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Kingsdown (West) with index of names and places at end

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A complete transcription of Vol. VII of L.L. Duncan's manuscript notebook of Monumental Inscriptions for Hartley, Ridley, Longfield, Fawkham, Kingsdown, Knockholt  High Halden and the Martin Family. The original is lodged in the Library of the Kent Archaeological Society.
                                                                          
                            
Frank Bamping 2 March 2000

Inscriptions in the Churchyard of Kingsdown by Farningham, Kent.

                                                                                                            Taken  Sept. 1890

On the South side of the Yard

1.         Head. Elizabeth wife of Mr Stephen COWGILL of this Parish who died 24 August 1818 aged 54 years. Also the above Mr Stephen Cowgill d. 11 June 1930 aged 73.

2.         Head. Mr John GODDARD son of Mrs Elizabeth Cowgill d. 12 May 1836 aged 42 years.

3.         Head. Elizabeth KINNELL d. 8 Sept. 1837 aged 8 days. Also George Kinnell father of the above who died suddenly 12 May 1864 aged 62.

4.         Head. Elizabeth wife of Mr George MORGAN of this Parish d. 12 Jan. 1844 aged 52. Also Mr George Morgan d. November 30 1861 aged 70.

5.            Cross. In / loving memory / of the / Hon.& Rev. Frank SUGDEN / Died Jan. 16 1886 / Edward Malcolm Sugden/ Second son of Frank Sugden died November 1880.

6.         Head. Robert DUNMALL d. 25 Dec. 1876 aged 65 years. Emma Dunmall his wife d. 11 June 1879 aged 54 years.

7.         Head. Mary wife of Jeremiah SOLOMON d. 23 August 1867 aged 89.

8.         Head. Jeremiah SOLOMON d. 1 Oct. 1826 aged 51. Also 3 sons and 3 daughters.

9.         Head. John SOLOMON late of Bexley in Kent d. 20 March 1823 aged 51 years.

10.       Head. Nicholas EDWIN late of Southwark, d. 15 Jan. 1870 aged 68 years. Sarah his wife d. 18 March 1882 aged 84. Sarah Emma Edwin daughter of the above d. 5 June 1884 aged 59.

11.       Flat marble cross. Samuel DEWE, M.A. / of St John's College Cambridge / 49 years Rector of this Parish / Born 10 November 1795 / Died 10 September 1885.

On the other side this:- Also Frances Mary his wife / Born 8 March 1810 / Died 19 March 1869.

12.       Altar tomb with iron railings, near the Yew tree.

On the south side:- Here lieth deposited / the remains of James son of / Mr James and Margaret TAYLOR / of this Parish. He died Sept. ye 28 1772 / aged 33 years.

On the north side:- In memory of / Mr William ELGAR late of Maidstone / who departed this life February 23rd / 1798 aged 68 years.

13.       Head. William FARMAN of this Parish d. 3 November 1785 aged 35. Richard Farman d. 9 Feb. 1820 aged 67.

14.       Head. William Farman d. 10 Jan. 1777 aged 65. Also Mary wife of the above d. 8 Dec. 1782 aged 65. Left issue 2 sons William and Richard. Also Sophia daughter of William and Sarah Farman d. Sept. 29 1783 aged 23.

15.       Head. William PUCKNELL of this Parish d. 2 March 1858 aged 94. Rebecca his wife d. 17 May 1824 buried in Ash Churchyard.

16.       Head. Francis MARTIN d. 25 March 1762 in 67th year.  Left a widow and two daughters Elizabeth and Frances.

17.       Head. James PALMER d. 7 Dec 1790 aged 67. Left a widow and one daughter. Elizabeth wife of James Palmer d. 4 Sept. 1800 aged 79. Sarah daughter of John and Ann FREMLIN and widow of Thomas Palmer of Heaverham Baptized at Kemsing 31 August 1701 Died at Knatts 1 March 1785, leaving issue Elizabeth wife of John Heath of Wickhurst, Sevenoaks Weald and Thomas Palmer of Knatts Kingsdown.

18.       Head. Mr Richard HILL of this Parish d. 8 Jan. 1807 aged 30. Left issue 1 son and 2 daughters - Richard Bets and Maria Ann.

19.       Head.. Robert RICHARDSON of the Parish of Crayford d. 20 June 1750 aged 62. Alice his wife d. 14 Oct. 1746 aged 49. Elizabeth FLINT daughter of the said Robert and Alice Richardson d. 25 Jan. 1753 aged 26.

20.       Head. Peter BATES late of this Parish d. 17 Dec. 1859 aged 78 years. Also Martha Bates his wife d. Dec 29 1874 aged 74. Also Elizabeth dau. of the above d. Aug. 4 1851 aged 16 years. Margaret-Eliza d. Jan 21 1857 aged 11 years.

21.            Wooden rail. Ann OLIVER wife of Thomas Oliver of this Parish (late of Seal) d. Sept 29 (?1818) aged 61 years.

22.       Head. Richard HILLS of this Parish d. Jan 2 1736 aged 42.

23.       Head. Mary wife of John WOODWARD d. June 26 1811 aged 36. Left issue 2 daughters viz - Jane and Agnes. Also Ann FORREST, mother of the above Mary Woodward d. March 8 1812 in her 60th year.

24.       Head. Ellen wife of Michael DEANE of this Parish d. October ye 7th 1740 aged 70. They left issue 2 sons and 3 daughters viz - James, Michael, Elizabeth, Mary and Jane.

25.       Head. Thomas ROSSE late of this Parish d. April 22 1780 aged 72 years.

By the East end of the chancel.

 26.       Head. Here lyeth the / Body of Thomas / COGGAR who Dyed / M.. [ay] ye ...9th 1720 / aged 56 years.

 27.       Head. Sarah HILLS d. 15 Feb 1881 aged 73. Also Absolom Hills her husband d. 17 Aug 1883 aged 75.

28.            Cross. Thomas WHITING of this Parish d. Aug 10 1882 aged 74. Also Caroline his wife d. Nov 26 1885 aged 68.

 In the South West part of the Yard.

 29.       Head. Elizabeth daughter of Charles and Ann EVEREST of this Parish d. January 23 1811 aged 25

 30.       Head. Ann wife of Charles EVEREST d. June 28 1826 aged 73. Also Charles Everest d. July 13 1838 aged 81. Erected as a tribute of filial veneration by some of their children.

 31.       Head. Elizabeth WEDD wife of James Wedd of this Parish d. May 14 1817 aged 39.

 32.       Head. Henry BLUNDEN of Trossley d. Aug 29 1778 aged 66. Also Mary his wife died Oct .... aged [?57] years. (Stone broken).

 33.       Head. Mary Anne MARSHALL late of this Parish d. April 8 1767 aged 55 years. She left issue one son by her first husband Henry ELLIS.

 34.            Wooden rail. To the memory of W........ died March 23 18 [?38] aged 75. Also Frederick LANGFORD d. Oct 14 1846 aged .... years Also Mary Langford d. Oct 22 18........

 35.       Head. Henry William PLOWMAN d. 6 June 1880 aged 24.

 36.            Marble monument with Cross. Caroline wife of Edward PINK d. 25 Feb 1880 aged 56. [Note. This is the tomb of a member of the house of Pink, the Jam and Preserve Merchant.]

 37.       Head. Mr Richard JESSUP of this Parish d. 23 Oct 1840 aged 63. Mary his wife d. 1 March 1854 aged 76.

 38.       Head. Mr Richard MARTIN of this Parish d. 23 Sept 1824 aged 74. Ann his wife d. 8 Nov 1855 aged 80.

 In the North West part of the Yard.

 39.       Head. Mrs Mary CHAPMAN d. Oct 2 1803 aged 61

 40.       Head. Mr Thomas Chapman late of this Parish d. Aug 23 1799 aged 65

 41.       Head. Mr Edward Chapman son of Mr Edward and Jane Chapman of this Parish d. July 2 1794 aged 59.

 42.       Head. Jane wife of John BOWYER and youngest daughter of Mr Edward and Jane Chapman of this Parish d. 20 April 1774 aged 24. Also Thomas son of the above John and Jane Bowyer died in his infancy.

 43.       Head. Mr Henry CHAPMAN son of Mr Edward and Jane Chapman of this Parish d. Feb 19 1781 aged 39.

 44.       Head. Ann wife of Mr John CHAPMAN of this Parish d. Oct 9 1792 aged 70.

45.       Head. Mrs Ann CHAPMAN daughter of Mr Edward and Jane Chapman d. Sept 20 1793 aged 54.

46.       Head. John LOVELOCKS of this Parish d. 11 July 1794 aged 72.

End of Kingsdown Churchyard.             [signed]  Leland L. Duncan

                    ***

 Thorpe in the Registrum Roffense on page 1026 has the following:-

      Kingsdown Church

             In the isle near the pulpit is a grave stone on which were the effigies of a man and woman with their children, now all lost; but the following inscription yet remains:-

Pray for the Soules of John Lovelace Esquyer & Mare hys wyf 47.       which John decessed the       day of        ye yer of   our / lord MVc      & Mare decessed ye XV day of February             the yer of / or lord MVc XXXIII. On whose soules Ihu have    mercy amen.

 (This inscription is now affixed to the wall at the back of the pulpit. L.L.D.)

             Above the figures was an escutcheon in brass, now likewise gone, but the arms of Lovelace in coloured glass yet remain in several windows at Hever Place, an ancient seat in this Parish, now a farm house, where the family lived. These arms were originally in the windows of the chapel now pulled down, in this house; and, are as follows:-

 First coat, Gules, on a chief indented sable, 3 martlets argent impaling azure, on a saltire ingrailed arg, 5 mullets sable.

 Second coat, Quarterly of two coats as above, impaling azure 3 chevronels arg. Above the arms is this date - 1548 - and on the sides of the escutcheon are these names, Lovelace, Lewknor.

 Third coat, Lovelace, impaling arg, 3 bends wavy, sa 1549. On each side - Lovelace, Clement.

 Fourth coat, Lovelace, impaling quarterly of two coats 1st arg a chevron sa, between 3 combs of the second. 2nd arg a sword in bend, sable. 3rd as 2nd. 4th as 1st. 1548 Lovelace, Harman

 Fifth coat, Lovelace, quarterly.

 Sixth coat,  Ermine, a chief quarterly or and gules, the arms of Peckham.

             In the second window on the North side of the Church at the 48.            West end is the Portraiture of the Virgin in Coloured glass, with a crown on her head and a flower in her right hand.

             In the 3rd window is our Saviour sitting on an altar tomb, with his hands and feet extended as on the cross. These figures are very ancient. This little church is remarkable for its situation in the centre of a wood of about fourscore acres and in the churchyard are two yew trees, the least of which is 22 feet and a half in girth.

 *****

            In addition to the above from Thorpe must now be added:-

49.       Tablet on north wall of the nave -

Sacred / to the memory of / Stephen Cowgill Esq / of this Parish / who died 11 June 1830 / aged 73 years /  also of / Mrs Elizabeth Cowgill his wife / who died 24 August 1818 / aged 54 years / and also of / John Goddard Esq / son of the above Mrs E. Cowgill / of the parish of Islington / who died 12 May 1836 / aged 42 years / and lies interred in this Parish / This tablet was erected agreeably to / a request made by Mr Goddard in his will.

50.       A tablet on the north wall of the chancel -

In memory of / William Newell Campbell Esq / of this Parish /Died 8 Nov 1856 / In the 77th year of his age / He is buried at Sutton at Hone / in this County / This monument is erected / as a tribute of affection / by his only and grateful son / Frederick Pearce Campbell Esq / of the Middle Temple / Barrister at Law.

            Above is this coat - 1st and 4th Gyrony, 2nd and 3rd a galley. Crest - a hand grasping a spear.

51.       The East window is to Sarah Edwin d. March 1882. Also her daughter Emma Edwin d. 1884 and her Gd. daughter Constance Edwin d. 1874.

52.       The windows on the North and South sides of the chancel are to Caroline Pink d. Feb. 25 1880.

Besides the old glass mentioned by Thorpe, there are fragments in the West window, including a swan's or goose's head, and on the South side of the nave a small window with fish &c.

  *****  

INDEX TO KINGSDOWN M.I.s
                                                                     Compiled by Zena Bamping

Name Index
Bates, 20.
Blunden, 32.
Bowyer, 42.
Campbell, 50.
Chapman, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43,
     44, 45.
Clement, 47.
Coggar, 26.
Cowgill, 1, 2, 49.
Deane, 24.
Dewé, 11.
Dunmall, 6

Edwin, 10, 51.
Elgar, 12.
Ellis, 33.
Everest, 29, 30.
Farman, 13, 14.
Flint, 19.
Forrest, 23.
Fremlin, 17.
Goddard, 2, 49.
Harman, 47.
Heath, 17.
Hill, 18.
Hills, 22, 27.

Jessup, 37.
Kinnell, 3.
Langford, 34.
Lewknon, 47.
Lovelace, 47.
Lovelocks, 46.
Marshall, 33.
Martin, 16, 38.
Morgan, 4.
Oliver, 21.
Palmer, 17.
Peckham, 47

Pink, 36, 52.
Plowman, 35.
Pucknell, 15.
Richardson, 19.
Rosse [Roffe], 25.
Solomon, 7, 8, 9.
Sugden, 5.
Taylor, 12.
Wedd, 31.
Whiting, 28.
Woodward, 23.

Place Index
Ash, 15.
Bexley, 9.
Crayford, 19.
Heaverham, 17.

Hever Place, 47.
Islington, 49.
Kemsing, 17.
Knatts, 17.

Maidstone, 12.
Middle Temple, 50.
Seal, 21.
Southwark, 10.

Sutton at Hone, 50.
Trossley, 32.
Wickhurst, Sevenoaks 
      Weald, 17.