Parishes: Hollingborne

HOLLINGBORNE.

THE next parish north-westward from Harrietsham is Hollingborne, called in Domesday, Hoilingeborde, and in later records, Holingburnan and Holingeburne. It probably took its name from the spring which rises in the vale underneath the hill, in this parish.

THE PARISH of Hollingborne is situated much the same as that of Harrietsham last described, close to the great ridge of chalk hills, at the foot of which is the village called Hollingborne-street, in which at the south end of it stands the church and vicarage, and near them a well-looking brick mansion, of the time of queen Elizabeth, which by its appearance must have had owners of good condition in former times, but what is remarkable the rector of Hollingborne claims some rooms in this house in right of his rectory at this time. The road through Newnhambottom from Ospringe and Canterbury passes through Hollingborne-street, and thence through Eyhorne, commonly called Iron-street, in this parish, where there are two good houses, one belonging to Robert Salmon, esq. who resides in it, and the other built not many years since by Mr. John Weeks, who died possessed of it in 1785. Hence the road leads on, and joins the Ashford high road through Bersted to Maidstone. The southern part of this parish consists mostly of a deep sand, the whole of it below the hill is well watered by some small streams, which running southward join the Lenham rivulet in its way to Maidstone. Nearer the street the soil becomes a chalk, which continues to the summit of the hill, at the edge of which stands Mr. Duppa's house, whence the remaining part of this parish northward, situated on high ground, and exposed to the cold bleak winds, is but a wild and dreary country, with thick hedgerows, and frequent coppices of wood, mostly of hazel and oak, and small unthriving trees of the latter dispersed among them; the soil a deep tillage land, wet and very poor, being a red cludgy earth, covered with quantities of flint stones. On Eyhorne green, or as it is commonly called Broad-street, in this parish, in October yearly, two constables are chosen, one for the upper, the other for the lower half hundred of Eyhorne, each of which district consists of the twelve adjoining parishes, the borsholders in which, and the several boroughs in them, except such as are chosen at the different court leets, are chosen here likewise.

This parish, with the manor of Elnothington in it, together with the rest of the hundred of Eyhorne, was antiently bound to contribute to the repair of the sixth pier of Rochester bridge.

ÆTHELSTAN ETHELING, son of Ethelred II. gave by his will in 1015, to Christ-church, in Canterbury, his lands at Hollingborne, with their appurtenances, excepting one plough-land, which he had given to Siserth. In the MSS. in Bennet college library, Cambridge, of the evidences of Christ-church, Canterbury, intitled Thorn, printed in Decim. Script. f. 2221, this gift is said to have been made in 980; a very improbable circumstance, the king, his elder brother, at that time being but fourteen years of age.

These lands he had bought of his father, and gave them, with his consent, to Christ-church, L. S. A. that is, free from all secular service, excepting the trinoda necessitas, in like manner as Adisham had been given to it.

The manor of Hollingborne remained part of the possessions of the church of Canterbury at the time of the conquest, when the revenues of it were enjoyed as one common estate by the archbishop and his convent; but archbishop Lanfranc, after the example of foreign churches, separating them, in the partition Hollingborne fell to the share of the monks, and was allotted for their subsistence, (or ad Cibum, as it was usually termed) and it is accordingly thus entered in the book of Domesday, under the general title of Terra Monachorum Archiepi, i. e. the land of the monks of the archbishop.

The archbishop himself holds Hoilingeborde. It was taxed at six sulings. The arable land is twenty-four carucates. In demesne there are two, and sixty-one villeins, with sixteen borderers, having twenty-three carucates. There is a church, twelve servants, and two mills, and eight acres of meadow. Wood for the pannage of forty hogs. In the whole, in the time of king Edward the Confessor, and afterwards, it was worth twenty pounds, and now it is worth thirty pounds. To this manor there adjoins half a suling, which never paid scot, this the bishop of Baieux rents of the archbishop.

At this time, the whole of the above premises seems to have been valued at thirty pounds.

King Henry II. granted to the monks of Christchurch a charter for their lands at Hollingborne upon the Hills. In the 10th year of king Edward II. the prior obtained a charter of free-warren for his manor of Hollingborne, among others; about which time it was, with its appurtenances, valued at 46l. 9s. 8d. King Henry VI. by his letters patent, in his 25th and 26th year, granted to the prior a market, to be held at this place weekly on a Wednesday, and a fair yearly on the feast of St. Anne. (fn. 1)

William Selling, who was elected prior in the next reign of king Edward IV. anno 1472, during the time of his holding that dignity, greatly improved the prior's apartments here. After which, it seems to have undergone no material alteration till the dissolution of the priory, which was surrendered into the hands of king Henry VIII. in the 31st year of his reign.

The manor of Hollingborne did not remain long in the hands of the crown; for the king settled it, by his dotation charter, in his 33d year, on his newerected dean and chapter of Canterbury, part of whose possessions it now remains.

There is a court-leet and court baron regularly held by the dean and chapter for this manor, which extends likewise into the adjoining parishes of Hucking, Bredhurst, and Harrietsham, the quit-rents of it called Beadle-rents, being about forty-two pounds per annum.

BUT THE DEMESNE LANDS of this manor have been from time to time leased out by the dean and chapter at a reserved rent of 10l. 9s. The year after the grant of it to them, they demised them by lease to I. Reynolde, as they did anno 19 Elizabeth to William Puresoy, in whose family they remained till the beginning of king James I.'s reign. After which the Fludds held them in lease, and continued so to do, till their interest in them was passed away to W. Alabaster, D. D. After which these premises were held in succession by Bargrave, Boys, Farewell, and Gookin, till the year 1684, when Sir Thomas Culpeper, had a lease of them, in whose family they continued till John Spencer Colepeper, of the Charterhouse, passed away his interest in them to the Hon. Robert Fairfax, who held them in 1758, and then alienated his lease to Francis Child, esq. banker in London, whose brother Robert Child, esq. of London, banker, dying in 1782, the trustees of his will, Robert Dent and John Keysel, esqrs. are now in the possession of his interest in the lease of these demesnes, under the dean and chapter, besides which the dean and chapter have several other lands and woods here leased out by them to different persons.

ELNOTHINGTON is a manor of eminent account in this parish and Bersted, which appears by the book of Domesday to have been part of those possessions given by William the Conqueror to his half-brother Odo, bishop of Baieux, under the general title, of whose lands it is thus entered in that record, under the name of Alnoitone.

Hugo de Port holds Alnoitone. It was taxed at three sulings. The arable land is eight carucates. In demesne there are two carucates, and eighteen villeins, with six borderers, having six carucates. There is a church and eight servants, and two mills and an half, of seventeen shillings. There are five acres of meadow. Wood for the pannage of forty bogs. In the time of king Edward the Confessor, it was worth nine pounds, and as much when be received it, now ten pounds, and yet it pays twelve pounds.

To this manor there belong three mansions of land in Rochester, and they pay five shillings per annum. Osuuard held it of king Edward.

About four years after the above survey, the bishop of Baieux fell into disgrace, and this, among the rest of his estates, became confiscated to the crown.

In the reign of king Edward I. this manor of Elnothington was held by William de Port, as half a knight's see, of Robert de St. John; after which it came into the possession of a family, which assumed their surname from it, and in a deed of Adam de Twisden, which bears date in the 21st year of that reign, William de Elnothington is one of the witnesses to it.

In the reign of king Edward III. Sir Arnold de St. Leger, of Ulcomb, was in possession of it; in the 42d year of which reign, he made a composition with several of his tenants for the lands they held of this manor. From him it passed in an uninterrupted descent down to Sir Warham St. Leger, of Ulcomb, sheriff in the 2d year of queen Elizabeth, and afterwards chief governor of Munster, in Ireland, in which province he was unfortunately slain in 1599. However, some years before his death, he alienated it, with Greenway-court, in this parish, to Francis Culpeper, esq. second son of William Culpeper, esq. of Losenham and Wigsell, who afterwards resided at Greenway-court, under which a more ample account of him may be seen. His son Sir Thomas Culpeper, of Greenway-court, succeeded him in this manor, of which he died possessed in 1661; since which this manor has passed in like manner as that estate down to Rob. Child, esq. of London, banker, the trustees of whose will, Robert Dent and John Keysall, esqrs. are now in the possession of it.

GREENWAY-COURT was formerly esteemed a manor, the mansion of which was a seat of good account in this parish. It is situated close at the foot of the chalk hill, near a mile eastward from Hollingborne church, and was possessed antiently by a family, who took their surname from their habitation at it; one of whom, William, son of Gilbert de Greenwaye, was owner of it, and resided here in the year 1236, as appears by a register of Christ-church, in Canterbury. How long they continued possessors of this estate, I do not find; but it next became the property of the family of Arte-leze. Sampson atte Leze, of Sheldwich, was owner of it in the 26th year of king Edward III. as was his descendant, Marcellus atte Lese, afterwards, who left two daughters his coheirs; to one of whom, Cecilie, and her husband, Valentine Barrett, esq. of Perry-court, he by his deed, anno 15 Richard II. gave all his lands and tenements in Hollingborne, and elsewhere in the hundred of Eyhorne. They, by deed and fine levied anno 22 Richard II. passed this estate away to Thomas Wottone, for one hundred marcs of silver.

In the 22d year of king Henry VI. William Wotton, son and heir of Thomas Wotton, conveyed to Walter Langle, esq the manor or messuage of Grenewey. From this name this estate passed in the reign of king Edward IV. to Ralph St. Leger, esq. of Ulcomb, sheriff of this county in the 8th year of it, in whose descendants it continued down to Sir Warham St. Leger, of Ulcomb, chief governor of Munster, in Ireland, in queen Elizabeth's reign, and he alienated it with the manor of Elnothington above described, to Francis Culpeper, esq. who was the son of William Culpeper, esq. of Losenham, in this county, and of Wigsell, in Sussex, being the son of Walter, by Anne his wife, only daughter and heir of Henry Aucher, esq. of Losenham, in Newenden, which Walter was son of Sir John Colepeper, of Bedgbury, in Goudhurst, living in the reign of king Edward IV. under which parish a further account of him may be seen. William Culpeper before-mentioned, had by Cicelie, daughter of Edward Barrett, seven sons, of whom Sir John, of Wigsell, in the reign of James I. was ancestor of the lords Colepeper, the heir of which family married Thomas, lord Fairfax, possessor of Leeds-castle in her right; Francis, the second son, purchased Greenway-court, as before-mentioned; Thomas was the the third son, and ancestor of the Culpepers, of St. Stephen's, near Canterbury; Dr. Martin Culpeper, the fourth son, lies buried in Kingsnorth church; and Walter, the fifth son, settled at Hunburne, in Oxfordshire, and left an only daughter and heir. Francis Culpeper, esq. afterwards resided at Greenway-court, where he died in 1591, and was buried in this church, leaving an only son, Sir Thomas Culpeper, who likewise resided at Greenwaycourt, though he had purchased Leeds castle. He died at the former in 1661, and was buried in Hollingborne church, having had by Elizabeth his wife, daughter of John Cheney, esq. of Guestling, in Sussex, three sons and eight daughters. Of the former, Sir Cheney, the eldest, inherited Leeds-castle, where a further account of him may be seen; Francis, the second son, died young; and Sir Thomas Culpeper, the third son, became possessed of Greenway-court, where he resided.

His grandson, John Spencer Colepeper, esq. was of the Charter-house, and alienated Greenway-court to the hon. Robert Fairfax, of Leeds-castle, who afterwards parted with it to Francis Child, esq. of London, banker, on whose death in 1763, it came to his brother and heir-at-law Robert Child, of London, banker, who died in 1782, and the trustees of his will, Robert Dent and John Keysall, esqrs. are now in the possession of it.

RIPPLE is a reputed manor and seat in this parish, which had owners of that name, for in the 30th year of Edward I. Richard de Ripple held at his decease this and other lands in the parish of Hollingborne, in lease of the prior and convent of Christ-church, in Canterbury; but it did not continue long afterwards in his name, for before the latter end of Edward III.'s reign, it was become the property of the family of Septvans; one of whom, Sir William Septvans, died possessed of it in the 25th year of that reign, and was succeeded in it by his son William Septvans, who not long afterwards conveyed it to John Gower, who died possessed of it in the 39th year of that reign, and from thence, not many years afterwards, it was alienated to Sir John Brockhull, whose descendants resided at Aldington, in the adjoining parish of Thurnham. In them this manor continued down to Henry Brockhull, esq. of Aldington, who died in 1596 possessed of the manor of Ripple, leaving two daughters his coheirs; of whom Anne, by marrying Mr. John Taylor, gent. entitled him to this estate, which he alienated to Sir Martin Barnham. He was son of Francis Barnham, esq. sheriff of London anno 1570, the eldest son of Stephen Barnham, of Southwick, in Hampshire, of the privy chamber to king Henry VIII. whose son I take to have been Nicholas Barnham, serjeant-at-law in the very beginning of queen Elizabeth's reign. Francis Barnham bore for his arms, Sable, a cross engrailed, between four crescents, argent; and had four sons; of whom Martin, before-mentioned, was the eldest, and Benedict the fourth, was alderman and sheriff of London in 1592, and dying in 1598, left his five daughters his coheirs.

Sir F. Barnham, the purchaser of this manor, afterwards resided at Hollingborne-hill, and was sheriff in the 40th year of Q. Elizabeth. He died in 1610, and lies buried in this church, being succeeded in the manor of Ripple by his eldest son (by his second wife, daughter of Sir Martin Calthorpe, of London) Sir F. Barnham, who was of Hollingborne, (fn. 2) and married Elizabeth, daughter of Sampson Lennard, esq. of Chevening, sister of Henry, lord Dacre, by whom he had fifteen children, ten of whom, six sons and four daughters, survived her. Of the sons, Dacre was the eldest, and Robert, the second, was seated at Boughton Monchensie, and afterwards created a baronet, under which parish a further account of him and his descendants may be seen. In his descendants this manor remained till it was at length sold to Duckesbery, in which name it continued down to Mr. John Duckesbury, of Bersted, who dying some years ago, left Mary his widow in the possession of it, and she having since remarried with Mr. Hodsoll Sale, of Bersted, he is now in her right, entitled to it.

MURSTON is another manor in this parish, which in antient deeds and court rolls was usually written Moston, and in the reign of Edward I. was the property of a family who assumed their name from it; but they were extinct here before the begining of Richard II.'s reign, when it was become the estate of Wood, in whose descendants, several of whom lie buried in the church-yard of this parish, as appears by their wills in the Prerogative-office, in Canterbury, it continued for several centuries, for it remained the property of one of them at the restoration of king Charles II. Soon after which it was passed away to Chaloner, in which name it continued till Reynolds Chaloner, gent. who bore for his arms, Three mascles, on a chevron a cinquesoil, alienated this manor, with other premises in this parish, to Christopher Vane, lord Barnard, who died in 1723, having by his will given this manor, with Snagsbrook, Claypitts, and other lands in this parish, as well as all his other estates here and elsewhere in this county, to his second son William, vilcount Vane, who afterwards resided at Fairlawn, near Wrotham.

His only son and heir William, viscount Vane, dying s. p. in 1788, by will devised this manor, with his other estates in this county and elsewhere, to David Papillon, esq. of Acrise, who sold this manor, with the rest of his estates in this parish, in 1791, to Lewis Cage, esq. of Bersted, who settled them on his eldest son of the same name, and he is the present possessor of them.

PEN-COURT is a manor and seat in Hollingborne, which was formerly more properly called Pende-court, from a family who were antiently owners of it, and resided at it; but before the end of king Edward III.'s reign, this name was extinct here, for John Donnett, of Silham, in Rainham, died possessed of it in the 36th year of that reign; his descendant James Donnett, left an only daughter and heir Margerie, who carried this seat in marriage to John St. Leger, of Ulcomb, sheriff of this county anno 9 Henry VI. and in his descendants it continued down to Sir Warham St. Leger, of Ulcomb, sheriff in the 2d year of queen Elizabeth, and he alienated it, with Elnothington, Greenway-court, and other estates in this parish, to Francis Culpeper, esq. afterwards of Greenway-court, who died possessed of it in 1598, and his son, Sir Thomas Culpeper, alienated it to Mr. Marc Quested, of London, who upon his death settled it for ever on the warden and commonalty of the Company of Fishmongers in London, as trustees of his alms-houses, founded in the adjoining parish of Harrietsham, the endowment of which he directed to be paid out of the yearly profits of this manor, as has been already mentioned, and as such the company are now entitled to the inheritance of it.

HOLLINGBORNE HILL is a seat and estate in this parish, so called from its situation on the summit of the chalk-hill above Hollingborne-street. It was formerly called Eyotts, and in 1609 was in the possession of Sir Martin Barnham, who that year built a new mansion on the scite of it, in which he resided, as did his eldest son Sir Francis Barnham, but he afterwards parted with it to Gabriel Levesey, esq. on whose death it came to his son and heir Sir Michael Levesey, and he conveyed all his interest in it, in the year 1623, to Sir John Hayward, second son of Sir Rowland Hayward, alderman of London, and twice lord-mayor, (by his second wife Catherine, daughter of Customer Smith). Sir John Hayward, during his residence at this seat, was sheriff in the last year of James I. and bore for his arms, Or, a bull's head, caboshed, between three mullets, sable. (fn. 3) He died in 1636, without issue, having by his last will bequeathed his manor of Minster, in the Isle of Shepey, to charitable uses, before which, in 1632, he conveyed it to Cheney Culpeper, esq. of Greenway-court, and he in 1652 passed it away to Henry Pelham, esq. who by his will in 1658, devised it to his nephew George Pelham, who dying s.p. in 1686, it came by his will, as well as the entail made in that of his uncle, to his brother Charles Pelham, esq. who left a son Charles, then an insant, to whom by his will in 1688, he gave the fee of it, and enjoined him to sell it as soon as he came of age, which he did in 1705, (a fine being levied that year for this purpose) to Baldwin Duppa, esq. descended of the same family as was Brian Duppa, bishop of Winchester, who died in 1662, and Sir Thomas Duppa, gentleman usher of the black rod to king Charles II. but their consanguinity I cannot learn. He bore for his arms, Azure, a lion's gamb erased in sess, between two chains barways, or. In the year 1707 he settled this estate on his only son, Baldwin Duppa, esq, though he lived many years after this, and dying in 1737, was buried in this church, where there is a monument erected to his memory. Baldwin Duppa, esq. the son, in 1717, rebuilt this seat on the scite of the old one, and came to reside at it in 1722, and in 1735 served the office of sheriff, and dying unmarried in 1764, was buried in this church, having by his will bequeathed it, with all his other estates, to his kinsman, the Rev. Mr. Richard Hancorn, (whose grandmother was Mr. Duppa's father's eldest sister) with an injunction for him to take the name and arms of Duppa, for which an act passed anno 5 George III. He afterwards quitted the clerical prossession, and took the addition of esquire. He resided here, and died in 1789, having married Miss Baas, of Hackney, by whom he had no issue.

Upon his death this, with his other estates, came to his brother Baldwin Hancorn, who took the name of Duppa, as did his son, Baldwin Duppa Duppa, esq. the present possessor of this seat of Hollingbornehill, where he now resides. (fn. 4)

Charities.

THREE PIECES of land near Runham, in Lenham, in the occupation of John Butler, of Harrietsham, at the rent of 5l. 5s. per annum, were given, one half to the poor of Hollingborne, having no relief. The donor of them unknown, vested in the minister and churchwardens, now of the annual produce of 2l. 8s. 3d.

MRS. ELIZABETH CAYSER, of Hollingborne, widow, by her will in 1612, left 20l. to purchase a piece of land in seesimple, out of the rent of which she directed, that every year for ever, upon the day after her death, (Sept. 22, 1615,) 10s. should be distributed amongst twenty of the poorest people of Hollingborne, and 5s. amongst ten of Leeds, and 5s. amongst ten of Bromfield, by the minister, churchwardens, and overseers of the respective parishes, and that the residue of the rents and profits should be yearly distributed by them amongst the poor of Hollingborne, upon the said 22d of September. The piece of land that was purchased in consequence of the abovementioned devise, in 1720, lies north-west of Broad-street, in Hollingborne, and is called Little Dane. It contains seven acres, and is in the occupation of John Featherstone, at the yearly rent of 2l. 5s.

DAME FRANCES NORTON, widow, sister of Judith, wife of Robert Austen the elder, esq. of Heronden, gave an estate, purchased in 1719, by deed enrolled, of 35l. per annum, in Hollingborne, for the joint benefit, in equal moieties, of the parishes of Tenterden and Holling borne. By which she directed, that the profits of the estate to each parish, should be divided into seven divisions; four parts thereof to be applied in putting out apprentices the children of parents having no parochial relief. The three other parts to be distributed to the ministers of those parishes, each 20s. a piece for two annual sermons, to be preached in their respective parishes on the 1st of November, or All Saints, and on the 1st of January. And the residue of the three parts, to ten poor widows or housekeepers, one year in money, and the second year in black and white stuff or cloth gowns, and so alternately for ever; such persons having no parochial relief, and hearing the said two sermons in their own respective parish churches.

This charity was vested in twenty trustees; but the donation and disposition of the profits of the estate, was to be made at the choice of the late Robert Austin, esq. of Heronden, her nephew, deceased, and of his heirs for ever, with the approbation of the churchwardens and overseers of the poor.

This charity, by a commission of charitable uses, was settled in 1748, and the deed enrolled was confirmed, and the estate vested in twenty new trustees jointly, to be renewed when reduced to five, and also, that the monies unapplied should be laid out in another purchase, (after the charge of fixing the charity should be satisfied) which was made accordingly, in a farm of 15l. a year in Hollingborne and Hucking, and settled as directed by a deed enrolled. And the trestees, or any four or more of them, are empowered from time to time, to direct the churchwardens or overseers, and their successors for ever, in the due and regular annual performance, execution, and preservation of this charity.

JOHR SNOTHE, of Hollingborne, by his will in 1529, devised a piece of land, called Potokks, at Greenstreet, in this parish, the yearly rent of it to be employed to keep an obit yearly in this church on the nativity of the Virgin Mary, viz. to the curate for so doing, 6d. and the remainder to be distributed yearly in meat and drink to the poor in this church, yearly on that day for ever.

HOLLINGBORNE is within the ECCLESIASTICAL JURISDICTION of the diocese of Canterbury, and deaury of Sutton; and is exempt from the jurisdiction of the archdeacon.

The church, which is dedicated to All Saints, is a handsome building, consisting of three large isles, with a chancel at the end of the middle one, and a square tower at the west end. The chancel is much enriched with the monuments of the family of Culpeper, of Greenway-court, and for two of the lords Culpeper, one of them by Rysbrack; on the north side is one for Sir Martin Barnham and his two wives, in 1610, their three figures kneeling at a desk, and underneath their children. At the east end of the north isle there is a small neat chapel, raised up several steps to give room for a vault underneath, in which lie the remains of all this branch of the Culpeper family. The sides of the chapel are filled with black escutcheons, and square tablets of black marble alternately, only two of these among the numbers of them are filled up, and those with younger branches of the family settled elsewhere, a proof of the disappointment of the vain endeavours of the builder to transmit the memory of his descendants to posterity. On the middle of the pavement is a beautiful raised monument of white marble, and the figure of a lady, lying at full length, in the habit of the times, of exceeding good sculpture, in memory of Elizabeth, lady of Sir Thomas Culpeper, daughter of John Cheney, esq. of Sussex, obt. 1638. In the isle a monument for Nich. Chaloner, esq. obt. 1706. Against the north wall of the north isle for two of the family of Duppa, and at the lower end of the church, for the Plummers, Collins's and Dykes. In the middle isle a stone, on which have been the figures of a man and woman in brass, but two shields of arms remain, being quarterly, first and fourth, A chevron, engrailed on a chief, three sleurs de lis; second and third, Three fishes, wavy, sessways, in pale.

There is belonging to this church, a most superb altar-cloth, and a pulpit-cloth and cushion, of purple velvet, ornamented with different figures of fruits of pomegranets and grapes, wrought in gold, the needlework of the daughters of Sir John Colepeper, afterwards created lord Colepeper, who employed themselves for almost the space of twelve years in the working of them, during their father's absence abroad with king Charles II.

The communion plate is very handsome, and an swerable to the above-mentioned furniture, being mostly the gift of the family of Colepeper, and some of it of Baldwin Duppa, esq.

John Eweyn, by his will proved in 1527, gave a table of alabaster, to stand upon the altar of St. John the Baptist in this church; and money to the repair of St. John's chapel in it. John Aleff, parson of Hollingborne, as appears by his will in 1537, was buried in the way beside the porch-door, on the right hand, and that there was set in the wall, nigh his grave, a stone with a plate of sculpture, mentioning where and when he was buried. He had before been vicar of Little Chart, and of St. Laurence Wolton, as he was then of St. John's Sherburne, in Hampshire.

The church of Hollingborne, to which the chapels of Hucking and Bredhurst were antiently annexed, is a sinecure rectory, with a vicarage endowed. The rector of Hollingborne is at this time patron of the perpetual curacy of the chapel of Bredhurst. The archbishop is patron both of the rectory and of the vicarage of Hollingborne, the vicar of which is collated to this vicarage, with the chapel of Hucking annexed.

The vicarage was endowed before the year 1407, in which year Arthur Sentleger, the rector, granted to William Maunby, vicar of this church, a messuage, with its appurtenances in this parish, for the habitation of himself and his successors for ever. (fn. 5) In archbishop Chichele's register, at Lambeth, there is an unauthenticated writing of a composition, made about the year 1441, for it is without date, between William Lyeff, then rector here, and John Fsylde, vicar, upon the assignation of a proper portion for the endowment of this vicarage in future times.

The rectory of Hollingborne is valued in the king's books at 28l. 15s. 5d. and the tenths at 2l. 17s. 6 1/7d. The vicarage is valued in them at 7l. 6s. 8d. and the yearly tenths at 14s. 8d. The vicarage in 1640 was valued at eighty-six pounds, and the communicants were then 271. It is now of the yearly certified value of 70l. 16s. 8d.

The vicarage was augmented twenty pounds per annum, by lease between Ralph Staunton, rector, and Sir Thomas Culpeper, of this parish.

The name of Culpeper, or Colepeper, is so variously spelt in different deeds and records, that it is impossible to keep with any rule to either spelling; on all the monuments, and in the parish register, (excepting in two instances in the last) it is spelt Culpeper.

Church of Hollingborne, with the Chapel of Hucking annexed.