Britannia, volume the first, or, An illustration of the Kingdom of England and dominion of Wales by a geographical and historical description of the principal roads thereof, actually admeasured and delineated in a century of whole-sheet copper-sculps : accomodated with the ichnography of the several cities and capital towns, and compleated by an accurate account of the more remarkable passages of antiquity : together with a novel discourse of the present state / by John Ogilby ...

[illustration]

The Road from LONDON to Hith in Com̄ Kent Including the Road by Maidstone. By IOHN OGILBY Esq^r. His Ma.^ties Cosmographer. Containing 69 Miles 4 furlongs viz.^t From the standard in Corn-hill LONDON to Eltham 8’.5. to Farmingham 10’.1. to Croseley 8’.4 to Aylisford 7’.1. to Barsted 5’.5. to Ashford 17’.2. to Hith 12 miles 2 fur.

The Road from London to Hith In KENT. Including the Way by Maidston.

• 1. THE Point of Bearing S. E. b. E.
• 2. The Direct Horizontal Distance 54 M.
• 3. The vulgar Computation 49 M.
• 4. The Dimensuration 69’4.

From LONDON	Comp.	Measure.
to Eltham	06	06	08’5	08’5
Farmingham	08	14	10’1	18’6
Troseley	06	20	08’4	27’2
Ailsford	05	25	07’1	34’3
to Bersted	04	29	05’5	40’0
Ashford	12	41	17’2	57’2
Hith	08	49	12’2	69’4
	49		69’4

Otherwise by Maidston thus,

From LONDON	Comput.	Measure.
to Farmingham, as before	14	14	18’6	18’6
Wrotham	05	19	06’5	25’3
Maidston	08	27	10’7	36’2
Bersted, as in the Table,	02	29	03’6	40’0

Midlesex, Surrey and Kent include the whole Road; and the Thames, Ravensburn, * 1.1 Cray, Derent, Medway, and Stour are the principal Rivers crost over, affording a rea∣sonable Road to Farmingham, but less commendable to Hith, being generally a rough, hard, narrow Way, and not much frequented; * 1.2 Travellers choosing rather to pass by ROCHESTER to Maidston than by either of the Ways here exhibited, yet is it not unprovided of fitting Entertainment.

Forward Turnings to be avoided. * 1.3

• At 1 Mile the forward Way to Newington.
• At 2’7. The Right to Peckham.
• At 4’1. The forward to Deptford.
• At 5’5. The Right in Lewsham to Bromley.
• At 9’1. The Left acute.
• At 12’1. The Left acute.
• At 13’6. The Left acute.
• At 15’0. The Left acute.
• At 19’0. The Right to Ainsford.
• At 22’6. The Left acute.
• At 23’1. The forward Way to Wrotham and Maidston.
• At 33’6. The Right to Maidston.
• At 41’0. The Left to Hollingborn.
• At 48’5. The Left to Feversham and CAN∣TERBURY.
• At 61’7. The Right to Smede.
• At 62’1. The Left acute.
• At 66’5. The Right acute.
• At 68’2. The Right acute.

From the Standard in Cornhil, LONDON, over the Bridg and along Southwark, * 1.4 you come to St. George's Church, where turning short on the Left, and through Kent-Street, as in the Description of LONDON, you pass by Half-way House, and at 4 Mile come to New-Cross; a Furlong farther entring Kent, * 1.5 and omitting the forward Way to Deptford and so to ROCHESTER, &c. you bear to the Right, and at 5’5. * 1.6 pass through part of Lewsham, leaving the Town before you on the Right; whence through Ley at 6’4. a small Village, you come to Eltham at 8’3. extending 3 Fur∣longs on the Road, a well-frequented Town, especially by the Gentry in Summer, and had formerly on the South-side an House of the King's; * 1.7 at 9’5. you pass through South-End a scattering Village; thence by several stragling Houses on the Road, at 12’6. enter Foot's Cray, to distinguish it from North Cray, * 1.8 Paul's Cray and St. Mary Cray adjoyning; It extends 2 Furlongs, and in it you cross the River Cray: thence through Birchen-Wood of above a Miles Extent, at 18 Miles descending for 4 Furlongs, enter Farmingham 3 Furl. long, of good Reception and seated on the River Derent. * 1.9

At 22 Miles you pass through King's-down a small discontinued Village; and at 23’1. * 1.10

leaving the forward Way to Maidston, * 1.11 you bear to the Left; at 24 Miles pass through Stanstead a disunited Village, whence ascending 3 Furlongs and descending as much, at 26’3. you enter Troseley alias Trottescliff at 27 Miles, a scattering Village of 3 Furl. so through Addington at 28’5. and between Ryherst and Town-Malling alias West-Malling, a Market-Town of Note formerly for its Abby; * 1.12 you come to Larkin at 32 Miles, a Vil∣lage of 2 Furlongs, and after by Ditton Church on the Right, a sudden Turn to the North brings you to Aylesford at 34’2. of 2 Furl. Extent, affording good Accomoda∣tion; in which over a Stone-bridg of 7 Arches you cross the fair River Medway, and is of Remark for a Battle here fought between the Brittains and Saxons, wherein Catigern Brother to Vortimer King of the Britains, and Horsa Brother to Hengist King of the Saxons, slew each other in single Combat.

At 36 Miles (having by the Way touch'd again upon the River) you pass by Al∣lington on the Right; whence over Pickendon Heath, where the Road from Maidston falls in on the Right; * 1.13 you come to Thurnham-street contiguous to Bersted, extending together 6 Furlongs but somewhat disjunct; whence between Leeds Church on the Right and Hol∣lingborn on the Left, * 1.14 at 42’2. you pass through Parr's-Gate a small Village; then by Leeds Castle the Lord Culpeper's on the Right, at 44 Miles you come to Harietsham vulgo Har∣resham 3 Furl. long; * 1.15 and at 45’6. to Sandway a small Village, leaving Clifton House the Seat of Captain Hales on the Right.

At 47’4. you pass through Lenham-haugh, * 1.16 certain dispers'd Houses so call'd, and 5 Furl. farther Bradens-haugh, * 1.17 leaving Egerton Church 4 Furl. on the Right; whence an indirect Road by several scattering Houses brings you at 53 M. to Hothfield-haugh (or Common) passing through Hothfield at 53’4. * 1.18 thence at 55’3. by the Lord Topham's Park on the Left, you enter Ashford at 57’1. of 4 Furl. Extent, wherein is kept a Court of Record every Tuesday 3 Weeks, for all Actions under 20 Mark; with a Market on Saturdays, and 2 Fairs yearly, the 6th. of May and 29th of August.

At the End of the Town you cross the Stour; * 1.19 at 59’2. pass through Willesborough a stragling Village, and at 61 M. by Sr. Norton Knatchbull's Park on the Left, and a Mile far∣ther, Sr. Thomas Scot's Park on the Right; descend at 63 M. for 2 Furl. and pass through Sellinge a small Village; * 1.20 whence by Esq Gimbleton's Park on the Right, at 66’1. you come to Ostenhanger Park, including a fair Seat of the Finch's, and accompanying your Road a Mile and half on the Left; * 1.21 then through Pedlin-street, 3 or 4 Houses so call'd; at 68’2. you descend 4 Furl. * 1.22 and at 69 M. enter Hith alias Hide or East-Hith, formerly containing 4 Parishes, but by the choking up it's Haven and other Accidents reduc'd to one; is one of the Cinque-ports: Govern'd by a Mayor, 5 Jurats and 12 Common-Councel Men; hath 2 well endow'd Hospitals; a well furnish'd Market on Saturdays, and 2 Fairs annu∣ally, on St. Peter's Day, and the 20th. of November.

The included Way by Maidston.

At the foresaid parting of the Roads at 23’1. you take the Right-hand or forward way, and at 24’6. * 1.23 descending 4 Furl. enter Rotham or Wrotham 2 Furl. long, with a Market on Tuesdays. At 26 M. you pass by Nebucan House on the Right, and enter Offam alias Ofham at 28’1. of 2 Furl. Extent; whence an indifferent straight Way but very Woody, (leaving Malling at 30 M. between this and the other Road) brings you at 35’6. to a large Stone-bridg of 5 Arches over the Medway, * 1.24 leading into Maidston of 6 Furl. length, but transversly much more, large and well-built, its Streets well order'd, having several graceful Houses; is the Shire-Town, sends Burgesses to Parliament, &c. Is Govern'd by a Mayor, 12 Jurats, &c. has a good Free-School, a well-provided Market on Thurs∣days, and 5 Fairs annually, with several good Inns. Hence bearing to the Left at 37’6, you unite with the foresaid Road by Aylesford.

Backward turnings to be avoided.

• 1. 2 Furlongs short of Pedlin-street, the Left acute.
• 2. In Willesborough, the Right to Hinksel.
• 3. At the End of Caril or Calchil-haugh, the Left acute.
• 4. 2. Furl. short of Bradens-haugh, the Left to Egerton.
• 5. At the entring Lenham-haugh, the Right to Lenham.
• 6. 4 Furlongs beyond Aylesford, the Left to Maidston.
• 7. 5 Furlongs beyond Addington, the Left to Wrotham.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Counties past through. Rivers crost over.
• * 1.2

  The quality of the way.
• * 1.3

  Acute Turnings to be avoided.
• * 1.4

  LONDON, S. S. W.
• * 1.5

  [4’1. S. E.]
• * 1.6

  Lewsham, 5’5. [6 Miles, E. by S.] Ley, 6’4. Eltham, 8’5. [9’1. S. W.]
• * 1.7

  South-End, 9’5.
• * 1.8

  Foot's Cray, 12’7.
• * 1.9

  Farmingham, 18’6.
• * 1.10

  Kings-down, 22 M.
• * 1.11

  [23’1. E.] Stansted, 24 Miles. [26’5. S. S. E.] Troseley, 27’2. [28 Miles, E. by S.] Addington, 28’5.
• * 1.12

  Larkin, 32’1. [33’6. N. N. E.] Aylesford, 34’3. E.S.E.
• * 1.13

  Bersted, 40 Miles.
• * 1.14

  Parrs-Gate, 42’2.
• * 1.15

  Harresham, 44’2. Sandway, 45’6.
• * 1.16

  Lenham-haugh, 47’4.
• * 1.17

  Bradens-haugh, 48’2.
• * 1.18

  Hothfield, 53’4. Ashford, 57’2.
• * 1.19

  Willesborough, 59’2.
• * 1.20

  Sellinge, 63’5.
• * 1.21

  Pedlin-street, 67’7.
• * 1.22

  Hith, 69 Miles.
• * 1.23

  Wrotham, 25’3. E, b. S. Ofham, 28’2.
• * 1.24

  Maidston, 36’2. [36’4. N, E.]