36. THE CARMELITE FRIARS OF LOSSENHAM
A house of Carmelite Friars, the third established
in England, was founded at Lossenham in the
parish of Newenden in 1242 or soon afterwards,
by Sir Thomas Alcher or Aucher, knt., whose
body was buried in the choir of the church. (fn. 1) It
remained under the patronage of the Alcher
family, whose residence was close by, until the
Dissolution. (fn. 2)
Henry III supplied these friars with oak for
timber in 1271 and 1272. (fn. 3) Their church and
houses were burnt in 1275 by persons unknown. (fn. 4)
Thomas of Dover, prior of Newenden, and
Thomas of Thanet wère licensed by Archbishop
Islip to hear confessions in the diocese in 1350. (fn. 5)
Friar William Stranfield or Strenfeld, S.T.P.,
is said by Bale to have been prior of this house,
and to have written, among other things, a history of the order; he died and was buried here
in 1390. (fn. 6)
Among the benefactors of the house were
Sir Richard atte Lease, knt., c. 1393, (fn. 7) and
Anne Culpeper, 1532. (fn. 8)
The surrender took place on 25 July, 1538.
The bishop of Dover, who came here from
Aylesford, seems to have had no difficulty with
these friars, whom he describes as ' honest men.'
The stuff was priced at £6 10s., including bell
and chalice. The house was poor in building,
had no lead but only tile, and much of it was
ready to fall. The lands had been let on lease
to a farmer for 40s. a year, but the visitor obtained the surrender of the lease and proposed
to let the friary, with orchard, garden, and land,
for 5 marks a year. (fn. 9) , Among the goods of the
house valued by Sir John Welles, parson of
Newenden, John Twysden, farmer there, and
others, were three vestments, the most valuable
being worth 6s.; 8d.; a chalice of 14 oz., worth
49s.; a bell in the steeple, 10s.; a cross, hangings in the hall, two old feather-beds with a
bolster, 'a book of Catholycoh', 4d.; a number
of cushions and kitchen utensils. For hay sold
16d. was obtained, and for a tree of timber 16d. (fn. 10)
The site, with two pieces of arable land containing 7 acres, and a marsh, called the Friars'
Marsh, containing 9 acres, was leased, 10 March,
1538-9, for 46s. 8d. to William Culpeper of
Hunton, Kent, who bought the buildings. Itwas rated in 1558 for Richard Lake (at twentytwo years' purchase) and granted in the same
year to Edmund and Henry Gilberd. It afterwards passed to. the Culpeper family. (fn. 11)