Letters

At a very interesting seminar on Saturday, 17th August 1996, by Dr. Shirley Black on the Woollen Industry in Kent, the question of ownership of sheep in medieval times was raised. Members may be interested to hear how they were spread among the inhabitants of West Wickham, a manor in N.W. Kent on the dip slope of the North Downs, according to the returns for the Subsidy of 1301.

The lord of the manor had by far the greatest number with 110 sheep and 20 lambs. Of his listed 40 tenants, 19 had some sheep with usually a few lambs, totaling 175 sheep and 46 lambs between them. One tenant had 26 sheep and 6 lambs. Four others had between 10 and 25 sheep. One man possessed only two but six or seven were the most usual with 2-4 lambs. For the purposes of this tax, sheep were valued at 10d and lambs at 5d. P. E. Knowlden, Mrs.

HUNGRYGUT HALL FARM. I have been trying for some time to learn something of the history of the above farm in the Darenth Parish. Could the KAS help? Dartford Ref. Library have given me a copy of the 1868 O.S. map, Darenth Sheet 1 x 7 which shows the farm as small, some 8 acres. A cursory inspection of the site shows a dilapidated barn and small sections of wall, Tudor brick with flint panels and two buildings which look like 18th C. additions. I have scanned census returns from 1841 without finding any reference. The D.D.A.S. Transactions Vol. 1 says: "Hungrygut Farm has received attention from all angles and notes written." This material cannot be found locally. KAS help would be much appreciated.

R. T. Balcombe.