THE DOVER EXPRESS AND EAST KENT NEWS—FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 1901

XXVII.—BARHAM.

The village of Barham is on the eastern side of Elham Valley, about a quarter of a mile from the Barham Station on the Elham Valley Railway, about four miles south-west from the Adisham Station on the London, Chatham, and Dover Railway, and nine miles north-west from Dover.

Barham Ancient.

Barham is an ancient village, having been an important centre of population in Saxon time's, and when the Conqueror’s land-grabbing brother, the Bishop of Baieux, was laying hands on the fairest Manors of East Kent, he found a particularly rich one here, which in Edward the Confessor’s days had yielded the King the annual rent of forty pounds—a very large revenue in those days. The land was taxed at six sulings; the arable land was 32 carucates. In the lord’s demesne there were 6 carucates, and 52 villeins with 20 cottages, having of land 18 carucates. There was at that time a Church, and a Mill, twenty-five fisheries, and pannage in the woods sufficient for 150 hogs. This land in the last days of the Saxons was held by Archbishop Stigand, who was deposed four years after the Conquest, and all these lands were taken possession of by the Bishop of Baieux, but he enjoyed them only a very short time, his disgrace following very closely on Stigand’s downfall. The woodlands, pastures, and arable fields of Barham then went to the Crown, and were split up into several Manors, the Barham Manor going to the See of Canterbury, and the other Manors of Broome, Shelving, and Madekin going to Knights in the King’s service. How Barham fared after the break up and during the next eight centuries is only to be discovered by carefully following the annals of the separate Manors. The earliest holder of the Manor of Barham Court has not left a very creditable record, for he was one of the murderers of Archbishop A’Beckot. This man, by name Randal Fitzurfe, who participated with three other Knights in the assassination of the Prelate, was at that time in the possession of Barham Court, but after the murder he fled to Ireland, and one of his relations, who assumed the name of Berham, took possession of the estate. The Berhams, afterwards called Barhams, held that Manor down to the time of James I, and after passing through various hands it came by marriage, about the year 1732, to Sir Edward Dering. The Derings have had foothold in Barham ever since, and the monuments in the Church, and the little hamlet to the south named Derringstone are memorials of a family that has long had a name and fame in Kent. About a century ago Barham Court was occupied by General Sir Charles Grey, K.B., who was then in command of the Southern Military District. That, however, was only a temporary occupation, and the Derings resided there again. The Manor of Broome and Diggs Court are historically associated with the well known Diggs family, of whom there were Leonard Diggs, the astronomer, Sir Dudley Diggs, of Chilham Castle, a statesman of Charles II’s time, and Thomas Digges, who in the days of Queen Elizabeth built Dover’s present inner harbour. It was a singular coincidence that Henry Matson, a subsequent owner of the Digges Court, left the property to Dover Harbour. Of the other Manors of Shelving and May Deacon there is minute personal history recorded, but not much that relates to the fortunes of the parish and village.

Barham Modern.

The history of modern Barham may be said to date from the beginning of the Nineteenth Century with a few recollections of the days before. In the year 1801, just a century ago. Barham had 751 inhabitants, scarcely so many as it may be estimated there were on these lands at the time of the Conquest. Since 1801 there has been a decided increase, but it was mainly in the early part of the century, in 1841 there were 1151 inhabitants, and in 1891 there were 1014, a falling off in 50 years of 31, but owing to the influence of the railway there is now a prospect of increase. Barham Downs situated in this parish is an extensive tract of high ground, along the lower side of which runs the Roman military way or Watling Street in a straight direction from Dover to Canterbury. In recent years upwards of 300 small tumuli have been opened on these Downs, in which Roman antiquities were found. King John massed 60,000 troops here when he was on the point of war with Philip of France, and in 1799 there were 30,000 soldiers encamped here on their way to Holland, and when the troops were mobilised to be shipped for Belgium prior to the Battle of Waterloo they had a temporary encampment here, and from hence all the way to Dover by the roadside their bivouac extended, the men sleeping in the open air while waiting for orders to embark. Here, also, the widely known Barham Downs Races used to take place, and long after they were discontinued a horse used to be taken over the course to secure the Barham Downs Plate. At the present day Barham Downs are still connected with sport—the fashionable game of Golf. The Barham Downs Golf Club have very good links, and though the Club is a small one it is enterprising, and recently the ex-champion, Harry Vardon, was engaged to play an exhibition match over the links. Mr. F. W. Morris is the Hon. Sec. of the Golf Club. On several occasions these Downs have been selected as the site for modern military manoeuvres. In proportion to the increase of Barham population, there was evidently a building boom in the early part of the Nineteenth Century, many of the now substantial houses in the village having been built about that time. The school was built in 1857, and the church was restored in 1886 at a cost of £2000. Recently there have been residences built in South Barham, and more are projected.

Barham of To-day.

Barham was never prettier than it is now. The magnificently timbered parks, the fresh green of the pastures, the venerable woods, and the outline of the uplands that enclose the valley, form an appropriate setting for the quaint old world village, that clusters round the parish church, on the upland facing the south. Even that modern innovation, the Elham Valley Railway, with its “l hope I don’t intrude” manner, keeps at a respectful distance, the modest Railway station being on a little eminence south of the village, near the pretty little hamlet of Derringstone. In describing Barham of to-day, it will be appropriate to view it from a point that a large proportion of the victors and residents now approach it; i.e from the Railway station. Looked at from there, Barham Street is grouped on the rising ground northward, against a background of woods, the spire of the church giving a characteristic finish to the picture. Turning to the south-east, the thriving little hamlet of Derringstone in Barham, is seen on the banks of the Narlbourne, and stretching across to the railway, while between these two extremes there is a far vista of parkland away towards May Deacon and Denton. Descending the Station Road, the long-slope roofs of the older part of the hamlet afford a feature of interest, while, blushing in its white sheen of novelty, is a speck-span new Mission Room, of galvanized iron, and not far from it, a neat and substantial Wesleyan Chapel. The houses in Derringstone are of all sorts, but all looking well to-do, and some of them having the appearance of being used for visitors, summer quarters for the convenience of those who come to make a short sojourn in this delightful neighbourhood during the summer. Turning northward towards the village street, the road lies in the bottom of the valley, margined eastward by meadows, through which there meanders the bed of a dried up stream. At two points where the bed of the stream crosses the road, there are erected foot bridges of a substantial kind, which look odd with no water running under them. From enquires made, we found that this dry bed is the course of a stream, which has not run during the past four years. It is mentioned by Kentish historians as the Narlbourne, and it appears to have run more frequently and in greater volume in ancient times, than now. This intermittent stream, no doubt, is supplied from reservoirs formed in the chalk hills at the Folkestone entrance to the Elham Valley, and after wet seasons the springs rise at Lyminge and Elham, and running down the valley through Derrigstone Barham, Bishopbourne, there joins the Bourne, which is the source of the Lesser Stour. The opposite side of the road from this stream bed has a broken line of houses of various sorts, farm buildings, Mr. Munday’s, grocery and drapery stores, several villas, the national schools, which are really model ones in size, style, and situation, affording accommodation for 210 children; and beyond there, at the bottom of the village street, is the Shrubbery, one of the prettiest residences in the village. From this point, the road turns at right angles, taking the name of Barham Street, which leads up to the church. This street is pretty regularly lined with substantial brick houses of varied pretentions. About half way up is the Duke of Cumberland Inn, really the hotel of the village, where visitors find excellent accommodation, whether their need be casual refreshment, or bed or board. Across the street, a little higher up, is the post office, which, in addition to doing the usual postal business, is supplied with telegraphic communication. The rectory is a pleasant residence, and near the church gate is the pretty ivy covered residence of Mr. Coltham, churchwarden. The seat of the Derings, which has belonged to that family for nearly two hundred years, abutting on the west side of the churchyard, is a very substantial mansion, which, at the present time, is in the hands of a caretaker. Other outlying parts of the parish we can only briefly mention. At Broome, there is a noble mansion, originally built by Sir Basil Dexwell, in 1620. The park is a mile and a quarter long, and has a fine entrance from the Dover road. Part of the village of Denton, and May Deacon, the ancient seat of the Fotherby family, is on the borders of the parish eastward. It can be easily imagined, therefore, that this parish, in which is centred this ancient village, and surrounded by these historic parks and mansions’ is a pleasing and interesting locality.

Barham Church.

The church of St. John the Baptist, enhanced in appearance by an elevated situation, is one of the finest in East Kent. The churchyard, approached by a picturesque wooden lytch gate, though very large, is crowded with graves, for in it repose the Barham dead of considerably more than a thousand years. They that tread the surface of God’s earth in Barham to-day must be but a handful, compared with the thousands that sleep in God’s acre, and yet little; is left to bear witness to those who have been garnered here century after century. Tomb stones, make a great show, but when examined it appears that two centuries is the extent to which they bear witness, and with the exception of the few whose memorials are within the church itself, all the rest are as though they had never been. The church, which is large, is cruciform in shape, and its style is complex. The fabric itself is very ancient, built of flint and rubble, but in all probability this is not the original church which the Saxons left in the parish. It is difficult to offer an opinion as to the exact date of the Norman period when the present fabric was raised. No doubt, it was very soon after the Conquest, but the windows are of later date, except, perhaps, the quaint little casement that looks out of the tower into the body of the church. As to the other windows, some are early English, some Decorated, and some Perpendicular. The eastern window in the Decorated style, is large, and being glazed with plain glass, the chancel is remarkably light. In the south wall, near the altar, is a piscina, now used as a credance table, and on the north side of the altar, in the east wall, is a large aumbry. The four side windows of the chancel are filled with stained glass, to the memory of the Lloyd’s, Fox’s, and Oxenden’s. The transept is lighted by large windows at each end, the north sept window is filled with handsome cartoons in stained glass of scriptural subjects, in memory of Louisa Grace, wife of George Dering, Esqr., of Barham Court, 1809, whose family lie buried there. There are other stained glass windows on the north of the nave. The body of the church consists of a nave and a south aisle, there being between them an arcade of three pointed arches on light octagonal piers, and there is a smaller arch effective in appearance between the top of the aisle and the south sept. The west part of the church has three doors, one under the tower, one that is near the bottom of the south aisle, and one that is covered by a fine north porch, which is the one used by the congregation. The tower is open at the bottom, and one of the original floors has been taken out to avoid obstructing the light from a very handsome western window. On the south wall of the east sept there is a projecting stone, on which, no doubt, there rested, before the Reformation, some shrine or image. There seems to have been a similar projection on the south side of the chancel. The font standing west of the north door, is old, and is covered with a wooden canopy. Externally the church has a striking collegiate appearance, especially on the south side, where the aisle is embattled. The spire is copper sheathed, and on the west side is a bold faced parish clock.

Memorials.

A full account of all the memorials enshrined in this church would occupy much spice. Dealing with them in brief, the most imposing one is a magnificent pyramid of marble, to the Dixwell family, which occupies a considerable portion of the south sept, the principal person mentioned in the inscriptions being Sir Basil Dixwell, who was some time Lieutenant-Governor of Dover Castle. There are, on the east wall of this sept, fine marble tablets to Sir Henry Oxenden, Bart., (who died 1838, aged 84 years), and Lady Oxenden and their sons, one of whom was originally a curate at Barham, and subsequently Metropolitan Bishop of Canada. Over Sir Henry's tablet is suspended a knight’s helmet. In the channel are mural tablets, most of them in Latin, to George Elcock, Esqr., of May Deacon, 1703; the Rev. Charles Bean, M.A., rector, 1731; to William Barne, gentleman, 1700; and to the Nethersoles, formerly of this parish. In the north sept there is a handsome marble monument, with an inscription in Latin to the Fotherbys. This sept was a chapel dedicated to St. Giles, and on the floor there is, or was formerly, a stone, on which were the figure of an armed knight and his lady. This north chapel was also the place of sepulchre of the Digges’, the Legrand’s, and the Dering’s. There is a brass on the top pier of the south aisle, in memory of Edward Long, of Out Elmstone, who died in 1888, aged 84, and of his wife and eldest son. The handsome brass lectern is also a memorial gift from the same family. By the south door are two tablets, one stating that Hesther Hannah Pearse, who died 1880, left £100, the interest of which is to be distributed in coals to the poor, and the other that John Osborn, who died 1883, left £400, the interest to be given at Xmas, to poor householders, in sums of 10s. each.

Rectors of Barham.

There is a placard at the west end of the church, giving a list of the rectors of Bishopsbourne and Barham from 1280, to until the parishes were separated in 1840. This list seems to indicate that the rectors of these united parishes were very fortunate in securing preferment. The first rector on record is Otho Caputh, 1280. A member of the Digge family was rector in 1371. Nicholas Hethe, who was rector in 1540, was made Bishop of Rochester, afterwards translated to the See of Worcester, and in 1555 was Archbishop of York. In 1544, Richard Thornden, rector, was made suffragan Bishop of Dover, his jurisdiction extending over the diocese of Canterbury, Calais, and its marches. He continued in office during the reign of Queen Mary, making the necessary modifications in his opinions, and he was the first to revive the Mass in Dover. In 1594, Richard Hooker was rector. This was “The judicious Hooker,’’ to whose memory Sir William Cooper raised a monument and dedicated some poetry. Charles Fotherby (whose family was of Barham Court) was rector in 1000, and he filled the office of Archdeacon, and subsequently that of Dean of Canterbury. Hugh Percy, instituted in 1808 became Bishop of Rochester, and was subsequently translated to the See of Carlisle, the last rector before the separation of the parishes, George Murray, was Bishop of Sodor and Man, and afterwards of Rochester. There have been four rectors of Barham since the separation of the parishes, the present rector being the Rev. J. Alcock, who has been at Barham about six years.

The Bells of Barham.

In the belfry of Barham Church, beneath its copper sheathed spire, contains four bells, of which a few particulars will be of interest; the treble is the oldest, having been cast in 1633. It is a 30½ inch bell, inscribed thus: “John Wilnar made me 1633.” This bell was cast at John Wilnar’s foundry at Borden. There are 72 of his bells in Kentish steeples at the present time. He died in 1640. No. 2, 32½ inches, is the most modern, and bears the inscription: “Thomas Mears, London, founder, 1834.” The other two bells are of the same date, and by the same founder. "No. 3, a 34 inch bell, has this inscription: “Basil Lunn, C.W. [Churchwarden], S.K. fecit me 1730.” and No. 4, a 37 inch bell, is inscribed:- "Samuel Knight made me 1730.” In the year 1758 the second bell bore the same inscription as the first, hence it is probable that in the year 1834 the second bell was recast.