KINGSDOWN

THE DOVER EXPRESS AND EAST KENT HEWS—FRIDAY, 6 JUNE, 1902.
OUR VILLAGES

LV.—KINGSDOW N

Kingsdown is a pretty and picturesque village on the sea shore, a mile and a hall from Walmer, and two and a half miles from Deal. This place was included in the charters of the Cinque Ports, described as the ville and hamlet of Kingsdowne.

EARLY HISTORY.

The early history of Kingsdown is bound up with that of Ringwould, of which parish it formed part ecclesiastically until just over fifty years ago; but in ancient times Kingsdown was a place of importance, situated at the northern extremity of the high cliffs which form the natural marine rampart from beyond Dover, and immediately opposite the Downs, which anchorage has been the natural refuge .of shipping ever since Britain had a fleet. The Romans, when they landed on the flat shore northward, seemed to have considered it necessary to seize Kingsdown in order to secure their left flank from attack, and in the valley that runs between Kingsdown and Ringwould are the remains o:: an ancient camp, which Darell says was formerly known as the Roman Codde, which was understood as meaning the strong place of the Romans; and this was held by the Knights Hospitalers until their suppression in the reign of Edward II. The lands of Kingsdown seem to have been held in early Norman times in common with the Manor of Ringwould, by Fulb<;rt de Dover, as part of the Barony of Chilbam, and this little place on the coast, even in those early times, was important, a part of the conditions under which the Manor of Ringwould was held being an obligation to protect the coast, and this obligation was particularly described in the title to the land under which Hugh de Despemer held it in the year 1360, “by the service of finding a man armed to the guard of the coast." The Kingsdown coastguard to-day are the successors of the old guard of the 14th century. For many centuries Kingsdown has been a well known fishing hamlet, and the fishermen have time out of mind had a capstan on the beach to wind up their boats, which "have always been known as the “Kingsdown boats.” while the herrings which they caught and cured have long been famous as the "Kingsdown bloaters.” But the hardy boatmen and simple fisher folk who have inhabited this hamlet in this gap of the coast are not the people about whom historians used to trouble theimelves, therefore the 1850 years from the Roman period down to the days of Mr. William Curling, •who mav be described as the patron saint of the village, are almost a complete blank as regards the real life history of the Kings-downians. From that point—the Curling period—we will take up King3down’s modern history.

KING8DOWN’S SETTING.

To prepare us to enter into the modern history of Kingsdown, we will take a glance at its surroundings—the setting of our little gem on this historic strand. Proceeding from Walmer, after passing the enclosed grounds formerly called Roseknds, the land rises towards the sea, leaving a deep valley on the west, and when the top of the ridge is reached, there is a sea view on the east. Following the path across this ridge southward, the edge of it ?s reached just on the verge of the village. Between the cliff and the sea there is a rising bank of shingle, and under the land escarpment a road that skirts the shingle leads away to Walmer Castle in the one direction, and past Kingsdown to the East Bottom rifle range on the other. The shingle bank is very extensive, and has various temporary erections on it. Since this bank was first deposited many years must have elapsed, lor the village street, which originally terminated with the gap at the edge of the1 cliff, now extends seawards cn the shingle at right angles with the shore; while northward there are here and there other houses -facing the sea, forming the beginnings of a sea front, such as eighty years ago was commenced on the shingle at Dover. Continuing southward, the path passes between the east end of the church and a house which crowns the corner of the green cliff and rejoices in the name of “The Glory of the Morning.” The gorge in which the village is built forming a rising street up to the Downb in the one direction, and down to the beach on the other is bounded on the southern side by still higher cliffs which Tise in that direction until they attain an elevation of from 200 to 300 feet, the face ¦being quite perpendicular, resembling the wall and towers of a gigantic fortress. The likeness to a wall is made more realistic by the parallel lines of dark -lints which m the distance look not unlike the brick bonding courses of Roman masonry. Following the cliff a short distance westward, there is another gap opening into East Bottom, from whence a valley runs towards Dover Castle ; while the cliffs in the east of that hollow rise to grand heights in the direction of St. Margaret’s Bay. Looking at the prospect from the high spur on the west of the village, where the Kingsdown Cliff Estate is being laid out, the scenery charming. and basking in the sunshine, the little fishing hamlet, which is rapidly being transformed into a visitors' summer resort, looks like a jewel in very appropriate setting.

KINGSDOWN OF TO-DAY.

Referring to Kingsdown of to-day, it should be understood that we also include the past days which cover its modern his-tonr, since the late Mr. William Curling and his good lady showed a kindly interest in the place, now more than fifty years ago. Inasmuch as everything at Great Mongeham is said to date from the year 1851, when the Rev. Edward Penny began his

church restoration there 30, in a much stricter sense, modera Kingsdown dates from the Curling period. At the censuB of 1841 there were at Kingsdown 48 houses and 254 inhabitants. There was at that time no church and no school, but there was a beer house. Samuel Bagshaw wrote his Gazetteer of the towns and villages of Kent shortly after that census and in enumerating the principal people »n Kingsdown out of the 48 householders, he only mentions five, namely William Curling, Esq., Mr. Leonard Patterson, Mr George Pittick (farmers). Mr. R. 13. Arnold, beer house keeper, and Mr James Laker, gyocer Mr Curling Was at that time the squire of the hamlet, and he feelin? the responsibility of his position, made up his mind that the beer house should not be Uie only open door in Kingsdown He first of all "built on the southern side of the village street a school. He saw the need, without waiting for public 3U^cnptions or Government aid. he put his hand into his own pocket and provided for the educational need of the place handsomely. The building stands back sufficiently to allow an ample enclosed playground in from, and it is constructed not only n a substantial manner but in good style and not devoid of ornamentation. It must have been one of the prettiest little village schools in Kent
at that period; it looks well to-day, and is I more than equal to the local demands of Elementary Education. It contains school accommodation for 109 children, which, at the time it was built, was nearly enough for I half the entire population of the place, and is still much in excess of the educational requirements of the village as laid down by the Board of Education. That school was built in 1843, and the Jubilee thereof was duly celebrated nine years ago. It was a great benefit to the village and there are now in the place men and women with silver threads in their hair, who remember the kind interest that Mrs. Curling took in this early effort for the Kingsdown rising generation, for it should be mentioned that although as a matter of course the liberality is ascribed to Squire Curling, the squire’s wife had a considerable share both in initiating and carrying on the work. When the school was well under way, Mr. and Mrs. Curling began to seriously think that something should be done for the up-grown people. They were at that time in advance of the parent parish of Ringwould in respect of elementary education, and it did not seem right that the people should have to traverse the bleak downs in all j weathers to go to a place of worship, and 1 the distance constituted a very valid ex- j cuse to the people to absent themselves altogether from public worship. In 1849 the church which crowns the elevation north of the village street was commenced, and by the year 1850 it was finished and a most pleasant parsonage erected adjoining the village school. All this, too, was done at Mr. Curling's expense, the total expenditure, exclusive of the school, being £4,500. The Curlings of Kingsdown have now gone to their rest, and there is none of them now left in the village ; but their names embodied inthe fabric of the church will never die. The Curlings’ residence was Kingsdown House, which is still the principal house of the village. During the time that they were preparing to build the school—that is, in 1842—Kingsdown had the honor of a visit from the late Queen Victoria and her Consort, Prince Albert, but Her Majesty’s visit was not to Kingsdown House.

“The bird that soars on highest wing, 1 Builds on the ground her lowly nest.

In like manner the Queen, being on a visit to the great Duke of Wellington at Walmer Castle, and being caught in a shower while walking on the Kingsdown beach, took shelter in a lowly fisherman’s hut of Thomas Erridge. Her Majesty was so unassuming and chatted so pleasantly with the fisherman and his wife, that they had no idea that they had been entertaining royalty unawares, until, after a short interval, the aged couple received notice of a pension for life. The Kingsdown recipients of that Royal bounty are now no longer in need of life pensions, but the memory of the Queen s graciousness is still a tradition in Kingsdown. Mr. William Curling only lived three years after building the church. He died at the age of fourscore years on the 4th May, 1853, and was buried in a vault on the south sidei of the sacred edifice. Mrs. Curling, who lived to put a touching memorial over her husband’s tomb, not long after took her place beside him. The next resident at Kingsdown House was Mr. Thomas Sydenham Clarke, who took an interest in the place, and after his death in July, 1873, Mrs. Clarke erected as a memorial to him, the Kingsdown Reading Room, which is situated on the beach a few yards from the Church. This is another open door for Kingsdown. This room, which is now under the secretaryship of Mr. T. P. Beavan, has in it seats for about fifty persons when the forms are arranged as they would be for a meeting or lecture, but for the ordinary purposes of a reading room so many could not be, at one time, accommodated. The table is supplied with the “Shipping Gazette,” two daily newspapers, weekly newspapers and periodicals, including A-shore and Afloat,” and Miss Agnes Weston s Monthly Letter. There is a library attached, and a charge is made to visitors in the season both for the use of the room and for the library to defray expenses. Kingsdown House, after the Clarkes time, became the residence of Sir John Mellor, Justice of the Queen’s Bench, who for several years kept up the traditions of Squire of the village, but dying in the year 1887. Kingsdown House was subsequently given up, and next the present Souire of the village came in the person of Sir Robert T. Reid, K C. who was Attorney-General in the last Liberal Admin-istration. As to the present day Paul's of the villagers, talks -with several of the inhabitants indicated that things are: m a transition state. Kingsdown is not wholly a fishing village now, and it would not be possible to make such a brave show of luggers as was seen from Kingsdown beach dur-fng the time of Queen ^ictorias visit , to Walmer. The men who follow a seafaring life here are as brave as of yore, as has been proved often by the lifeboat crew, who for years past under Mr. James Laming, coxswain, have fearlessly manned the lifeboat in all weather when signals of distress called them on: and as a stimulus to duty they have long been cheered and inspirited by their good secretary, "The Bishop of the Downs," the Rev. T. S. Treanor. . Nevertheless, the community now instead of be ng entirely composed of men who l^e bythe water, lodging houses have become a considerable source of income; and althougn there are still Kingsdown boats and Kingsdown bloaters, the village has now » second string to its bow. In the future it seems probable that the lodgings for visitors and villas for residents will increase, for at the top of the village street where the highspur of land overlooks the Downs-the long-famed anchorage of the Fleet—there has recently been acquired land whichi ha*i beeni laid out as the Kingsdown Cliff Biding Rtate-J oi+e for marine residences that it would not be easy to surpass. The sale of the land in 150 plots has been conducted by Messrs. Protheroe and Morris this week, and although possibly some of the plots may have been purchased with the speculalive aim of holding the same for the sake of the unearned increment” which will be sure to accrue; others in all probability will have bought with the intent of immediately building, and in that case there will be a new element and a rapid increase of the

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beerhouse on the shore was kept by an Arnold as long ago as 1842; it was kept by an Arnold in 1895, and it appears from the register of householders now in force that it ia kent by an Arnold now. That is a very honourable record for a licensed victualler, and the Rising Sun must have been very respectably managed to have been kept in

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paring8them^with^the1 liBt ofhouseholders of Hay. of the Curling there appear to be none Patterson and Pittock have still representatives left, and of the Arnolds there are no less than nine registered householders. but the fifth name. Laker, seems to have disappeared. Since the davs when the Rising Sun did all the victualling trade, there has been ft great increase of competition Tn our perambulation we did not notice all the
“houses,” but from a Directory it appears that the list now consists of the Rising Sun, The Victory, The Zetland Arms, and The King’s Head. If the new estate on the cliff should also produce an hotel site, which is usual m such developments, Kingsdown will be well supplied. In the matter of population, Kingsdown has made a very decided advance during the last fifty years, but during the last ten years, notwithstanding its new houses, the population has declined, the number in 1891 having been 437, and in 1901 it was 387. This decrease (like a similar but not so large falling off at the adjacent seaside resort of St. Margaret’s) is no doubt in a great measure due to the fact that the population is enumerated at a period of the year when the visitors are all away. That this set-back will soon be made up again is probable, not only from the signs on the new estaite already referred to, but also from some very desirable new residences which are now in the course of erection. There may be changes and flucuations at Kmgsdowu, but the place shows no signs whatever of decay.

KINGSDOWN CHURCH.

The Church at Kingsdown we have already mentioned was built by the late Mr. Curling m the year 1850, and at that time for ecclesiastical purposes Kingsdown was formed into a separate parish. As we walk in the neatly kept churchyard which surrounds the House of Prayer on the cliff edge, by the memorials of the dead in the form of headstones, and the still more numerous mounds which have no memorials at all. we are reminded that although the fabric of Kingsdown Church looks new, those wfio are at rest under the shadow of its walls are more numerous than the living population. Amongst the many inscriptions to the memory of the departed, we select one from a plain slab built into the south external wall near the cast end of the Church, over the entrance to a vault. It runs as follows: — “In this family vault are deposited, in hope of a joyful resurrection, the mortal remains of William Curling, Esq., of this parish, who died 4th May, 1853, in the 80th year of his age. He erected and endowed at his sole expense this Church and school and parsonage. To pereptuate hie memory his widow has erected a tablet in this Church to point to his example and to offer a last tribute of well-merited esteem and devoted affection. He being dead yet speaketh." The Church is a very substantial stone building in the decorated Gothic style, and consists of a chancel, nave, south porch, and western bell gable containing two bells. This bell gable, the east end, and the porch apexes terminate with crosses, and there is over the outer gate of the porch a handsome canopied nich vacant. It was built there with the intention of placing in it a sculptured figure of St. John, to whom the Church is dedicated, but Mrs. Curling had scruples concerning the erection of images of any sort in connection with the Church, and so the nich has nothing in it. But the architect was not entirely baulked in his desire to introduce the sculptor’s art. The entrance to the porch has a richly moulded arch supported by round shafts with ornnmented caps, and the hood moulding terminates on the east side with a head which represents her late Majesty Queen Victoria, a-:d on the west another head representing Archbishop Summer, who was the Archbishjp of Cauler-bury at the time the Church was consecrated. The edifice within is nicely furnished with seats, which with the exception of the Kingsdown House and the Vicarage pews, are open. The Church is lighted by ten handsome windows, four on each side, one at the east, and another at the west,and several of them are handsomely filled with stained glass as memori ials. The four light stained glass East window, presented by the founder, is divided into compartments illustrative of scenes in the life of Christ. There is a memorial window subsequently erected for Mr. Curling, the subject of which is the raising of Lazarus. Another window is in memory of Mrs. Curling, the subjects of which are St. John at Patmos. and the Last Supper. There are two windows dedicated to the memory of Mr. Curling’s brothers, the subjects of which are Faith and Hope. Another window has representations of the Good Shepherd, and of Christ walking o:a the sea. This one is in memory of members of the Curling family, the one being a young man buried at sea, and the other a child buried in the family vault. There are two memorial windows for Mr. T. S. Clarke’s daughters, Mrs. Gordon Douglas and Mrs. Williamson. Another memorial window is for Mr. Matthews, a solicitor, of London, the subjects being St. Peter and St. Paul. Most of these windows were put in by Messrs. Clutterbuck. It will be seen that although this Church has none of its interest derived from antiquity, it is very rich in its memorials, which are not lacking in either interest or beauty. Turning from the material fabric to those who have held the cure of souls here, the record is a short one. The first Vicar was the Rev. Robert Charlton, who held the vicarage 12 years, and was then promoted to the Rectory of Althorpe in Lincolnshire; he was succeeded by the Rev. Edwin Badger, B.A., who, appointed in 1862, still holds his place in the village and in the hearts and affections of the people, having been the Vicar for a period of forty years. Of the events of that long ministry we cannot enter into details, but two should be mentioned, the Jubilee of the Schools, and the Jubilee of the Church, and there seems reason to hope that another local jubilee, that of the highly esteemed Vicar, may in due time be celebrated.