STONE NEAR DARTFORD.

NORTH eastward from Darent lies Stone, which takes its name from the stony situation of it; Stane in Saxon signifying a stone. It is called in the Textus Roffensis, Stantune and Stanes; and in the survey of Domesday, Estanes.

This parish contains about 2700 acres of land, of which 250 are wood, and about 320 marshland. It is about seventeen miles from London, and two from Dartford; the high London road crosses it. At a small distance northward from which is the village, situated, as well as the church, on the side of a hill, which rises from the bank of the Thames; westward from hence, about a half a mile, is the parsonage, and below it the marshes, bounded by the river. The parish consists of continued hill and dale, the views of the Thames, and the opposite county of Essex, are beautiful as you pass the high road, where is the hamlet of Horns-cross. The soil is a gravel, and not far from hence, on the northern side of it, is a great range of chalk pits, and wharss on the bank of the river for the exportation of it. Hence the ground rises, having Stone castle about two fields from it, the prospects from which over the river are beautiful; behind which it stretches over hill and dale a long way southward, over a good strong soil of land in general. The great tract of woodland which reaches almost to Greenstreet-green, adjoining to Darent, along the northern boundary of these woods, runs the antient Roman road to Rochester, and not far from it the two small hamlets of Bean and Stonewood. On the hill above Greenstreet-green, among the woods, are the remains of a camp and fortifications, thrown up in antient times, but now so overgrown with wood and rubbish, as to be impenetrable.

Near the south-east boundary of this parish, at half a mile up the road leading from Greenstreet-green to Betsham, on the left hand side of the short hill there, is Cockleshell-bank, so called from the great number of those shells there observable; just before you come to the pond on the same side, about three feet below the top of the bank, they appear very visible, lying close and thick together, of a pure white, and for the most part whole, forming a stratum of a foot in depth. As they are washed down the banks by rains and frosts, they become rotten and discoloured by the earth, which is a kind of reddish loam, and crumble into small pieces. The stratum appears to have extended to the opposite bank by the fragments of shells, likewise on that side, although not so visible by the deep road intersecting it. These bivalve shells are in depth about three-fourths of an inch, and the same in breadth, with rays running transversely very small and close, contrary to those of the common cockle, which are longitudinal and deep surrowed. In the Custumale Roff. p. 254, is inserted a letter from Dr. John Latham, F. R. S. author of the General Synopsis of Birds, and other curious subjects, concerning these shells, and another stratum of the turbinated kind, at a small distance from the other. A specimen of the latter from his museum is inserted in the above book.

Strata of shells appear to run at some distance from the places before mentioned, and to extend towards Greenhithe, for in the fields, behind the large farmhouse in this parish, on the north side of Greenstreetgreen, belonging to Sir John Dyke, according to information, the plough turns up a great quantity of their fragments. In the back yard belonging to a house on the south side of the green, was a large mass of stone of some hundred weight, full of shells, which was brought from a field above that house, and was made use of as a bridge, or stepway in the yard. Strata of these marine exuviæ, have been observed in several other places, as in some ground belonging to the manor of Baldwins, in Dartford, and at Bexley, in digging a well at Mr. Cope's seat at Bridgen, where, at the depth of twenty feet, they came to a stratum of shells, chiefly of the turbinated kind, which continued about two feet in depth, and then disappeared, before they got to the springs; specimens too of the like kind have been frequently met with down Park-hill, by the woodside, towards Gadbridge. (fn. 1)

There is a fair held in the village of Stone on Ascension-day, for pedlary, &c. Matthew Paris, in his History of England, p. 725, relates a strange story of a miracle which happened in this parish in 1252, of a boy, named William Crul, who, at two years old, cured all diseases, by making the sign of the cross upon the patients who flocked to him on this account, from all the neighbouring parts, not long after which he died.

ETHELRED, king of England, in the year 995, gave Stantune and Litlebroc to the church of St. Andrew, and Godwyn then bishop of Rochester. (fn. 2)

After the conquest, this place, as well as many other possessions belonging to the church of Rochester, were seized on by Odo, bishop of Baieux, the king's halfbrother; but he did not enjoy them long, for archbishop Lansranc recovered them again in a solemn assembly of the whole county, held on this occasion, by the king's command, in 1076, at Pinenden-heath.

The archbishop having thus recovered this place, with the church belonging to it, and Littlebroc, out of Odo's hands, immediately restored them to bishop Gundulph, and the church of St. Andrew; which gift was confirmed by archbishop Anselm, in 1101, as it was afterwards by several of his successors. (fn. 3)

In the record of Domesday, Stone is thus described, under the title of the land of the bishop of Rochester:

The bishop of Rochester holds Estanes. In the time of king Edward the Confessor it was taxed at 6 sulings, and now at 4 sulings. The arable land is 11 carucates. In demesne there are 2, and 20 villeins, with 12 borderers, having 11 carucates. There is a church, and 4 servants, and 72 acres of meadow, and one mill of 6 shillings and 8 pence, and 1 fishery of 3 shillings and 4 pence. Wood for the pannage of 60 hogs. In the time of king Edward, and afterwards, it was worth 13 pounds, and now 16 pounds, and yet it pays 20 pounds and 1 ounce of gold and 1 marc. Richard de Tunbridge holds of this manor as much wood as is worth 15 shillings.

In the same book, Eduuard de Estan is said to have the liberties of sac and soc in the laths of Sutton and Aylesford.

In an antient valuation made of the manors of the bishop of Rochester, by inquisition in the reign of king Henry III. the manor of Stone was estimated to contain two hundred and thirty-six acres of arable land, each worth three-pence; fourteen acres in the marsh, worth six-pence an acre; the mill there ten shillings per annum; and the annual rents to amount to 20l. 12s. (fn. 4) And in another, taken at the latter end of that reign, on the oaths of Thomas de Mepeham, sacrist of the church of Rochester, and others, concerning the manors appropriated to the bishop of Rochester's table, it appeared, that there were two ploughs in this manor, though there were not in reality two plough lands in it; (fn. 5) for though they were generally estimated as such, yet there was not so much arable land within the manor, as each carucate, or plough-land ought to contain, ac cording to the custom of this part of the country; one hundred and eighty acres. That they were worth, with the marsh and pasture, sixty-six shillings and eight-pence yearly; that the annual rent, in money, and in hens, eggs, plough-shares, wood, and in the stream, was worth 26l. 13s. 7½d. and that there was one mill there, which paid forty shillings per annum.

In the 15th year of king Edward I. this manor, with the hamlet here, was taxed at 33l. 6s. 8d. and in the 33d of king Henry III. at the same. (fn. 6)

The bishops of Rochester frequently rested here on their journeys to and from London. Bishop Gilbert de Glanvill, who came to the see in 1185, rebuilt the house and buildings, which had been burnt down. Bishop Hamo de Heth, when he was here in 1333, gave orders for the building a new wall against the Thames; and in 1337, he repaired the buildings of this manor, at a great expence. (fn. 7) In their successors, bishops of Rochester, this manor has continued ever since, being at this time part of the possessions of the right reverend the bishop of this diocese. (fn. 8)

The manor-house is situated near the church-yard. It has long been inhabited by the farmer of the demesne lands, the only remains of the antient mansion, which seems never to have been dignified with the name of a palace, is the great chimney in the centre of the present building; lord Romney is the present possessor of it.

LITTLEBROOKE is a manor and hamlet in this parish, which, in antient charters, is stiled Littlebroc, and Lyttanbroce. It was once an appendage to the manor of Stone, as has been mentioned above, and different lands were given in it, at times, to the church of Rochester. (fn. 9) King Ethelred's gift to that church seems to have consisted of one carucate or hyde of land.

In the time of archbishop Dunstan, who came to the see of Canterbury in 959, one Ælfege, a rich man, gave two-thirds of his lands in Littlebroc, and other places, in the presence of the archbishop, to the churches of Canterbury and Rochester, which was afterwards withheld by one Leofsune, who had married the widow of Eadric, Ælfege's nephew; but the archbishop recovered it to the churches of Christ and St. Andrew, in a solemn trial held at Erhede, now Crayford, in this county. (fn. 10)

The manor of Littlebrooke, in the reign of king Edward III. was held of the bishop by Laurence Brooke, who died possessed of it in the 3d year of king Edward I. Roger Northwood was owner of it at his decease, in the 13th year of that reign; Sir John de Northwood died possessed of it anno 38 king Edward III. (fn. 11) In the 3d year of king Henry IV. John Loffwyke owned this manor; (fn. 12) soon after which it came into the possession of the Apyltons.

Thomas Apylton was possessed of it in the reign of king Henry VII. His grandson, Henry, was of this county, and of South Bemfleet, in Essex, and died possessed of it in the 38th year of king Henry VIII. holding it of the bishop of Rochester, by knights service. In whose descendants, seated at South Bemfleet, in Essex, this manor continued down to Sir Henry Appleton, bart. for so the name was now spelt, who, on his father Sir William's death, became entitled to the inheritance of Littlebrooke, and died in 1709, as did lady Appleton his mother in 1719. This branch of the family seated in this county and Essex, bore for their arms, Argent, a fess engrailed (originally plain) sable, between three apples, leafed and slipped proper. Those seated in Norfolk bore, Three apples gules, the leaves and stalks vert. And those in the west of England, Or, a fess between three apples vert. Soon after which this manor was conveyed by sale to Stone, who ended in two daughters and coheirs, Mary, who married William Lownds, whose son William, afterwards by act, anno 27 and 28 George II. took the name of Stone; and Anne, who married Thomas, second son of archbishop Potter; the latter of whom, in his wife's right, became possessed of Littlebrooke. He had by her two daughters, and died in 1758, leaving his widow surviving, who afterwards possessed this manor; since whose decease, as well as of her two daughters, s.p. it came into the possession of Thomas Potter, esq. of Bedfordshire, who now owns it. This estate was for more than a century occupied by a wealthy family, named Ward. Mr. John Ward used it during the troublesome times after the death of king Charles I. and being a stedfast loyalist, his stock, which at that time amounted to five thousand pounds, was seized on and sequestered for the use of the state. His descendant, Mr. Thomas Ward, is now lessee of it.

STONE-CASTLE is an antient castellated seat in this parish, standing on an eminence, a small distance southward from the high road from London to Dover. The square tower at the east end of it is the only part that bears the appearance of its ever having been a fortress. It had once the reputation of a manor, as appears by the book of aid in the 20th year of king Edward III. when Sir John de Northwood answered for the manor of Stone-castle as half a knight's fee, which Henry de Northwood before held in Stone of the bishop of Rochester.

It afterwards came to a family of the name of Bonevant, or Bontfant, one of whom, Richard Bontfant, mercer of London, was possessed of it in the reign of king Henry VI. and died owner of it anno 37 king Henry VI. Nicholas Bonevant, died in 1516, and lies buried, with Agnes his wife, in Swanscombe church. (fn. 13) From this name this seat passed into that of Chambley, and thence again, in the latter end of the reign of king Henry VIII. to Robert Chapman, of London, merchant-adventurer, who died possessed of it in 1574, and was buried in this church. His second wife, Ellen, by whom he had no issue, survived him, and held this seat for her life; and being afterwards remarried to John Preston, he, in her right, became possessed of it, but on her death it devolved to Anne, daughter and sole heir of Thomas Chapman, of London, eldest son of Robert, by his first wife Winifred, who was married to William Carew, esq. of London, and he, in her right, became possessed of it; whose arms, Three lions passant in pale, points him out to have been descended of the antient and noble family of the Carews, of Devonshire; as does his epitaph, which says he was an esquire, descended by birth and blood. (fn. 14) He died in 1588, and his grandson, Mr. Henry Carew, continued owner of it in 1656. From this name it soon after passed to Atkins, and thence to Dr. Thomas Plume, archdeacon of Rochester, who died in 1704, and was buried in Longfield church-yard. He devised by his will about eighteen thousand pounds, to be laid out in lands, for the maintenance of a professor of astronomy and experimental philosophy, in Cambridge; which money was accordingly laid out, (fn. 15) and he bequeathed Stone-castle, with the estate belonging to it, and a farm at Tudeley, in this county, to certain charitable uses, in the feoffees of which it now remains. The present lessee of Stone-castle is John Talbot, esq. who resides in it.

This charitable devise of Dr. Plume did not take place till some years after his death, owing to a suit in chancery, carried on by the trustees with his executor and heir at law, which was heard in 1710, when this charity, by the decree then given, was put under proper regulations, and the trustees as appointed in the doctor's will (twenty clergymen of the diocese of Rochester) were made perpetual feoffees. The first feoffment was dated in 1722, by which the trust of this charity was vested in the twenty trustees by name, and the several uses of it declared, but many difficulties still arising, nothing further was done in it till 1734.

The uses of this trust were, for the preaching of twenty-six sermons, in the summer half year, every Wednesday, alternately at Dartford and Gravesend, the expence of which, together with other necessary costs and charges, incidental to the estate, being deducted out of the annual profits of it, the remainder of the rents and profits was directed to be laid out by the trustees towards the augmentation of such poor parsonages and vicarages within the diocese of Rochester, as were under sixty pounds per annum, to be paid to such incumbents of them as the trustees should see best to deserve, and have most need of it; but it was provided, that no living should have above ten pounds in one year, and that Town Malling should always be one.

COTTON is a manor here, which was once in the possession of a family of the same name. John atte Coten possessed it in the reign of king Edward I. (fn. 16) Jeffry de Cotton, son of Hugh, and his coparceners, were owners of it in the 20th year of king Edward III. at which time they paid aid for it, in the book of which they are charged for one fourth part of a knight's fee, which John de Cotton, of Stone, held in Stone of the bishop of Rochester. These Cottons bore for their arms, A chevron between three griffins heads erased, which is the same coat as is borne by the antient family of that name, of Lanwade, in Cambridgeshire, and makes it probable they were descended of the same ancestors.

About the beginning of the reign of Henry VIII. this manor was become the estate of the Killingworths; one of whom conveyed it to Sir John Wiltshire, comptroller of the town and marches of Calais. He died in 1526, and lies buried with Margaret his wife in this church, bearing for his arms, Party per chevron azure and argent, on the former eight crosses formee or. He left one only daughter and heir, Bridget, who carried it in marriage to Sir Richard Wingfield, K. G. the 12th son of Sir John Wingfield, of Letheringham, in Suffolk, where his ancestors were seated in the reign of king Edward II. in the church of which parish, as well as in Donington, many of them lie buried, with their shields of arms over them, being, Argent on a bend gules, between two cotizes sable, three pair of wings joined in lewer of the first. He was nobly descended from the lords Montfitchet and Bovile, Glanvile earl of Suffolk, and the lord Scales. (fn. 17) He was chancellor of the duchy of Lancaster, and of the bedchamber to king Henry VIII. who gave him Kimbolton castle, where he afterwards resided, made him of his privy council, and sent him ambassador to Spain, where he died, and was buried at Toledo.

The manor of Cotton was demised anno 5 queen Elizabeth, but by whom I do not find, for the term of one thousand years, to William Cecil lord Burleigh, and Sir Thomas Walsingham, who parted with their interest in it to Heron, as he did again to Harrington, (fn. 18) who conveyed his title to it to Edward Cason and Thomas Woodward; and they, in the 8th year of king James I. sold it to John Manning, citi zen and skinner, of London. His son, John Manning, esq. was of Warbleton, in Sussex, and died without issue; on which his two sisters became his coheirs; Anne, married to Sir Thomas Lawley, bart. and Elizabeth, first to Robert Cæfar, esq. and secondly to Francis, second son of Thomas lord Coventry, lord keeper of the Great seal; and they, in right of their wives, possessed this manor in undivided moieties. Sir Thomas Lawley was succeeded by Sir Francis Lawley, bart. his eldest son, who in 1685, sold his moiety to Francis Coventry, esq. (son and heir of Francis, and Elizabeth his wife, above mentioned) who then possessed the whole of it, and died unmarried in 1686; upon which it descended to his sister, Elizabeth, married to Sir Wm. Keyt, bart. of Ebrington, in Gloucestershire, who was succeeded by his grand son William, eldest son of his son William, who died in his life time. He conveyed the manor of Cotton, in 1716, to Lancelot Tolson, gent. of the Middle Temple, London, who devised it by his will to John Simpson, esq. of Canterbury, who died in 1748, and was buried in the cathedral there. These Simpsons bore for their arms, Per bend sinister or and sable, a lion rampant gules, double tailed and counterchanged. He gave it by his will to his wife, Mrs. Mary Simpson, of Canterbury, who died in 1777; and this estate is now in possession of the heir of her devisee, Baptist Simpson, esq.

STONE-PLACE is an estate here, which for many generations was the residence of families of good account. It was in antient times possessed by the family of Norwood, owners likewise of Stone castle and Littlebrooke, in this parish. It afterwards came into the possession of Sir John Wiltshire, who rebuilt the mansion of it. His only daughter and heir, Bridget, carried it in marriage, with the manor of Cotton, in this parish, to Sir Richard Wingfield, as has been already mentioned.

It afterwards came into the possession of the Dudleys, who resided here; by an only daughter and heir of which name, it went in marriage to Henry Parker, gent. of Northfleet, descended from Edward Parker, of Whitchurch, in Cheshire, who bore for his arms, Ermine, a buck's head caboshed, gules.

From this name it passed to Evans, and thence, by the heir general of it, to Massingbeard, one of which antient family owned it in 1656; from these it went next to Maniford, one of whom ending in a sole daughter and heir Martha; she carried it in marriage to Mr. William Howe, who sold it to Malines, and his widow marrying with Mr. John Sedgwick; he possessed it in her right. Soon after which it was sold to Thomas Tryon, esq. of Chesilhurst, after the death of whose widow, her assignees sold it to Mr. Wm. Tuckey, of Greenhithe, the present owner of it.

The gate-house to this seat is still standing; the buildings appear to have been large and stately; the cielings of several of the rooms are well finished with oak wainscot. Over the gate house, and on a stone chimney-piece in the parlour, are carved the arms of Wingfield, as above mentioned.

Charities.

JOHN BOKLAND gave 13s. 4d. payable yearly out of certain marsh land, to the poor of this parish for ever. (fn. 19)

JOHN LAKE gave by will, in 1657, to be distributed among day labourers, housekeepers, and poor people, inhabitants, a rent charge, out of lands in this parish, lately vested in John Amherst, esq. of the annual produce of 5l.

Dr. THOMAS PLUME gave by will, in 1704, to be distributed among the poor of this parish, a rent charge out of lands in it, vested in the trustees of the Stone castle charity estate, of the annual produce of 5l.

ANNE BOSSE gave by will, in 1740, to the like purpose, a rent charge, out of lands, in Swanscombe, vested in the heirs of Bonham Hayes, esq. of the annual produce of 1l.

STONE is within the ECCLESIASTICAL JURISDICTION of the diocese and deanry of Rochester. The church is dedicated to St. Mary, and is a beautiful structure, consisting of a nave, with two side isles and a chancel; it is spacious and lofty, the windows large and regular, and for symmetry and proportion, it may justly be esteemed the finest piece of Gothic architecture in the diocese. It has a large square tower at the west end of it, in which hang five bells. It had formerly a spire steeple on it, which was so far damaged by lightning, in 1638, that is was taken down. The chancel has a double roof, and though now of great height, seems once to have been still higher; it is ornamented on both sides with antient stalls, curiously carved, and is adorned, as well as the church, with pilasters of brown marble. The whole has been lately, at a great expence, new cieled, and the different parts of it repaired and ornamented. At the east end of the north side was once a handsome vestry, which has been long since in ruins. The north door is curiously wrought with zig-zag ornaments and mouldings. Adjoining to the church was a beautiful chapel, built by Sir John Wiltshire, of Stone-place, which has lain in ruins for upwards of seventy years; about which time, a large passage was broke, through the midst of the pavement, into the vault underneath, wherein were the remains of the coffins of Sir John Wiltshire and his lady, with the bones scattered about. Their monument, which was most costly and curious, was erected against the north wall of it, near the east end.

In this church, among other monuments and inscriptions, are the following: In the chancel, a mural monument for Rob. Talbot, A. M. rector of this parish, and Anne his wife, daughter of John Lynch, esq. of Groves, in this county, and Mary their daughter; Robert Talbot died May 12, 1754, æt. 59; arms, gules, a lion' rampant or, impaling Lynch. On a grave stone, a brass plate, and inscription in black letter, for Wm. Carew, esq. free of the Drapers company; he had eight children by Anne his wife, obt. 1588; at the corners of the stone were four shields of arms, in brass, the 1st is lost, which was Carew, three lions passant in pale; the 2d Chapman, parted per chevron, argent and gules, a crescent counterchanged. On a gravestone in the middle, before the steps, is a brass plate of curious work, representing a cross flory, mounted on four steps, in the centre of the flower is the figure of a priest, with a label in his mouth, and inscription round the bordure of the flower, on the body of the cross and steps, an inscription for John Lumbarde, rector of Stone, obt. March 12th, 1408; on each side was a shield of arms, now lost. On a grave stone, next the former, on the north side, is a brass plate, with the figure of a priest, as large as life, at half length; above him, two shields with a lion rampant; the inscription gone, but Weever has recorded it for John Sorewell, rector of this church, who died Dec. 30, 1439. On another, adjoining, is a brass plate, and inscription, for Anne Carew, widow, late of Stone castle, obt. 1599; above is a shield of arms, Carew in chief, a martlet charged with another, as a difference, for a fourth brother of the fourth house, impaling Chapman. Over the door of the chapel, on the north side, is a mural monument, with the figures of a man and his wife, kneeling at double desks, with books open, behind him are two sons, behind her are eight daughters, and beneath an inscription for Robert Chapman, esq. of London, merchant adventurer, and free of the Drapers company; he died at Stone castle, 1574, æt. 65; he married first dame Wynifred, and had by her ten children; and 2dly dame Ellyn; above are the arms of Chapman as above, Chapman impaling quarterly, 1st and 4th, on a bend ingrailed three . . . . . . . . 2d and 3d, a moor's head couped, between three fleurs de lis; 3d as the former, in a lozenge; the colours of them are gone. On a grave stone, near the door of the chapel, is a brass plate, and inscription in black letter, for Rob. Chapman, esq. owner of Stone castle above mentioned, who died in 1574; at the corners of the stone are four shields, 1st Chapman, 2d arms of the merchant adventurers, 3d the Drapers company, 4th Chapman, impaling quarterly, as on the monument. On a grave stone is an inscription for William Carew, gent. eldest son of William Carew, esq. obt. 1625, being owner of Stone castle; above, the arms of Carew. In Weever's time were the following memorials, on brass plates, but since destroyed. One for Rich. Bontfant, mercer of London, owner of Stone castle, obt. 1459; another for Matilda, wife of Wm. Laken, sergeant-at-law, obt. 1408, and Joane her daughter, who died the same year; and another for Roger Payname, obt. 14..... another for Wm. Banknot and Anne his wife, ann. 1400. In the chapel, now in ruins, as mentioned above, there still remains against the north side, the fine altar tomb of the founder of it, under an arch of stone, richly ardorned with Gothic work, on the front of which are three shields of arms, 1st parted per chevron, eight crosses formee, 2d as before, impaling a bend between two mullets of six points, within a bordure nebulee; third as the impaled coat; on the tomb was a brass plate, with the figure of a man, with a label in his mouth, now lost, as well as the inscription, which, as Weever has preserved it, was for Sir John Wiltshire, and Margaret his wife; he died 1526. (fn. 20) Thomas, sixth son of Thomas lord Berkeley, anno 26 Henry VIII. lies buried in this church. (fn. 21)

This church, being an appendage to the manor, it was given, as has been mentioned above, in 925, to bishop Godwin, and the church of Rochester, since which it has remained to this time part of the possessions of that see.

In the 15th year of king Edward I. the church of Stone was valued at thirty marcs, and the vicarage at seven marcs. (fn. 22)

By virtue of a commission of enquiry, issuing out of chancery, it was returned, that Stone was a parsonage, having a good house, and eight acres of glebe land, worth in the whole 170l. per annum; that one master Thomas Martyn enjoyed it, as a sequestration of Mr. Richard Chase, clerk. (fn. 23) It is valued in the king's books at 26l. 10s. and the yearly tenths at 2l. 13s. (fn. 24)

John Boulman, by his will, devised his lands, called Chaundlers, containing eleven acres and a half, and the profits of it, to the parish church of Stone for ever.

Church Of Stone.

Footnotes