The antiquities of Canterbury. Or a survey of that ancient citie, with the suburbs, and cathedrall Containing principally matters of antiquity in them all. Collected chiefly from old manuscripts, lieger-bookes, and other like records, for the most part, never as yet printed. With an appendix here annexed: wherein (for better satisfaction to the learned) the manuscripts, and records of chiefest consequence, are faithfully exhibited. All (for the honour of that ancient metropolis, and his good affection to antiquities) sought out and published by the industry, and goodwill of William Somner.

I have no more to say of our River in this place, onely a * 1.1 word or two of the mills standing by or upon it, in and about the City, which are now but few in number, onely 5. 1. Kings-mill. 2. Abbats-mill. 3. Westgate-mill. 4. Shaf∣fords-mill. 5. Barton-mill: whereas about King Stephen's time, I finde d 1.2, that besides these miles, were 7. other stand∣ing all upon this river, in or not farre from the City; and belonged to the Monks of Christ-Church, whereof the Cellerar of the place had the charge: to wit, the mill at Sa∣meletes ford (now vulgarly Shanford) Gudwoldsmeln, Mune∣chemeln, Hottesmeln, Crinesmeln, and the mills of Saliford, (now Shulford) and S. Mildreth. All which mills (I take it) are long since down, and so quite gone (except that of Shanford) that it is scarce known where they stood, nor hath Christ-Church any one mill left her at this day. Touching these quondam mills of the Church, I finde in their records letters of Hen. 2. written at the suit and in the behalf of the Monks, and directed Praepositis Cant. of this tenor. viz. Vt omnia molendina infra Civitatem & extra * 1.3 atttemperentur, sicut fuerunt tempore Reg. Hen. avi mei. Et ea quae levata alti∣ùs sunt postea ad damnum Monachorum Cant. ad eam mensuram ad quam erant tempore Regis Hen. 1. demittantur, ut molendina Ecclesiae Christi ita bene & plenariè molere possint, sicut molebant temp Reg. Hen. & damnum quod indè Monachi habuerunt justè eis restaurari faciatis ab illis per quos damnum contigit, & nisi fe∣ceritis Vicecomes meus de Kent faciat fieri, nè in amplius clamo∣rem audiam pro penuria pleni Recti, &c. But leaving these, let me speak of the present mills.

As for the first, Kings-mill. It was and is so called because * 1.4 it sometimes was the Kings: and was otherwise called both Eastbridge-mill, and Kingsbridge-mill, from the neare si∣tuation of it to that bridge. Thorne e 1.5 the Chronicler of S. Augustines reports that King Stephen, being in a great straight at Lincoln, where he was surprised and taken priso∣ner by Robert Earle of Glocester, and put to a great fine for his ransome; towards his relief in that necessity, borrow∣ed of Hugh, the 2. of that name, Abbat of S. Augustine,

one hundred marks, and in consideration thereof, by his charter, gave to the monastery this mill. The effect of which Charter (saith he) was this. Stephanus Rex Angliae Archie∣pisc. Episc. Abbatibus, &c. salutem. Sciatis quòd pro salute animae meae &c. dedi & concessi Deo & ecclesiae S. Augustini molendinum quod habui infra Civitatem Cantuar. juxta East∣brigge, & totum cursum aquae illius molendini in restaurationem vadimonii centum marc arum quas ego pro necessitate mea ab ea∣dem ecclesia cepi, praesentibus Baronibus meis; quare volo & fir∣miter praecipio, quod praefata ecclesia S. Aug. teneat & habeat praedict molendinum cum omnibus eid' pertinentibus ad serviti∣um altaris illius ecclesiae, ita bene & in pace liberè & quietè & honorificè sicut ego aut aliquis Rex praedecessorum meorum meliùs liberiùs & quietiùs tenuit &c. From thenceforth the Abbey enjoyed the mill untill the time of Abbat Clarembald, who made it over to King Hen. 2. whereof the same author hath these words savouring of his dislike of the act. Et nota quòd istud molendinum per Clarembaldum superiùs nominatum, cum aliis rebus & possessionibus per eum nequiter distractis Domino Regi Henrico & successoribus suis alienatum, & ad opus suae Ci∣vitatis rehabitum. Iste tamen Hen. Rex ad recompensationem hujus injuriae isti Monasterio multas libertates scribitur conces∣sisse, &c. Afterwards when the City was granted in Fee∣ferme to the Bailiffs, by Hen. 3. this mill, as parcell, was f 1.6 ex∣pressely included in the grant. Whereof the same Thorne hath this note. Concessit (saith he) idem Rex Henricus istis temporibus Civitatem suam Cantuar. civibus ejusdem, sub gubernaculo duorum Ballivorum regendam, ad feodi firmam lx. librar. ad errarium suum annuatim solvend. cum omnibus con∣suetudinibus ad eand. Civitat. pertinent' cum molendino de East∣brigge, vel aliter Kingsmill dictum. Et hîc nota quòd praed' molendinum per Stephanum Regem ecclesiae beati Aug. ut dict' est extitit datum, per Clarembaldum intrusorem Henrico Regi tum Anglorum alienatum, & à successoribus Regibus adopus Ci∣vitatis injuriosè detentum, & per istum Hen. praed' Civibus unà cum Burgo in forma praedicta resignatum. Thus he.

In a cause of tithes brought by the Parson of All-Saints,

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against the miller of this mill; I finde g 1.7 the miller brought to his answer. Who, requisitus an fuerat Firmarius dicti mo∣lendini, dixit quòd non, sed fatetur ipsum fore servientem Ma∣jorum Civitatis Cantuar. per eos ibid. deputatum. Item requisi∣tus, fatetur quòd omnes pistores villae totum bladum pro albo pane faciend. debent molere sine tollo, vel receptione aliqua in blado vel alio modo. Item oneratur, & fatetur, quòd de farina bladi pisto∣rum pro pane nigro, debent solvere pro mulctura tollum. Item omnes alii ibid.—The rest is wanting.

This suit happened in the yeare 1366. however this pas∣sage of it mentions the Maiors of the City, which came not into being, by name, untill almost a 100. yeares after. Since these times, the case is altered with this mill. For (I take it) the City bakers of these dayes, neither are tied to grinde their corn at this mill (as by this note they seem to be:) nor yet have any such priviledge of grinding at that mill toll∣free, as then, for white bread. I have but one thing more to acquaint you with touching this mil. And it is that one Wil∣liam Bennet a Citizen and an Alderman of Cant. about the yeare 1462. in his will, appoints his executours to buy 300 foot of Asheler or Folk-stone to make a wharfe about the Kings mill h 1.8.

I come now to Abbats-Mill, the next upon the Streame * 1.9 to Kings-Mill. It was called so because it did heretofore belong to the Abbey of S^t Augustine. Whereof I finde men∣tion in King Stephens time. For then (as Thorne i 1.10 hath it) Hugh, the second of the name, Abbat of the place, distin∣guishing or setting out the offices of the Monastery: Mo∣lendinum de Abbottestnelle quod ipsemet proprio labore adqui∣sivit, ad Sacristiam deputavit, hac interposita conditione, ut tota annona Curiae scil. Aug. ibidem liberè absque thelonio mo∣latur, decimam praedict. molendini elemosinariae scil. Aug. sol∣vatur, residuum quoque profectus illius molendini in usus sacri∣stiae convertatur. This Mill is now the Townes.

I passe next to Westgate-mill. A very old one. Dooms∣day-Booke * 1.11 mentions it as the Archbishops: but then in the hands of the Canons of S^t Greg. The Tithe of it was by

Archbishop Hubert in King Iohns time, granted (amongst other things) to the Hospitall of Eastbridge, and that grant was confirmed by the Prior and Covent of Christ-Church k 1.12. It is (the Mill) since returned to the Archbishopricke, and continues a parcell of the demeasnesse of the same.

As for Shaffords-mill; 'tis but little I can say of it: yet * 1.13 I take it to be that, which I finde anciently. i. about Rich. 1. time called Scepeshotesmelne. Extra Westgate ab aquilonari parte versus Scepeshotesmelne, as in a deed of Eastbridge. The composition between the Prior and Canons of S^t Greg. Parsons of Holy crosse of Westgate, and the then Vicar in the yeare 1347. cals it molendinum de Shefford, and in ex∣presse words reserves the Tithes thereof from the Vicar to themselves l 1.14; which clearely shewes it to be a tithable Mill, and not within the exemption of the Stat. of 9. Ed. 2. Cap. 5.

Barton-mill was sometimes, and that ab antiquo belon∣ging * 1.15 to Christ-Church, where the Monkes Corne was ground for their owne spending within the Court. But it is now alienated, and so hath been ever since the Dissolution. So much for the Milles. And now have I done with the River. Onely let not my silence smother, or suppresse that due praise and commendation well knowne to appertaine unto it, for (what, but for the common pochers it would much more abound with) the plenty of singular good fish, which it breeds and yeelds of divers sorts, Trouts especi∣ally; whereof those at Fordwich beare away the bell, a place of note (as Cambden saith) in that respect. * 1.16

Notes

• * 1.1

  Mills upon the River.
• d 1.2

  Liber ecclesiae Cant.
• * 1.3

  admensuren∣tur.
• * 1.4

  Kingsmill.
• e 1.5

  In vitis Ab∣bat. S. Aug.
• f 1.6

  Vbi supra
• g 1.7

  Lib. Eccles. Christ. Cant.
• h 1.8

  Lib. Testamen∣tor. p••es regist. Domini Ar••hi∣d a•• Cantuar.
• * 1.9

  Abbats-Mill.
• i 1.10

  In vitis Abb. S^t Augustini.
• * 1.11

  Westgate-Mill.
• k 1.12

  Lib. Hosp. de Estbridge.
• * 1.13

  Shaffords-Mill.
• l 1.14

  Vide Composit, pag.
• * 1.15

  Barton-Mill.
• * 1.16

  Fordwich Trouts.