Essays in Kentish History Cb: Essays Kentish History

299 Pages·1976·25.25 MB·English

by  Margaret Roake

CASS LIBRARY OF COUNTY HISTOIUES
General Editors:
Dr. W. H. ChaloneI', University of Manchester
Professor T. Barker, University of Kent
ESSAYS IN KENrrISH HISrrOl{Y
ESSAYS IN
KENTISH HISTORY
Edited and with an Introduction by
MARGARET HOARE
M.A., University of Kent
AND
JOHN
'VHY~[AN
Lecturer in Economic and Social History, University of Kent
With a Preface by
FELIX HULL
KENT COUNTY ARCHIVIST
1
FRANK CASS LONDON
First published 1973 in Great Britain by
FRANK CASS AND COMPANY LIMITED
67 Great Russell Street, London WCIB 3BT, England
and in United States of America by
FRANK CASS AND COMPANY LIMITED
c/o International Scholarly Book Services, Inc.
P.O. Box 4347, Portland, Oregon 97208
Introduction Copyright © Margaret Roake and John Whyman
These essays are reprinted from volumes of
Archceologia Cantiana
by kind permission of The Kent Arch~eological Society
ISBN 0 7146 2956 1
Library of Congress Catalog Card No. 72-90156
Printed /n Great Britain by
UNWiN BROTHERS LIMITl:D, OLD WOKING, SURREY
ADDENDA ET CORRIGENDA for Late-Continued Demesne
Farming at Otford, by F. R. H. Du Boulay, pp 51-59
Since this article was written two new sources of information about
the fields of Otford have come to light. One is a list of the demesne
fields as they were leased to Sir George Warham on 12 June 1524
(Dean and Chapter of Canterbury MSS. Register T, fo. 254b; cf. fos.
15 7, 313 b. for similar leases of 1518 and of 1526). This list
corresponds very nearly with that of 1515 printed on p. 53. The other
is work in progress by Mr. G. P. Hewlett of Otford who is preparing
a thesis in the Geography Department, University of Southampton,
for which he is using the new technique of hedgerow species analysis.
While agreeing more or less with the literary evidence presented in
this paper, Mr. Hewlett hopes to be able to map more accurately the
medieval landscape of the area: the acreages of cultivated lands, the
deer park, and even the original areas of the individual tenant yokes.
p. 51 footnote I. For problems read problem.
p. 52 line 30. For 'Alvetum' read 'Alnetum', i.e., 'alder-tree
ground'.
p. 53 line 14. For 'Coridlebushe' read 'Cradlebush'.
line 34. For 'Blosse medes' read 'Closse medes'.
p. 55 To the Table add year 1397 160 acres arable
(Calendar of Inquisitions, Miscellaneous, vol. vi,
no. 328).
p. 58 footnote 6. For no. 258 (1464) read no. 259 (1454).
p. 59 last para. It is questionable whether the Multon water
meadows took their name from the Multon family.
The converse is more likely. The local name
Milton, 'mill farm', south of the former Shoreham
Place, can probably be traced back to 'Mylentun'
and 'Meleton' of 822 and 1305 respectively. These
suggestions were made by the late Dr. Gordon
Ward.
CONTENTS
The italic Roman numerals and dates in parentheses after each title
refer to the volumes of Archaeologia Cantiana from which the articles
have been reprinted.
The page numbers refer to the numbers in bold print at the bottom
foredge of each page throughout the text.
Preface v
Introduction Vll
Felix Hull KENTISH HISTORIOGRAPHY (LXX, 1956) 1
A. R. H. Baker SOME FIELDS AND FARMS IN MEDIEVAL
KENT (LXXX, 1965) 11
Ann Smith REGIONAL DIFFERENCES IN CROP
PRODUCTION IN MEDIEVAL KENT
(LXXVIII, 1963) 37
F. R. H. Du Boulay LATE-CONTINUED DEMESNE FARMING AT
OTFORD (LXXl11, 1959) 51
A. J. F. DuBey FOUR KENT TOVVNS AT THE END OF THE
MIDDLE AGES (LXXXI, 1966) 61
R. E. Glasscock THE DISTRIBUTION OF LAY VVEALTH IN
KENT, SURREY AND SUSSEX, IN THE EARLY
FOURTEENTH CENTURY (LXXX, 1965) 75
W. K. Jordan SOCIAL INSTITUTIONS IN KENT,
1480-1660: A STUDY OF THE CHANGING
PATTERN OF SOCIAL ASPIRATIONS
(LXXV, 1961) 85
c.
W. Chalklin A SEVENTEENTH CENTURY MARKET TOVVN:
TONBRIDGE (LXXVI, 1961) 89
A. J. E. DuBey PEOPLE AND HOMES IN THE MEDVVAY
TOVVNS: 1687-1785 (LXXVll, 1962) lOl
John H. Andrews THE THANET SEAPORTS, 1650-1750
(LXVl,1953) 119
III
iv CONTENTS
John H. Andrews THE TRADE OF THE PORT OF FAVERSHAM,
1650-1750 (LXIX, 1955) 127
William Minet EXTRACTS FROM THE LETTER BOOK OF A
DOVER MERCHANT, 1737-1741
(XXXll, 1917) 135
V. J. B. Torr A TOUR THROUGH KENT IN 1735
(XLlll, 1931) 171
Ed: Felix Hull A TOUR INTO KENT, 1759 (LXIX, 1955) 185
W. E. Tate A HAND-LIST OF ENGLISH ENCLOSURE
ACTS AND AWARDS, PART 17: OPEN
FIELDS, COMMONS AND ENCLOSURES IN
KENT (LVI, 1943) 193
J. W. Bridge KENT HOP TOKENS (LXVI, 1953) 207
David Harvey FRUIT GROWING IN KENT IN THE
NINETEENTH CENTURY (LXXIX, 1964) 213
J. W. Bridge MAIDSTONE GENEVA: AN OLD
MAIDSTONE INDUSTRY (LXV, 1952) 227
Rosemary A. Keen MESSRS. BEST BREWERS OF CHATHAM
(LXX//, 1958) 237
Elizabeth Melling KENTISH TRADESMEN IN THE EARLY
NINETEENTH CENTURY (LXVI, 1953) 249
R. H. Hiscock THE ROAD BETWEEN DARTFORD,
GRAVESEND AND STROOD
(LXXXIll, 1968) 255
Miss A. G. Hardy THE OLD TELEGRAPH FROM LONDON TO
THE COAST OF KENT (XLIV, 1932 ) 275
Ed. Felix Hull A KENTISH HOLIDAY (LXXXI, 1966) 283
PREFACE
To be invited to write a preface to this volume is indeed both
a pleasure and an honour. The editors are to be commended for
bringing together in this form so varied and valuable a selection
of papers regarding the social and economic history of Kent.
One of the great advantages of modern re-print methods lies in
the manner in which scattered material can be related and made
accessible in an attractive form, as also in the much greater circle
of readers who can be reached by this means compared with the
membership of a learned society.
The Kent Archaeological Society has been far-sighted in
agreeing to the re-issue of essays from Archaeologia Cantiana, for
Kent is still a relatively unknown part of England. In many respects
it has been neglected in the field of historical research and the
establishment of a University at Canterbury is a vital link in the
process of enlightenment. The vigour and enthusiasm of the
Department of Economic History at that University is well
illustrated by this venture by Miss Roake and Mr. Whyman and it
is to be hoped that, as suggested in the Introduction, further
volumes of essays will appear from time to time.
The papers chosen cover many aspects of local history and
are of special value in so far as they indicate the nature and use
of source material for such studies. Though perhaps none could be
regarded as definitive, as a series they represent the development
of scholarship in this field over the past half century and it is
hoped their re-issue will stimulate fresh research and the opening
up of new patterns of study from which still more adequate
conclusions may be reached. I wish this venture every possible
success.
Roundwell Cottage. FELIX HULL.
Bearsted. 1971.
v
INTRODUCTION
Archaeologia Cantiana is the annual Journal of the Kent
Archaeological Society, containing articles which contribute to the
history and archaeology of Kent.
During the eighteenth century there was a notable growth of
interest in archaeology and antiquarian studies which led to the
nineteenth-century foundation of regional societies catering for
these interests." The Sussex Society was established in 1845, and
others followed in Surrey, Middlesex and Essex within ten years.2
The promoters were often the county gentry,. and this was the case
in Kent. Although there had been some unsuccessful attempts to
form a Kentish Archaeological Society in the early 1850's, it was
eventually launched on 19 September 1857 when a party of eleven
noblemen and gentlemen of the county met for the inaugural
meeting in the old state bedroom at Mereworth Castle at the
invitation of the Viscount and Viscountess Falmouth.;! Almost
two years passed before the publication of the first volume of the
journal Archaeologia Cantiana in July 1859.4 Between then and
1970, eighty-five volumes have appeared.
These developments occurred at a time when a long tradition
of writing general histories of the county had come to an end.
The great but early writers, William Lambarde (1536-1601),
William Camden (1551-1623), Richard Kilburne (1605-1678) and
Thomas Philipot (d. 1682), belonged to a remote past. The
eighteenth century was a fruitful age for Kentish historiography
when a number of writers recorded the Kentish scene for the
pleasure of the country gentry. 5 Without doubt the crowning
achievement was that of Edward Hasted (1732-1812) whose work
amounted to 7,000 pages.G His was a labour of love and, on the
publication of the first volume of The History and Topographical
Survey of the County of Kent in 1778, he observed:
"The materials from which I have compiled the greatest part
of the following work, are the result of twenty years constant
labour and assiduity, and were collected for more than half
that time without any further view, than that of affording me
pleasure and employment."7
vii
Vlll INTRODUCTION
Modern historians refer frequently to these writers; a helpful
evaluation of their work. and that of W. H. Ireland and John
Furley. the latter writing in the Victorian age. is given by Dr. Hull
in the first article reprinted here.
Current interest in local and regional history was expanded to
the point of positive involvement by departments of history and
economic history in many universities and schools of education. so
that today a half of all post-graduate theses in English history in
this country are devoted to some kind of localized study.8 It is
now widely recognized that the national economy has always been
composed of a number of regional economies. and it follows that
our knowledge of England as a whole is enhanced by an under
standing of regional developments in the past.
In this respect the history of Kent is a valuable study to set
against the emergence of industrial Britain which tends to loom
large in the national picture. Kent is one of the largest and most
populous of the southern counties and there are distinctive features
in the development of the county which are worthy of attention.
The influence of London has helped to mould its agriculture;
proximity to the Continent and its long shoreline have encouraged
trade. Compared with other counties there was remarkable develop
ment before 1700.
It has not been easy to select the 23 articles for this volume
from the many valuable contributions over a long period to
Archaeologia Cantiana. The editors in making their choice have
sought to offer a reasonably balanced picture of the social and
economic scene from the Middle Ages to the nineteenth century.
Nine of the articles are specifically pre-1700 and thirteen
concentrate on the later period. The fact that no article written
before 1917 has been selected is explained by the changing nature of
historical research and the current interests of economic and social
historians. Since the essays which follow are reproduced in exactly
their original form. readers will notice an inevitable variety in style
and presentation.
The editors in making their selection were influenced also by
the emphasis which some writers have given to the evaluation and
use of sources. Many of the contributions deal with a particular
source and thereby provide valuable models for students hoping to
work on similar material. Miss Melling. for instance. demonstrates
the value and use of account books and papers of insolvent debtors
in relation to Kentish tradesmen in the early nineteenth century.
Despite the difficulty of using and interpreting medieval documents.