STOWTING

THE DOVER EXPRESS AND EAST KENT NEWS-FRIDAY, 3 OCTOBER, 1902.
OUR VILLAGES

LXXII.—STOWTINQ

Stowting is a village occupying a recess in the south side of the chalk downs which branch off from the sea cliff at Folkestone hill, and continuing inland, forming the backbone of Kent. The parish is bounded on the east by Stone street, on the south by Monk’s Horton, on the west by Bra-bcurne, and on the north by Elmsted. The area is 1623 acres.

STOWTING MANOR.

The whole of the lands in this parish were ancinetly included in the one manor, the Court.leet and Court Baron for the Hundred and Manor of Stowting being held until recent years. The lands were held by Agelric Bigge in the time of Canute, and in the second year of Edward the Confessor Agelric presented them to Christ Church, Canterbury; and in Domesday Survey the Manor was entered as the Archbishop’s lands, then held by the Earl of Ewe. In the reign of Henry II. the tenants under the Archbishop were the family of Heringod, and early in the reign of Henry III. Stephen de Heringod obtained a grant of a weekly market held on Tuesdays, and there is still a place in the parish called “The Pean,” which was the ancient market place. There was also established at the same time a fair, held annually for two days—the eve and the day of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary—really a feast in honour of the dedication of the church. On the 15th October, 1257, there was an inquisition at Westminster on a writ issued to enquire how much land Stephen Heringod held, of what service, what it was worth, and who were his heirs. The jury of twelve gentlemen seem to have been selected from the neighbourhood of Stowting. They found that Stephen Heringod held of the King in capite the Hundred of Stowting by service of 20/-a year, and further by the service of six men and one constable to guard the passage of the sea at Sandgate. He held the Manor of Stowting from the Lord of Elham by service of one'knight’s fee, and .that the Manor was worth in rents £30 19s. 9d. a year, besides the yearly perquisites of the Manor Court. That he held the lands of Stanford of the Lord of Sybeton by the service of one pair of gilt spurs. The jur^ also found that Stephen Heringod was the true patron of the churchi of Stowting, and that it was worth 15 marks per annum, and that William Heringod ,his son and heir, was 40 years old. The Heringod family were good benefactors of Horton Priory, it appearing from its register that the above-named Stenhen and his wife Wimara gave to it their lands in this parish called Stuttin-brigge. which gift was confirmed by their children and grandchildren. The Manor was carried in marriage by Christiana Her-introd to Walter de Kirkby. who farmed the whole Hundred from the King, holding it as one knight’s fee. He dying in the 30th year of Edward I. the Manor soon after passed to Robert de Burghersh. Lord Warden of the Cinoue Ports He dving the 34th year of the feign of Edward I. was succeeded in this Manor by his son Stephen, who obtained a charter of free warren for the Manor, and he died in the 3rd year of Edward II. Soon after, Walter de Paveley came into possession, and dying 17 years later, was succeeded by Thomas de Aldon. who in the Book of Aid is given as a contributor to the Aid for making the Black Prince a knight. He died 15 years after, and Sir Walter de Paveley, K.G., came into possession : but dying after holding it 14 years, it passed to his grandson of the same name, who in the third year of Richard II. released it to Sir Stephen de Valance. w;ho passed it to Sir Thomas Trivet, who dying ir the 12th vear of Henry VI.. his heiress. Elizabeth, wife of Edward Nevill (fourth son of Ralph Earl of Westmoreland), better known as Lord Bergavennv. entitled her husband to it. Their son George sold the Manor to Sir Thomas Kempe. whose youngest son. Thomas Kempe, Bishop of London, succeeded to the possession. He died 4th Henrv VTT . succeeded bv Sir Thomas Kempe. K B., nenhew of the Bishop, who died 13th Henrv VTTI. He was succeeded bv Sir William Kempp. who died 31st. Henrv VTTI.. succeeded bv Sir Thomas Kempe. of Olnntiph. He was a verv great man in this part of Kent in the reicm of Elizabeth and was one of the Committee. presided ever bv the Lord Warden of t** Cinoue Ports, to report on the defences of East. Kent pri^r to thp arrival of the Spanish \rmarla This familv remained the Lords of the Man*," of Stowting until the time of James T. For a short tim® the Lordship passed to .Tosias Clerke. of West erfi eld. Essex: but in time of Charles T the prou®rtv was sold to Mr. Thomas Jenkin, a gentleman of
I Eythome. There is ample evidence of the reign of this family at Stowting, from the time of the Stuarts to the days of Queen Victoria. They are descended from a family of this name in the north of England, from whence, they came to Kent and settled in Folkestone about the reign of Henry VIII. In the chancel of Stowting Church there is a memorial brass for Thomas Jenkin, of Stowting, gent., obit 1657, aged 49, who had by Margaret his wife, daughter of Thomas Jenkin, of Folkestone, five sons and nine daughters; and a monument, for their son, Thomas Jenkin,of Stowting, obit 1674. and for Eleanor, his wife, obit 1695. by whom he had Thomas, an only son; and a memorial for Rose, their only daughter, who died single. 1697. aged 27. The pedigree of this family is in the visitation of the County of Kent. 1619. The Manor has continued in the Jenkin family until the present time. Mrs. Jenkin, widow of the late Professor Fleeming Jenkin. is still the Lady of the Manor of Stowting. Stowting Court, now modernized, where the family resided for centuries, is no\y occupied bv a tenant, Mr. R. Bowes.

ANTIQUARIAN NOTES.

Of Antiquarian lore Stowting has some interesting records. The Rev. F. Wrench, the rector who preceded the present one, wrote an account of this parish in 1845, describing some Angle-Saxon remains found here. He says: “ There was a park at Stowting in 1570, and by a MS. in the Surrenden Library, it appears that long before it was disparked and laid open, several urns were found lying in a trough of stone. Dr. Gale, in his Comment on Antoninus’ Itinerary, says Roman coins have been discovered in the parish at different times. This account was confirmed in 1836. Some men were digging stones at a place called the Pean (supposed to have been the ancient market place), and found coins of Carausius < and Licinius; and during the month of January, 1844, while making a new road through the parish field (in order to make the ascent to the Common more easy) skeletons were discovered, together with arms, brooches, beads, and other ornaments. The skeletons were found from two to four feet below the surface embedded in chalk. One, which was most carefully uncovered so that no bone might be displaced, was a perfect female skeleton, measuring five feet two inches: under the neck were many very small vellow clay beads, a wire ring, and two double green beads, and a small gilt coin. These interesting relics of the former inhabitants of Stowting were exhibited before the Society of Antiquaries, when Mr.

C. Roach Smith pronounced them to be Anglo-Saxon remains of the sixth or seventh century. The little coin found under the female skeleton Mr. Smith pronounced to be a rude imitation either of a Byzantine or Merovingian coin, such as were in circulation in . the sixth century. He considered that this burial place had been used for a long succession of years and not foimed, as conjectured by some, for such an emergency as would arise from the result of a. battle, the careful disposal of the bodies -male and female-witfi ornaments and weapons, being indicative of peace rather than of war. All the most important articles found in ttie parish field were engraved on three sheets, impressions of which the present rector has courteously supplied to us. Generally thev may be said to consist of swords, heads of spears, knives, glass bc-ads of various colours, earrings, fibulas of silver gilt artistically ornamented, parts of buckles, bosses of shields, urns, several coins, part of a pail, and a large copper basin. This latter, found resting on the breast of a skeleton, had been carefully mended in several places, and the period of reparations is curiously confirmed by the little metal plates used, being fragments of some other vessel bearing the figures of minstrels, grotesque animals, and other designs undisputablv Anglo-Saxon. A discovery was also made at Stowting of a quantity of large brass Roman coins about the year 1790. They were ploughed up in the Ten-acre Field on the Dunder land. They appear to have been buried in a square wooden box. About 100 of them came into the possession of Mr. Andrews, but the greater part were dispersed. Those which Mr. Andrews possessed in 1845 were of the reigns of Har-drianus, Aurelius, Faustina Junior. Com-modus, and Severus. Few Kentish parishes have been more rich in Roman and Anglo-Saxon discoveries than Stowting. Mr. John Brent, F.S.A., in the year 1870 explored a tumulus on Mountain hill, Cage hill, in the parish Of Stowting. In his account read before the Society of Antiquaries, Mr. Brent says he found near the surface portions of a British urn of reddish clay, lying evidently out of the place of their original deposit. Small knobs projected under the rim of the vessel perforated by minute clear cut holes. About two feet lower, what appeared to be a flint flake and the charred blade-bone of a sheep or pig were found on a floor of wood ashes. Mr. Brent considered this indicated some sacrifice or funeral feast. Mr. Brent came to the conclusion that this tumulus had been opened before and the top taken off. There used to be pointed out north-west of the church the “ Castle field." planted with firs, surrounded by a double moat. The moat is now nearly 'filled up, and the memories of the oldest inhabitants and the local records are alike a blank as to its origin.

RAMBLE THROUGH STOWTING.

Stowting is a village which leaves a pleasant impression on. the visitor, and we can well imagine that those who have been “to the Manor bom” must find their affection." clinging thereto. It nestles in the bosom of thrt hills, lies warm in the southern sun, and sheltered from the northern blasts Approaching it from Stone Street the road skirts the north of Horton Park, and from thence the "white way,” passing over a ridge, leads down into the deep quiet valley where one group of the Stowting houses gathers round the church. The houses are mostly old, and some very quaint. The Manor house is near the church, and nearer still are the National schools, handsome and well-constructed buildings erected in 1847, and enlarged in 1894. These adjoin the churchyard, which has a convenient approach. and is so nicely kept as to be an ornament to the village. Although there is a considerable descent from the north and the east into Stowting village, and notwithstanding that from the Common and the road leading from Horton Park the village lies in a hollow, the lowest part of it is between 200 and 300 feet above sea level: that is around about the Anchor Inn and Stowting Court. The church, which stands on ground which it is believed was artificially raised for the purposes of making a stronghold in Anglo-Saxon times,, is on a 300 feet level, and the rectory is rather more elevated. Looking north-east and northwest from the rectory the hills rise rapidly., r.n the east to over 600 feet, and some portions of Stowting Common are rather higher. The Brahourne Downs, curving round trorn the north-west, terminate with a spur not far from the church, where the elevation is 570 feet. This variation of the land affords pictnresoue beautv. which is the perpetual heritage of Stowting. Near the church, at an elevation of about 250 feet, rises the Stowting ' stream, which flows south throuerh Horton Broad s+r-^t and contributes its waters to the Old Stour coming from Post-ling. below Sellinge. From Stowting there are two wavs onward, one on the level passing the Anchor, thp Court Lodge, and Church Lod*e. which is tb*> neatest wav to 1 Braboume. A more difficult road but more
interesting is the one that after passing the rectory ascends to the top of the Common. There is a narrow lane from the back of the tectory which leads up the hill eastward and joins Stone street. Going northward the Load passes Mercer Farm, the residence of Mrs. Andrews (daughter of G. Fielding, Esq., of Dover), and near it Rose Cottage, the residence of Mr. Birch. On the hill side close to the residence of Mrs. Andrews, is the parish field, where the Anglo-Saxon discoveries were made in 1844. There is uo record whatever as to how the parish field came into the possession of the parish authorities. As we pass up the hill to the Common, a backward look shows Stowting nestling round the church, embowered with tall trees. Forward is the Common, bare and bleak, and Limridge Green with its scattered houses. Here the road turns southward across high ground, the fields on the east of the road having groves of trees extending down towards Stowting church. Further the road becomes rough, dipping down precipitously into Brabourne. In looking over Hasted's “ Present State of Stowting,” written about 113 years ago, there does not appear any very great change to have taken place during the interval. Ke-ferring to Stowting Common he wrote : “In this part the hills are very sharp and fre-auent, the soil barren and very flinty, consisting of chalk or poor reddish earth, mixed with quantities of flint stones; and here and there is much rough ground and poor coppice wood, and a very comfortless and drearv country which continues for several [biles northward, on each side of the Stone street way to Canterbury, throughout which, if the country cannot boast wealth, yet it can of being exceeding healthy, as all the hills and unfertile parts of this county in eeneral are. Below the Church, in the vale the soil is rather more fertile, though still inclined to chalk, having much pasture ground in it, and some few hops on a piece of land belonging to Stowtine Court, which thrive exceedinglv well ” We noticed that there are now some hop-gardens at Stowting. but we should say that generally the place is more pleasant and the lands more productive than Hasted pictured them a century ago.

STOWTING CHURCH.

The parish Church of Stowting, dedicated to St. ‘Mary, consists of a chancel, nave, north aisle, western tower, and a north annexe to the chancel, which serves both as an organ chamber and a vestry. When Hasted wrote in 1790 the north aisle did cot exist, and in place of the present tower there was a turret of wood surmounting and projecting over the lower part, which was built of bricks. This Church, which has undergone many changes in the present century, was unquestionably a Church of Norman origin. Parts of the circularheaded Norman chancel arch with zig-zag ornaments are still preserved in the Rectory garden. The Church is mentioned m Domesday Book, and is believed to have been built soon after the Conquest There is now no prominent feature which can be said to be Norman, but an eminent architect informed the Rev. Archer Upton, the present Rector, that he tracedLNorman work m the wall, facing the n^t, supporting the north side of the present chancel arch. There is in the vestry window a very interesting fragment of 14th century eolored glass The chancel has now a pointed gothio arch, the inner part resting on enriched corbels terminated with heads, and the main part resting on solid piers. The chancel is two steps up from the nave, ana the north wall is pierced by a pointed arch making a recess, in which is placed the organ, and behind a handsomely carved screen the vestrv. The chancel is lighted by four windows, one on the north, and two on the south, all lancets, deeply splayed, and undoubtedly very ancient, ihe eastern window is modern, and has taken the place ot a triplet of lancets of Early English date. The new window was put in by the Bev. F. Wrench, when he was Kector, from a design which he copied up the Rhine. It is a very tine three-light, with flamboyant tracery, filled with stained glass of geometrical pattern. hut although it presents much to be

Norman ’ Church ™’On thesouWS o'lV Holv Table is a piscina, and the sill of the most eastern south window is carried down so as to form a sedilia with three graduated stone seats. The Holv Table is a very fine example of workmanship, made out ofa Stowting oak. showing a beautiful gram. The communion rail has its history. As a communion rail it is comparatively modern. It formed the balustrade of a stair-case in a verv old house in Horton Park, which was sold soon after Lord Rokeby’a death jut £ hundred years ago. The rail is of sol d oak and the balusters are handsomely turned, admirably adapted to the purpose to

panels The four central panels have four emblematical figures artistically formed rf finelv colored marble mosaic work Each panel has' a trefoil head, and the divisioM kre small round shafts. The floor of the sanctuary is laid with encaustic tile*, and the choir stalls in the chancel have richly carved heads. The pulpit, which was put in about fiftv years ago. is of teak, a present from a Sunderland shin yard. It is artistically constructed, and running Tound i are twelve niches intended for figures, and the first nich next the pulpit entrance is filled with a figure of John the Baptist Both the chancel and the nave are furnished with barrel ceilings, put in at different times in recent vears. Attached to th*» navP 19 a north aisle, which has been added during the last century, divided from the nave bv three pointed arches on octagonal pillars.
The north wall is now pierced by two light lancet windows, but before the addition of the aisle there was in the north wall the large three-light perpendicular window filled with stained glass, which is now the principal feature of the south wall. This is called a Stowting window in memory of a family of that name said to have resided in the parish, although Hasted’s records do not mention one. It is to the memory of Richard S'.otyn and Juliana his wife, whose figures are represented kneeling at the base of the central light, while their children are kneeling at the base of the two outside lights, five on each side. The three large cartoon:, are said to represent (1) John the Baptist in the centre, (2) St. James of Com-postella on the left, and (3) St. Augustine, Archbishop of Canterbury, a.d. 597, on the right. The date of the window is supposed to be about 1500. The designs and the coloring of the glass are examples of fine workmanship. more especially the canopies. Before its removal from the north side, the window seems to have been damaged, and the 1at< Rector, the Rev. Frederick Wrench, superintended its removal and re-erection with trr^at care, but only undeciphered fragments of the inscriptions remain. Hasted, who appears to have visited the Church when the window was in its original position, says there was at the foot this invocar tion: “ Orate pro animabus Richardi Stotyn ct Juliana uxoris.” On the west side of the door in the south wall is another painfed window in two lierhts. The one division represents Tubal Cain as worker in brass and iron: and the second as the inventor of musical instruments, represented as playing on a harp of ancient design. The coloring of the window, and the strength of character evolved in Tubal Cain is remarkable.

A Latin inscription on a brass at the foot rccords the birth and death of Henrietta Camilla Jenkin (wife of Henry Charles Fleeming Jenkin), in whose memory this window is erected. A small square stone on the west wall has this inscription: “In memory of Arthur Thomas Upton. Patron of the living. This portion of the Church was restored bv his widow and three sons, a.d. 1877.” Hieh up in the west wall are three small windows with colored glass, all of which seem ancient, especially the central one. Reference has been made to the wooden turret which was formerly at the west end. It has been replaced by a stone built tower (in which there are four hells), the opening to which is at the bottom of the north aisle. The old turret had sufficient strengih in its timbers to have stood for centuries longer, a considerable porting of the oak beams taken out of it having been used by the patron. Mr. Archer Thomas Upton, in restoring the porch, which forms a fine and spacious anteroom to the sacred edifice. There is in it a small brass inscribed: "This porch was restored by Archer Thomas Upton 1873. Archer Upton, Rector, and J. B. Andrews and T. Birch, Churchwardens.” Amomrst other memorials in the Church not already mentioned are the following: On the north wall of the chancel are two tablets. The lower and smallest one has a coat of arms and an inscription “T. Jenkin, Esq., died 1716. Mrs. D. Jenkin died 1717 at Burwish.” The upper tablet has “Near unto this place lieth the body of Thomas Jenkin, rent., obit. 1657, 49 years old, being proprietor and living in Stowting Court, &c He had five sons and nine daughters." Over these tablets is a very fine large white monument to the memory of members of the Jonkin family. The death of one member is given as 1634. and another 1693. There are tombstones in the floor both in the chancel and the nave. On the south wall of the chancel is a tablet to the memory of Mary Buxton, only daughter of Jacob and Maii Wrench, born 1799, obit 1886, buried in this churchyard. Also on the north wall of th.- chancel is a brass “ to the memorv of the Rev. Frederick Wrench, 30 years Rector . He restored, added to, and embellished this Church, built the adjoining schorls, and partially restored St. Mary’s Church, Stanford.” A window over the brass was placed as a memorial by his daughter and his sister. He died in 1880. The Mibiect of the painted window is Christ the Good Shepherd. There are in the north aisle memorial windows for members of the Andrews. Upton, and Jenkin families. The font in the north aisle is massive and ancient. To the Cburchvard we can ci.lv refer generally. The two large yew trees of ereat aee mentioned hv Hasted still flourish, and there are many interesting memorials.

RECTORS OF STOWTING.

Many of the Rectors of Stowting seem to have field their position for long periods, therefore the list is short, and its brevity arises to some extent from omissions. William de Montes was Rector in the reign of Henry III., presented by Stephen Heringod. According to the register of Horton Priory, this patron sold to the Rector hie land in Stowting for 40/-, one brigantine, one pair of armed coverings for the legs, and an iron collar for the neck. John Alderton was presented to the living in 1589 by the Crown. He was also Vicar of Hougham. Thomas Wood was Rector from 1593 till 1605, presented by Sir Thomas Kempe. Richard Allen, presented by the same matron, came in in 1605 and continued till 1633. Reginald Ansell followed, and died in 1679. John Ansell was next., obit 1725. He was presented by hi3 mother, but he himself was the real patron. James Cranston. M.A., was inducted in 1725, and died 1771. George Holgate, L.L.B.. was presented by Mr. James Cranston of Hasting;. in 1771. The Rev. F. Wrench was inducted about the year 1843. and was succeeded hv the present Vicar, the Rev. Archer Upton, M.A., in 1873.