ST. MARIES, near NEW ROMNEY.

CALLED likewise St. Maries church, lies the next parish south-eastward from Ivechurch, and is to called to distinguish it from the several other parishes called likewise St. Maries indifferent parts of this county. It lies in the level of Romney Marsh, and within the liberty and jurisdiction of the justices of it. Part of it is in the hundred of St. Martin's Pountney, and the residue in that of Newchurch.

There is but little worthy of notice in this parish, the lands of which are an entire slat of marsh grounds, without either a hedge or tree among them. There is no village, but there are about nine or ten houses interspersed about in the parish, which is much the same in appearance as the neighbouring ones of Newchurch and Eastbridge already described. Near the southern bounds of this parish there is an estate, called Broadnax, from its once having been for a length of time the property of that family. It lately belonged to Mr. Odiarne Coats, of New Romney, whose heir, Mr. Wm. Coats, now possesses it.

The MANORS of HONICHILD and BLACKMANSTONE claim over the greatest part of this parish. Subordinate to the former the family of Criol formerly possessed an estate of some consequence within the bounds of it, now known by the name of the Shooters land, of which John de Criol died possessed anno 49 Edward III. and from him it devolved at length by succession to Sir Thomas Keriel, for so their name was then in general spelt, who was slain anno 38 king Henry VI. in the battle of St. Albans. Alice his daughter and coheir, carried this estate in marriage to John Fogge, esq. of Repton, afterwards knighted, whose son Sir Thomas Fogge, sergeant-porter of Calais in the reigns of king Henry VII. and VIII. leaving no male issue, it went by his will to Geo. Fogge, esq. of Braborne, who alienated it to Gervas Carkeridge, who held it in capite, at his death anno 18 queen Elizabeth. (fn. 1) His son Thomas Carkeridge, of Maidstone, by his will in 1640, devised one part of it to Amy his wife, daughter of Arthur Franklyn, gent. of Wye, and the residue to Walter Franklyn and Mary his wife, whose son Thomas Franklyn, of Stockbury, became possessed of the whole of this estate, which he sold in 1692 to Thomas Young, esq. of Ashford, whose son Peter leaving an only daughter and heir Sarah, she in 1777 carried it in marriage to the Rev. Edward Norwood, of Ashford, the present owner of it.

There is another considerable estate in this parish, the mansion of which stands near the church, and extends into the parish of Blackmanstone, which seems to have been formerly part of the demesnes of the manor of Blackmanstone, and to have come in like manner with it to the family of Hales, in which it continued till Sir Edward Hales, bart. of St. Stephen's, not much more than thirty years ago, passed it away by sale to Sir Peter Denis, created a baronet, and at the time of his death, in 1778, vice-admiral of the red. He was of French extraction, being the son of the Rev. Jacob Denis, of that kingdom, who had settled at Chester. Sir Peter was the youngest but one of twelve children, and being bred up in the royal navy, by his gallant behaviour was rewarded with the rank he bore in it, and with the title of baronet. He bore for his arms, Argent, a chevron engrailed, between three steurs de lis, gules. (fn. 2) He left no issue, and this estate was soon afterwards, in pursuance of his will, alienated by his executors to Mr. James Haffenden, of Tenterden, whose heirs now own it.

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

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

The church, which is dedicated to St. Mary, consists of three isles and one chancel, having a pointed turret steeple at the west end, in which hang three bells. It is very neat and kept clean. In the middle isle, on a stone is the figure of a woman in brass, with an inscription for Matilda Jamys, mother of William Gregory, obt. 1499. On another, the figure of a man, in brass likewise, for William Gregory, obt. 1502. Several memorials for the Rolfe's, of New Romney. In the south isle is a memorial for Peter Blechenden, ob. 1756. There are several memorials for the Pilchers, of New Romney, arms, first and south, A fess, dancette, between three balls; second and third, Chequy, on a bend, three mullets. In the church-yard, near the Porch south-east, is an antient tomb, coffin-shaped, about a foot high from the ground.

This church was part of the antient possessions of the see of Canterbury, and continues so at this time, his grace the archbishop being the present patron of it. It is a rectory, valued in the king's books at 23l. 3s. 9d. and the yearly tenths at 2l. 6s. 4½d. In 1588 it was valued at eighty pounds, communicants fifty-one. In 1640 the ame

In the petition of the clergy, beneficed in Romney Marsh, 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, several compositions were proved to have been made with the rectors of this parish, wherein they agreed, that two pence an acre was the custom for those tithes, and that prohibitions had been obtained in the ecclesiastical courts upon that, modo decimandi, and the suggestion there proved.

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

Church of St. Maries.

Footnotes