Village History

Directories

Other Information

The list above can be seen in the nave of Northbourne Church and is reproduced by kind permission of the rector.

Henoch Clapham held the living from 1607-1614. In December 1609 Sir Edwin Sandys, of Northbourne Court, denounced the vicar. It may have been because Henoch Clapham, as a former separatist leader, espoused radical views, although Sandys accused Clapham of being drunk and disorderly. ^[1] In 1618 a Henoch Clapham is listed as a gentleman in Eastry and issued a medical licence by the Archbishop of Canterbury.^[2] Henoch Clapham biography.

James Astin held the living from 1614-1622. He was buried at Northbourne on 11th June 1622.

Edward Nicolls held the living from 1622-1645, the son of the Rev. Edward Nicolls vicar of Eastry. In 1640 he wrote to Sir Edward Dering "begging his support in certaine troubles." An agitation was then being made by a few of his parishioners to sever Sholden from Northbourne, which, he said, had been annexed for nearly forty years. He was to all appearances partly dispossessed during the Church troubles, but after the Restoration he appears to have recovered possession. In 1645 he was sequestered from living of Northbourne, "for that he was of a very scandalous life and conversation, and hath caused the Communion table to be placed altar-wise, the same being seen after adorned with carving and a wooden cross." In 1645 or 1646 he was appointed to the living of St. Margaret's, where he died and was buried on October 26th 1654.^[3]

James Burvill held the living from 1647 and sequestered from the living in 1655, but returns in 1660, he writes:

"In Anno. 1660, the blessed year of our Most Gracious King Charles II., his happy restoration. I returned agin out of Ireland into the parish of Norburne. The christening there shall be all duly registered. Witness my hand, the 26th day of March 1660. James Burvill, vicar."^[4]

He died in 1678.

Richard Lane held the living from 1655 to 1660, James Burvill on his reinstatement in 1660 states "One Richard Lane, fidler, was placed there who baptised noe children."^[5]

William Balderstone held the living from 27th September 1678, until his death in 1702 and was buried at Northbourne on the 5th January.

Roger Chappell held the living for a relatively short period from March 2nd 1702, until his death in July 1705, he lies buried in the church.

Robert Kelway held the living from 1st August 1705 and resigned in 1723. One of the church bells made on Windmill-hill, Cripplegate (the smallest of five cast by Matthew Bagley in 1711) is inscribed with his name (although the name is mis-spelt Callaway). He was afterwards vicar of St. Mary's-in-the-Marsh, to which he was presented by Queen Anne, and lies buried in Hythe church.

George Shocklidge held the living the longest, for 49 years from 26th April 1723, until his death on 8th February 1772. He was son of Rev. J Shocklidge, perpetual curate of Ash-next Sandwich, who lost his life by drowning in the River Stour in 1712.^[6]

He is buried under an impressive 'listed' tombchest in Northbourne churchyard described as having 'finely moulded side panels of cartouch outline, with urn-shaped corner pieces and moulded top-slab'.^[7] Also buried here: his wife Elizabeth who died in 1768 and Mary Parker their daughter who died in 1788.

Edward Birkett held the living from 1789 until his death on July 23rd 1806.

Thomas Hutchesson held the living from 27th June 1772 to 3rd November 1789, there are two memorial windows in the north transept behind the organ, one to Thomas Hutchesson and the other to Mr. Henry John Hutchesson.

'Loving dedication by Elizabeth and Jane in affectionate memory of their father Rev. Thos Hutchesson Vicar of this Parish Died 3rd Nov. 1789 Age 63.'

'Dedicated by Elizabeth and Jane in memory of their beloved brother Henry John Hutchesson M.A. Died 12 September 1863 Age 80 Years.'

In the summer of 1787 the vicarage received a general and thorough repair and several parts of it were entirely rebuilt. The expense, which amounted to upwards of £250, was defrayed by a benefaction of the late Archbishop Secker (Archbishop of Canterbury 1758 - 1768). Thomas Hutchesson also states he spent  more than £100 repairing the vicarage.

Montagu Pennington held the living from 30th August 1806 until his death in 1849, aged 87. He was perpetual curate of St. George's, Deal from 1814-1849, as well as perpetual curate of Sutton-by-Dover from 1789-1835. The nephew and editor of 'Mrs' Elizabeth Carter's memoirs and letters (English poet, translator and 'bluestocking' 1717 - 1806). Montagu's mother, Margaret, was the daughter of Rev Nicholas Carter and hence the sister of Elizabeth Carter.

Archbishop Secker appointed Mrs Carter's brother-in-law, Thomas Pennington, as one of his chaplains, and in 1798 Bishop Porteous, of London, presented the living of Thorley, in Herefordshire to her nephew, Montagu Pennington. The bishop wrote: 'In offering you this benefice, I have the great pleasure of testifying my regard for a most excellent lady, whose talents, learning, and piety are an honour to her sex and the age in which she lives; and who is the oldest and most intimate friend of my revered patron Archbishop Secker, who, were he now living, would not be displeased with this mark of my attention to one whom he most highly esteemed and loved.'^[8]

Montagu Pennington was also Commissioner of Salvage for Deal. In 1832 he had to abandon his sermon at St. George's church in Deal when a loud crack caused the congregation to flee because the organ gallery had sunk three inches and the east end of another gallery had parted from the wall. Montagu's funeral hatchment is in St. George's.^[9]

Memoirs and letters:

A series of Letters between Mrs. Elizabeth Carter and Miss Catherine Talbot from the year 1741-1770 to which are added letters from Mrs. Elizabeth Carter to Mrs. Vesey between the years 1763 and 1787. Ed. Montagu Pennington, pub. F C and J Rivington, 1809.

Memoirs of the Life of Mrs. Elizabeth Carter, with a New Edition of Her Poems, Some of Which Have Never Appeared before; to Which Are Added Some Miscellaneous Essays in Prose, Together with Her Notes on the Bible, and Answers to Objections Concerning the Christian Religions. Rev. Montagu Pennington, M.A. pub. F C and J Rivington, 1st Edition, 1807.

Letters from Mrs. Elizabeth Carter, to Mrs. Montagu, between the years 1755 and 1800, chiefly upon Literary and Moral Subjects. Published from the originals in the possession of the Rev. Montagu Pennington. 3 vol. F. C. & J. Rivington: London, 1817.

Egerton Douglas Hammond took a keen interest in local farm workers and in 1856 he published: 'Farm Servants and Agricultural Labourers: their moral and religious condition,'. In 1858 he published 'Memoir of Captain M. M. Hammond, Rifle Brigade.' It must have been popular because the eighth edition came out in 1860. Maximilian Montagu Hammond (1824-1855) of the 2nd Battalion Rifle Brigade, Light Division, was killed in the Crimea during the assault on the Redan, 8th September 1855, aged 31.

George Simpson held the living from 1859-1866; his gravestone is in Northbourne churchyard by the south porch. Simpson gravestone.

Robert William Lyon Bennett held the living from 1866-1870 and was the last vicar. On 20th August 1867 the vicarage became a rectory and a new rectory was built in 1871.

Thomas Wood held the living from 1877-1894. The lych-gate on the north side of the churchyard is memorial to him, there is a plaque on the western upright. He is buried in Northbourne churchyard. Thomas Wood obituary.

William Ceidrych Thomas held the living from 1896-1937. He is buried in the churchyard along with his wife Frances. William Ceidrych Thomas obituary. Plaque in Northbourne church states:

In affectionate remembrance of / WILLIAM CEIDRYCH THOMAS / 24 February 1850 - 24 December 1937 / he served the church faithfully as / rector of Northbourne 1896-1937 / and previously as vicar of / St. Thomas in the Moors Birmingham / Rural Dean of Sandwich 1919-1937 / Hon Canon of Canterbury 1923-1937.

John Cowell Brooks held the living from 1974-1986. Born in 1909 he died in 2001, his cremated remains are buried in Northbourne churchyard. He succeeded the Rev. Francis Turner who moved to a new parish in Sittingbourne. He was educated at Tonbridge School and St. John's College, Cambridge and served in the Royal Naval (Volunteer) Reserve during WWII. In 1961 he went to Zambia and became rector of Ndola, in the copper belt. Prior to coming to Northbourne he was Chaplain of Dover College.^[10]