Edward Hasted 1799

The History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent

Vol IV.

[p. 153]

THE ECCLESIASTICAL JURISDICTION

Northborne is within the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the diocese of Canterbury and deanry of Sandwich. The church, which is exempted from the Archdeacon, is dedicated to St. Augustine. It is a large goodly building, consisting of a nave, chancel, and transept, having a large square tower in the middle, which has probably been much higher. There are five bells in it (k).

The church of Northborne, with its chapels of Cotmanton and Sholdon, was anciently appendant to the manor, and was in early times appropriated to the Abbey of St. Augustine; and in 1128, anno 29 Henry I, was assigned by Hugh, the Abbat of it, to the use of the eleemosinary or almonry belonging to it (l), with assignation was confirmed by Anselm, Archbishop of Canterbury (m); by Abbat Silvester, in the year 1154; and by several Popes afterwards (n); and by K. Henry II. (o)

In 1182, a composition was entered into between Richard, Archbishop of Canterbury, and the Abbat and Convent, in which, inter alia, the Archbishop allowed the exemption of this church, as well from all dues, as procurations of the Archdeacon and his officials; and the same year the Archbishop confirmed this church to the monastery (p).

There was a pension of ancient time of 6s. paid to the Abbat and Convent of St. Augustine, from the church of Northborne, with the chapels of Soldene, Mungeham, and Langedon, which with the others from their several churches, was given up by agreement in 1242, for a compensation out of the profits of the church of Preston (q).

[p. 154]

After this, there were continual disputes between the Abbats of this monastery and the several Archbps, concerning their respective privileges and jurisdictions relating to the churches belonging to it, among others, to this of Northborne, which at last ended in the allowance of the Abbat's exemption from all jurisdiction; Archbp Arundel in 1397 pronouncing a definitive sentence in the Abbat's favour -- all which may be found inserted at large in Thorne's Chronicle (r).

In the year 1295, the Abbat made an institution of deveral deaneries, for the purpose pf apportioning the churches belonging to his monastery to each of them, as exempt from the jurisdiction of the Archbishop; in which institution this church was included in the new deanry of Sturry. This caused great contentions between the Abbats and the several Archbishops, which at last ended in the total abolition of this new institution (s).

In the year 1289, there was a process commenced by the Rector of Waldershare against the Eleemosinary, for taking certain tythes arising from the several hamlets of Menditre, Estsole, Westodwold, and Essele; the latter asserting that those tythes, and all parochial rights from the inhabitants of those places, and especially all oblations and obventions whatsoever, accruing to the church of Northborne, ought to belong to him, and the Vicar of the same, in like manner with the chantry, and that of antient time; which process, after much altercation and appeals, was determined at last wholly in favour of the Eleemosinary (t). Soon after which, by an inquisition then taken for the purpose, it was found that this church was, and ought to be taxed at the yearly value of 60 marcs (u); and afterwards, in the 8th year of K. Richard II, anno 1483, it was taxed at the yearly specific sum of 40l. (v)

In which state this appropriation, with the advowson of the vicarage, remained, till the final dissolution of the Abbey of St. Augustine, in the 30th year of K. Henry VIII, when it came into the King's hands, whence the parsonage appropriate, otherwise called the Almonry-farm, was granted the next year in exchange to the Archbp of Canterbury (w); and it remains parcel of the possessions of the see of Canterbury at this time (x).

But the advowson of the vicarage of this church, being excepted out of the above grant, remained in the Crown, till K. Edward VI, by indenture, June 12, in his 1st year, granted it, being an advowson in gross, to the same Archbishop (y), in whose successors it has continued to this time, his Grace the Archbishop being the present patron of it.

Though the church of Northborne was so early appropriated to the use of the almonry, as has been mentioned above, and a vicarage instituted in it, yet there was no endowment of it till the 1st year of the reign of K. Edward I, when at the instance of Archbishop John Peckham, the Abbat and Convent, under their seal, granted a suitable portion out of the profits and revenues of this church, to John, then Vicar of it, for his support and maintenance, which being approved of by the Archbishop's Commissary, he by the consent of all parties, decreed and ordained, that the Vicar of the church of Northborne, and his successors, should have the usual mansion of the vicarage, with garden, and two acres of land contiguous to it, together with 11 acres of land lying at Donneslonde, . . .

[The last part of page 154 and most of page 155 has been omitted, as it concerns a lengthy legal clause concerning tythes. Although I have also included Hasted's full text if you want it.]

[last para. of p. 155]

In 1396, there was an agreement entered into between the Rector of East Langdon and the Vicar of the parish church of Northborne, concerning the annual payment of four shillings to the Vicar and his successors, and confirmed by the Abbat and Convent of St. Augustine. In which deed the parishoners of East Langdon are mentioned as being bound to contribute to the repair of the church of Northborne (a).

[p. 156]

The vicarage of Northbourne, with the chapel of Sholdon annexed, is valued in the King's books at 12l. 11s. 8d. and the yearly tenths at 1l. 5s. 2d. (b)

In 1578, here were 192 communicants, and it was valued at 60l. In 1640, here were communicants 297, and it was valued at 74l.

Here is a good vicarage-house, which with the homestall, measures two acres; and there are nine acres of glebe land beside.

CHURCH OF NORTHBORNE.

PATRONS,
or by whom presented 		VICARS
Abbat & Convent of St. Augustine.
 (c) Mathew, anno 29 Edward I.

(d) Thomas Langley, in 1484.
The Queen
 (e) William Mann, in 1553.

(f) Henry Southouson, in 1593
obiit 1607.
The Archbishop
 Henry Clapham, Feb. 10, 1607.

James Asten, A.M. Dec. 16, 1614.

Edward Nicolls, A.M. July 15, 1619, resig. 1631.

The same, May 4, 1631.

(g) ----- Lane, ejected Aug. 1662.

(h) James Burville, Cl. 1643, obiit 1678

William Balderstone, A.M. Sept. 27, 1678, obt. 1702.

(i) Roger Chappell, A.B. Mar. 2, 1702, obt. 1705

(k) Robert Kelway, A.M. Aug. 1, 1705, resigned 1723.

Geo. Shocklidge, A.M. Apr. 26, 1723, obiit Feb. 8, 1772.

(l) Thomas Hutcheson, A.M. June 25, 1772, obt. Nov. 1789.

Edward Birkett, A.B. Present Vicar.

[Note: Hasted's list of vicars is incomplete and seems to have a few errors, see The Incumbents of Northbourne 1285-2004.]

[p. 153 footnotes]

(k) This church is built of flint, with quoins, door, and window cases of ashler squared stone; some arches of the windows are pointed, some circular, and some with zigzag ornaments. The western arch of the tower is pointed with triple dancette ornaments; the others circular.

In the chancel is a grave-stone for Anne, daughter of Edward and Margaret Nicols, which Edward was Vicar here. She died an infant in 1634. This chancel is repaired by the Archbishop's lessee of the almonry. In the south transept, which is repaired by the Sandy's family, is a large vault, in which are deposited their remains, who were formerly resident at and late owners of Norborne Court. Over this vault, against the south wall, is a most costly and sumptuous monument, with a pediment, pillars, curtains, &c. at the back, a plain blank marble tablet, supported by two kneeling angels, and on the tomb the recumbent effigies of a knight in armour and his lady in a loose mantle; heads resting on double pillows; his body raised higher than the woman's. Above the pediment, a large shield, being baron and femme, Sandys, 1st and 4th, 2d and 3d, a castle impaling Bulkley with 11 quarterings. At the dexter corner of the monument, a shield with the arms of Bulkley, at the sinister, of Sandys. In the dexter compartment of the base of the tomb, three shields, two and one: 1st, Sandys, with a mullet, impaling Hammond; 2d Sandys, with a [crescent], impaling blank; 3d, Sandys, with a mullet, impaling blank. In the sinister compartment are three similar shields, two and one: 1st, a lion rampant within a bordure vaire (which seems to be a mistake of the sculptor for the arms of Scrimpshaw, being, vaire, an eseutcheon charged with a lion rampant;) 2d, blank impaling Sandys; 3d, Sandys with a fleur-de-lis, impaling blank. In the great shield, over the knight's arms, on a knight's helmet, a bull's head issuing from a ducal crown. A label of 3 points over the capitals of the pillars, to denote the house of the knight.

This tomb is for Sir Edwin Sandys, knt, second son of Edwin Sandys, successively Bishop of Worcester and London, and Archbishop of York. He had a grant of Norbourne Court, from K. James I. He was born in 1561 and died in 1639 [should be 1629]. (His marriages and issue have been already mentioned above.) This monument was erected by Sir Edwin Sandys in his life time; but he who erected this sumptuous monument, and added the provisional blank tablet and escutcheons on it, with a thought to securing to himself and his posterity a kind of immortality, left not one behind him, of all his numerous children, who had the least veneration for him, or respect for his memory; both the tablet and escutcheons remaining a blank at this time.

The font is hexagonal, and plain. In the nave, is a grave-stone and memorial for Richard Harvie, of Eastry, obt. 1675, æt. 75. In the church-yard are three altar tombs; the first for Elizabeth, wife of the Rev. George Shocklidge, Vicar, who died in 1768, æt. 80. George Shocklidge, A. M. Vicar 49 years, obiit 1772, æt. 77. Arms - Three fishes, their heads conjoined in fess, their tails extended into the corners of the escutcheon; impaling a fess between 3 hands hendways, couped at the wrist. Another for William Gibbon, one of the sons of William and Alice Gibbon, obiit 1648, æt. 45; and the third for William Gibbon, obiit 1639, æt. 76, and Alice his wife obt 1652, æt. 80. John Grygge, of Fyngelsham, in 1484, was buried in the chancel of this church, where the sepulchre of our Lord was placed on the day of Easter. Robert Marsh, of East Stodwold, in 1485, was buried in this church before the image of St. Christopher. Wills, Prerog. off. Cant.

(l) The Almonry was an hospital, built just without the gate of the monastery, for the reception of strangers and the poor resorting to it from all parts, and the relief of the weak and infirm.

(m) Dec. Script. col. 1799.

(n) Viz. Adrian IV, Celestine III, Alexander III, Urban III, and Gregory IX. Dec. Script. col. 1814, 1839, 2253, 2261. The last but one, by his bull, anno 1185, inhibits this church from being alienated to any secular person, or to any other purpose than the use it was then applied to. Ibid, col. 1838. And in the year 1233, anno 18 Henry III, Archbishop Edmund confirmed to them this church and its chapels, with tythes which they had of old time used to receive by reason of them, with all thier appurtenances. Ibid. col. 1884.

(o) Dec. Script. col. 1837. Anno 1176, the Prior and Convent of the Holy Trinity in Canterbury, for certain causes ratified the confirmation of Archbishop Theobald, concerning this church, with its chapels, allotted to certain uses of this monastery. Ibid. col. 1828.

(p) Dec. Script. col. 1836, 1837.

(q) Dec. Script. col. 1891.

[p. 154 footnotes]

(r) Dec. Script. col. 1961, 1983, 1986, 2014. 2028, 2039, 2146, 2199. See vol. ii. of this hist. p. 721, 723.

(s) Dec. Script. col. 1976, 1983. See vol. ii. of this history, p. 454. Archbishop Walter Reynolds, in K. Edward II.'s reign, in his visitation, confirmed and allowed to the Abbat and Convent, inter alia, the privilege of ringing the bells in this church, among others appropriated to them, whenever the Abbat should come this way, or pass through this place. Ibid. col. 2029.

(t) Dec. Script. col. 1956.

(u) Ibid. col. 1959.

(v) Ibid. col. 2164.

(w) Inrolled in Augtn. office, Feb. 11, next year.

(x) Henry White, gent. was lessee of this rectory or almonry of Northborne, on a beneficial lease, for 21 years, under the Archbishop, in 1643. It afterwards came into the possession of the D'Aeth family; and the interest of it is now vested in Sir Narborough D'Aeth, of Knolton, bart.

The farm-house is ancient, and built of flints, as are the walls of the farm-yard. It is of the annual rent of about 100l. The land belonging to it is 80 acres; 27 acres of marsh in Sholdon, and 40 acres of land in Little Mongeham. The land in Norborne is tythe-free, as was that in Little Mongeham, till by a late suit the Rector of that parish recovered his right to the tythes of it.

(y) Augtn. off. deeds, Kent, box F. 33.

[p. 155 footnotes]

(a) Regist. R. f. 31a. Mff. Cant. Ducarel's Rep. p. 39.

[p. 156 footnotes]

(b) Viz. Endow. in decim & personal oblat. & al spiritual prosic p. an. 13l. 6s. 8d. Prox. & synod 15s. Bacon's Liber Regis, p. 44.

(c) Prynne, p. 906.

(d) Wills, Prerog. off. Cant.

(e) He had the Queen's letters of presentation ad vic. de Norborne cum Capella de Sholden & Mongeham Parva Rectoriali eidem annexa. Rym Foed. vol. xv. p. 350.

(f) Wills, Prerog. off. Cant.

(g) Calamy's Life of Baxter, p. 286. Walker's Suff. of Clergy, pt. 2, p. 294.

(h) Also Rector of Ham, by dispensation. See Walker ibid. pt. 2, p.203.

(i) He lies buried in this church.

(k) And Rector of St. Mary's, near New Romney. He lies buried in Hythe church.

(l) And Rector of Elmstone, by dispensation.