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.

S^t Mary Castle.

So sirnamed for distinction sake, from the other Maries of the City. This Church hath lyne long desolate: and the Chancellonely (to the repaire whereof one Roger Ridley An.

1470. by his Will gave 4^l.) is left standing of it. Time was it was as absolute a Parish Church as any about the City, and in time of Popery, no doubt for it Tutelar Saints sake fared well and flourished, the change of the times in that point being very probably a maine cause of the Churches decay and desolation. For offerings, altarages and the like profits whereof the living did mainely consist, and whereby the incumbent consequently chiefly subsist, being (as the Re∣formation would) withdrawne, there was not otherwise a competency for him to subsist by, which made it be deser∣ted. S^t Austins Abbey, before the dissolution, having the patronage, both of it and S^t Iohns, another Parish Church not farre distant from it now in a manner forgotten, this lat∣ter, with the consent of the Patron, was by the Prior and Covent of Christ-Church, in a vacancy, Anno 1349. united to the former z. Both which united Churches and Parishes since their desolation tacitely devolved to S^t Mildreds, and have beene reckoned of that Parish, untill now very lately this of S^t Mary Castle is begun to be divorced againe from it by having a particular incumbent presented & inducted in∣to it. A word or two more of S^t Iohns and I leave them both. It seemes the Parish was of small extent, and so the living was according, poore and meane. For Records a doe call it Eccles•• sancti Iohannis dicti pauperis. The Church stood much about the upper end of that Lane leading from Castle-street, which at this day we call, the back-lane, but was from thence anciently called S^t Iohns Lane b. It being come into private hands is (they say) and hath been of a long time pro∣faned into a Maulthouse, or the like. Saint Lawrence booke makes mention of some portions of Tithes belonging to this Church: thus. Item praedict' Hospitale percipit totam deci∣mam de 4 acris terrae in Marketfield, & Rector sancti Iohannis Cant••a. percipit de 2 acris, 8 garb. & de aliis 2 acris, 7 garb. in toto 1 copp. Item praeddict. Hosp. percipit duas partes decimae de 6 acris terrae capit. ad stonestreet vers. South & parvam semi∣tam vers. North. Et Rector sancti Iohannis Cant. percipit terti∣am partim decimae. One Henry Plaice was found dead in Cant.

by a fall from a ladder as he was in tyling S^t Iohns Church in Cant. say the Crowne rolles.

The Parishes of S^t Andrew, S^t Mary Magdalen, and for a while S^• Paul which before the Dissolution buried at S^t Au∣gustines, since the Churchyard there was withdrawne, in lieu thereof, I take it (this S^t Mary Castle Church being of that Abbies patronage) had this Churchyard assigned them for the buriall of their dead there; a priviledge wherein S^t Mary Bredmans Parish did and doth (but by what right, that being of the patronage of Christ-Church, I know not) com∣municate with the rest, but all or some part of the benefit arising by the burialls there went and goeth to the poore of Mayners Spitle, who in respect thereof anciently kept it in repaire, and for default thereof An. 1560. were presented c from S^t Andrewes. Since which time the case is altered, each Parish keeping their part of the enclosure.

Notes

• z

  Lib. eccles. Cant.
• a

  Li••er 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• b

  Renta v••l. eccles. Cant.
• Anno 5. Ed. 3.
• c

  Ex Archivis Cons. Cant.