BOUGHTON UNDER THE BLEAN.

THE next parish eastward from Faversham is Boughton under the Blean, in Latin deeds, 'Bocton subtus le Blen, so called, not only to distinguish it from other parishes of the same name, but from its situation under the forest of Blean, which lies above the hill at the eastern bounds of it.

THIS PARISH lies on the high London road, which runs along the northern bounds of it, the 50th milestone standing within the street of it.

The rill of water on the common, at the bottom of Boughton-hill, bounds it eastward, whence it stretches itself a considerable length southward, leaving Rhodes farm without its bounds, and so westward to Gushborne, an estate belonging to the Ismays, thence making a circle north-west, it includes Colking-house, and a small part only of the farm, and croffing the London road northward, it encircles Fairbrook, formerly belonging to the Best's, and thence taking in Nash, it goes on eastward to the north side of Boughton-street, and the rill first mentioned above. A part of this parish is entirely separated from the rest of it, by those of Hernehill and Graveney intervening, and includes in it the marsh called Graveney, alias Cleve marsh, on the north side of those parishes, being part of the demesnes of Boughton manor, of which Mr. Lade is lessee

It is not very healthy, yet it is exceedingly pleasant, the greatest part of it in a fine open fertile country, close at the bottom of Boughton hill, which with the woods along the summit of that high range of hills, form a fine picturesque view from it. The soil of the parish is various; near the high road, and a small distance southward, where the country is level, and the fields large, the lands are a fine rich loam, bordering in many places on the chalk, exceedingly fertile in corn, fruit and hops, of both which there are considerable plantations. About the street it is sandy, and more northward a stiff clay; as it rises southward to the hilly country it becomes very chalky, a stony light soil. In the eastern parts the soil is a clay, very stiff, wet and miry, where there is much poor ruffit land and coppice wood, which join those of the Blean, in the Ville of Dunkirk eastward.

The principal village, called Boughton-street, stands on a rise, being built on each side of the London road, at the 50th mile-stone. It is situated exceedingly pleasant, mostly surrounded by hop plantations and orchard grounds, about a quarter of a mile from the foot of Boughton-hill, some open common lying between, a great part of which has been lately cultivated. This street is of late years become the principal village; the houses in it are most of them modern and neatly built, and the whole has a remarkable pleasing and chearful appearance. In the midst of it is a neat modern house, late the property and residence of Terry Marsh, esq. built on the demesnes of Scarbut's manor, as mentioned before. He died in 1789, and his widow and infant children are now entitled to it.

Below the little hill, at the west end of the street, are two streamlets, the westernmost of which is a nailbourne, the one rising in Herst wood, and the other at Gore, they cross the London road, flowing very plentifully, and having supplied the ponds belonging to Nash, they continue their course from thence northward to the Swale.

The mansion of Nash, the paddock of which adjoins the north side of the London road, near the above streamlets, is situated on the knole of a hill; it is a large handsome building, having a fine prospect eastward over the adjoining country, terminated by the Boughton hills. It has been sitted up within these few years with much taste in the modern stile, and with the foliage of the paddock, is a conspicuous ornament to this part of the country. On the opposite side of the road, about a mile southward, is the parsonage-house, which Mr. Lade some years ago greatly improved, and made it a very desirable residence; about a quarter of a mile from hence stands the church, on the knole of a hill, having the court-lodge close to the west side of the church-yard, and the vicarage on the north side of it, a pretty neat dwelling. A little further is a hamlet called South-street, which report says was once the only one in this parish, the London road having gone through it, instead of the present way, on which the present street of Boughton has been since built. It is remarkable that the above road, leading from Ospringe through this parish, is called in an antient perambulation of the town and parish of Faversham, so early as king Edward the 1st.'s reign Key-street, most probably like Key-street beyond Sittingborne, on the same road, from Caius Julius Cæsar, quasi Caii stratum.

In 1518 there was an alms-house in Boughtonstreet, as appears by a will in the Prerogative-office, Canterbury. There is now one, consisting of two dwellings, near the church, belonging to the parish, but whether that mentioned above, is uncertain.

There are two schools in Boughton-street, in which upwards of one hundred boys and girls are taught reading, writing, and arithmetic. A fair is held in this street on the Monday after St. Peter's day yearly, for toys and pedlary.

In the year 1716 there was dug up, in a hedge by the highway side, over against the head of the par sonage-barn, a man's skull and bones, with an hanger or back-sword, which, through length of time, was crumbled into bits of about a finger's length; and there was with it a brass coin of the emperor Antoninus Pius. (fn. 1)

An ample account of the Blean forest, and the ville of Dunkirk, will be given in the description of the hundred of Westgate, within the bounds of which it all lies.

AGAINST THE PARK PALES of Nash, adjoining to the London road, there grows plenty of a lathyrus, not the major latifolius Ger. emac. 1229, as Mr. Bateman conjectured, but the lathyrus sylvestris major, C.B. Pin. 344; nor doth linum silvestre ceruleum perenne, &c. Raii Synop. 111, 362, grow on Beaconhill, as he affirmed, but the linum silvestre sextum angustifolium, this being annual, and having seeds of the colour of those of common flax; whereas the seeds of the former are black. Campanula rotunda folia, the lesser round-leaved bell flower, grows all along by the sides of the same road; besides which there have been several more scarce, plants observed in this parish by Mr. Jacob, which are enumerated in his Plantæ Favershamienses.

THE MANOR OF BOUGHTON was part of the antient possessions of the see of Canterbury; accordingly in the record of Domesday it is thus described, under the general title of the archbishop's lands:

In Boltun hundred. The archbishop himself holds Boltune. It was taxed at five sulings and an half. The arable land is. In demesne there are two carucates, and thirty-one villeins, with thirty one borderers having fifteen carucates. There are four acres of meadow, and a fishery of ten-pence value, a salt-pit of sixteen-pence, wood for the pannage of forty-five hogs. In the whole value, in the time of king Edward the Confessor, and afterwards, it was worth fifteen pounds and sixteen shillings and three pence and one halfpenny. Now it is worth thirty pounds and sixteen shillings and three pence and one halfpenny.

The archbishop continues at this time lord of this manor and hundred, the court leet of which he retains in his own possession, (fn. 2) BUT the scite and demesnes of it have been for a great length of time demised for a term of years, as will be further mentioned below.

Archbishop Lanfranc, by his charter of foundation, granted to the hospitals of St. Nicholas, Harbledown, and St. John, Canterbury, one hundred and forty pounds per annum, out of his manors of Bocton and Reculver; which still continues to be paid out of the rents of these manors.

THE DEMESNES of the manor of Boughton have been demised from time to time on a beneficial lease.

The family of Diggs, of Chilham-castle, was for several generations lessees of it. Thomas Diggs, esq. held it in 1643, at the yearly rent of 40l. 13s. 4d. In whose descendants it remained till Thomas Diggs, esq. of Chilham-castle, alienated his term in it in 1723, to Mr. James Colebrooke, whose eldest son Robert Colebrooke, esq. in 1774, an act having passed that year for the purpose, vested his interest in it in trustees, and they the next year sold it to Thomas Heron, esq. of Newark upon Trent, who in 1776 passed his term in it away to John Lade, esq. of this parish, the present lessee of it.

THIS MANOR OF BUTLERS, alias BRENLEY, was formerly accounted as two separate ones, but they have been consolidated for many years. The courtlodge, called Brenley, but formerly spelt Brinley, is an eminent mansion in this parish, situated about a mile westward from the church. This seat once gave name to a family, which was possessed of it; one of whom, Sir Laurence de Brinley, flourished here in the reign of king Edward I. and in his descendants it continued down till one of them sold it to John Roper, esq. of St. Dunstan's, who died in 1489 possessed of the manors of Brenle and Botelar, (fn. 3) which he devised to his second son Thomas Roper, who resided at Brenley, as did his son John Roper, esq. He died in 1527, leaving an only daughter and heir Elizabeth, to whom by his will, in which he stiles himself John Rooper, gent. dwelling in St. John's hospital, without the walls of Canterbury, he gave this estate among others. She afterwards carried it in marriage to Robert Eyre, of Derbyshire, (fn. 4) who repaired the house of Brenley, with such additions, that he may be said to be the rebuilder of it. This he did, in order to entertain queen Elizabeth in her progress through this county in 1573, but he neither lived to finish his designs here, or to see the queen in her progress. The Eyres bore for their arms, On a chevron, three quaterfoils, a crescent for difference; which coat, quartered with one of three barnacles, is carved on an antient stone, over a hollow, in the south wall of the high chancel of Boughton church, under which is a flat stone, seemingly for a tomb, undoubtedly for one of this name and family. In the descendants of Robert Eyre this estate continued till by a female heir it went in like manner to Rowth, whose descendant Sir John Rowth, possessed this manor of Butlers, alias Brenley, (for it then seems to have been accounted but as one manor, and to have been so called) and the mansion of Brenley, which he rebuilt, as it now remains, and resided at it till his death in 1657. He was descended of the family of this name, seated at Romley, in Derbyshire, who bore for their arms, Argent, on a bend, between two cotizes, sable, three martlets pierced of the field. He left an only surviving son Francis Rowth, esq. who resided at Brenley, where he died in 1677, s. p. and was succeeded in it, as his coheirs, by his only surviving sister Margaret, then the widow of John Boys, esq. and John Farewell, esq. his nephew, son of his sister Dorothy deceased, by her husband John Farewell, esq. of the Inner Temple, the son of Sir George Farewell, of Somersetshire. They bore for their arms, Sable, a chevron between three escallops, argent. Margaret Boys died in 1710, s. p. and by her will devised her interest in it to her kinsman George Farewell, esq. of Brenley, son of her nephew John before-mentioned, who had deceased in 1666, and he thereby became possessed of the entire fee of this manor and estate.

He resided at Brenley, and dying in 1741, was succeeded by his son and sole surviving child of the same name, who was of Brenley, esq. and married Sarah Nethersole, and dying in 1750, s. p. was buried near his father in this church. He left his widow surviving, who possessed this estate in jointure for her life, and she remarrying again with Nathaniel Marsh, esq. and afterwards again with the Rev. Samuel Fremoult, entitled each of them in succession to her interest in it. Afterwards, upon her decease, it came, by the entail made of it by the will of George Farewell the father, to the issue of his sister Mrs. Anne Wyersdale, deceased, viz. her four daughters, Anne and Margaret Wyersdale, Sarah, relict of John Jarman, esq. of Bishopshull, in Somersetshire, and Elizabeth Wyersdale, in equal proportions. Anne, Margaret, and Elizabeth Wyersdale, afterwards died unmarried, and Mrs. Jarman died in 1773, leaving a son, Nath. Jarman, esq. and a daughter Mary, who afterwards became jointly possessed of this manor and seat, with the estates belonging to it. Mr. Jarman married the eldest daughter of James Huthwaite, esq. of Nottingham, who died in 1792, and he still continues owner of this estate. A court baron is held for this manor, under an oak, in a field called Butlers, about half a mile beyond Boughton church, near Selling parish.

THERE WAS A MANOR in this parish, which had in early times a seat belonging to it, called Boughton-Court, by which name the manor itself was then known, and it then gave name to a family who were the possessors of it. Elias de Bocton held it by knight's service, as of the honor of Bologne, in the reigns of king Henry III. and Edward I. and it appeared by deeds of the reings of king Edward II. and III. that John de Bocton, his descendant, then held them. In later times, as appeared by Sir John Rowth's evidences, it had acquired the name of Boughton-gate, alias Swaffer's tenement, which latter name it took from a family of the name of Swafford, who were the next possessors of it, after the Boctons. After the Swaffords, the Bingers, afterwards called Bengers, from whom those of Hougham, near Dover, were descended, succeeded to it, and they continued owners of it from the beginning of king Henry the Vth.'s reign, to that of Henry VII. when it became the property of the Hales's, from whom it went by sale to Wood, and from that name, sometime about the beginning of the last century, to Sir John Rowth, owner likewise of Brenley, since which it has passed in like manner as that estate, and as such, is now in the possession of Nathaniel Jarman, esq.

The house of it is a large antient timbered building, with a malthouse adjoining to it, situated at the eail end of Boughton-street, on the south side of it.

NASH is a mansion of account here, for having been the seat of the family of Hawkins, as is apparent, as well from records as from their own private evidences, for some centuries past, and where they still reside in their original gentility. The first of them that I find mention of, is Andrew Hawkins, who had a good estate in the liberty of Holderness, in Yorkshire, as appears by an inquisition taken anno 17 Edward III. and left by his wife Joane de Nash, by whom he inherited this seat of Nash, two sons, Richard and John, the latter of whom purchased lands in Boughton in the beginning of the reign of king Richard II. His son John Hawkins, esq. was of Nash, which continued in his descendants down to Thomas Hawkins, esq. of Nash, who dying in 1588, æt. 101, was buried with his wife in the north chancel of this church, under a tomb of Bethersden marble, on which is his figure in brass, and an inscription, which says he served king Henry VIII. which won him same, who was a gracious prince to him, and made well to spend his aged days; that he was high of stature, his body long and strong, excelling all that lived in his age. His only son Sir Thomas Hawkins, likewise resided at Nash, whose eldest son Sir Thomas Hawkins, of Nash, was a person of fine accomplishments and learning, and among other works translated Causinus's Holy Court, and died in 1640. (fn. 5) In whose descendants resident at Nash, who lie all of them buried in the north chancel of this church, this seat at length continued down to Thomas Hawkins, esq. of Nash, who rebuilt this seat, of which he died possessed in 1766, æt. 92. In whose time, anno 1715, during the ferment the nation was thrown into on account of the rebellion in Scotland, this family being of the Roman Catholic persuasion, the seat of Nash was plundered by some of the neighburhood. Every part of the furniture, family pictures, writings of the estate and family, &c. were burnt by them, with an excellent library of books; and the family plate was carried off, and never heard of afterwards. Of his sons, John the eldest became his heir, and Edward-Thomas possessed the Gower estate, at Colmans, in Worcestershire, and took the name of Gower. John Hawkins, esq. the eldest son, on his father's death, became possessed of Nash, and married Susan, daughter of Robert Constantine, esq. of Dorsetshire, by whom he had two sons, to the eldest of whom, Thomas, he in his life-time gave up this seat, together with his other estates in this county. Thomas Hawkins, esq. married Mary, the daughter of John Bradshaw, esq. of London, descended from those of Stretton, in Cheshire, by whom he has four daughters. He resides at Nash, to which, with the grounds belonging to it, he has made great additions and improvements. The house is a large handsome building, pleasantly situated on the summit of the hill, having a fine prospect over the adjoining country, and has been sitted up within these few years with much taste in the modern stile. He bears for his arms, first and fourth, Hawkins, argent, on a saltire, sable, five fleurs de lis, or; second and third, Hames, azure, a chevron between three demi lions, rampant, or. (fn. 6)

COLKINS is a seat situated about a quarter of a mile westward from that of Brenley. It was first built by John Colkin, originally a citizen of Canterbury, who died possessed of it in the 10th year of Edward III. and there are several of his posterity who lie buried in this church. Their arms, A grissin, segreant, being figured in brass on their gravestones, though long since destroyed. These arms too are on the roof of Canterbury cloysters. There was a family of the name of Colkyn likewise at Nonington, but they bore a different coat of arms from these of Boughton. From this name it was about king Henry the VIIth.'s reign alienated to Petit, whose descendant Cyriak Petit, gent. resided here, and dying possessed of it in 1591 lies buried in this church. These Petits were a younger branch of those of Chilham, and bore for their arms, Gules, a chevron, between three leopards heads, argent, a crescent for difference. Cyriak Petit was fœdary of Kent, an office of trust and eminence, and drew up a survey of all the manors in Kent, held of the king by knight's service anno 28 Henry VIII. a valuable book, often made use of in the course of this history. (fn. 7) From him Colkins descended down to Mr. William Petit, who in king George I.'s reign alienated it to Mr. Richard Stacey, master-builder of the king's yard at Deptford, who built the present seat of Colkins, and he, partly by sale and partly by marriage with his daughter Mary, transferred his property in it to Mr. Peter Rawlins, of Sheerness, who bore for his arms, Sable, three swords in pale, the middlemost point in base, or, who left two daughters his coheirs, the eldest of whom, Mary, since married Mr. Bisby Lambart, and Caroline, the youngest, John Carter, esq. of Deal, soon after which they made a partition of his estates, and on the division, this of Colkins became the sole property of Mr. Lambart, in right of his wife. He died at Minorca a few years ago, upon which it became the property of his widow, and she now resides in it.

DANE-COURT is a manor in the southern part of this parish, which in antient time had owners of the same name, which they assumed from it. Sir Allan de Dane resided here in the reign of king Edward III. bearing for his arms, Gules, four fleurs de lis, or, and it continued the mansion of his descendants for divers years after; but in the reign of Henry IV. the Fogge's were become proprietors of it, the last of whom who held it was Sir John Fogge, who died possessed of it, as appears by his will, in the 6th year of Henry VII. and left it to his son Sir John Fogge, from which name it was not many years after sold to Petit, of Colkins, in which family it continued, till with that it was alienated, about the reign of king George I. to Mr. Richard Stacey, of Deptford, who passed it away, partly by marriage with his daughter and partly by sale, to Mr. Peter Rawlins, of Sheerness, whose two daughters and coheirs transferred their right in it to their respective husbands, Mr. Lambart, and John Carter, esq. and they having made a partition of their wives estates, this manor of Dane-court became the sole property of John Carter, esq. of Deal, being the son of the Rev. Nicholas Carter, D. D. and married first Frances, only daughter and heir of John Underdown, esq. who died s.p. and secondly Charlotte, youngest daughter of Peter Rawlins, esq. before-mentioned, who died in 1777, likewise s. p. His eldest sister Elizabeth, yet unmarried, is well known for her learned publications. Mr. Carter bears for his arms, Ermine, two lions rampant, combatant, gules; he is the present owner of this estate. A court baron is held for this manor.

SCARBUTS is a small manor, the house of which was situated on the south side of Boughton-street, near the middle of it. It was but mean, and the whole of it was pulled down, with some cottages adjoining to it, some years since, to make an opening before Mr. Marsh's house, which was built on part of the demesnes of this manor, sold to him for that purpose.

This manor is in antient deeds called Starbuis, but has long since been known by its present name. It was some years passed owned by Mr. Richard Goatley, gent. of Boughton Blean, who by his will in 1707 gave it to Anne, wife of Thomas Hulse, for life, remainder to her son Isaac Hulse, who became possessed of it; after which it came to Mr. Peter Holness, in right of his wife, and from them to John and Stephen Gillam, who sold it in 1757 to the trustees of Terry Marsh, esq. of this parish, the son of Nathaniel Marsh, esq. who married first Olive Terrey, by whom he had Terry Marsh, esq. above-mentioned; and secondly, Mary, widow of George Farewell, esq. who survived him. Terry Marsh, esq. married Roberta Catherine Pierce, of Canterbury, who survived him, and is the present possessor of this manor.

Charities.

TWENTY-EIGHT ACRES and an half, one rood, three deys werks and one perch of land, were given to the poor of this parish and of Hernehill; which land is vested in feossees, who let the same at a corn-rent of 19 bushels of wheat, and 62 bushels of barley, (of which the poor of Hernehill have twenty bushels which they are to distribute to the poor between the feasts of Pentecost and Midsummer, taking for their pains the sum of six shillings only.

AN ANNUAL corn rent of 16 bushels of wheat, is paid for the use of the poor, out of the manor of Scarbuts in this parish.

FIFTEEN GROATS in money, and eight gallons of wheat, are paid yearly out of the lands called the St. Margaret's gasel, or acre, to be paid yearly to the vicar and church wardens, to be by them distributed at Easter to the poor widows of this parish.

ARTHUR WHATMAN, ESQ. late of Ospringe, by his will in 1674, gave to this parish five pounds per annum, to be paid out of two farms in Ospringe, called Cades and Cokes, on the 5th of November, to be distributed as follows: To the vicar, for a sermon on that day, 15 shillings; to the parish clerk five shillings; to the poor three pounds; and one pound to be spent on a collation for the vicar, churchwardens, overseers, and constables of the parish.

JOHN CHILLENDEN, yeoman, late of this parish, by his will in 1708, gave 40 shillings per annum, to be paid out of the rents of certain lands and tenements, called Hickmans, every Christmas day, for the relief of the poor widows of this parish.

The poor annually relieved are about forty; casually 100.

BOUGHTON is within the ECCLESIASTICAL JURISDICTION of the diocese of Canterbury, and deanry of Ospringe.

The church, which is dedicated to St. Peter and St. Paul, consists of a body and two isles, a high chancel belonging to the parsonage, and two side chancels or chapels. The north one, formerly St. James's chapel, belongs to the seat of Nash, and is filled with the monuments of the Hawkins family; and the south to Brenley and Colkins, being formerly called the chapel of St. John, in which are monuments of the families of Rowth, Farewell and Petit. In the body are several gravestones of the Colkins's, the only brass remaining is for John Colkins, obt. 1405. In the south isle a brass plate for John Best and Johne his wife, 1508. (fn. 8)

Under the high chancel is a vault, in which lie buried several of the family of Lade, lessees of the parsonage, and among others Michael Lade, 1778, Elizabeth his wife, and Hester, wife of John Lade, esq. 1778. It is an handsome well kept church, having a tower steeple at the west end beacon corner, in which hang six bells. There was formerly a spire steeple on it, but it fell down in the beginning of this century.

In 1784 there was an handsome gallery built at the west end of it.

The church of Boughton was parcel of the antient possessions of the see of Canterbury, and remained so till archbishop Stratford, in the 14th year of king Edward III. exchanged it, together with that of Preston, with the abbot and convent of Faversham, for the manor of Tring, in Hertfordshire. After which the archbishop appropriated the church of Boughton to that abbey, with a reservation of the advowson of the vicarage, reserving a pension from the parsonage of five marcs sterling yearly, to be paid to the infirmary of Christ-church, Canterbury, for the support of the sick monks there; (fn. 9) the whole of which was confirmed soon afterwards by a bull of pope Boniface I.

Before the appropriation of the church of Boughton, it had the chapel of Hernhill annezed to it, where upon this occasion a vicarage was instituted, as well as at the mother church of Boughton, and they were made two distinct presentative churches; the advowson of Boughton remaining with the archbishop, and that of Hernehill with the abbot and convent of Faversham. In the 8th year of king Richard II. this parsonage was valued, among the temporalities belonging to the abbey of Faversham, at sixty pounds.

It appears by the leiger book of that abbey, that anno 14 Henry VIII. this parsonage was then demised to farm, at the yearly rent of thirty-six pounds. Soon after which it was taken into the hands of the religious themselves.

In which state this church remained till the dissolution of the abbey, in the 30th year of Henry VIII. when it came, with the rest of the revenues of it, into the king's hands, where it remained but a short time; for that prince, in his 33d year, settled it, by his dotation charter, on his new-erected dean and chapter of Canterbury, with whom the inheritance of it now remains.

Sir Humphry Tuston was lessee of it in the reign of king Charles I. and resided here. In 1645 Thomas Osborne, esq. was lessee at the yearly rent of thirty-six pounds. Afterwards the Kenwricks held it, who bore for their arms, Ermine, a lion rampant, sable; one of whom, William Kenwrick, esq. the sixth son of Robert Kenwrick, esq. of King's Sutton, in Northamptonshire, by Elizabeth his wife, eldest daughter of Sir Edward Hales, bart. of Tunstall, (fn. 10) died here in 1681, possessed of it. Afterwards the Spencers were lessee of it, and resided here. These Spencers seem to have been settled here in queen Elizabeth's reign, as appears by their wills in the Prerogative-office, Canterbury, one of whom, John Spencer, (the eldest son of Adam, who died in 1638) was, if I mistake not, that very learned man, who was educated at Canterbury school, was afterwards scholar of C. C. C. Cambridge, and then master of it, afterwards archdeacon of Sudbury, and dean of Ely, who was born in 1630, and dying at his college in 1693, was buried in the chapel there, having been the author of several learned books and treatises. The hatchment of his arms, in the antichapel of the college, are Azure, a chevron, or, between three eagles displayed, argent; which is erroneous, for it ought to have been Argent, a chevron, between three griffins heads erased, sable, as in a hatchment in this church. Dr. Spencer mentions in his will, his uncle's son, William Spencer, esq. then of Boughton, and his kinsman William Spencer, A. M. Fellow of his own college; (fn. 11) the last of them, Edward Spencer, esq. died in 1729, and lies buried in the high chancel of this church, leaving Elizabeth his widow surviving, who becoming possessed of his interest in it, afterwards alienated it to Mr. Michael Lade, of Faversham, whose eldest son John Lade, esq. of this parish, and of Canterbury, is now lessee of it, and till lately resided in it. (fn. 12)

The advowson of the vicarage, according to the reservation of archbishop Stratford, as before-mentioned, remained part of the possessions of the see of Canterbury, and does so at this time, his grace the archbishop being the present patron of it.

This church is exempt from the jurisdiction of the archdeacon. The vicarage is valued in the king's books at 9l. 4s. 9½d. and the yearly tenths at 18s. 5¾d.

In 1640 it was valued at sixty pounds. Communicants four hundred. Recusants thirty. In 1695 here were houses 122, inhabitants 472, communicants 220. In 1782, houses 158, inhabitants 774, recusants 30.

There was a sentence given in the court of delegates, in a cause of the tithes arising from Clyve-marsh, in this parish, between the dean and chapter of Canterbury and others, appellants, and Robert Thompson, vicar here, respondent, in 1567.

The parsonage has only thirteen acres of globe land belonging to it; the vicarage has only the garden and scite of the house.

There were two chapels antiently in this parish, one of them, near the west end of Boughton-street, dedicated to the Holy Trinity. It was here before 1489, as appears by the will of William Collkynne. It was pulled down within memory to mend the highways. The poor-house now stands on the scite of it; the other in South-street, where there is now a house called chapel-house.

In the 8th year of king Richard II. there was an hospital here, for the use of lazars, or poor leprous people, with a chapel belonging to it, dedicated to St. Nicholas, founded by one Thomas at Herst, the ruins of which are supposed to be at the watering-place at the west end of Boughton-street, close to which the London high road went, having been turned at a small distance from it within these few years.

Church of Boughton.

Footnotes