THE DOVER EXPRESS AND EAST KENT NEWS—FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 1901.

XVII. COLDRED.

A SMALL BUT INTERESTING PARISH.

Coldred is a small village, with a small Church, in a small parish, having a small population. This four-fold littleness would leave us little to say by way of description were it not from the fact that the ancient Church and the still more ancient earthworks in which it is placed, afford a rich store of antiquarian interest.

Coldred, and its People.

Coldred is situated five miles N.N.W. from Dover on the high ground, under which is pierced the one-mile railway tunnel which enters the chalk hill at Lydden and emerges at Shepherdswell. Many writers have described the place as bleak and cold, asserting that the name Coldred is derived from those circumstances; but the place did not strike us as either bleak or cold. True, there are some open, breezy fields lying between it and Shepherdswell, and the downs southwards towards Dover are bleak and bare, but the village itself, the Church, and its surroundings and the glorious woods of Waldershare are all very beautiful. The Church stands towards the west end of the parish, and the boundaries, which include 1436 acres, take in a portion of Waldershare Park, indeed it was claimed that the eastern boundary ran through the mansion, but on the occasion of the beating of the bounds, about a hundred and twenty years ago, the right to go through the mansion was disputed, and Coldred’s actual frontier there was left unsettled. Coldred Street, lying half a mile to the south, contains the greater part of the population, which is not a rapidly growing one. In 1801 the number of inhabitants was 120, in 1831 they had increased to 139, and at the 1841 census there were 157 persons, and 20 inhabited houses. In 1871 the number had fallen to 141, but twenty years later had again increased to 161 exceeding any previous total, and the number at the census taken this year was 147. The parish is not populous enough to have a parish council, but has a parish meeting, of which the Rev. T. Falkener, M.A., is the chairman, and Mr. G. Richards, of the Parsonage Farm, represents the parish on the Dover Rural District Council and Board of Guardians.

The History of Coldred.

The history of Coldred is mainly associated with its two manors and with the curious and well-marked entrenchment, two acres in extent, in the centre of which the church is situated. This entrenchment is somewhat of of a mystery. For centuries there was a tradition that these earthworks were thrown up by a King of Mercia, named Ceoldred, who, with the Mid-English, came hither in the year 715 to assist the men of Kent against Ina, King of the West Saxons, who was infringing their liberties. The circumstantial nature of this tradition gives it the appearance of truth, but later discoveries make it very evident that this place was occupied by the Romans, and the truth, in all probability, is that the Romans formed a station or block-house at this commanding spot, throwing up around them the earthworks which still include the two acre oblong in which the Church stands, and that, the Kentish men, aided by the King of Mercia, used the same stronghold in the fight for their rights and liberties, which is said to have taken place in the year 715. We are not aware that there is anything more substantial than tradition to support the account of the fight between Ina and Ceoldred at Coldred in the year 715, but the Saxon chronicles that in the year 649 Ina had laid a heavy tribute on the Kentish men, and it is further recorded that in 715 the Kentish men, led by Ceoldred, King of Mercia, fought against Ina at Wodnesborough, further north, near Sandwich, and it is quite probable there was a further fight at Coldred, which is a position which may be regarded as an outpost of Dover. However that may be, it has been made evident by excavations which were made some hundred and twenty years ago that Coldred was a Roman station. The urns dug up and calcined bones clearly indicated that just to the south-east of the entrenchment in which the Church stands there was a Roman burial place, and there is strong evidence in the appearance of the remains of the earthworks, and in the history of Caesar’s movements, that he strengthened this important point in order to keep the Britons in subjection, and to protect his line of communication with the coast. Right across the centre of this entrenchment, south of the Church, there is now-a public road, and when this was cut through, an ancient well was found 300 feet deep, affording a good supply of water, and that, no doubt, was sunk to supply the needs of the ancient encampment, a circumstance which points to the existence of a permanent station, such as would have been formed by the Romans rather than an earthwork thrown up for a casual conflict like that between Ceoldred and Ina. Leaving the Roman and Saxon doings, we find that at the beginning of the Norman period this parish was written in the Domesday Survey as Colret, and it was divided into two Manors— Coldred and Popeshall. The Manor of Coldred was part of the possessions of Bishop Odo, the entry relating thereto being as follows: “Ralph de Curbespine holds Colret of the Bishop. In demesne there is one curacate and a half, and six villeins, with seven borderers having two carucates. There are two servants, and four acres of pasture. It was taxed at two sulings. In the time of Edward the Confessor it was worth eight pounds, now six pounds.” From the foregoing it may be assumed that in addition to the family of Ralph de Curbespine with his servants at the mansion, there were 13 families on the land, making a population of about 75 persons, the extent of the Manor being, according to the taxation at 2 sulings, 432 acres. The other Manor of Popeshall was also in Bishop Odo’s possession, and that was held by Osbern, son of Letard, and was taxed at one suling, i.e., 216 acres, there being one villein, and four borderers, in all six families, which, if taken as representing 30 persons, would make the entire population of Coldred at that period, 105. Only 648 acres of land is accounted for, and the other part no doubt was wood and warren. Coldred Manor after the disgrace of the Bishop, went to the family of Saye until the reign of Henry III., when Jeffrey de Saye granted the Manor to the Hospital of the Maison Dieu at Dover then recently founded, and so it remained until the dissolution of religious houses at the Reformation. After that period the land was held for a time for Knight’s service, but not long after the greater part went to the See of Canterbury, and is still held by the Ecclesiastical Commissioners. The other portion of the Manor went to Richard Monins, of Saltwood, and his grandson, Sir Edward Monins, of Waldershare, died possessed of it in 1663, after which his heirs sold it to Sir Edward Furness, and after his death in 1712 his grand-daughter Catherine carried it in marriage, first to Lewis, Earl of Rockingham, and secondly to Francis, Earl of Guilford, since when it has remained in the Guilford family. The other Manor of Popeshall after the disgrace of the Bishop passed through a variety of hands. About the reign of James I. it came to the Monins family, and passed eventually to the Guilford estate in the same way as the Coldred Manor did. There used to be a Church at Popeshall. It existed in the year 1384, and its foundations a hundred years ago were said to be visible near Popeshall Manor House. One farm in this parish, Singledge, on the borders of Ewell, belonged to the Commissioners of Dover Harbour, but now it forms part of the Waldershare Estate. The air of Coldred has always been deemed salubrious, and the Rev. Edward Pettit, who was Vicar in the year 1700, told Dr. Harris, as recorded in his History of Kent, that for seven years out of thirty families in his parish he had only buried one person, and that several here had exceeded the age of one hundred years. A place with such a record can hardly be said to have derived its name from a cold and bleak situation, and it is more reasonable to assume that it was named from Ceoldred the King of Mercia, who came there to aid the Kentish men against their enemies. To bring the history of Coldred down to date, it may be mentioned that the area of the parish according to the latest computations is 1518 acres, 1130 of which is the property of the Earl of Guilford. The other principal landowners are, the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, Mr. T. W. Watson, and the Exors. of John Mabb. Of the Waldershare lands in this parish, 156 acres are attached to the Mansion, 272 acres attached to the park and 168 acres pasture. There are six farms in the parish occupied as follows: Singledge (G. Richards), Newsole (P. Richards), Coldred Farm (Mrs. Baynes), Chillie Farm (occupied by the owner, Mr. T. W. Watson), and Parsonage Farm (G. Richards). The holdings in the parish now number 52, of which 29 are dwelling houses.

Coldred Church.

This Church was described by Hasted an hundred years ago as “small and mean.” It is no larger now, but, about ten years ago, it was very thoroughly restored by Mr. W. J. Adcock, of Dover, from the plans of Mr. C. P. Loftus Brock, F.S.A., and it presents both externally and internally the appearance of having been carefully treated as a precious relic of great antiquity. The exact origin of this little church has not been definitely fixed, but that it has stood more than a thousand years is beyond question. Seven years before the last restoration, when the British Archaelogical Association visited Dover in 1883, Mr. Loftus Brock accompanied a party to visit it, when he pointed out that there was good reason for the belief that the Church had been erected in Saxon times, since the angle quoins had been formed of rough flint in very primitive fashion. These had been repaired at a later period and by different hands with Caen stone, apparently the work of early Norman builders, thus showing that the work so repaired must have been of very early date. A singular circular window in the west gable is also formed of flints, but the earliest of the other windows are loops of Norman date. The Church was again repaired in the middle of the 14th century, of which date is the nave roof, the bell turret, and a window in the south side. In the 15th century the chancel was remodelled. Other collateral evidence of antiquity is deduced from the Church being dedicated to St. Pancras, a Saint who was martyred in Rome in the 4th century, and it was to this Saint that St. Augustine dedicated a Church at Canterbury that had before been a heathen temple. During the restoration, carried out under the direction of Mr. Loftus Brock, several features of great interest were discovered and preserved. Amongst other things there was found an inscribed cross similar to the one at St. Martin’s, Canterbury. This has been built into the outside wall of the vestry for preservation. It is of very hard stone, but a small piece has been broken off the top, and nearly the one half of the cross piece on the right side is gone. It has been about a yard in length and about a foot across. On the cross piece there is a worn inscription which looks like “A.D. 137-” and the other figure broken away, and underneath is a monogram which is nearly worn away. It might have been S.P.C., (St. Pancras Coldred). The other, described as a Sepulchre cross, was rather more ornate. Although this little Church has but one bell in its little bell cot, it is a curious one of the 14th century, or only one century after bells came into general use in Churches, and this therefore is doubtless the first bell ever used at Coldred. A pretty piece of 15th century stained glass still fills the topmost opening of the east window. In fact, in the restoration of this Church the greatest care seems to have been taken to leave all the ancient features open to observation, the monuments having been carefully repaired and interfered with as little as possible. The interior of the Church has but few memorials. The oldest one we noticed was a brass on the east wall in memory of the Fyntch family, dated 1615, There is on the north wall of the nave a mural tablet in memory of Mr. Pettit, the vicar mentioned in Harris’ History of Kent as making a statement on the longevity of Coldredites. On this tablet is a Latin inscription as follows:

M. S.

Edvardi Pettit A.M., hujus et vicinea parichae de Sybertswell Vicarii; qui Susannan Stephani Pilcher, filiam uxorem duxit ex qua natisunt ei quatuor liberi, viz: Johannes, Mariae, Edvardus, Elizabethe quorum tres posteriores superstites reliquit. Obiit 20 Juni, A.D., 1709.

Translation:- (Edward Pettit to A.M., and vicinea pariche of the Sybertswell of this by the judicial vicar; Stephen Pilcher, who Susannan, the daughter of his wife, and took some of which no less from her four children, viz: that John, Mary and Edward, Elizabeth to survive, of which three latter are left. Died June 20, A.D., 1709.)

At the foot is a note inscribed as follows:-

“This tablet was restored 13th November, 1833, by Mrs. Sarah Simpson, of Bobbing Court, in this County, great-granddaughter of the above Edward Pettit, of Step Meadow, in the County of Suffolk."

In the floor of the chancel is a grey slab inscribed as follows:—

"Here lieth the body of Mrs. Mary Oekman, wife of C'apt. Ockman, of Deal, and daughter of Capt. Stephen Pilcher, of this parish. She departed thus life 18th July, 1732. Here also lieth interred the body of the above Capt. Ockman, who departed this life 4th day of July, 1740, aged 70 years."

In the vestry there is a memorial in these words:—

“The Incorporated Church Building Society granted £20 A.D. 1890, towards the repair of this church. All the seats for the free use of the parishioners according to law."

At the bottom of the Church is a brass inscribed

"This church of St. Pancras, Coldred, was restored A.D. 1890. C. B. Sherris, Vicar. C. P. Loftus Brock, F.S.A., architect. W. J. Adcock, builder."

In the churchyard, near the east end of the church, is a monument to Robert and Mary Finnis, of Popeshall, and their children. Mrs. Mary Finnis, wife of Robert Finnis, died 7th May, 1784, aged 68 years. Robert Finnis died 1st May, 1807, aged 93 years. They left five children as follows: Robert, Ann, Mary, Elizabeth, and Catherine. They died—Mary Finnis, 6th April, 1829, aged 86; Robert Finnis, 1st April, 1820, aged 75 years; Ann Finnis, 5th October, 1819, aged 79 years; and Catherine Finnis, February, 1841, aged 94. By the fact that the names were not changed, all the daughters appear to have lived and died unmarried, and if so the ages to which they respectively attained is a testimony in favour of single blessedness. Against the outside of the east wall of the Church are four ancient headstones mainly obliterated, but one appeared to be in memory of .a Pilcher, who died A.D. 1756. We did not notice in this Church any pre-reformation memorial, but the Vicar, the Rev. T. Faulkner, showed us in Shepherdswell Church a brass, on the smooth surface of which is a Latin inscription, calling upon the pious to pray for the soul of James Dering, who died 11th October, 1532. This instance of an appeal for prayers for the dead is dated just before the Reformation, and surely brass must have been accounted precious in those days, for, 128 years later, a good Protestant, for the pious purpose of hiding from view an unorthodox request, and with the laudable intent of making use of the blank side of the metal, the brass was used again, there being engraved in crude letters on the reverse side the following:-

“Heare lieth the body of Philemou Roundall, deceased ye 13 March, 1663. He was 55 years old when he died. He had one wife, one son, and six daughters.”

This curiosity is now preserved in Shepherdswell Vestry. We must not leave Coldred church without a word as to the ancient yew tree on the S.E. side of the church. How old it is no one could possibly say. It looks as though it were as old as the church. It has been fenced round with great care, and although much decayed, it may linger longer alive than any other living thing in the locality.

A yew tree of great age at the east end of Coldred church was blown down on Thursday last week. The edge of the roof of the church was slightly damaged. (Dover Express and East Kent News, Friday 17 January, 1936)

Vicars of Shepherdswell and Coldred.

The Rev. T. Falkener has in his possession a list of the Vicars of Shepherdswell and Coldred from a very early date. Down to the year 1582 the benefices were held separately, but after that date the same Vicar held both. The list for St. Pancras, Coldred, is the oldest, commencing with the year 1180. The first appointed was Radulfus “presbiter de Colrede,” and he bore the title of Rector, and so did the second, John de Birmingeham.” The third on the list, William, pres., was appointed on the same date (21st April, 1205) as the second, and he was described as “perpetual vicar.” The fourth, Simon de Waltam, was appointed in July, 1207, and he also bore the title of Rector. All these except the first were appointed by the King, the See of Canterbury being vacant. Next came two appointments, Stephen de Wycumbe, 1286, and Ralph de Langedon in 1313, appointed by the Archbishop, the Priory of Dover being vacant. Wycombe had the title of Vicar, and that has been continued ever since, and the appointments were thenceforth regularly made by the Prior and Convent of St. Martin’s, Dover, until 1534. Then the Archbishop of Canterbury appointed twice, the last being James Awcher, installed 20th July, 1582. There were in all 33 Vicars and Rectors in a period of 402 years, averaging a little over 12 years each. The office seems to have been held longest by the Simon de Waltam, the last rector, who appears to have held office 79 years, and must have been one of the early centenarians of Coldred. The list of Rectors and Vicars of Shepherdswell commences with John de Walmere, 1226, who was Rector, and held a dispensation to hold one benefice besides, “Siberswald,” The first Vicar, Richard de Worth, was admitted in 1310, the living being from that date till the Reformation in the gift of the Abbot and Convent of St. Radigunds. The whole list from John de Walmere down to the present Vicar, Thomas Falkner, includes 49 names, covering a period of 575 years, averaging about 12 years each. These lists have been carefully compiled by the Rev. T. S. Frampton.