noise as if something fallen into the water, and hastening to learn what had occasioned it, to their great surprise saw the water open in the middle and expose the post and rail fence nearly to the bottom, at the same time they observed the water dashing up over a bank about two feet high, and perpendicular to the pond: not the slightest motion of the ground was perceptible, nor was there any wind stirring at the time. A shock of an earthquake was subsequently felt at this place on the 24th of January, 1758, about two o'Clock in the morning, which shook the furniture of the houses and went off with a noise like a small gust of wind, without occasioning any damage. (Philos. Trans. vol. xlix. pt. 2. p. 614.)

THE MANOR OF STANGRAVE, alias EDEN-BRIDGE, claims over the greatest part of this parish, notwithstanding it has the manor of Westerham, paramount over it. This manor anci ently gave name to a family who made it their principal place of residence. In the 6th year of Edward I. a charter of freewarren was obtained by Robert de Stangrave, for his demesne lands in Edenbridge and Hockenden in this county, and in the 14th of Edward III. this charter of free warren was confirmed to John Dynley, who immediately after passed away his interest in this estate, to Hugh de Audley, Earl of Gloucester, and Lord of the castle and manor of Tunbridge; whose daughter married Ralph Stafford, afterwards Earl of Stafford, and with his descendants, Dukes of Buckingham, it continued till the 13th of Henry VIII. when on the attainder of Edward Duke of Buckingham it fell to the crown, and was subsequently granted to Sir John Gresham, in which name it remained until the reign of Queen Anne.

The church (dedicated to ST. PETER and ST. PAUL) is situated on the east side of the village, having a spire steeple at the west end; in it are the remains of a rood loft, or gallery, in which was formerly placed the image of our Saviour on the

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cross, and to which, at the back, was a private way for the priests, no doubt intended for priestly purposes. It is in the nature of a chapel to Westerham, and therefore not rated separately in the King's books.

According to the commission of enquiry in 1650, it was returned that in Edenbridge there was a parsonage impropriate, that the vicarage tythes were worth 301 per annum, but there was no house or glebe land; and that the vicar of Westerham, had formerly received the tythes, but then, the person who supplied the cure there, received them for his salary; that the church was well situated, and had been a chapel of ease to Westerham, (Westram,) from which it was almost five miles distant, and from which it had ever had distinct officers.

The impropriation was at the time of the enquiry in the hands John Streatfield, who farmed the same of the heirs of Sir Edward Gresham at the rent of fifty pounds per annum.

In the church are several monuments and memorials of the former inhabitants of this place, among which, the first in point of antiquity is that to the memory of John Selyard, whose effigy in brass, with a black letter inscription the date 1558, is on the north side of the altar.

EGERTON. The village and church of Egerton are plea. santly situated on the range of Quarry hills, which form the northern boundary of this district, from which a wide expanse of rich and varied country is presented to the view, the eye extending over the greater part of the Weald southward, and on the east stretching to the coast. The elevated situation of the village church, renders it a conspicuous object, and a prominent and interesting feature in the scene from various points, while it serves as a termini, or land-mark to the Weald in this quarter. This place and the parts adjacent on the east and west, have to boast a dry and fertile soil, a pure air, good water, and withal a picturesque and pleasant situation; but in that part of the parish below the hill, the country becomes less

pleasing, being more enclosed, and from the tenacity of the soil, very wet and dirty in the winter seasons. In this lower part are situated the small hamlets called Friggs-Forstall and Newland-green.

Subordinate to the manor of Charing are those of Warden alias EGERTON and BRUSCOMBE, which by purchase in 1750 became the property of Galfridus Mann, Esq. on whose death they devolved to his son Sir Horatio Mann, Bart.

BARLINGS, another manor in this parish was for several generations possessed by a family of the same name, but at length by an only daughter and heiress it was carried in marriage to William Sharpe, Esq. of this parish, whose son alienated it to Mr. John Ashbee of Little Chart, the present owner.- -A court baron is held for this manor.

The church (dedicated to ST. JAMES), is a substantial edi fice, built of sand-stone, having a square tower at the west end surmounted with a beacon turret. HARRIS gives the following quaint description of this building; "The church" says he "is of two isles, (aisles) and fair, and of very good. stone; a fair tower steeple, which may be seen afar off.” According to tradition, this steeple as well as those of LITTLE CHART and CHARING were erected at the expence of Sir John Darell of Calehill, whose arms are supposed to have been carved on the shield, in the tower of this church, but this rests on conjecture only, or at least no evidence to this effect, can be drawn from the thing itself. John at Welle of Egerton, by will anno 1531, gave five marcs to the buying of a new pair of organs for this church. In the church-yard are two fine yew trees. +

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❤ Hasted.

+ "Yews were planted in church-yards, (as well as in fields) not so much perhaps for their funereal and ever-green appearance, as for the use

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EGERTON though now a distinct parish church from that of CHARING, was prior to the year 1640, considered but as a chapel of ease to the latter. It has always had the same ow ners with that church, and the lessees of both parsonages have ever been the same. It is a perpetual curacy in the gift of the dean and chapter of ST. PAUL'S, who allow as a stipend to the curate 301. per annum!! and this liberal endowment has been increased (by the parish) by the appropriation of a piece of land in Stalis field, of the annual value of about 51. and a small house in Egerton-street, formerly given by one of the BARLINGS, to maintain lights in the church.'

FRITTEND

RITTENDEN. This obscure and inconsiderable parish lies north-eastward of Cranbrook; it possesses little to repay the stranger for a visit, yet the rides through it in the dry months of summer, are not unpleasant, the roads being well shaded and free from dust. HASTED in speaking of it, says, "It is narrow from east to west and contains about seventy hou ses. It has an unpleasant and forlorn aspect. The soil is a deep, stiff clay, very wet and unkindly for tillage, insomuch, that in rainy season, the occupiers have but little produce from their lands, which consequently keeps them very poor. The southern part of it is entirely covered with coppice wood; besides which, the shaves are frequent, and the hedge rows

of them in supplying wood to make bows in the times of archery. It is observable, that yew trees are more common in the hedge rows, in the southern counties bordering on the Sea, than in any other. In these counties, many church porches have a room over them, named the spright-loft. In this apartment it is probable the bows and arrows, as in a kind of armoury, were laid up for use; as the name seems to be taken from spright, anciently signifying an arrow.”.

broad round the fields, which have quantities of large oak trees interspersed throughout them. The roads, from the soil, except in the driest seasons, are so deep and miry, as to be almost impassable; though it lies so obscure, that there is but little traffic through it."

The village, which consists of a few straggling houses of mean appearance, stands a little more elevated than the lands about it, and nearly in the centre of the parish. North-west of the street is a green called Frittenden-brook, which the occupiers of the houses, round it, stock at their pleasure; and on the opposite side of the stream, bounding it on the west, is another, called Singsted-green. The only tolerable house in the village, is that occupied by the clergyman, the Rev. Theophilus Jones. The church is placed in a spacious ce metery adjoining the village, and its lofty spire which is seen for many miles round, contributes much to improve the scenery of this part of the Weald., The building itself is simple and unaffec ted, sufficiently large for the accommodation of the neighbour hood, and on the whole well adapted for the purposes of religion.

If the projected Weald of Kent Canal, should be carried into effect, the advantages to these parts would be incalculable. Its roads would necessarily be improved, the number of horses kept for the purposes of husbandry lessened, and the value of landed property in a few years, more than doubled.

In this parish are the manors of Comden and Upper Peas ridge; the reputed manor of Bewper and those of Wallinghurst and Buckhurst. These two latter manors (now obsolete) were in the hands of the crown in the time of Henry VIII. who in his 29th year granted them to Sir Thomas Cromwell, afterwards

"Thomas Cromwell Earl of Essex, an eminent statesman in the reign of Henry VIII. was the son of a Blacksmith at Putney in Surry, and born about 1490. He had by nature a strong constitution and excellent parts, to which he added uncommon industry; and he was retained for some time as clerk or secretary to the English factory at Antwerp. On his return to England he, was admitted into the family of Cardinal. Wolsey as