The Manor of Elverton in the parish of Stone next Faversham
The Manor of Elverton in the parish of Stone next Faversham
duncan harrington
In his history of Kent, under the account Stone parish in the hundred of Faversham, Edward Hasted describes ‘Elwerton’ as follows:1
In Domesday, Ernolton, and in antient deeds Eylwartone, by which name it was given by King Edmund, son of Queen Ediva, to the monks of Christ Church in Canterbury, for the use of their refectory,2 and it was confirmed to them in the time of K. Stephen, and Archbishop Theobald, in the shrievalty of Ralph Picot, to be possessed by them without any additional burthens to be laid on it.3
The Canterbury Cathedral Archives, Register D, contain an amazing number of deeds relating to Elverton between the confirmation, noted by Hasted, dated 1153,4 and concluding with a licence from Edward II dated 27th October 1313,5 in all 148 documents on 25 folios. Many of the original documents enrolled in this Priory register have survived in the Chartæ Antiquæ.6 For instance in 1252 there is a perpetual grant and confirmation from Henry FitzWilliam to the Prior and convent of Christ Church Canterbury of 1¼ acres of land in Eylwartune.7 In 1329 Christ Church was granted a further licence to hold lands in Aylwarton.8
There is a listing of the lessees of the manor from the surviving counterpart leases from 1253 to 1895. (See Appendix 1: the full set of appendices is published on the KAS website.) A complete list would involve a thorough search of the Priory Registers, Chartæ Antiquæ, Dean and Chapter Registers and lease books.9 Accounts and views of the manor are to be found from 1272/3.10
This paper does not deal further with the Elverton’s lessees during its early history but concentrates on those of the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. The second half of the paper provides descriptions of the manor itself made at various times between 1571 and 1824. The manor house is shown in a photograph taken in 1902 (Fig. 1).
The Irby deposit in the Cathedral Library provides a contemporary account of the manor at the time that Hasted was writing in the 1790s. The account11 of Stone next Faversham in the Hasted Papers is not signed but the writer says that he is possessed of an estate in Luddenham, Davington and Murston called Nashes and, in an account of the descent of the property, he recounts that it was, ‘conveyed to my mother’s father Isaac Jones in 1734 who devised it to his daughter Elizabeth wife of Anthony Ingles of Ashford gent, of whom I purchased it in 1776’ (not listed in Appendix 1).
Edward Hasted,12 whilst leaving out much interesting material, does say that the manor was ‘in 1776 conveyed by sale to Mr James Tappenden gent. of Faversham, the present owner...’.13 Tappenden features in the leases from 1774 (see Appendix 1) and had this to say about ‘Stone next Faversham:14
The manor of Elverton was demised by the Dean and Chapter of Canterbury in 1729 or 1730 to Dr Edward Tenison, Prebendary of Canterbury and afterwards Bishop of Ossory, who devised it to his wife and daughters; afterwards the Dean and Chapter by indenture dated 29th June 28 George 2 demised it to Peter St Eloy of Doctors Commons, London Esquire and Samuel Smith of London merchant executors of Ann Tenison widow and their heirs during the lives of three persons and the survivors and survivor of them. By indenture dated 10th October 1760 the said Peter St Eloy and Samuel Smith assigned the said premises to Thomas Tenison of Sysonby in Leicestershire Esquire. By indenture dated 24 June 1762 the said Thomas Tenison (eldest son of Thomas Tenison Doctor of Laws and Archdeacon of Carmarthen who was the only son of Edward thentofore Lord Bishop of Ossory) assigned the said manor to Samuel Smith and William Smith of London Merchant. By indenture dated 19th November 1774 the said Samuel and William Smith assigned the same to John Waller of Faversham, gentleman who is now in possession.
This lease is renewable as other Chapter Leases are by payment of a fine upon the drop of a life although nothing of that kind is expressed in the lease. Stone is a parish district and separate from all others. The Church has been in ruins many years. The Archdeacon of Canterbury is Patron of this church and that of Teynham and I suppose they go together. It does not pay tithes to Teynham. Elverton Marshes reach to the Swale, which is the boundary of the parish.
Whilst the customary rent for Elverton was modest the Dean and Chapter derived substantial benefit from the renewals of the leases and the fines that were then imposed (see below). For instance, the seal register15 shows that on the 9th December 1729:
we then sealed a lease of Elverton Manour to the Earl of Leicester for his own life and the lives of Edward Tenison DD Prebendary of this church and Anne his wife. The 2 last lives added in the room of two that are dead for six hundred and thirty pounds.
On the 18th March 1729 the Chapter
then also sealed a lease of Elverton Manour to Dr Tenison assignee of the Earl of Leicester for the same lives as are in the lease sealed to his Lordship the 9th of December last.16
On the 30th June 1736 a further life was added for £180.17 And a further life and exchange was made on the 6th December 1737 at a fine of £260.18 The next entry in the seal books then shows how the leases move over to the Eloy family.19
The system of fines is rather complicated,20 as this account illustrates:
21 June 1727: I take it for granted that Mr Waldron is at liberty (as other Land Lords are) to set what fine he thinks reasonable. The usual rate in this country is two years value of the extended rent for adding one life to two sometimes more according to the age and state of health of the lives in being ...
Whilst the Dean and Chapter granted leases for lives they later turned to granting leases for years as the former were difficult to calculate and caused them endless problems.21
Examining the Chapter minutes and the Dean’s notebooks it appears that the main business was the renewal and sealing of leases of Chapter property. The estates were the source of almost all its income. Let on long leases at low and static annual rents, termed customary rents, they rarely represented more than a tiny percentage of the actual annual value of the property. The Chapter was able to derive substantial benefit between these low rents and the real annual value of the property by taking a fine from each lessee when his lease was renewed. The fine was calculated on the difference between the customary rent and the gross annual value and made allowances for the investment potential of the money paid at the beginning of the lease. Thus, on taking up a 21-year lease the lessee would pay a fine of just over seven and three-quarter times the customary rent and the full annual value of the property. However, if the lessee followed the usual practice and renewed his lease for 21 years after only seven years of the original 21-year lease, his fine would be equal to one year’s difference between the customary rent and the full annual rent. This seems small because the renewed 7 years follow the 14 years still in hand and allowance is made for the interest rate on this money received. There are various tables in the records but in most cases it is exceedingly difficult to ascertain how the final sum was obtained because it was subject to so many conditions: the inability, or unwillingness, of the lessees to pay the stipulated fine, real or simulated hardship; the state of repair of the buildings and the number of years the fine was in arrears. The leases also show a change over the years of the conditions and covenants, some of which are shown in the appendices.
Some counterpart leases of the manor at one time became part of the records of the Dean and Chapter of Rochester due to their involvement in 1890 (see Appendix 1) and are amongst their collection now housed at the Medway Archives. Amongst these is a fascinating collection of surveys and which provides details about the Eloy and Tenison connection:
An ACT for Vesting a Lease granted by the Dean and Chapter of Canterbury to Ann Tenison, Widow, deceased, of the Manor of Elverton, with the Appurtenances, in the County of Kent, in Peter Saint Eloy, Esquire, and Samuel Smith, Merchant, in Trust, for Thomas Tenison, an Infant, and his Heirs; and for other Purposes therein mentioned.22
Of this illustrious lessee we learn that Edward Tenison (1673-1735), Bishop of Ossory,23 was grandson of Philip Tenison, Archdeacon of Norfolk, and first cousin of Thomas Tenison, Archbishop of Canterbury (1636-1713). Bound apprentice to his uncle, Charles Mileham, an attorney at Great Yarmouth, he abandoned the law for the church, and was ordained deacon and priest in 1697, being presented the same year to the rectory of Wittersham, Kent. This he resigned in 1698 on being presented to the rectory of Sundridge in the diocese of Rochester, which he held conjointly with the rectory of Chiddingstone. On 24 March 1704/05 he was made a prebendary of Lichfield, resigning 1708 on being appointed archdeacon of Caermarthen. On 19 March 1708/9 he became a prebendary of Canterbury. In 1715 he acted as executor to his cousin the archbishop. In 1730 he became Chaplain to the Duke of Dorset, lord-lieutenant of Ireland, who in 1731 nominated him to the bishopric of Ossory. He died in Dublin 29 November 1735. He married a second cousin, Ann (d.1750), daughter and co-heiress of Nicholas Sayer of Pulham St Mary, Norfolk; her mother was sister of Archbishop Tenison. By her, the bishop had one son and five daughters. His son Thomas (1702-1742) became a prebendary of Canterbury in 1739.
Whilst it seems unlikely that Tenison ever stayed at Elverton we do know of at least one celebrated 19th-century writer who did. William Cobbett penned a letter from Elverton Farm near Faversham on Friday morning 5th September 1823. Amongst many other remarks, he says,
In 1821 I gave Mr William Waller, who lives here, some American apple-cuttings; and he has now some as fine Newtown Pippins as one would wish to see. They are very large of their sort; very free in their growth; and they promise to be very fine apples of the kind. Mr Waller had cuttings from me of several sorts, in 1822. These were cut down last year; they have, of course, made shoots this summer; and great numbers of these shoots have fruit-spurs, which will have blossom, if not fruit, next year. This very rarely happens, I believe; and the state of Mr Waller’s trees clearly proves to me that the introduction of these American trees would be a great improvement.
When the present writer first visited Elverton many years ago it was generally understood that the enormous mulberry tree (Morus nigra) at the back of the house was planted by Queen Elizabeth. Elizabeth did indeed visit Faversham in 157324 but perhaps not Elverton. The foundation for the story may derive from the fact that Elizabeth leased the manor ten years later and her signature appears on the counterpart lease still held in the Canterbury Chapter Archives.25 The lease to Queen Elizabeth26 by the Dean and Chapter lays great stress on the written records and requires in the term of the lease to have:
six terrors and bookes distynctlie written parchment conteyninge in them and everie of them the names of the tenantes of the aforesaid mannour ... and to cause the courts of the saide mannour in due forme to be kepte and the rolls of the same manor to be ingrossed in parchment ...
At least one court roll27 does survive for 1616 and there are probably others.
At this time silk was principally obtained from the mulberry-feeding moth, Bombyx mori.28 Although there must have been encouragement to plant and grow these trees in the area around Canterbury in the 1560s with the great influx of foreign Protestant refugees capable of weaving silk, it was James I who really encouraged the planting of mulberry trees. The black mulberry (Morus nigra), from its having a purplish-black fruit, a native of western Asia, spread westwards in cultivation at an early period; it was cultivated by the Greeks and Romans in northern Europe by the 9th and 10th centuries. Up to the 15th century it was extensively grown for rearing silkworms but has been superseded by Morus alba, so called for its nearly white fruit.
Various descriptions of the manor 1571-1824
What sort of property was Elverton Manor Farm? Fortunately, in order to ascertain the gross annual value of the property, the Chapter surveyed its holdings from time to time. The earliest surviving survey29 so far located is dated 1571 and provides the following information:
The terrour of the maner of Elverton in the parish of Stone besyde Faversham in the county of Kent conteynyng the nomber of acres of ereable land marssh land and meadowe grounde to the same maner belongyng made and bounded the xth daye of September in the xiijth yere of the reigne of our sovereign lady Elyzabeth by the grace of God Quene of Ingland Fraunce and Ireland defender of the fayth and so forth by Anne Okeden wydowe fermour of the same maner John Dewer Clement Snothe Robert Morton and John Rooper tenantes to the seid maner and exhybyted by the seyd Anne Okeden
First the seid maner with the maner house with the kechyn gatehouse stables barnes dovehouse and the gardens to the same adioynyng with one pece of grounde called the Forstall there conteyne foure acres and lye together to the feld called Elverton feld agenst the East South and West to the marsheland of the same maner called Home mershe agenst the North and to the landes of the same maner called Estbyn agenst the East iiij acres
The seid feld called Elverton feld contenyth fyftie acres of areable land and lyeth to the seid maner house of Elverton and to the Forstall there agenst the East and North to the kynges Hyghwaye there agenst the East and North the landes late belongyng to the Measendiewe of Osprynge30 the lands of John A See gentylman and the comen hyewaye there agenst the South the garden and landes of John Rooper agenst the West and South And to the marshe land of the same maner ageyst the West and North L acres
One pece of land called Southfeld conteyneth sevyntene acres and lyeth to the comen path ledyng from Tenham to Faversham agenst the North to the lands of Sir Henry Crysp knyght agenst the East and North and to the landes of Clement Snothe ageynst the South and West xvij acres
One other pece of land called Cokcroft conteyneth thre acres and lyith to the landes of John Dewer agenst the West the kynges hygh strete there agenst the North the landes of John Dyerton agenst the East and the comen path ledying from Tenham to Faversham agenst the South iij acres
One other pece of land with a chery garden enclosed within the same called Eastbyn conteyneth elevyn acres and lyeth to the barne of the same maner and to the forstalls there agenst the West to a pece of medowe grounde parcell of the seyd maner agenst the North the marsshe called Wellmarshe agenst the East and the Kynges Hyghwaye there ageynst the South xj acres
One pece of medowe grounde called the medowe conteynyth foure acres and lyeth to the marshe land to the seyd maner called Home Marshe agenste the West to the marshe called Well marshe agenst the North and East and to the seid pece of land called Estbyne agenst the South iiij acres
One pece of marshe land called the further marshe lying next unto the sea wall conteyneth fyftie acres and lyeth to the sea wall there agenst the North to the marshe land of Thomas Copynger gentylman the marshe land of Richard Dryland gentylman and to a parcell of Well marshe agenst the East to the marshe land of the seyd maner of Elverton called Myddell marshe agenst the South and to the lands of the heires of Rauff Johnson lying in Tenham marshe agenst the West L acres
One other pece of marshe land called the Myddell marshe and next adjoynyng to the seyd marshe called the Further Marshe lyith to the seyd pece of marshe called the Further Marshe agenst the North, to the marshe called Well Marshe agenst the East, to the marshe land of the seyd manor of Elverton called Home Marshe agenst the South, to the marshe land of William Fynche gentleman to the marshe land of Thomas Marvyn gentleman called Newe Land marshe And to the marshe land of the heires of Robert Grenestrete agenst the West L acres
One other pece of marshe land called Holme Marshe conteynyth fyftie acres adjoyneth to the seid marshe called Myddell Marshe and lyeth to the same Myddell Marshe agenst the North, to the marshe land called Well Marshe and to foure acres of medowe parcell of the seyd maner agenst the East, to the forstall and to the seyd felde called Elverton felde agenst the South, and to the marshe land of the seid maner called the Out marshe agenst the West L acres
One other pece of marshe called Out Marshe conteyneth seventene acres and lyeth to the flete called Elverton Flete agenst the Northwest to the marshe land of the seyd maner agenst the North and East, And to the seyd feld called Elverton felde and to a parcell of marshe land of the seyd maner called the Lytyll Hope agenst the Southe xvij acres
One other pece of marshe land called the Lytyll Hope next unto Roopers conteyneth three acres lyeth to the seyd flete called Elverton flete agenst the West, to the seid marshe called the Out Marshe agenst the North, to the felde called Elverton felde and to the land of John Rooper agenst the East and South iij acres
The total was 259 acres of land. And then follows a rental of the manor of Elverton made on the 10th September 1571.
In 1635 there is a record written in the most appalling script recording the following details about ELVERTON in Stone parish:31
A faire house of brick and tymber all; whereof some part seems to be ancient and the rest but lately done. There wanted two new doores about the house. As alsoe, the payling before it, was weake and decayed. A hen and hogg house (party farre from the mansion house) was lately falne downe. The barnes wanted here and there some boarding and underpinning. But the stables and other edifices adjoyning, (which are next to the house) are much out of repaire. There was a pidgeon house there standing within these 6 yeares which is now downe and soe clearely carried away, that scarce the place thereof can be seene. Yet I saw it, and hold it most unfitt, that it should suf-fered decaye soe long; the place doubtles being very fitt for pidgery. Goody Terry32
As for the royalties, it seems by the woman’s report, that Mr Moulton (who had it of Sir John Sidley, by exchange for a place called Sincklett, 2 miles of Wroutam) chal-lengeth them as his and uses them. And the woeman knew not otherwise but that they are his. Such tymber as is there alsoe the woeman doth think to belong to her landlord, without whose permission shee saith, shee dares not at any time cutt downe any tree; but now expected that he would shortly come, and so appoint her out one or two.
Goody Terry, payes 214£ for it yearly, and is bound to reparation, only tymber excepted. Shee hath it so for 20 years whereof 3 are already expired, and shee will not be raised, she saith but rather lett it run out.
Strangely, we can confirm the mention of Mr Moulton in that the assignment of the lease has survived, dated 28th October 1634, between Robert Multon of Ightham Esq. and William James of Ightham Esq.33
In 1770 Doctor Carly (representative of the Dean and Chapter) commented:34
that [the] most likely way to do ourselves justice is to procure a good survey and a reasonable estimate of the whole, piece by piece and to be guided by that without paying the least regard to the tales of the tenant and undertenant, who have probably laid their heads together and amused us for near a century past. A new terrar and a new rental are much wanted ...
He presumably was listened to for in 1776 another surveyor John Smith provides the following descriptions (extracts):35
Elverton Manor the name of the farm house and lands lying in the parish of Stone long since, no parish, the church or chapple down – belonging to the Dean and Chapter of Canterbury Christ Church a lease for three lives – and ’tis surmised two or more of the lives are gone – I think certificates of the lives should be demanded – or by what rule the church finds out that the lives of such persons as are put in the lease are living or dead I cannot tell – but the lease has been assigned, as I am informed, several times and now, and for about three years last past: is come to John Waller of Feversham gentleman about three miles from the farm.36
Here follows a terrier or abbutting and bounding of the lands in the year 1776 also a rack rent valuation as being all tithe free.
Now in the occupation of Mr Law Cobb, an old man.
The buildings called Elverton Manor: the manor house – a very good one with conveniences tiled in good repair, two barns, one stable, a graniry and other outhouses all in tenantable repair.
Have been no chapel for many years.
A Little orchard and flower garden together about 0a 2r with fruits 1£ 10 0d.
Formerly to the same manor belonging one large close called Great Elverton field of by estimation twenty eight acres, one other close formerly called Little Elverton of by estimation twenty two acres now in 1776 are both one field called Elverton Field containing fifty acres and is bounded by own church land being marsh land on the North and on the West, by Mr Eves land in part and Mr Gillards land in part on the South, Church – manor house and yards adjoining on the East
Tithe free and every year sown land one year with beans, the next with wheat – a strong rich soil.
50a 0r at 26s an acre 65£ 0s 0d.
The account continues at some length. In all there was found to be 88 acres and 1 rood of upland and 152 acres of marshes, exclusive of bogs, ditches etc. and the whole was valued at £266 14s. 6d.
Thomas Pettman in his survey37 undertaken in 1796 says of Elverton,
…consisting of a house brick and tiled, barns, stable and lodge timber and thatched. and eighty four acres of arable land described by the tenant including a yard and small orchard, and one hundred and sixty one acres of Marsh land, part of which is wet. The whole being tythe free is estimated at three hundred and eleven pounds per annum.38
N.B. this farm receives no tythes nor pays none, receives no quit rents nor pays none, there is about twenty elm trees computed at six or seven ton, there is a short length of wall the spring tide flows against and which is attended with some expence to secure.
This was followed in 1803 by another survey accompanied by a map of Elverton manor Farm which is reproduced here (Fig. 2):
Survey and Valuation of Copton and Selgrove Manors, Copton Manor Farm, Little Ham Farm and the Brents in the parishes of Faversham, Preston, Sheldwich and Ospringe and Elverton Manor Farm in the parish of Stone in the county of Kent belonging to the Very Reverend The Dean and Chapter of Canterbury by Kent Pearce and Kent.39 This was that the buildings consist of a good brick and tile farm house, two barns, stable and cowhouse, all stone, board and thatch – a good brick and tile granary, bullock lodge, cattle sheds and pigsties all in a fair state of repair.
(Many of the field names are still being used today.40)
The surveyors remark,
This is a most compleat and desirable farm consisting of some of the finest land in the country – it is free both of great and small tithes and conveniently situated within 3 miles of Faversham. The quantity of the salts is taken from the tenant’s account as well as the other part of the farm. We are inclined to think they would fall short upon admeasurement, even including the walls, as to the profitable part of them, but have no doubt if they are estimated down to the side of the creek at low water mark but they may contain as much as is stated. We have considered this in the value fixed upon them.
In some ancient documents relative to this estate it is said Elverton is a manor to which quit rents were paid amounting to £1 7s 10d. Also it is stated that tithes of certain lands were paid to it, neither of which appears to be the case at present, as the tenant declares he receives no profit but those arising from the farm, neither does he recollect a Court ever being held. This matter should be full investigated, by searching the Court records, to see whether and further papers can be found so as to establish again both the tithes and quit rents.
We can compare the 1803 survey with a later survey and valuation taken of Elverton Manor farm in the parish of Stone in 1824.41
On this estate is a large house, 2 barns with three floors stables and cart lodges in very bad repair gardens etc., free from all kind of tithes
Annual value 607£
Reserved rent 32£42
575£ .0.0.
There has been an enclosure made from the sea which will in time be much improved in value but as it has been done at the expence of the tenant is not valued at more than it remained open to the tides. The admeasurement is made by Wm Styles of Greenstreet.
Conclusion
The dust of time has been lightly brushed from these documents, to reveal their beauty and it is hoped that further work will reveal yet more interesting aspects of the history. The rich survival of documentation for this manor will hopefully provide a basis for research into its early history.43 Neither has any attempt been made at this stage to look at the wealth of probate records44 nor the civil court records that have survived to expand our knowledge not only of the lessees but also perhaps more importantly the tenants of the manor of Elverton and their belongings in the house.
acknowledgements
Compilation of this article would not have been possible without the co-operation and assistance of archivists and staff at both Canterbury and Maidstone and this is greatly appreciated. The author is also grateful to the Dean and Chapter of Canterbury and the Kent History and Library Centre for permission to quote from copyright material in their collections and for allowing the reproduction of the ‘Eye sketch’ of the manor of Elverton.
endnotes
1 Edward Hasted, The Historical and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent, Folio edn, Vol. 2 (1792), p. 735.
2 Et est de victu eorum, Dugdale Monasticon (1846 edn), vol. i, p. 21. Edmund was eldest son of K. Edward the elder, by his second wife Ediva, or Edgiva as she was sometimes called. He succeeded to the throne on the death of his half-brother K. Æthelstan in the year 942 and, dying in 948, was succeeded by his brother Edred. Rapin, vol. I, p. 99 et seq.
3 Bib. Cot. Faustina, b. vi. 20, by the name of Elwardintune, Pope Urban III, 7 kal. April, 1187, confirmed to them, among their other possessions, the manor of Eylwarton, with the tythes of it. [The reference is given as Register of Christ Church, Canterbury, presumably Register D].
4 Canterbury Cathedral Archives (hereafter CCA): DCc Register D folio 431.
5 The original survives in the CCA: Chartæ Antiquæ (Ch. Ant.) E121. Unless otherwise stated all further references are to Canterbury Cathedral Archives.
6 Another 132 Elverton documents exist in the Ch. Ant. series between 1251 to 1382, and two documents 1422, 1455.
7 DCc/Ch. Ant. E2 and Register D folio 432.
8 British Library, Department of Manuscripts (hereafter BL), Add. MS. 16358.
9 For detailed study see D.A. Heaton, ‘A study of the structure and corporate estate management of the lands of the Dean and Chapter 1640-1760’, Kent m.a. thesis, 1971.
10 James A. Galloway, Margaret Murphy and Olwen Myhill, Kentish Demesne Accounts up to 1350 (1993) and for a listing, see Patricia Hyde and Duncan Harrington, Faversham Hundred Records Volume 1 (1995) and P. Hyde, Faversham and District Bibliography: Primary Sources (1993).
11 CCA: U11/6 Box 436, Letter 185.
12 Hasted (1798), p. 390. Much of the correspondence seems to be dated at the beginning of the year 1782. John Boyle (in his notes U84) has suggested 1779. Boyle gives J. Tappenden as an attorney concerned with the enquiry about Eastling. He appears in the Hasted letters as (II) [now CCA:U11/6 box 436] letters 123, 184, 185, 198, 200, 204 (III) [now box 433] 101, 109, 110, 113 and loose letter 21 June 1798. 436/123 is dated at Faversham 16 Mar 1783 and signed James Tappenden.
13 James Tappenden was a pillar of the local community: influential attorney, scrivener, Town clerk, Clerk to the Justices, Officer of the Cinque Ports, engaged in the iron and wood trades, man of property in the town and the surrounding villages. See, Peter Tann, ‘James Tappenden, Town Clerk of Faversham 1742-1841’, Archaeologia Cantiana, cxv, 1995, 213-230, which gives a detailed account of the family and fortunes of the Tappendens.
14 The spellings have been retained but the abbreviations have been expanded.
15 CCA:DCc/SB 3 1709-1740. These are not indexed and have only just been folioated. Folio 104v, ‘St Katherines Chapter 1729 the seals of this Chapter and such as may happen before the next chapter are to be divided between Mr Dean and such of the Prebendaries as attend the greatest part of the Chapter; that is to say, Dr Holcombe Vicedean, Dr Blomer, Dr Tenison, Dr Wilkins, Dr Wake, Dr Ayerst and Dr Egerton’.
16 CCA:DCc/SB 3 folio 106v.
17 CCA:DCc/SB 3 folio 134v, ‘Also a lease of Elverton Manour to Mrs Tenison for her own life and the lives of the Earl of Leicester and Michael Stephenson clerk; the last life added in the room of the Lord Bishop of Ossory deceased for a fine of one hundred and eighty pounds’.
18 CCA:DCc 3 folio 142v ‘We then sealed a lease of Elverton Manour to Anne Tenison for her own life and the lives of Thomas Tenison LD her son and Margaret Tenison her daughter, which two are put in the room of the late Earl of Leicester deceased and Michael Stevenson clerk whose life is exchanged. The fine was two hundred and sixty pounds’.
19 CCA:DCc 4 folio 9 26 June 1742 ‘we then sealed a lease of Elverton Manour to Mrs Ann Tenison for her own life and lives of her daughter Margaret St Eloy and Edward Marshall; the last life put into this lease in stead of Dr Thomas Tenison deceased, the fine was one hundred and ninety five pounds’.
20 CCA:BB 29/30.
21 CCA:DCc:BB 29/34 and 35.
22 Medway Archives: Church Commissioners Deposit CCRc T282/276760. See Appendix IV.
23 DNB, p. 536.
24 J. Nicholas, The progresses and public processions of Queen Elizabeth I (1788); ‘Charges laid out when the Quene came to the towne’, 1572, KHLC:Fa/FAc 3/2 folio 1.
25 CCA:Ch. Ant. E132.
26 CCA:Ch. Ant. E132 16 Feb 1583.
27 CCA:U15/15/19 Court Baron 16 Jly 1616.
28 VCH, Kent, Vol. 3 (1932), p. 412; Encyclopedia Britannica (1926).
29 Medway Archives: CCRc T282/276810/2.
30 Maison Dieu of Ospringe.
31 CCA:DCc Surveys S3, 21 Jly 1635. The many abbreviations have been expanded but the spelling retained although the punctuation and capital letters have been changed.
32 There is a Probate account for William Terry of Stone in 1632, KHLC:PRC 2/31/158. [PRC. Probate Registry Canterbury: Archdeaconry and Consistory Courts of Canterbury Probate Records. Records now held at KHLC with PRC Reference.]
33 KHLC: U55.T397, H.W. Knocker deposit; other assignments dated 28 Oct 1635 and 10 May 1636. The deposit also includes 10 Oct 1760 Peter Saint Eloy and Samuel Smith Esq to Thomas Tenison Esquire, assignment of Elverton Lease; 24 Jne 1762 Thomas Tenison to Mrs Samuel and William Smith lease for a year.
34 Medway Archives: CCRc T282/276810: 1/5.
35 Medway Archives: CCRc T282/276810: 5/5 Dean and Chapter of Canterbury, Elverton Manor near Faversham surveyed 1776. [Bunce John Smith’s Survey and valuation of Elverton Manor 1776.]
36 (Note in margin) The surmise arises only from what the tenant Cobb says. N.B. Lives are said if living – not in this kingdom.
37 Medway Archives: CCRc T282/276810: 4. Surveyed the 26th of April 1796. Elverton Manor in the parish of Stone, Mr Waller lessee.
38 The lease of Elverton Manor 30 June 1796 by John Waller of Faversham gentleman is recorded in the Chapter Lease Register Vol 50, p. 467.
39 CCA:U63/70394 folios 10-13. Nathaniel Kent is given as a surveyor in 1801 DCc/BB 34/147 as also Kent, Pearce and Kent, surveyors in 1801 BB 93/39; in 1803 they are given as of Craig’s Court, Westminster BB 33/38. The other partner may have been J.W. Pearce of Craig’s Court, London in 1807 BB 34/150. By 1829 the firm was Pearce, Kent and Thynne of Craig’s Court, London (BB 34/155 and 49/45-49).
40 Mrs M. Johnson says that in 2020 the following field names are still the same Hog Brook, Buckland Marsh is Old Buckland, Brickland Meadow is Brickyard Hut.
41 52 Survey and valuation books CCA:U63/70310 1808 to 1833: Surveys June Audit 1824 70310/50.
42 This was the farm of the manor at the time of the dissolution as is evidenced by CCA:Ch. Ant. DCc/C161. Reprise is given as none.
43 For a listing, see Patricia Hyde and Duncan Harrington, Faversham Hundred Records Volume 1 (1995); P. Hyde, Faversham and District Bibliography: Primary Sources (1993).
44 An abstract of one will contemporary with the rental is given in Appendix VIII.
Fig. 1 Photograph (1902) of Elverton manor house. (Maggee Johnson collection, reproduced with permission.)
|
1 |
Yards Garden etc. |
acre |
r[ood] |
gratis |
£ |
s |
|
|
2 |
Orchard |
2 |
Orchard |
80/- |
2 |
||
|
3 |
Cherry Ground Piece |
3 |
Wheat |
34/- |
5 |
2 |
|
|
4 |
East Binn |
16 |
Beans |
34/- |
27 |
4 |
|
|
5 |
In South Field |
16 |
Wheat |
34/- |
27 |
4 |
|
|
6 |
The Fifty Acres |
48 |
Wheat etc |
34/- |
27 |
4 |
|
|
7 |
Brickland Meadow |
3 |
Meadow |
30/- |
4 |
10 |
|
|
8 |
Buckland Marsh |
7 |
Pasture |
33/- |
11 |
11 |
|
|
9 |
Marsh adjoining East |
8 |
Pasture |
33/- |
13 |
4 |
|
|
10 |
Ten acre marsh |
10 |
Meadow |
30/- |
15 |
||
|
11 |
Eight acre marsh |
8 |
Pasture |
30/- |
12 |
||
|
12 |
Ten acre marsh |
10 |
Pasture |
33/- |
16 |
10 |
|
|
13 |
Thirteen acre marsh |
13 |
Pasture |
35/- |
22 |
15 |
|
|
14 |
Rushy Marsh |
10 |
Pasture |
27/- |
13 |
10 |
|
|
15 |
Bleat Marsh |
26 |
Pasture |
35/- |
45 |
10 |
|
|
16 |
Twenty acres |
20 |
Pasture |
36/- |
36 |
||
|
17 |
Thirteen acres |
13 |
Pasture |
34/- |
22 |
2 |
|
|
18 |
Further Marsh |
18 |
Pasture |
34/- |
30 |
12 |
|
|
19 |
Reed Bed Marsh |
8 |
Pasture |
33/- |
13 |
4 |
|
|
20 |
Wall Marsh |
7 |
Pasture |
28/- |
9 |
16 |
|
|
21 |
The Salts and Walls |
16 |
Pasture |
4/- |
3 |
4 |
|
|
Acres |
261 |
2 |
412 |
10 |
Fig. 2 The map of Elverton manor farm appended to the 1803 survey. CCA: U63/70394, copyright of the Dean and Chapter of Canterbury Cathedral.
Reproduced with permission.
|
A |
R |
P |
£ |
s |
d |
||
|
13 |
0 |
37 |
New enclosed salts at 5s per annum |
) |
3 |
6 |
0 |
|
- |
3 |
39 |
Wall |
) |
1 |
0 |
|
|
11 |
1 |
14 |
Reed Bed Marsh |
) |
|||
|
2 |
2 |
1 |
Hammel Marsh |
) |
|||
|
8 |
1 |
1 |
Roundabout Marsh |
) |
|||
|
17 |
2 |
27 |
18 Acres |
) |
|||
|
12 |
0 |
19 |
14 Acres |
) |
|||
|
23 |
1 |
34 |
20 Acres |
) |
|||
|
24 |
3 |
12 |
Great Marsh |
) |
|||
|
4 |
- |
5 |
New Marsh |
) |
|||
|
8 |
- |
33 |
Hogbrook Marsh |
) |
|||
|
9 |
0 |
22 |
Buckland 10 acres |
) |
|||
|
10 |
2 |
33 |
Walletts |
) |
|||
|
11 |
1 |
23 |
Middle 10 acres |
) |
|||
|
13 |
0 |
7 |
Horse Marsh |
) |
|||
|
8 |
0 |
15 |
Rush Marsh |
) |
|||
|
173 |
1 |
19 |
Total |
364 |
1 |
0 |
|
|
3 |
2 |
19 |
Little Field |
Arable |
|||
|
16 |
2 |
23 |
South Field |
Arable |
|||
|
51 |
3 |
22 |
East Field |
Arable |
|||
|
20 |
Garden in Field |
||||||
|
72 |
1 |
4 |
total at 50s |
180 |
12 |
6 |
|
|
1 |
1 |
22 |
Gardens |
||||
|
- |
1 |
19 |
Orchard |
||||
|
19 |
3 |
1 |
East Bins |
||||
|
21 |
2 |
2 |
total at 50s |
53 |
15 |
0 |
|
|
Premises not in admeasurement |
5 |
||||||
|
281 |
1 |
21 |
Total |
607 |
14 |
6 |
Appendix I
Counterpart leases relating to Elverton Manor in the Parish of Stone granted by the Priory of Christ Church Canterbury and, after the new foundation, by the Dean & Chapter of Canterbury. The collection returned from the Church Commissioners is now in the class U63 at Canterbury and CCRc at Medway Archives (MAS). The first number (the present reference) represents the Church Commissioners’ number and the second number in brackets is that of the Ecclesiastical Commissioners.
1 See full translated abstract of this document in Appendix II.
2 Lease.
3 Very detailed lease includes an inventory of the stock.
4 Counterpart.
5 The same premises reserving manorial rights. There is a bond DCc/Bond 71 dated 1497 from Thomas Dalby yeoman of Stone next Faversham and Richard Raude yeoman of Sittingbourne to Thomas Golstone II prior 10 March in £60 endorsed “Elvarton”.
6 The same premises reserving woods etc.
7 See complete transcript of this document as Appendix III.
8 This counterpart lease carries the signature of Queen Elizabeth and was placed by Bunce in the Chartae Antiquae (E132); as such it was never sent to London. CCA:DCc/Register V3 folio 56v dated 1582 gives John Cock as lessee of Elverton manor.
9 The same premises by confirmation for the residue of a term granted by Henry VIII.
10 The same premises except manor rights fishings, huntings and fowlings and all gross trees, woods and underwoods.
11 Commonwealth Leases. See Appendix V
12 BL. Add. MS 29540 Conveyance of Elwerton manor in 1675: not examined.
13 Their manor of Elverton in the county of Kent and all rent and services lands and marshes of the said manor with the tithes as well of their old dominicals and demean lands of their tenants there to the said manor of old time belonging with their appurtenances reserving as in 1615.
14 CCA: DCc/BB/51/40. Copy lease 1763 Peter St Eloy of Doctors Commons London and Samuel Smith merchant of London. Originally made 1754.
15 Release.
16 Bond.
17 Lapse for 21 years.
18 Mortgage.
19 Agreement.
20 Lapse for 7 years.
21 All that their manor of Elverton in the county of Kent and all rents and services lands and marshes of the said manor together with the tythes as well of their old dominicalls and demesne lands of their tenants to the said manor of old time belonging with their appurtenances - reserving manor rights fishings huntings and fowlings and of all gross trees woods and underwoods. Lapse 7 years.
22 Lapse 7 years.
23 Lapse 7 years.
24 Lapse 1 year.
25 Lapse 6 years.
26 Lapse 7 years.
27 Medway Archives:CCRc T282/276794-6, 276798-811.
28 Contains report of the value of Elverton Farm May 1850.
29 David Collard & 7 sons of George Collard of Elverton.
30 Hogbrook Cottage.
31 For sale & purchase of Elverton Farm by E.C. £7,900 purchase leasehold.
32 Has map on parchment of all property showing buildings, etc.
33 Commencing 1774.