Parishes: Snave

SNAVE,

FREQUENTLY written in antient writings, Snaves, lies the next parish eastward, in the level of Romney Marsh, and within the liberty and jurisdiction of the justices of it. Part of it only is within the hundred of Aloesbridge, another part in the hundred of Ham, and the remainder in the hundred of Newchurch. The manor of Ickham, near Canterbury, claims over a small part of this parish.

This PARISH is much the same as Brenset last described. There is no village. The church stands on the south side of Snave green, or lees, along which there are several straggling houses. There is nothing further worth mention in it.

The MANOR OF SNAVE, alias Snaveleeze, was held in early times by a family, which took its name from their possessions here; for I find, as high as king Richard I.'s reign, that John de Snave held land in Snave, by knight's service, of the abbot of St. Augustine, bearing for his arms, as appears by his seal to a deed in the Surrenden library, Six stars of six points, three, two, and one. But after this name was extinct, William de Sokenesse appears to have held it about the reign of king Edward III. in like manner, of the abbot and convent. It came next into the family of Orlanstone, and after that in to the possession of the eminent family of Haut, as appears by the register of that abbey, (fn. 1) and continued so till at length Jane, the youngest daughter and coheir of Sir William Haut, of Bishopsborne, marrying Sir Thomas Wyatt, of Allington, he became entitled to this manor, which in the 33d year of king Henry VIII. an act having passed for the purpose, he exchanged with the crown for other premises, and it seems to have continued there till queen Elizabeth, in her 22d year, granted it to John Baptist Castilion and Margaret his wife, and their heirs male, to hold in socage. Soon after which, but by what means I have not discovered, it was become the property of Sir H. Sidney, K. G. and lord deputy of Ireland, who died possessed of it anno 28 queen Elizabeth. (fn. 2) His son Sir Robert Sidney was created Earl of Leicester, whose son Robert, earl of Leicester, alienated this manor at the beginning of Charles I.'s reign to Sir George Stonehouse, bart. of Berkshire, whose descendant of the same name passed it away by sale to Adye, whose heirs alienated it to John Marsh, esq. of Nethersole, in Wimlingswold. Since which it has passed with that seat, in the same descent of ownership, down to John Marsh, esq. of Chichester, in Sussex, the present owner of it.

The MANOR OF SNAVEWICK, called likewise the manor of Court at Week, and in the chronicles and registers of St. Augustine's abbey, the manor of Snave only, was part of the antient possessions of that abbey, and was given to it about the year 848, by one Wynemund, the friend of king Ethelwolf, by the name of the land del Wyk, and he gave it freely for ever, in the like manner as his lord had given it to him.

In the iter of H. de Stanton and his sociates, justices itinerant, anno 7 Edward II. the abbot, upon a quo warranto, claimed, and was allowed free warren in all his demesne lands in this manor, among others, and view of frank pledge and all belonging to it, wreck of the sea, and other liberties therein mentioned, the abbot pleading the grants and confirmations of them by the several kings, and that they had been allowed in the last iter of J. de Berewick and his sociates, justices itinerant; all which was again confirmed to the abbey by king Edward III. by his charter of inspeximus, in his 36th year, (fn. 3) and king Henry VI. likewise confirmed the same. After which this manor remained part of the possessions of the monastery till its dissolution, anno 30 Henry VIII. when it was surrendered, with all its possessions, into the king's hands, where this manor did not remain long, for the king, next year, granted it, by the name of the manor of Snave, alias the court of Wyke, with the advowson of the church of Snave, and other premises, to Walter Hendley, gent. afterwards sergeant-at law, to hold in capite, but in the first year of king Edward VI. he conveyed it back again to the crown, and the king immediately granted it to archbishop Cranmer, by whose successor, archbishop Parker, the manor itself (the advowson of the church of Snave being reserved to the archbishop) was again reconveyed to the crown in the beginning of queen Elizabeth's reign. After which it was granted for a term of years to Yates, of Berkshire, and the reversion of it by king Charles I. in the beginning of his reign, to Mr. Patrick Blake, of Scotland, who conveyed his interest in it to Robert Austen, esq. of Hallplace, in Bexley, created a baronet anno 12 Charles II. in whose descendants, baronets of that place, this manor continued down to Sir Robert Austen, bart. who died possessed of it in 1743. (fn. 4) After which it was possessed, according to the limitations in his will, by the several succeeding baronets, the last of whom, Sir Robert Austen, of Tenterden, dying in 1772, s. p. that title became extinct, and he being only tenant for life, the fee of this manor, by the above will, became vested in Francis, lord le Despencer, whose sister Rachael, Sir Robert the testator, had married. He died possessed of it in 1781, s. p. upon which that title came to his sister lady Rachael Austen above-mentioned. but this manor by his will devolved on his relation Sir Thomas Stapleton, bart. of Grays, in Oxfordshire, afterwards by the death of Rachael, lady le Despencer, above-mentioned, who died in 1788, æt. 80, s. p. on lord le Despencer, and he is the present owner of it.

There are no parochial charities. The poor constantly relieved are about three, casually ten.

This PARISH is within the ECCLESIASTICAL JURISDICTION of the diocese of Canterbury, and deanry of Limne.

The church, which is dedicated to St. Augustine, consists of only one isle and one chancel of equal length, and a small one on the north side. It is built of sand-stone, and embattled all round, having a tower steeple, with a beacon turret, at the west end, in which are two bells. Within the altar-rails are several memorials of Brett.

This church, as an appendage to the manor of Snave, alias Snavewick, was consequently of the patronage of the abbot and convent of St. 'Augustine. (fn. 5) At the suppression of the abbey, anno 30 Henry VIII. the advowson of this church came into the hands of the crown, together with the manor, to which it continued an appendage in the different grants of it, till archbishop Parker having in queen Elizabeth's reign conveyed the manor back again to the crown, reserved the advowson of the rectory of it. Since which it has remained parcel of the possessions of the see of Canterbury, his grace the archbishop being the present patron of it.

This rectory is valued in the king's books at 19l. 7s. 11d. and the yearly tenths at 1l. 18s. 9½d. In 1588 it was valued at eighty pounds, communicants fifty-one. In 1640 it was valued at eighty-six pounds, the like number of communicants. There are nine acres of glebe land.

In the petition of the clergy, beneficed in Romney Marsn, in 1635, for setting aside the custom of twopence an acre in lieu of tithe-wool and pasturage, a full account of which has been given before, under Burmarsh, the rector of Snave was one of those who met on, this occasion; when this custom was agreed to by him among others, and further, that no man had ever heard or known wool in Romney Marsh to have been paid in specie.

There is a modus of one shilling per acre on all the grass lands in this parish.

Church of Snave.