church. They had issue one son and three daughters, viz. John, who was of St. Stephen's, esq. and dying in 1750 without issue, lies buried in that church, as does Elizabeth his wife, only daughter of Rance, of London. Of the three daughters, Dorothy married Ist to the Rev. Dr. Richard Ibbetson, by whom she had no issue; and 2dly, to the Rev. Julius Deedes, prebendary of Canterbury. Mary married to the Rev. Herbert Randolph, rector of Deal, and Elizabeth, to Edward Roberts, esq. See History of Kent, under St. Stephen's. There is a continued series of this family in the register of St. Alphage parish, from the year 1654 to 1699.
  • 12. The family of Pudner came originally out of Normandy, whence Humphry Pudner came and settled at St. Ives, in Cornwall, but removed from thence and settled at Sandwich, and lastly at Margate, in the Isle of Thanet, where he died in 1671, and was buried there; having had by Mary his wife, daughter of Petit, of Sandwich, several sons and daughters, of whom his only surviving son Humphry was of Margate, and in 1689 was commander of a vessel in government service. He was drowned on the Goodwin Sands in 1703, leaving by Martha his wife, daughter of Lee, of Throwley, one son Humphry, of Canterbury, captain of a man of war as above-mentioned, who died in 1753, æt. 83, and was buried at Nackington, as was his wife Frances, sister and coheir of Sir William Willis, bart. who died in 1762, æt. 78; by her he had Humphry, who died unmarried in 1747, æt. 29. Katharine, twin born with Humphry, born 1717, married to Thomas Barrett, esq. as above-mentioned.—Mary, who died unmarried in 1779, æt. 54; the others died intants, and all except Katherine, lie buried in Nackington church. The Pudners bore for their arms, Gules, bendy of six, or, over all a cross, argent.
  • 13. Before the time of the great rebellion in the middle of the last century, there was a colonade on each side of Mercery-lane, for the benefit and safety of foot passengers, in like manner as London bridge had till within memory; but when the dean and chapter was abolished, the occupiers of the houses in it being most of them tenants to that dissolved body, took the opportunity of inclosing these colonades or piazzas in the front of their shops, and of converting them to the enlargement of them; which incroachment continning for some years was not contested at the restoration, but was suffered to continue in the same manner to the present time; by which means it happens that the front shops of these houses are become reputed as freeholds; whereas the rest of the building both behind them and above, remain as before, the leasehold premises of the dean and chapter.
  • 14. The houses on the north side of this street range along the south boundary of the cathedral precincts, and are so situated, that they have almost all of them their front apartments in the city liberty, and the back ones in that of the dean and chapter, in consequence of which, the children of the freemen, born in these dwellings, were to have no right to sue for their freedom except they were born in some one of these front apartments, by the agreement made between the prior and chapter of Christchurch, and the mayor and citizens in king Henry VIII.'s time, as has been taken notice of before.
  • 15. At the place where the poultry market is now held, was formerly a market cross, said to be at the Bull Stake, a name taken from the baiting and chasing of bulls there, used by an antient order and custom of the city by the city butchers before their killing, not for pleasure, but to make them proper meat and fit to be eaten. This cross was built by John Coppin, of Whitstaple, and William Bigg, of Canterbury, in 1446, in the room of a former one decayed, standing in the same place, as appears by the story of archbishop Stratford's troubles, mentioned in Antiq. Brit. Eccles. in which we are told, that the writ of summons against the archbishop was fixed up at the high cross without the gate of the priory of Canterbury. This cross, erected in 1446, was pulled down by the mayor in 1645. This place was likewise as early as king Edward III.'s reign called the Poultry, but at present, and for many years past, it has been known by the name of the Butter Market. It continued without a market-place till about the time of the restoration, when Mr. John Somner, brother to the antiquary, at the expence of upwards of 400l. built a handsome market-place, with several rooms over it for public use, part of which was as a repository for corn, against a time of dearth and scarcity, he demising it on a lease to the corporation for 99 years for these purposes; but it seems the corporation used him with great ingratitude, insomuch that he published in 1664 an account of the proceedings between him and them. This lease expired in 1764, since which, in 1790, the above-mentioned building has been taken down, and a new market-place, on a much more extensive scale, has been erected in its room, at the expence of the corporation.
  • 16. Somner, p. 70, says, this house of the Templars was situated in Northgate parish, in or near Waterlock, now called Church-lane, (the lane, as he conceived, under the town wall, and leading by Northgate church within, down to the river running from Abbot's mill) for that, Thorn, 1921, mentions a messuage given in 1273 to St. Augustine's abbey, by one Edmund de Cambio, situated in Waterlock-lane, in the parish of Northgate, near the houses of the Templars, &c. Leland, in his Itin. vol. vii. appendix 144, says, that the monasterie of St. Sepulchre, was once belonging to the Templars—Monasterium S. Sepulchri olim Templarii.
  • 17. This house stood, says Somner, p. 70, very near, if not in the place, where some part of the Templars habitation was situated in St. Alphage parish; and there is now, over an antient stone porch, opening to the lane leading from the north end of Palace-street, westward, by Staplegate, towards the laneturning to Abbot's mill, yet undefaced, the black prince's arms. By the return of the king's commissioners for the survey of chantrys, &c. anno 2 Edward VI. it appeared that there was a messuage appertaining to the late chantry, called Prince Edward's chantry, within the cathedral church of Canterbury, situate and being within the parish of St. Alphage; the yearly value of the said messuage being 20s. the outgoings of which were 4d. so there remained clear 19s. 8d. This survey is printed at the end of Battely's Somner.
  • 18. It was the property of Mr. William Hammond, who died here in 1773, having before settled it on his son Henry on his marriage, on whose death in 1784 it came to his son William, the present possessor of it.
  • 19. Charles Pyott, esq. was bred up in the service of the royal navy; he married first, Anne, one of the daughters and coheirs of Sir Richard Sandys, bart. of Norborne, who died in 1753, leaving an only daughter Anne, above-mentioned, who in 1760 married her first cousin Robert-Thomas Pyott, esq. of Hull, in Yorkshire, merchant. His second wife was Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Thomas Hales, bart. widow of Benjamin Lethieullier, esq. of Sheen, who died in 1778, without issue, and was buried in this church of St. Martin. The arms of Pyott, being, Azure, on a fess, or, a lion passant, gules, in chief, three bezants, were first granted by Camden, clarencieux, in 1611, to Richard Pyott, sheriff of London. See Guillim, p. 360.
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