Lympne Castle and St Stephen's Church

( 436 ) LYMNE* CASTLE AND CHURCH. BY CANON SCOTT ROBERTSON. OF Lymne Castle, or the Archdeacon's House, the outer walls remain very much, as they were, when the building was first erected, in the reign of Henry V. The interior has been greatly changed, to fit it for the residence of a modern farmer. The Hall (once open from floor to roof ridge) has been divided into two stories of rooms. Its four tall arched windows (two looking north, and two south) with their transoms, which divided the two lights of each into four arched lights, and the tracery in their heads, have been transformed into the plainest possible windows for bedrooms above, and sitting rooms below. Nevertheless, we still see complete, upon the north side, the porch of entrance with its handsome outer archway, and the room above it. Prom the porch the " screen " passage passes straight through to the south door. East of the passage stands the large kitchen; and, above it, a fine large room, approached by a, roomy turret-stairway of stone. West of the passage, stood the Hall, beyond which (further west) were the private rooms for the master of the house. Still further west, stands the defensive tower with its semi-circular western face in which some original windows remain. This tower in its main plan is square and roomy, but, as our illustration shews, its western face is semi-circular—somewhat resembling the gatehouse towers at Saltwood Castle. The roof of the castle is protected by battlements on the east, south, and west. This was really the Parsonage House, but it has been called the Court Lodge also. Archbishop Lanfranc (1070-93) severed Lymne Church, with its glebe lands, its tithes, and its advowson, from the revenues of the Archiepiscopal See, and gave them all as an endowment for the Archdeacon of Canterbury. Probably the early Archdeacons resided here. * The name of this Parish is now commonly spelt " Lympne." Where the p has come from it is difficult to ascertain. Certainly in the Middle Ages it was not used. Hasted adopts " Limne " as the right orthography. Somner and Battely write it "Lymne," &¥.'•£ ;' c « E u a EH « w" •^< H t- Ex) .— o 33 LYMNE CASTLE AND CHURCH. 437 In later times the place was let. In 1790, William Glanvill Evelyn, Esq., was the lessee of them. He held them from the Archdeacon on a lease for three lives; and the lease enumerated this house (or castle or court lodge) with its yards and appurtenances ; the great tithes of Lymne and of West Hythe; 112 acres of arable and pasture land, and forty acres of woodland in Lymne, with other land in West Hythe and Stanford. Archdeacon Croft kept all these in his own hands and farmed the land. They are now in the possession of the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, whose surplus income is devoted to the increase of the stipend of poorly endowed benefices in thickly populated places. The Advowson of the Vicarage has always been retained by the successive Archdeacons of Canterbury. Within the parish stands the ruined Chapel of St. Mary at Court-at-Street, or Bellirica, and attached to it is the ruined Church of West Hythe, at the foot of the hill on which Lymne Church stands. Lymne Church, dedicated to St. Stephen, h.;,s a very remarkable central tower of early Norman work. It may be compared with that of St. Lawrence in Thanet. Originally it had on the interior no northern arch, as the church had no north aisle, and its western arch was evidently lower, and round-headed. In fact, the Norman church consisted of a simple nave, central tower, and a chancel. The chancel, probably was much shorter than that now existing. Prom the nave, at present, we can see, above the existing tower-arch, three Norman windows (now blocked up), which in the twelfth century were open to the sky, above the level of the nave's Norman roof. Similar windows are visible (now also blocked) upon the same level, on the exterior of the south and north sides of the tower. Upon a lower level, in the tower's north wall, and in its south wall there was, originally, a central Norman window, of small size. Of these, the southern window's jambs and head still remain, blocked up, but visible, west of the existing window of two lights. The stonework of the northern window was mainly destroyed when an Early English arch was opened into the Early English north aisle, a little before or after A.D. 1200; but the round hea" nf +.T->ia Urnman nnvt.b window cam still be tracfid. a.hovi J- apex of the Early Jdlnglisn arcn. In the tower's east wall a central Norman -™ • •» t • _ i J. 1 - _J ? i / i _• ridge. 438 LYMNE CASTLE AND CHURCH. Prom the nave, we can now see the north-western Norman buttress of the tower which in the twelfth century was an exterior buttress hidden by the nave's north wall; just as the similar buttress on the south is still hy the nave's south wall. The eastern arch of the tower (opening into the chancel) seems to be original, and its hatchet-cut impost mouldings may be of circa A.D. 1100—1110. The western arch was probably altered when the north aisle was added, after A.D. 1180. It is pointed; so is the arch then pierced through the north wall of the tower; but the western, or nave, arch has Norman impost mouldings. The southern impost moulding may be the original one of Early Norman date; but the northern impost seems to have a much later moulding. It is carved with a series of circles, in each of which is a central lozenge with curved edges, and between these edges and the outer circumference are cut four deep hollows (each pointed at both ends hut broad in the middle) along the centre of which are dots in high relief. The Rev. G. B. Coulcher (a former vicar, under whose auspices the restoration of the nave and tower was carried out, by Mr. St. Aubyn, in 1878-80) suggests that this ornamentation resembles some to be found in the late Norman basement of the Baptistery at Canterbury Cathedral. The Norman doorway in the west wall of the nave was taken down when the west wall was entirely rebuilt, many years before the restoration of the nave. Rough foundation masonry is visible north of the base of the north-west pier of the tower; when it originally was inserted we cannot now say. It was then outside the church. Evidently much was done here a little before, or a little after the year 1200. The north aisle was then erected, and the north chancel built; arches being opened into them through the north wall of the nave "(two) and through the north wall of the tower. The chancel was also then greatly enlarged, and hooded lancet windows were inserted in the nave's south wall. In the north aisle's north wall are four lancet windows east of the porch; and in its eastern wall are two lancets. The square bowl of the Pont is of Purbeck or Bethersden marble. It was found beneath the floor, and after being repaired, was reinstated by Mr. Coulcher. Each face of the bowl is simply divided by lines. It has a new base exactly similar to that which it had originally. The four small pillars were made to fit into the old openings in the base of the howl clustering round a large one in the centre. < . I" ..: :T '*?• • - P. < 5- H H 03 o n 0 c 9 izf K a Kg t- M h o a o a p H 3 • a h a q « o v. LYMNE CHURCH. 439 CHANCEL. In the twelfth century it is possible that the chancel did not extend far beyond the westernmost windows now existing therein; but this is merely a matter of conjecture. The westernmost lancet on each side of the chancel is not nearly so tall as the other chancel windows, and on the exterior there is some indication of a joint in the walls east of those windows. This, however, does not decide the matter by any means. It would seem rather to shew that the present chancel was built at two different periods, in the thirteenth century, and to suggest that the Norman chancel was then entirely destroyed. On the other hand, it may be observed that outside the north-east angle of the chancel there is a buttress-like bit of masonry, closely resembling a shallow Norman buttress; it may, however, be a bit of Early English masonry. There are three lancets in each side wall of the chancel, and in its east wall a small circular light surmounts a triplet of lancets. These three now contain painted glass, representing, in the centre, the Crucifixion of our Lord, and at each side a scene from the history of St. Stephen the Patron Saint. Stone bench tables run along the north and south walls. There is an ancient piscina in the south wall, and east of it stands a small pointed niche. It reminds me of the niche which remained in Folkestone chancel wall at the spot where the leaden casket containing bones (of St. Eanswith probably) was found. This chancel was restored several years ago, when the Eev. Edwin Biron (father of the present incumbent) wa s vicar here. In the south wall is a low and short altar-like tomb with Jacobean ornamentation upon its front. The ornaments are simply a central lozenge flanked on each side by a low roundheaded arch. It is not known whom it commemorates. Close above it now stands against the wall a peculiar piece of carving or casting, not unlike a small iron fire-grate back. Mr. Coulcher suggests that this bore an inscription respecting the person here buried. A marble mural slab commemorates Augustine Greenland of Belle Vue in this parish, who died in 1708, and also Jane his wife (nie Gifford), who died in 1720. It mentions their six children who were baptized in 1690, 1692, 1695, 1697, 1698, and 1700 respectively, four being sons and two being daughters. This gentleman was churchwarden at, or just 440 LYMNE CHURCH. before, the time of his death, and his initials are marked with the date 1708 upon the north door of this church. Brass-headed nails have been driven into the door, forming these letters, A.G j c.w. | 1708. In the floor in front of the communion rails there is a large slab, hearing at its top the arms of Pinch impahng those of Twysden. It commemorates (i) Sarah, wife of John Pinch of Lymne, she died in 1702, aged 37; and (ii) her husband, John Pinch, eldest son of George Pinch of Wye, gentleman, by his first wife Jane, daughter of Thomas Twysden of Wye, gentleman. Mr. John Pinch was baptized at Wye on the 29th of September 1635; he died at Lymne in 1707, and was buried here on the 5th of Pebruary. The day of his interment was annually commemorated by the dis-1 tribution, to six of the poorest and eldest people of Lymne who have not received parochial relief, an annual dole of money, being half of the annual produce of certain lands which he left for the purpose. The other half was to be given on Christmas Day. The lands were his one-sixth part of 160 acres of marsh land, in Eastbridge. Hpon the anniversary of his burial, the Yicar of Lymne was every year to preach in this church a sermon, for which he was to receive 20s. out of the lands left by Mr. Pinch. To Wye and Newchurch also benefactions were bequeathed hy his will. In this chancel there are also memorials of Edith, wife of Thomas Bridger, who died 24 Pebruary 1783, aged 79; Thomas Bridger of Hithe, who died 3rd January 1828, aged 84; Thomas, his son, who died 3rd December 1803, aged 23; Henry Bridger, who died 17 September 1806, aged 61. Upon the north wall is a tablet for JohnBridger, who died in 1765, aged 72, and upon the tablet is his armorial coat, "Argent, a chevron engrailed sable, between three crabs gules." TOWEB. In the tower we see, on each side of the early-Norman eastern arch, a pointed arched recess, probably of the fourteenth century, each of which may have served as reredos for an altar. Mr. Coulcher informs me that these niches were carefully examined when the walls were bare, and they were found to be merely recesses; the wall behind them had. never heen pierced. Traces of painted ornamentation were found around these little arches. , The aumbry was discovered at the time of the restoration, 1878-80.' It may have" been plastered over for centuries. The woodenirame therein crumbled to ..pieces'.-soon;- after it LYMNE CHURCH. 44 l was exposed to the air, but'Mr. Coulcher caused it to he reproduced as exactly as possible. Hpon the western side of the north pier of the west arch of the nave, Mr. Coulcher tells me, painted decoration was discovered beneath the lime-wash, but it faded, and the plaister crumbled upon exposure to the air. It extended also along the north wall adjacent to the tower arch, as far as the easternmost arch of the nave arcade. The pattern was arranged in vertical stripes, each filled with eleven figures, which were fleurs-de-lys and wheel-like roundels, or flowers, alternately; but there was a fleur-de-lys always at the top and at the bottom of each stripe. The upper border (formed of double chevron pattern) ran just below the impost moulding of the tower's western arch. The lower border of the same chevronlike pattern was at a level twelve or fourteen inches below that of the spring of the arches of the north arcade of the nave. No doubt an altar had stood against this N.W. pier of the tower, and the space immediately ahove the altar had some other decoration which could not be traced. The stripes (two on each side of this space) flanked the central decoration, and two additional stripes were on the north wall. On the southern face of the N.W. pier of the tower's western arch there had been painted a text of Scripture, in black-letter type. When the north aisle was added, and its arcade built, the Norman north windows were removed, and the round arch was taken from, the west wall of the tower. Mr. Coulcher suggests that Norman mouldings built into the jambs of the Early English windows on each side of the north door, and at the top of the east jamb of the north doorway, and into the jambs of the east windows of the north aisle are portions of the details of these Norman features. Whether the porch was erected in the thirteenth century I doubt. I rather incline to believe that it, like the doorway into the aisle, is of the fourteenth century; when also it is possible that the north aisle's Kingpost-roof (now standing) was put on. On the eastern jamb of the north door is a small Latin cross cub in the stone; possibly as a memorial. . The little windows, one on each side, in the porch are worthy of a glance. Their wooden headings were restored in 1879 from portions of the nave's ancient tie-beams. The Decorated, trefoil-arched tomb in the north wall is not of a common type. It is simple, yet bold, in its design, and I should consider it to be early in date, possibly of the reign of Edward I. or Edward II. A crossed stone slab lies beneath the arch. 442 LYMNE CHURCH. Near it is a stone in the floor from which the small effigy (in brass) of a man has been torn away. Beside the rough masonry in the floor, at the foot of the north-west pier of the tower, there is a very good example of a crossed coffin slab. The cross head is perfect. There is a slab commemorating Elizabeth, daughter of Peter Bonny, minister of this parish, and of Elizabeth his wife. She died May 31st 1671, aged 1 year and 7 months. Parsons, in his Monuments in Churclies of Kent, pp. 223-4, gives inscriptions upon monumental stones commemorating Mr. P. MORRIS, who died 1775, aged 64; THOMAS WRAITH, who died in 1601; DENNIS WRAITH, who died 14th of June 1606, with these words: "Think for to dye, and thus to lye:" and Captain ISAAC BACHELOTJ-R, who being commissioned, to serve his Majesty under an honourable title in the militia for this country, was discharged hy death, the 26th of May 1684, aged 40. The monument was placed hy his widow Margaret Bachelour. There are few wills of parishioners of Lymne, hut I have seen some. In 1396, Agnes, wife of John Gardner, of the Yill of Eomene, desired (by will) to be buried in the churchyard of St. Stephen at " Lymen;" and bequeathed 40s. to pay a chaplain who should in this church celebrate masses for her soul during three years.* John Pagge, in 1497, bequeathed £20 to purchase a suit of vestments for Lymne Church, and also 5 marks for an Antiphonar, to be used here. To the Lights in this church John Pagge left 33s. 4d. To the Light before the Greater Cross, a small sum was bequeathed by .Alice, relict of Stephen May of Limne, in 1497. In 1442, Eichard Pawkener, of Warehorne, left by his will 3s. 4d. to the High Altar of " Lymne " Church, and 2s. to each Light in the same church.f In 1497, William Crosby, of " Lymne," bequeathed to the Lights of this Church 5 measures of barley. In the Valor Ecclesiasticus, respecting the rectorial value of Lymne to the Archdeacon, it is said," Archdeacon Cranmer receives of Lympne and Westhethe, with their glebe lands, £28 per annum, out of which he pays 40s. per annum for Scots, on the Marsh belonging to Lympne parsonage." * Christ Church, Canterbury, Begister G, fol. 256b. t Archceologia Cantiana, XL, 370. VICARS OF LYMNE. 443 VIOAES OP LTMNE. 1292 JOHN DE OTRINGEDENE was admitted to be Vicar of IAmene by Archbishop Peckham (Beg., 41"), 8 Kal. April 1291-2. 1308 "WILLIAM DE BAENEHAM was admitted by Archbishop Wynchelse (Beg., 51b), on the 3 Kal. August 1308, to be Vicar of Lymene, on the presentation of William the Proctor of the Archdeacon. 1310 HENEY dictum LE SOUS was admitted by the same Archbishop (Wynchelse'sBeg., 52b ), on the 10 Kal. May 1310, having been presented by Bernard de Galerio, who was Vicar-General of the Archdeacon of Canterbury (Bernard Giles de Leybreto). 1311 THOMAS DB KTNNEBEEE, by the same Primate (Wynchelse's Beg., 53a ), was admitted on the 8 Kal. March 1310-1, on the presentation of the Archdeacon's Vicar (or Proctor), Peter de Galere. HIBNNICUS (?) died in 1320. 1320 WALTEE dictus BOTTEE was admitted by Archbishop Reynolds on the 9 Kal. January, i.e. December, 1320. He went by exchange to the Vicarage of West Parleigh in 1325. 1325 HUGH PEICES, Vicar of " West Parlee," was admitted by Archbishop Beynolds (Beg., 237), in December 1325. 1382 THOMAS ATTE CHATJMBEE was admitted by Archbishop Courtenay (Beg., 247b), on the 14th of December 1382, to the Vicarage of "Lymene," to which William de Pakynton, then Archdeacon, had presented him. 1386 WALTEE ATTE CHAUMBEE was admitted by Archbishop Courtenay (Beg., 263a), on the 8th of August 1386. 1395 CLEMENT BCCLESTON, admitted on the 31st of May 1395 by Archbishop Courtenay (Additional Beg., 221), was Vicar in 1401 when he resigned. Tbe patron who presented Eccleston was Archdeacon Mottrum. 1401 JOHN BTTDDOK was presented by Archdeacon Hallum, and was admitted by Archbishop Arundel (Reg., ii. 275a), on the 21st of Pebruary 1400-1. 1413 WILLIAM LEKYNEELD was presented by Archdeacon John Wakering, and admitted on the 19th of September by Archbishop Arundel (Reg., ii. 68a). 1417 WILLIAM WELLE was admitted by Archbishop Chichele (Reg., 84b), on the 20th of Pebruary 1416-7, but he resigned within a month. 1417 WILLIAM SUTTON was admitted by Primate Chichele (Beg., 85a), on the 20th of March 1416-7. JOHN LXNO was Vicar in Pebruary 1428-9 when he resigned. 1429 EOBEET HTLGAED was presented by the Archdeacon Prosper de Columpna, a Cardinal-deacon, and was admitted on the 22nd of Pebruary 1428-9 by Archbishop Chichele (Beg., I75a). VICARS OE LYMNE. THOMAS BBOUN was Vicar in 1435 when he obtained, by exchange, the Eectory of Longfield. 1435 JOHN DYKES, Eector of Longfield, Kent (diocese of Eochester), by exchange became Vicar of Lymne, being admitted by Archbishop Chichele (Beg., 209a), on the 21st of October 1435. The patron then was Archdeacon Thomas Chichele. He retained this benefice less than three months. 1436 WILLIAM NOETON was admitted by Archbishop Chichele (Reg., 209b), on the 18th of January 1435-6. He resigned in 1448. 1448 WILLIAM DYSON, M.A., succeeded Norton, the patron being still Thomas Chichele as Archdeacon. Dygon was admitted by Archbishop Stafford (Reg., 98a), on the 31st of October 1448. He resigned within a year from his admission. 1449 JOHN BOYDE was admitted by Archbishop Stafford (Reg., 100, 101), on the 21st of September 1449. 1459 THOMAS KEMPE, presented by Archdeacon Thomas Chichele, was admitted on the 11th of September 1459, by Archbishop Bourghchier (Reg., 74b). Mr. Kempe took Dimchurch Eectory in 1461. 1461 HUGH HAEELETE, Eector of Dimchurch, was admitted, on the 1st of July 1461, by Archbishop Bourghchier (Beg., 81b ). Thomas Chichele being still the patron. He exchanged this for Dodington in 1466-7. 1467 THOMAS GEYMESBY, Vicar of Dodyngton (another benefice within the patronage of the Archdeacon), by exchange, came to " Lymine," and was admitted by Archbishop Bourghchier (Reg., 95b), on the 19th of Pebruary 1466-7. The patron then was Dr. Thomas Wynterburn, Archdeacon. Mr. Grymesby resigned in 1468-9. 1469 EOBEET BBADEELD, alias BEADEOBD, was admitted on the 4th of March 1468-9, by Archbishop Bourghchier (Reg., 100b), but he resigned in 1471-2. 1472 WILLIAM NEWTON was admitted by Archbishop Bourghchier (Reg., 105"), on the 12th of January 1471-2. Dr. Wynterburn being still the patron. DAVID PIEMYNG was Vicar in 1512 when he died. 1512 JOHN SYMSON, succeeding Plemyng, was admitted by Archbishop Warham (Reg., 345*a ), on the 8th of July 1512. He resigned before 1520. 151. ALEXANDER LYEEINGTON was presented by Archdeacon William Warham, and was admitted by Archbishop Warham (Reg.,. 362b). In 1511, he held, to farm, the revenue of Saltwood Eectory. He died in 1524. 1524 EOBEET COLBNS, Bachelor of Law, succeeded Lyfnngton, and was admitted by Archbishop Warham (Beg., 383d), on . the 31st of December 1524. He resigned in 1535. 1535 EIOHAED KEOHYN, succeeding Colyns. or Colons, was VICARS OP LYMNE. 445 presented by Archdeacon Edmund Cranmer, and was admitted by Archbishop Cranmer (Beg., 355") on the 13th of April 1535. He resigned in 1537. ' 1537 THOMAS CAEDEN was admitted on the 29th of September 1537 (Granmer's Beg., 362). The Valor Fcclesiasticus states that, as vicar of Westhethe, his income was £8 14s. 6d. per annum, net. He was still vicar of Lymne in 1550. JOHN KYTE or Eobert Keete, Vicar in 1555, died in 1563. 1563 HENEY WESTPHALING was presented by Edmund Gheast, Bishop of Eochester, who held in commendam the Archdeaconry of Canterbury. H. Westphaling was admitted to Lymne Vicarage on the 4th of June 1563 by Archbishop Parker (Beg., 361a). He resigned Lymne in 1584. 1585 WILLIAM MEEEICK was presented by Archdeacon William Eedman in succession to Westphaling. Merrick was instituted by Archbishop Whitgift (Beg., i. 458b) on the 3rd of Pebruary 1584-5 to the Vicarage of " Lymine alias Lympne." He died in 1610, and was buried here. This is the earliest use of " p " in the name of the place in the Archiepiscopal Eegisters. Hasted's note (to Mr. Merrick's name) errs in stating that before his time this Vicarage had been held for a long time by sequestrations. 1610 JOHN PEANCIS, M.A., was presented by Dr. Charles Potherby, then Archdeacon, and he was instituted by Archbishop Bancroft (Beg., 300b ) on the 6th of June 1610 to the Vicarage of " Limpne." He resigned in 1616. Hasted erroneously states that he was Eector of Bishopsbourne. .1616 THOMAS MAETYN, B.A., inducted December 7, 1616, was Vicar in 1619, when he gave up this benefice. 1620 THOMAS CHEST, M.A., was instituted on the 13th of January 1619-20 (Abbot's Beg., ii. 318b), and was Vicar of Lymne when he died in the same year, within seven months of his admission. 1620 THOMAS KINGSMILL, M.A., was presented by Archdeacon Wm. Kingsley, and was admitted on the 10th of August 1620, by Archbishop Abbot (Beg., ii. 321-2). Mr. Kingsmill resigned in 1630. 163P EIOHAED JTJGGAED, or JAGGAED M.A., was presented by Archdeacon Kingsley, and was instituted on the 1st of October 1630 to the Vicarage by Archbishop Abbot (Reg., iii. 190b). He was still Vicar in 1644, but seems then to have found it needful to leave Lymne. PETEE BONNY died in 1676, and was buried in Lymne Church. His infant child was buried here, in May 1671. He was Eector of Hawkinge from 1666 to 1676. GEOEGE GIPPS resigned 1679, and became Incumbent of Wye and of Brenset, and Curate of Pairfield. He was Chaplain to Sir Norton Knatchbull at Mersham Hatch. ABDIA MOEEIS, also Vicar of Sellindge 1676-80, died in 1680. 446 VICARS OP LYMNE. JOSHUA BAETON or BURTON, also Vicar of Sellindge 1680- 1705, died in 1705. He was Curate of Lydd for a time. HENEY BAGNAL, M.A., was at first" sequestrator." He died on the 23rd of November 1748, aged 73. His wife, Eebecca, placed a monumental slab in the north aisle. On it she states that their son, Henry Bagnal, was rector of Prittenden This Vicar wrote in the Lymne Parish Eegister as follows :—" The said Henry Bagnall, that he might free his heirs and himselfe from giving an account of the profits of Limpne to the next Incumbent, and for the more easie Eecovery of his Tyths, thought it advisable to make himselfe Vicar, and on July the 29th 1723, he was inducted into the Vicarage of Limpne, after it had been held by Sequestrators about one hundred years. Por at the Eegister's Office, Canterbury, he finds Kingsmill to be the last Vicar, and all the ministers since Kingsmill have been only Sequestrators till he took Institution." 1748 CLAUDIUS CLA.BE, LL.B., was inducted Dec. 14, 1748. He was Eector of Dimchureh. He died Dee. 1764. 1765 GEOEGE LYNCH, M.A., was inducted on the 28th of January 1765. In 1770 he by dispensation was allowed to accept and hold the Vicarage of Cheriton cum Newington. He died on the 19th of November 1789. 1789 STEPHEN TUOKEB, M.A., was inducted, in 1789, but resigned in 1794 when he was promoted to Linsted. 1794 ANTHONY EGEETON HAMMOND, M.A., inducted in 1794, died Dec. 1801. He was Eector of Ivychurch 1789-1801, Eector of Knolton 1784-92, and Vicar of Brenzet 1792-4. STEPHEN TUOKEB, Mr. H. B. Biron says, was Vicar 1802-13. JOHN BELL was Vicar from 1813 until 1840. 1840 EDWIN BIEON, M.A., of Dublin, was presented by Archdeacon Croft in 1840. In 1854 he was also instituted to the small rectory of Eastbridge. He died in 1877. 1877 GEOEGE BOHUN COULCHEE, M.A., of Corpus Christi Coll., Cambridge, was presented by Dr. Parry, Bishop of Dover, in 1877, and he prosecuted to a happy conclusion the restoration of the Church 1878-80. in 1882 Mr. Coulcher became Vicar of St. Michael's, Maidstone. 1882 HENEY BBYDGES BIEON, B.A., of Trinity Hall, Cambridge, a son of Mr. Edwin Biron, who was Vicar of Lymne from 1840 to 1877, was presented by Dr. Parry, the Bishop of Dover, in 1882. Mr. Biron had previously been Curate of Mersham, Biddenden, and Harbledown.