A topographie or survey of the county of Kent with some chronological, historicall, and other matters touching the same, and the several parishes and places therein / by Richard Kilburne of Hawkherst, Esquire.

GOUDHERST.

LIeth at the South side of the County, adjoyn••ng to Sussex, about three miles (towards the West) distant from Cranbrook, in the West Division of the County, and lower Division of Justices in the Lath of Scray.

So much thereof as is in the Borough of Fairecrouch, is in the Bailiwick of the seven Hundreds, Hundred of Cranbrook, and Lath of Scray.

So much thereof as is in the Boroughs of Pattenden, Lilsden, Combwell, Chingley, or Bromley, is in the Baili∣wick, of Twyford, Hundred of little Barnefield (otherwise West Barnefield) and Lath of Aylesford, and the resi∣due is in the said Bailiwick of Twyford, Hundred of Marden, and Lath of Scray.

The Borsholder of the aforesaid Borough of Pattenden is chosen at the Court Leet holden at Loose, and the Borsholder of the aforesaid Borough of Lilsden, is cho∣sen at the Court Leet holden at East Farley, & the inhabi∣tants of neither of these two Boroughs ow service to the Court Leet holden for the said Hundred of little Barne∣field, onely at that Court may be chosen a Constable of that Hundred out of either of these Boroughs.

The liberty of S^t. Augustine claymeth at Winchet Hill and the liberty of the late Dean of Canterbury claimeth, over the aforesaid boroughs of Pattenden, and Lilsden.

It was all in the Deanry of Sutton, and Diocess of Can∣terbury.

The Church standeth in the Hundred of Marden, & was called S^t. Maries, (which Church is very large, standeth up∣on avery highhill, and had to the same a very large, & tall spire or shaft; but upon Wednesday the 23. day of August 1637 (about eleven of the clock at night) there happened a most fierce, and sudden storme of thunder, and light∣ning, which set on fire the said steeple, and broke, and melted five great bels in the same, and burnt, and con∣sumed foure lofts, and all the timber and woodwork of the steeple, and the stonework of the same was thereby so shaken and rent, that it was faine afterwards to be pul∣led down, and the Church, and leads, by fall of the tim∣ber, was much impaired.

In the year following a collection (by way of Brief) was in this, and severall other Counties (for repaire of this mishap) and a parish tax also made for that purpose, and the foundation of the steeple begun anew of stone (almost up to the Roofe of the Church) but (by the falsity of the Collectors abroad, and dissention of the inhabitants at home) the worke went no further (onely a small low wooden top is set upon the stone-work, and one great Bell onely hung there, and so it now remaineth.

In this Church is a memoriall of the interment of Iohn (Sonne of Iohn of Begebure) above 230. years since, his daughter, and he••re (by marriage with one of the an∣tient family of Colepepyr) brought her inheritance (called Begebure) in this parish to that family, and in this Church are also severall monuments of that family of Colepepyr (neer 200. years old) as also a Monument of Campion of Combwell (herein after mentioned) and (in the East wall of the North Chancell) is a memoriall of the interment of Roberts.

A market is kept in this Town upon every Wednesday, and the market place was (about, 7. years since) remo∣ved from the flat place in the Towne (a little below the place where now it is) unto that place (viz) at the top of the hill adjoyning to the Church yard. And one Fair is there yearly holden upon the day of the Assumption of our Lady (being the fifteenth day of August.)

Another Fair is also holden yearly at Combwell in this parish upon the day of S^t. Mary Magdalen (being the two and twentith day of Iuly) Neer whereunto Robert of Thuru••am, in the time of King Hen. 2. founded a Prio∣ry (called Combwell) for black Chanons of the order of St. Augustine, and dedicated the same to the honour of St. Mary Magdalen (which King Hen. 3. afterwards con∣firmed, and granted the Fair last before mentioned to be there yearly kept, upon the day aforesaid, and the day following (The value of which Priory at the suppression was 80^l. 17^•. 5^d. q. per. annum.