Edward Hasted 1799
The History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent
Vol IV.
[p. 149]
PRESENT STATE OF NORTHBORNE
This parish is very long and narrow, extending only a mile and an half from east to west, and
[p. 150]
full five miles from north to south, till it joins Waldershare and Whitfield. The part of this parish containing the borough, hamlet, and manor of Tickenhurst, is separated from the rest of it by the parishes of Eastry, Ham and Betshanger; intervening; and there is a small part of the parish of Goodeston within this of Norborne, and entirely surrounded by it. The soil of the parish being so very extensive, must necessarily vary much. It is, however, much inclined to chalk, and throughout it very hilly, though much of it is very light earth, yet there is a great deal of rich fertile land in the lower part of it northward. There is much uninclosed land and open downs interspersed throughout it. The street of Northborne, having the church and vicarage house within it, and containing 26 houses, is situated at the north-east extremity of the parish. Near it is Northbourne Court, the almonry or parsonage, and a house and estate, called the Vine farm, which belonged to the Rev. Edward Beckingham Benson, Rector of Upper Deal, lately deceased and his widow the hon. Lady Frances Benson now possesses it (z).
Besides this, there are several other streets hamlets, and eminent farms, within the bounds of this parish. At the north-west extremity of it is West-street, containing five houses, in which is an estate, called
WEST-STREET, alias PARKGATE
Roger Litchfield, in his will, anno 1513, mentions his farm of West-street. This, with another farm called Parkgate, (the buildings of which are now pulled down,) considered as one farm, lets at 140l. per annum, and contains 230 acres of land in Norborne, Betshanger, Ham, and Sholdon.
Sir Cloudesley Shovel, knt. was in later times possessed of this estate, and after his unfortunate decease, his two daughters and coheirs. On the division of their estate, Ann the youngest daughter, entitled her husband John Blackwood to the possession of it. He died in 1777, and was succeeded in it by his two sons and coheirs in gavelkind, Shovel Blackwood, esq and Colonel John Blackwood, of Cheshunt in the co. of Hertford, who made a division of their inheritance; in which partition this estate of West-street, alias Parkgate, was, among others allotted to the latter, who next year procured an act of Parliament for the sale of it, being a settled estate, by the description of West-street, alias Parkgate-farm, in Northborne, Beteshanger, Ham and Sholdon, containing 254 acres of land, meadow, arable and marsh land, part inclosed and part common. After his decease this estate came to his widow, who sold it in 1790 to Mr. William Nethersole, the present owner of it.
[p. 150 footnotes]
(z) His father, Mr. Thomas Benson, of Canterbury, gent. purchased this estate, containing 100 acres, and of the yearly value of 55l. of Mr. Raynolds, of Ipswich. He married to his second wife, (having been divorced from his first wife, and enabled to marry again by act of Parliament,) Margaret, one of the daughters of the Rev. Dr. Ralph Blomer, Prebendary of Canterbury. He died in Sienna, Italy and was buried at Leghorn, leaving issue by his second wife an only son and heir, Edward Beckingham Benson, above, mentioned, who married, in 1783, the Honourable Lady Frances-Alicia Sandys, sister of Charles, Earl of Tankerville, and widow of Richard Sandys, of Canterbury, Cl. by whom he had issue. See above. The Bensons bear for their arms - Argent, on a chevron, between 3 goat's heads crased sable, 3 escallop shells argent.