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 geni erations 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 puir of organs for this church. In the church-yard are two fine yew trees.+

✦ "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 uşo ́

EGERTON though now a distinct parish church from that of CHARING, was prior to the year 1640, considered but as a chapel of case 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."

2

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 harrow 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; be sides which, the shaves are frequent, and the hedge rows ?... ont qua buo

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 Peasridge; 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

created Earl of Essex, whose lands were disgavelled by the Act of the 31st year of that reign. On his attainder the year following, they again reverted to the crown, and were granted to Sir John Baker, of Sissinghurst.

GOUDHURST, is situated westward of Cranbrook, by

which, and the parishes of Hawkhurst, Lamberhurst, Horsmonden and Marden, it is bounded. The soil appears much the same as in the adjoining parishes of Cranbrook and Hawk. hurst, but owing to the inequalities of its surface, has a much greater proportion of pasture than arable land. The low lands are well watered by several small streams, which uniting with

his solicitor; to whom he approved himself by his fidelity and diligence in several important affairs; and after the Cardinal's fall the King employed him in his own service, and raised him in a short time to several eminent dignities; he was successively made a privy counsellor, and master of the Jewel-house; clerk of the hanaper, and chancellor of the exchequer; principal secretary of state, and master of the rolls; lord keeper of the privy seal; a baron of the realm, and vicar general and vice-gerent over all the spirituality, under the King, who was declared supreme head of the church. Having been instrumental in promoting the reformation, the King granted him many noble manors and large estates, the spoils of the religious houses; advanced him to the diguity of Earl of Essex; and consti tuted him lord high chamberlain of England. The tide of prosperity, which had hitherto flowed in upon him, began now to take a turn; a scheme be laid to secure his greatness, proved his ruin; such is the weakness of human policy! He used his utmost endeavours to procure a marriage between King Henry and Anne of Cleves. As her friends were all Lutherans, he imagin ed it might tend to bring down the popish party at court; and he expected great support from a Queen of his own making. But the capricious mon arch, being disgusted with her person on the first night's cohabitation, took an invincible aversion to the promoter of the marriage, who was soon after arrested at the Council-table, attainted of high treason and heresy, and executed on Tower-hill, after six weeks imprisonment, July 1540.”

the Teise, flow along the western side of the parish towards the Medway. The southern and eastern parts abound with thick coppice wood, and the parish generally is well timbered. Hasted observes, "It is very healthy; sixty years of age being esteemed if not the prime, at least, the middle age of life;" and this he in part accounts for, in a way generally creditable to the inhabitants of the Weald; "the inhabitants of these parts (he adds) being in great measure untainted with the vices and dissipation too frequently practised above the hill."

The village of Goudhurst, stands high and commands extensive views of the surrounding country, excepting towards the south east; the view in this direction being more circumscribed. On the highest ground stands the Church, a conspicuous objectTM from all points; and near it originally, was the market-place, but which in 1650 was pulled down, and a smaller one built in the broadway at the lower part of the village. The market, (long discontinued), was held weekly on Wednesdays, for cattle, provisions, &c. and together with a fair (still held on the 26th of August annually) was granted by Richard II. to Joane, widow of Roger de Bedgbury; the possessors of which estate claim to this time the privilege of holding both, by a yearly rent to the manor of Marden.

In the village itself, nothing occurs worthy of particular, notice; its chief interest arising from its situation; the appearance generally is rather picturesque than respectable, the houses being principally of timber and plaister, or weather-tiled;; and containing but few private dwellings of any consequence. The clothing business was carried on here to a considerable extent within the last century; but this trade, (as well as the manufacture of iron), has been transplanted to places more fortunately circumstanced.

A little removed from the town, eastward, and on the right of the road to Cranbrook, is the vicarage house, which has lately been considerably improved and modernized, by the

t