Edward Hasted 1799

The History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent

Vol IV.

[p. 152]

THE HAMLET OF ASHLEY,

containing 15 houses. In it is Ashley farm, the buildings of which, and 70 acres of land, are freehold, and belong to Mrs. Mary Denne and Mrs. Elizabeth Herring. The rectory or parsonage of Ashley, called in antient records, Essela, was part of the possessions of the Abbat and Convent of St. Augustine, with whom it continued till the dissolution of that abbey, anno 31 Henry VIII, at which time it was held by lease, dated 28 Henry VIII, for 12 years, by George Webbe, farmer, there, at the yearly rent of 10l. 16s. 8d. with the further increase of 3s. 4d. yearly, for le dyvydent. After which, it was granted to the Archbishop of Canterbury, of whom it is now held at the above like yearly rent, on a beneficial lease; the interest in which belongs one quarter part to Isaac Bargrave, of Eastry, esq; in right of his late wife Sarah, deceased, sister and coheir of Robert Lynch, M.D. of Canterbury, deceased, (the former lessee of it;) and the other three quarters to Mary, married to the Rev. John Denne, of Maidstone, and Elizabeth, married to the Rev. John Herring, the other two sisters and coheirs of Dr. Lynch, who are jointly, by his will, entitled to the interest of this lease, in the respective shares above-mentioned. This lease consists of 70 acres of land, with the tythes of all the hamlet of Ashley, West Studdal, Minacre, Napchester, (excepting 40 acres,) and 200 acres in Little Mungeham. There is another freehold farm in this hamlet of 130 acres.

I am almost induced to think, since the writing of the third volume of this history, that the entry in Domesday, under the general title of the Bishop of Baieux's estates, under the name of Essewelle, and then in the tenure of Ralph de Curbespine, was intended for the estates in this hamlet of Ashley, called in the antient registers of St. Augustine's monastery, Essela. In the above volume it is inserted as relating to the parish of Eastwell, where the reader, on the perusal of it, will judge for himself.