{ 82 )
S'l'. MARY'S, WESTENHANGER.
(CHURCH DESTROYED.)
REO'l'ORS AND PATRONS.
BY REV. 'J'. SHIPDEM FRAMPTON, M.A.., F.S.A..
THE Parish Church of Westenhanger is said to have stood
at a little distance westward of the House, and of the
drawbridge at the entrance to it, between the latter and the
great barn, which, report says, was partly built out of the
ruins of it.
In the Taxatio Ecclesiastica of P. Nicholas IV., c. 1291,
the Church of "Ostringhangre" is valued at £4 13s. 4d. Iu
the Valor Ecclesiasticus of K. Henry VIII., 1535-6, the net
value is given at £,7 12s. 6d.
The old Church was from early times the recipient of
numerous offerings from dutiful sons and daughters, foremost
among them being, natu1·ally, members of the family
which owned Westeuhanger House. Thus Sir John Kfriel,
1376, left 100 marks and 100s. for memol'ial services, besides
40s. to "the work" of the Chmch. Lady Lettice Keryel,
14-08, left to the High Altar, 6s. 8d. To " the work a.nd
fabric" of the church three cows; white linen cloth of
sufficient quantity, marked with a red cross; and four torches
of the value of 5s. each. Lady Elizabeth Keryall, 1419, left
a missal and a vestment. And Lady Cicely Kyriell, 1472,
bequeathed 40s. for "forgotten tithes." Other parishione1·s
left various money bequests for "tithes forgotten" and £or
the "fabric" of the chut·ch. Towards the latter object an
outsider, Richard Keteham, of Monks Horton, 1480, left
6s. 8d., and towards the reparation of the chancel Thomas
Marche of Saltwood, 1506, bequeathed the sum of 18s. 4.id.
The following lights are specified as receiving bequests:
St. Mary's, St. Cw.. istopher's, St. Anthony's, Holy Cross,
ST. MARY·s, WES'l'ENHANGER.
and those of St. George and St. John. Andrew Hawarden,
1511, left for a taper to burn before Our Lady there, 20s.
yearly ; also £or stayning of cloths for our Lady's altar in
the chmch 16s. 8d.; also for the foundation of a lamp
· perpetual to burn before the Sacrament there, 20s., and his
round chippechest to be occupied by the goods of the
church so long· as it would last.*
Dr. Harris speaks of a chapel 33 feet long and 17 feet
wide, with cmious carved stonework and richly decorated,
which was erected by Sii- Edward Poynings, K.G., aud
Controller of the King's Household, in the 12th year of the
reign of King Henry VIII.t This was evidently identical
with the church said by Mr. Rickman to have been built in
1520,t as recorded by an inscription, formerly at Westenhanger,
pt·eserved in Stukeley's Itinei·arium Ourioswn.
·The intt'Oduction of this domestic chapel must have
largely contributed, with other circumstances, to bring about
the gradual disuse of the original Parish Church, and to lead
to the fusion of the parish with that of Stanford, which
appears to have taken place shortly before the middle of the
sixteenth century.
The Church of Stanford once contained what seems to
have been the sole remaining relic of W estenhanger Church
-the ancient font, which wa.s rescued and conveyed thither
for further· use and preservation. For soine generations
these purposes were fulfilled; but no trace of this interesting
memorial can now be discovered, notwithstanding diligent
inquiries have been made by the present Rector, the Rev.
Herbert F. Smith, M.A. The nave of Stil.nford Church was
entirely rebuilt about the year 1846, and it is thought that
the old font was then removed and its place taken by the one
:r;iow in use, whit:h is of modern workmanship.
ill See A1•ol,,, Oant., Extra. Vol., p. 364.
t History of Kent, 1719, p. 295.
;t · GotMo Architecture, 1th edit., p. 317,
o2
84
RECTORS AND PA'l'RONS.
RALPH n.E ALEGATE, presented 7 March 1274-5. Patron:
King Edward I. (Pat. 3 Edw. I., m. 29.)
He was prsented to the Church of "Ostringhangere"
by the Crown owing to the custody of the lands and heirs of
Nicholas de Crioll, deceased, who held of the Sovereign
in capite, being in the King's bands.
In 1279 Peter de Trye also bad letters of presentation to
this benefice from the Crown, but the anticipated voidance
did not occm·, and they were not acted on.
WALTER DE TRAYLY, adm. 12 May 1282, on resig. of
the last. Patron: Sir Nicholas de Criell. (Reg. Peckham,
£. 52b.)
This Rector may have been connected with the family of
the same name living at St. Paul's Cray, and owning
property there, in the last quarter of the thirteenth century,
two of whom were called" Walter."*
THoM.A.s TREWEMAN, adm. 27 A.pril 1312. Patron: Sir
Ralph la Savage, Kt. (Reg. WincheJsey, f. 57.)
MILo de CHICHEBTRR, inst. 18 May 1327. Patron: Sir
Ralph le Savage, Kt. (Reg. Reynolds, f. 265b.)
HuoH DE STANFORD, fnst. 4 March 1327-8. Patron:
Sir Ralph Savage, Kt. (Oh. Oh. Cant., Reg. Q., £. 137, and
Scrap Book, II., p. 121.)
He was the son· of Robert Aleyn of Stanford, and was an
Acolyte when instituted to the benefice. He was ordained
Sub-deacon, on the title of his Church of "Ostri .nghangre,"
on SaturdiLy, 19 March 1327-8, by Peter, Bishop of Corbavia,
acting for the Prior and Chapter of Christ Church, Canterbury,
the See beiug then vacant. Two months later he
obtained licence to be non-resident until. the following
Michaelmas for the purpose of pursuing his studies.
_>¥, ThorJ?o,_RegiSllrUf!' Rojfen,110, p. 209.
: llEC'l'ORS AN'D PA 'l'RONS. 85
During his term of office the chanti-y i n the chapel of
St. Thomas, on the north side of the Church of " Ostrynghangre,"
was endowed by John Cryel with a messua.ge,
forty-five acres of arable land, and six acres of pasture,
with appurtenances, £or the support of a Chaplain to
celebrate daily for the good estate of the King and his
progenitors, and of the said John and his ancestors. The
licence for this purpose was granted 23 June 1345.*
After an incumbency of more than twenty years Hugh
de Stanford resigned for the chaplaincy of Craythorne, or
Crauthorne, in the parish of Hope All Saints, to which he
was admitted 13 September 1349. On the following day he
was instituted Rector of" Demechirch" (Dymchurch), which
he held for several years.
HENRY DE CuMPTONE, or Co:MPTON, "provided" 12 March
1348-9, on resig. of the last. (Papal Letters, vol. iii.,
p. 273.)
He was previously Chantry Priest of St. Thomas's Chapel
in Westenhanger Chm·ch, an
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