of Southsax they revolted to have the privileges of Kent."* THE ISLE OF OXNEY is in length (from east to west) nearly five miles and a half, and its greatest width is about two miles and three quarters. Hasted states the circumference at near ten miles, but it measures nearly fourteen.+ The approach to the island formerly was by three ferries, namely at Small-hythe, Appledore, and towards Maytham, but the streams, which now flow round it, are so inconsiderable, that three small wooden bridges at these places, answer every purpose of communication. A ridge of comparatively elevated ground occupies the centre, crossing the island in a direction nearly east and west, on either side of which are tracts of rich and productive marsh-land: some few patches. of underwood are scattered on the uplands, but the island is barren of timber. In some seasons of the year, and when the marshes are covered with stock, the prospects around are pleasing, especially to a stranger who has travelled through the more enclosed country to the westward, yet the ISLE OF OXNEY will seldom be selected as a place of residence by those who have the freedom of choice. DRAYTON in his Poly-albion, (song 18th) describes the island (which he personifies) as gross, black and homely, but at length makes her say of herself,

"Though I be brown, in me there doth no favour lack.”

overlooking the trifling defects of bad water, and an impure atmosphere!

* The conclusion of LELAND and the hearsay alluded to above, uncorroborated by other evidence, are alone insufficient to establish the fact of this island or any part of it, having at any distant period, formed part of the county of Sussex; the Rother even in its present state, is a strong presump tive proof to the contrary, it compleatly embraces the island on the south and appears a natural, and reasonable barrier between the two counties.

+ Dr. Harris states the circumference of the island at about ten miles, and Hasted has probably taken it for granted on his authority, but fourteen miles will be found nigher the truth.

On the etymology' of its name, there have been a variety of opinions, but the most reasonable, perhaps, is that founded on its rich pastures, and the number of oren fatted on them; which opinion, says Hasted, may be corroborated by the figure of an Ox on the sides of the ancient altar, which for time out of mind had remained in the church of Stone, in this island. This altar has been removed, and for some time was used as a horse-block, until Mr. Gostling, a former Rector, released it from this ignoble service, and had it carefully placed in the fence of the vicarage garden, where it still remains. Mr. Hasted supposes it to have been an altar of sacrifice, from the blackness and appearance of fire in the bason or hollow at

the top.

STONE. The village of STONE is situated on elevated ground nearly in the centre of the parish, at the junction of the roads from Oxney-ferry, Small-hythe, &c. and within the fork of these roads stands the church, (dedicated to ST. MARY) consisting of a nave, chancel, and side aisles, with a square tower containing a ring of six bells.

The see of Canterbury holds this church and the advowson of the vicarage by no legal right, for in the dotation of Henry VIII. (anno 33) the rectory and vicarage of STONE near Faversham, and not STONE in the Isle of Oxney, was granted; but agreeable to the spirit and not the letter of the charter, the latter and not the former has been held by it. The rectory appropriate, is now held on lease from the dean and chapter, by Sir Edward Hales, Bart. the lessee is bound to keep the chancel in repair, as also a farm-house standing on the glebe The quantity of glebe land is about four acres.

For the grass lands in this parish, a modus of eighteen pence per acre, in lieu of all vicarial tythes, was established in the year 1735.

A piece of land called LAMPFIELD containing two acres,

was given, for the support of a lamp in the church, but this, like many other idle grants, was rendered void in the 2d year of Edward VI.

WITTERSHAM, like the preceding parish, has few charms to boast of. The village, with the church and parsonage occupy its centre, standing on rather elevated ground, and nearly surrounded by marshes. On the high ground westward, is a hamlet called PINYON-QUARTER, in which the mansion attached to the manor of PALSTRE, called PALSTRECOURT is situated. At Wittersham a fair for pedlary, toys, &c. is held annually on the 1st of May.

The MANOR OF WITTERSHAM was given towards the support of the Monks of Christ-church in Canterbury (anno 1032) by Eadsy a priest; but in the 8th of Henry IV. it was assigned to the master and fellows of All Saints college in Maidstone, suppressed in the 1st year of Edward IV. (anno 1546) when this manor, with the rest of its possessions came into the hands of the crown. In the reign of Queen Anne it became the property of Mr. William Blackmore, of Tenterden, who by will in 1707 bequeathed it to those of the same name at Briggins, in Hertfordshire.

PALSTRE, in old writings called the denne of Palstre, was among the possessions of the Bishop of Baieux at the time of the survey of Domesday, upon whose disgrace it was granted to the family of Crevequer, and in the reign of Henry III. was held of them by Philip de Palstre, in which name it continued till the 20th of Edward III. In the year 1794, Thomas Knight, Esq. of Godmersham died possessed of this manor, devising it to his wife for life, with remainder to Edward Austen, Esq. of Rolling.

OWLIE or Oveley, as it was anciently written, was in the possession of a family of this surname early in the reign of Ed. ward II. when it passed to that of Odiarne. In the reign of Henry VII. it was become the property of the Maneys of

Biddenden, from which family it was alienated in the reign of Charles I. Thomas Knight, Esq. of Godmersham (above mentioned) died possessed of it in 1794.

The church which consists of a nave and one side aisle, is dedicated to ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST; it has a square tower at the west end containing a peal of Bells. The living of Wittersham is in the patronage of the Archbishop of Canterbury, and was held from 1762 to 1765 by Dr. Beilby Porteus, late Lord Bishop of London, of whom mention has been before made. (see Linton.)

Ten acres of glebe land, are attached to the rectory.

EBONEY, is another parish lying partly within the Isle of Oxney, occupying the north-west extremity of it, and extending on the north of the Rother, to the parish of Tenterden. In that part within the Isle, which is extremely swampy and unhealthy, there are but four or five houses, and at REDINGSTREET, a hamlet on the turnpike road from Appledore to Tenterden, not more then twice that number.

In the year 832, the MANOR OF EBONEY was by King Ethelwulph given to the priory of Christ church Canterbury, and Edward II. (anno 1317) granted to the prior and convent, free-warren within all their demesne lands. Thomas Goldstone, prior, in 1495 made considerable additions to the mansion house; which from its long continuance with the above religious establishment had obtained the appellation of Eboney priory. This manor has now the same owner as that of Wittersham.

There are two other manors in this parish, namely WOODROVE and BROCKET, the former belongs to Lord le Despencer, and the latter to Sir Edward Hales, Bart.

An estate here called Northlands, was given by Sir Henry Saville, warden of Merton college towards the support of two mathematical lectures, in the university of Oxford, on the subjects of Geometry and Astronomy.

On the scite of Eboney church, destroyed by lightning early in the reign of Elizabeth, a very small edifice has been erected, served by the vicar of Appledore, to which church this of Eboney, has always been esteemed a chapel appendant. The PARSONAGE has the same owner as the MANOR of Eboney.

PECKHAM

P.

ECKHAM EAST. The name of PECKHAM is supposed to be derived from the Saxon words peac and ham, the former signifying the peke or summit of a hill and the latter a village or dwelling place. *

Among the several gifts of Queen Edgiva (mother of the Kings Edmund and Edred) to the priory of Christ church, Canterbury, was the manor of Peckham, free from all secular service, excepting the trinoda neccessitas of repelling invasions and the repair of castles and highways. To the manor, was appendant the church, and the advowson of the vicarage, which so continued united until the dissolution of the religious houses in the reign of Henry VIII. when the former was granted to Sir Thomas Wyatt, and the latter settled on the dean and chapter of Canterbury, who hold to this time the right of presentation to this cure. A grant of free-warren was obtained for the manor of Peckham in the 10th year of Edward II. His grace the Duke of Leeds is the present owner of the MANOR; but the COURT-LODGE and the demesne lands appertaining to it, are become the property of Sir William Jarvis Twysden, Bart. of Roydon-hall. ‡

* Hasted.

+ Here, formerly, according to Dr. Harris, was another manor of the same name, held in capite, by the service of mewing for the King a Goshawk every year (per servitium mutandi unum osturcum per ann.)

Also owner of the manors or reputed manors of ALBANS, EASTMERE and SPILSTED.

*