ABSTRACT OF PROCEEDIN<;}S, 1903-1905: ·
August 10th, 1903.-The postponed Council Meeting of July 27th
took place this day at 20 Grosvenor Place, Earl Stanhope in the
Ohair. Eleven membe1·s were present.
After some discussion it was arranged that the Accounts of the
Society, duly audited by Messrs. King the Accountants, be presented
to the Finance Committee fourteen days before the December
Council Meeting fixed for the 10th of that month.
It was unanimously agreed that T. C. Colyer-Fergusson, Esq., of
Wombwell Hall, Gravesend, be asked to act as Honorary Treasurer
to the Society.
September 24th, 1908.-The Council met this day at the
Bridge Chamber at Rochester. Seven members were present,
presided over by the Rev. A. J. Pearman, M.A..
After discussion it was decided that the next Annual Meeting
should be held at Romney.
It was resolved that in future that not less than seven days'
clear notice be given of the Council Meetings.
It was resohed that no alteration of the date of the Quarterly
Meetings be made without the consent of the President.
It was proposed to invite the Rev. Dr. Tancock to become
a Member of the Council.
It was resolved that a report be made to the Council at each
Quarterly Meeting, stating the amount of Life Compositions
received during the last Qua1•ter.
Mr. W. Braxton Sinclair, ofLynton, ParkhurstRoad,Bexley, was
elected a member.
December 10th, 1908.-The Council met this day, by kind
permission of the.Dean and Chapter, in the Treasury, Canterbury
voL. mn. a
xlii 'PROCEEDINGS, 1904.
Cathedral. There were ten members present, Caq,on Routledge
in the Chair.
The Rev. C. E. Woodruff reported that Mr. George Payne was
unable to be present, and that Mr. Payne had asked him to act as
Secretary during the Meeting.
The Rev. C. E. W oodru:ff then read the Minutes, which were
approved, together with the Report of the Jfinance Committee.
Permission was given to the Rev. Dr. Magrath, Provost of
Queen's College, Oxford, to reprint -from A.rchOJologia Oantiana•,
Vol. XI., etc., some extracts from the" Expense Book" 0£ James
Master.
The following persons were elected Ordinary Members of the
Society: Miss Day and the Rev. Canon W.W. Capes.
January 18th, 1904.-A Special Meeting of the Council, called
by the Noble President, was· held this day at 20 Grosvenor Place.
There were nine members present, presided over by Lord Stanhope.
· The Minutes of the last Council Meeting were read aml
approved.
It was unanimously resolved that the following resolution be
sent to Mr. G. Payne by the President: "That, as there has not
been auy proper Balance Sheet of the Accounts imdited by
Mr. King (the Chartered Accountant appointed by the Council),
and as the Business of the Society has fallen into arrear through
Mr. l'ayne's illness and pressure of other work, this Council now
invites Mr. George Payne to resign his office as Secretary and
Curator to the Society by the 1st March next."
March 11th, 1904.-The Council met this day at Lord Stanhope's
house, 20 Grosvenor Place. There were twelve members present,
Lord Stanhope in the Chair.
The Mi?-utes of the last Meeting were read and approved.
Lor.d Stanhope reported that he had received a letter from
Mr. G. Payne, in which he signified his willingness to resign his
offices as Secretary and Curator to the Society.
The Council unanimously resolved to accept Mr. Payne's resignation.
It was resolved that the President be asked to write to
Mr. Payne calling upon him to forward to 20 Grosvenor Place books,
papers, and all other property of the Society before tlie 25th day
of March next following.
The Rev. C. E. Woodruff was appointed Acting Secretary p1·0
tempore, with authority to sign cheques. Mr. Woodruff was
. PROCEEDINGS, 1904. xliii
directed to communicate with the Local Secretaries with a view to
receiving recommendations in connection with the appointment of
an Honorary Secretary. . Mr. Woodruff was also requested to make
enquiries with the object of finding a gentleman capable of acting
. as Curator of the Society's collections at Maidstone.
Mr. C. W. Powell of Speldhurst was appointed Hon. Treasurer
in the place of Mr. T. Oolyer-l!'ergusson, resigned.
The programme 0£ the Romney Meeting was submitted and,
after some discussion, was approved by the Council.
The following persons were elected Ordinary Members 0£ the
Society: Mr. H. F. Boxley, Mr. Mortimer de Brent, Mr. A. D.
Cheney, Mr. C. Fletcher, Mr. E. Goodwin, Mr. Walter Cozens,
Rev. W. Arnold Carr, Rev. T. M. Pearman.
June 14th, 1904.-The Council met this day at Lord Stanhope's
house, 20 Grosvenor Place. Ther.e were seventeen members present,
Lord S lanhope in the Ohair.
The Minutes of last Meeting were read and confirmed, and
the Minutes of the two previous Meetings were approved and
signed ..
The Report of M:;es.srs. King and Son, the Auditors, was read
by the Rev. C. E. W oodru:ff and considered.
It was proposed by Mr. A. A. Arnold, seconded by Canon Routledge,
"That Messrs, King's further Report an!l all Accounts
be referred to the Finance Committee, to report to the Council
before July 26th." Carried.
It was proposed by Canon Routledge and seconded by the
Rev. C. E. Woodruff," That Mr. Sebastian Evans, Jun., be recommended
as Honorary Secretary." This was agreed to unanimously.
A vote of thanks to the Rev. 0. E. Woodruff £or his services as
Acting Honorary Secretary was proposed by Mr. Burch Rosher
and carried unanimously.
A letter from Mr. King, the Auditor, was read, and it was
agreed that his fee be approved after examination of his further
Report by the Finance Committee.
A letter from Lord Amherst was read, and his proposal that
a separate volume be published for Church Plate in Kent was
. discussed, but no resolution passed.
It was resolved that Messrs. Mitchell Hughes and Clarke be
requested to send out the volume of Ai·clueologia Oantiana to the
members direct instead of through the Local Secretaries.
d, 2
xli-v PROCEEDINGS, 1904.
A Jetter was read from Dr. Cotton, and it was resolved that the
subscription to the Index of Archreological Papers be continued
and paid for at the rate of £5 per annum.
It was proposed by Mr. Cumberland Woodruff and seconded by
Lord Northbourne, "That the sum of £100 be withdrawn from the
Deposit Account and placed to a separate account for the purpose
of forming a Research Fund." Carried.
A grant of £30 out of the Research Fund 'Yas made towards
the Excavations of St. Augustine's Abbey.
Mr. H. Elgar was appointed Clerk to the Society and Curator
of the Society's collection at Maidstone at a salary of £40 per
. annum payable quarterly, and that his full duties be formulated by
the Rev. C. E. Woodruff and recorded in the Minutes.
The following persons were elected Ordinary Members of the
Society: Mr. F. W. Franks, Mr. Walter Prentis, Mr. H. E. Gregory,
Mr. W. Leach Lewis, J.P., Rev. A. A. Carre, Rev. J. A. Miller,
Mr. Humphrey Golding, Miss McGill, Mr. Eric A. Goddard Jones,
Mr. J.C. Anderson, Mr. Robert M. Sebag Montefiore, Mr. Roger
Abbot Raven, B.A., Mrs. Samuel Hill, Mr. E. C. Swindells,
Mr. R. S. Jones, M.A., Mr. H. W. Stringer, B.A., Mr. A. T. WilHamson,
Rev. Seymour Henry Rendall, M.A.
July 26th, 1904.-The Council met this day at the Town Hall,
New Romney. There were thirteen members present, Lol'd
Stanhope in the Chair.
The Minutes of tbe last Meeting were read and confirmed.
The Acting Honorary Serretary then read the Report of the
Finance Committee with regard to Arrears of Subscriptions,
Investments of Life Compositions, etc., which was adopted.
After some discussion on a motion by Mr. Cooke, that the Annual
Meeting should extend over three days, the. Council adjourned.
The Annual Meeting commenced at the ancient Cinque Port
town of New Romney on Tuesday, July 26th, 1904. The President,
Earl Stanhope, was, with the members of the Society, welcomed in
the old 'l'own Hall by the Mayor 0£ New Romney, Colonel H. C.
Wilson. After a few words from his Worship wishing success to
the Society, to which Lord Stanhope replied, the usual business was
proceeded with.
PROCEEDINGS, 1904. xlv
The Rev. C. E. Woodruff read the following Report:-
REPORT, 1904.
Your Council have much pleasure in presenting their Forty-Seventh Annual
Report in the ancient dinque Port town of Romney after an interval of twentyfive
years. It is hardly to be expected that much fresh material can be added
to that which was so exhautively illustrated by the late Canon Scott Robertson
and others in 1879; but a new generation has arisen to which Romney Marsh is
untrodden ground, and the kindly interest and co-operation shewn by some of
the leading residents and authorities in our Proceedings encourage the hope
that the Meeting will prove both attractive and useful.
The Council regret the loss of several of our members, whose services to
County Archreology have been eminent in past years. Among these Mr. Matthew
Bell, who died on the 24th of December 1908, was au original member, a.nd for
forty years one of the Society's trustees; Mr. John Dobree Norwood, who died
four days later, had in past years rendered valuable service; and Mr. J. Humphrey,
who passed n.way little more than a month ago, for many years ably
represented the Society in Romney Marsh; whilst among members of wider
celebrity the loss of Mr, Wilfred Joseph Cripps, the great authority on old
English Plate, will be generally felt.
To the regret of the Council Mr. George Payne, F.S.A., Honorary Secretary
and Curator of the Society's oolleotions at Maidstone, has resigned his offices.
Mr. Payne's services as Curator and afterwards tl.S Secretary extended over
a period of fiftMn years, and for a muoh longer time he l1ad been widely known
throughout the county as an energetic explorer and exponent of its primreva.l
and Roma.no-British antiquities, and especially of the arohreology of the Sittingbourne
district.
The question of recommend.ing to the Society a capable successor is one that
has caused the Counoil considerable anxiety. After mature deliberation they
have been-:frtunate in meeting with a gentleman whom they believe well
qualified to undertake the duties. Mr. Sebastian Evans of Canterbury,
a nephew of the eminent archreologist Sir John Evans, has kindly consented to
allow himself to be nominated. 'l'o the office of Clerk and Curator of the
Society's collections at Maidstone the Council hn.ve appointed Mr. Herbert Elgar
Assistant Curator of the Maidstone Museum at n, salary of £40 a year. The
Couucil hope that by Mr. Elgar's constant attendance at the Museum the
Society's collections will be rendered more accessible in the future than in past
years.
Volume XXVI. of Arckaologia Oantia1ia was issued in April. The Council
trust that the standnrd of former volumes has been maintained, and they feel
.that any success in this respect is in a large measure due to the able archiwctural
papers of the Rev. G. M. Livett, F.S.A.
Under the e,uspices of the South Eastern Scientific Societies, the Annue,l
Congress of which was held at Maidstone in June last, e, Photographic Survey,
including both Archreology and Natural Science, was inaugurated. At the
Preliminary Meeting the Council were represented by the Rev. W. GardnerWaterman
e,nd the Re. C. E. Woodruff, who ex.pressed the .hope tl).a.t our
xlvi PROCEEDINGS, 1904.
Society would warmly co-operate in so desirable an undertaking. Information
respecting the proposed Survey may be obtained from Mr. H. F. Wingent of
Rochester, the Honorary Secretary.
The past year has produced uo striking archrool\)gical discoverie8 within the
county. Progress, however, has been made with the exca.vations at St . .A.ugustine's
Abbey, Canterbury, which are gradually elucidating the ground plan of this
ancient Benedictine house. The Society has made a further grant of .£30 towards
the work, but a much larger sum than we are in a position to contribute is
urgently needed, and Canon Routledge will be glad to receive subscriptions or
donations.
Balance Sheets shewing the financial position of the Society have been
prepared by Messrs. King, Aocountants, of Gravesend.
For some time past a sum of £400, representing the aooumulations of many
past years, has been standing on deposit at the Society's Bankers. 'rhe Council
have decided that £100, part thereof, be set apart as a .Research Fund, out of
which grants for excavations and other special objects may be made from time
to time. The Income of the Society is so little in excess of its Ordinary
Expenditure that it is impossible to provide adequate assistance to research out
of this source without interfering with the regular issue of L1.rckaolo9ia
Oaintiana.
Although the roll of our members is still a long one compared with similar
bodies, the Council feel that in these days of increasing intelligent interest in
the study of the past it might be largely extended, and they trust that during
the ooming year a. considerable accession of recruits to its ranks will aid in
stimulating the activity and augmenting the usefulness of our Society.
The Report was unanimously adopted.
The Rev. C. E. Woodruff proposed, and the Rev. G. M. Livett
seconded, and it was carried unanimously: " That Mr. Sebastian
Evans be elected Honorary scretary in place of Mr. George Payne,
F.S.A., resigned." Mr. Evans having thanked the members for the
honour conferred on him, the retiring Members of the Council, the
Rev. J. A. Boodle, Colonel Copeland, Mr. F. F. Giraud, the Rev .
.A. J. Pearman, Mr. W. H. Burch Rosher, aud the Rev. Canon
Routledge, were re-elected.
The Rev. C. H. Wilkie, Vicar of Kingston, Mr. G. E. Cockayne
of the Heralds' College, and Mr. Hubert Bensted of Bearsted were
elected Members of Council.
The retiring Honorary .Auditors, Captain Hooper and Mr. H.
Hordern, were re-elected.
'11he following persons were then elected Ordinary Members of
the Society: R. H. Fremlin, Esq., Harry Leney, Esq., the Rev.Julian
Guise, M.A., Hugh Laney, Esq., the Rev. Herbert Smith, M . .A..,
the Hon. H. Hannen, Captain Read, Thomas Pledge, Esq., Walter
PROCEEDINGS,· 1904. xlvii
Day, Esq., the Rev. G. 0. Hardy, M.A.., the Rev. Hugh South, B.A .. ,
the Rev.J.Miller, B.D.,Lieut.-Colonel A. Pennefather, E.Finn, Esq.,
Lieut.-Colonel H. C. Wilson, W.F. G. Nicholls, Esq., Dr. Herbei:t H.
Oliver, the Rev. Hankin Martin, Miss Anna Hussy, Miss MacKay,
Miss A ls ton.
The members then inspected the interesting collection of
antiquities displayed in the temporary museum arranged in the
Town Hall. 1'hese included the Corporation maces and insignia,
and several of the earliest Charters of the Port. A.n interesting
series of maps of the Marsh and its coast from 1588 to 1799, and
other documents relating to the history of the district, were lent by
Dr. Cock, who had very kindly forwarded for distribution a number
of facsimiles of " The Oarde of the Beacons in Kent," from
W. Lambarde's second edition of his "Perambulation of the
County,'' and a portrait of William Harvey. Other objects of
interest were lent by the Rev. R. M. South, Messrs. Arthur Finn,
H. W. Stringer, W. Whitehead, '.l'. Brand, G. B. Anderson, A. Masey,
A. Barnes, and Miss Bllss.
After luncheon the members proceeded to the Church of
St. Nicholas, where they were welcomed by the Rev. Hugh South,
and the vn.rious points of architectural interest were pointed out by
the Rev. G. M. Livett. The original Church, Mr. Livett thought,
had a nave of five bays, with a fairly loug square-ended chancel
without chapels. The present fine tower was probably built somewhat
later even in its lower pot•tions. 1'here had been some
alteration of the Church in the thirteenth century, but its extent
could not be accUl'ately traced. In the fourteenth century, however,
considerable enlargements had been made, the new portion beiug
built round the old Church, which was disturbed as little as possible.
The party then drove to the Church of All Saints, Lydd, where
the members were received by the Rev. G. 0. Hardy, the Rector.
Here also Mr. Livett acted as guide. Especial attention was called
to the remains of the eighth-century Saxon Church, which now
forms the western corner of the north aisle, and the gradual growth
of the main portion of the Church was explained in detail. We
hope to print Mr. Livett's paper on this fine Church in a subsequent
volume. Mr. Arthur l!'inu then briefly described the monuments
and brasses.
From Lydd progress was made to the Church 0£ St. Augustine,
Brookland, where the Vicar, the Rev. N. L. Batson, welcomed the
party and displa.yed. for their iQspection the ea.dy Register Books.
xlviii PROCEEDINGS,. 1904.
Mr. J. Oldrid Scott, F.S.A., described the Church, its interesting
detached cn,mpanile of timber-work, and nne late-Norman fout of lead.
On the return journey to Romney a halt was made at the
Church of St. Clement, Old Romney, wllich was briefly described
by the Rev. G. M. Livett and the Rev. J. Wilkinson, the Rector.
Upon the return of the members to Ntiw Romney the Annual
Dinner was held in the Assembly Rooms. Lord Stanhope presided,
supported by the Mayor, Alderman Edwin Finn, Lieut .• Colonel
Pennefother, Mr. Arthur Finn, the Rev. G. M. and Mrs. Livett,
Mr. and Mrs. Cumberland Woodruff, the Rev. C. E. Woodruff, and
about sixty others.
The Evening Meeting was held at the National School Room,
under the Presidency of Lieut.-Colonel N. Pennefather.
Mr. Arthur Finn, the Local Secretary £or New Romney, read
an interesting paper, "Notes and Extracts from Lydd Records,"
which was much appreciatd by all present, and a hearty vote of
thanks was accorded to him at the close.
A paper was also read by the Rev. G. M. Livett on" Leaden
Fonts," which was well illustrated by lantern slides, and a hearty vote
of thanks to this gentleman brought the proceedings to a conclusion.
On Wednesday the 27th the company partook of luncheon and
proceeded in carriages to St. Mary's in the Marsh, where some
delay was caused by a heavy thunderstorm. The members were
received by the Rectoi·, the Rev. E.W. Woolatt, and the Church was
described by the Rev. C. E. Woodruff. I vychurch was next visited,
where the Rector, the Rev. J. A. Miller, described tbe fine Church,
to the fabric of which some exten sive and much needed repairs are
in course of execution.
At Ruckinge, which was also visited, the members were welcomed
by the Rev. R. Hamer, and the Church of St. Mary Magdalene was
described by Mr. J. Oldrid Scott.
Owing to delays caused by the wet weather it was decided to
omit the visit to Bilsington Church and to proceed at once to -the
Priory, where, after tea, kindly provided for the members of th
Society by Mr. and Mrs. W. Stone bridge, Mr. Cumberland Woodruff
read the following paper on the remains of the Augustinian Priory:-
BILSINGTON PRIORY.
The Priory of Bilsington was founded in 1258 by John Mansell,
Provost of Beverley, and dedicated in honour of the Blessed Virgin
Mary for Canons Regula.r of the Order of St. Augustine. · ·
BILSINGTON PRIORY, W.
BILSINGTON PRIORY, E.
PROCEEDINGS, 1904. xlix
The founder, a man of note in Henry the Third's reign, and
described by Matthew Pnris as "prudent, circumspect, and rich,"
stood high in the King's favour, and received so many preferments
at his hands that he is generally spoken of as" the great pluralist."
Ecclesiastic, lawyer, soldier, diplomatist-John Mansell may indeed
be described as a man who in bis time played many parts.
Bilsington is mentioned in Domesday as held by Odo, Bishop
of Bayeux, and on his forfeiture came into the hands of the Earls
of Arundel, beillg held in grand serjeanty by the service of presenting
the King's Cup on his coronation. On the death of Hugh,
Earl of Arundel, in 124::J, the manor was divided amongst his £our
sisters as co heiresses, and Upper Bilsington, or Bilsingtou Priory
as it was afterwards called, became a distinct manor from Lower
Bilsington, which iucluded the Church and Court Lodge. A vestige
of the original tenure remained. In the third year of Edward I.
the Prior of Bilsington is descrihed as having part of a serjeanty,
holding this portion of the manor by serving the King with his cup
on Whit Sunday.
Upon a commanding eminence of the clay hills, surrounded by
woodland, much of which remains to this day, and overlooking
Romney Marsh, the Priory, thus founded and en
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