BORDEN

IS the next parish eastward from Newington. The name of which seems to be derived from the Saxon words Burg and dena, signifying a mansion or town among the woods.

THIS PARISH lies nearly midway between Newington and Sittingborne, and contains about 1550 acres of land, of which two hundred are wood. The high London road runs along the north side of it, whence the ground rises southward for about a mile, (leaving the house of Cryals at about half that distance) to the village of Borden, through which there is but little thoroughfare. It is plainly seen from the high road, encircled by orchards of fruit trees, with the church and Borden-hall standing within it, a little to the eastward is the vicarage, a neat pretty dwelling. The land about the village, and northward of it is very fertile, being mostly a hazely mould, the plantations of fruit here, though many are not so numerous as formerly, for being worn out, no new ones have been planted in their room, and several of them have been converted into hop-grounds. This part of the parish, though it may certainly be deemed pleasant, yet from the water from the wells not being good, is not accounted healthy; southward of the village the ground still rising, it grows very hilly, and the land poor and much covered with flint stones, and the soil chalky, which renders the water wholesome, and this part much more healthy; about half a mile southward from the village is the house of Sutton Barne, and a small distance eastward Wrens, now called Rains farm, and a small hamlet called Heart's Delight. On the opposite side from Sutton Barne is the hamlet of Wood, formerly, called Hode-street, situated on high ground; at a small distance eastward from which is a long tract of woodland, in which there is a great plenty of chesnut stubs, whence they are usually known by the name of chesnut woods. These woods reach down the side of the hill to the Detling road, and the western boundary of this parish.

In 1695, in the sinking of a cellar by Dr. Plot, at Sutton Barne, several Roman bricks were found, with their edges upward, much like those, he says, which had been turned up at the antient Roman Sullonicæ, near Ellestre, in Middlesex; (fn. 1) and near Hoadstreet was, about the same time, found an antient British coin.

In the fields southward of the village, the stones affect a globular form, where there are numbers of them, of different magnitudes; but the biggest of them was ploughed up at Sutton Barne, by Dr. Plot's tenant, exactly globular, and as big as the largest cannon ball.

In 1676, Dr. Thomas Taylor found in Fridwood, in this parish, belonging to his uncle Dr. Plot, an oak, which bore leaves speckled with white; such a one, Mr. Evelyn informs us, in his Discourse on Forest Trees, from Dr. Childrey, was found in Lanhadronpark, in Cornwall.

THE JURISDICTION of the paramount manor of Milton claims over this parish, subordinate to which is

THE MANOR OF SUTTON, alias SUTTON BARNE, as it is corruptly now called, its antient name being Sutton Baron, which addition it took, undoubtedly, from the court baron of the manor held for it. It is situated about a mile southward of the church and village of Borden, and in the reign of Richard II. was in the possession of Angelus Christopher, who with Margaret his wife, passed it away, in the 17th year of that reign, by fine then levied, to Henry Vanner, ci tizen of London, who paid them one hundred marcs of silver for the purchase of it. He sold it that year to John Wotton, clerk, master of the college of All Saints, in Maidstone, who reserving an annual rent of ten pounds from it, for the term of his life, conveyed it, in the 10th year of king Henry IV. to William Bereford, by whom it was alienated in the 19th year of king Henry VI. to Mr. John Grangeman, of this parish, whose son Nicholas Grangeman, in the 29th year of that reign, passed it away to Stephen and John Norton, one of whose descendants, Alexander Norton, esq. by his will, in the 4th and 5th year of king Philip and queen Mary, devised his estates here, among which this manor was included, to John Coty and Alice his wife, Thomas Plot and Elizabeth his wife, Thomas and Alexander Pettenden, Norton Greene, Thomas and Edward Norton, and their heirs, who being afterwards much at variance concerning their respective portions in them, they were divided, according to the judgment of Ambrose Gilberd, and Roger Manwood, as appears by their award.

But the manor of Sutton Barne, not being so conveniently to be divided among so many, they finally agreed that year, to pass it away to William Cromer, esq. and John Dryland; the former of whom, in the 2d year of queen Elizabeth, sold it, together with a wood, called Fridd-wood, in this parish, to Mr. Robert Plot, of Borden, one of the sons of Mr. Alexander Plot, of Stockbury, in which parish his ancestors had been settled in the reign of Edward IV. and bore for their arms, Vert, three quaterfoils, argent, each charged with a lion's head, erased, sable. His great grandson, of the same name, resided here, and made great additions to this seat. (fn. 2)

He was born here in 1641, and became a most learned antiquarian, and excellent natural historian, of which his histories of Oxfordshire and Staffordshire are sufficient proofs. Being educated at Oxford, he commenced LL. D. and became fellow, and afterwards secretary of the Royal Society, historiographer to king James II. Mowbray herald extraordinary, and lastly, register of the court of honor. He died in 1696, at Sutton Barne, and was buried in the church of Borden, where there is a handsome monument erected to his memory.

Dr.Plot left two sons, Robert and Ralph Sherwood, of Newington, the eldest of whom inherited this manor, and at his death gave it by his will to Mr. John Palmer, who had married his only daughter Rebecca. He survived her, and at his death devised it to his second wife, and Mr. John Lucas, of Milton, whose respective heirs, about the year 1767, joined in the sale of it to Abraham Chambers, esq. of London, who for some time resided at Sutton Barne, till he removed to Tonstall. He died in 1782, leaving by his wife, daughter of Mr.James, of London, four sons, and one daughter Maria Emely, who afterwards became jointly entitled to this manor, among his other estates in this county, and they, after some years possession of them, made a division of them, when this manor became the property of the eldest son, Samuel Chambers, esq. of Tonstall, who married one of the daughters of the hon. Philip Roper, and he is the present owner of this manor. A court baron is held for it.

CRIOLS, alias KYRIELLS, with an appendage to it, called Poyles, the very name of which has been long since forgotten, is a manor here, which in early times was in the possession of the eminent family of Criol, who fixed their name on it, as they did on other estates belonging to them in different parts of this county.

Bertram de Criol died possessed of it in the 23d year of king Edward I. anno 1294, whose son John de Criol dying in the 34th year of that reign, s. p. Joane his sister, married to Sir Richard de Rokesle, became his heir, and entitled her husband to this manor.

He left by her two daughters his coheirs, of whom Agnes, the eldest, married Thomas de Poynings, who in her right became possessed of it, and in his name and descendants it continued down to Sir Edward Poynings, governor of Dover-castle, and lord warden, and he died possessed of it in the 14th year of king Henry VIII. anno 1522, not only without legitimate issue, though he had several natural children, but without any collateral kindred, who could lay claim to his estates, so that this manor, among others, escheated to the crown. (fn. 3)

After which, king Henry VIII. granted this manor to Sir Thomas Wyatt, who in pursuance of an act passed for the purpose, in the 32d year of that reign, conveyed it back among other premises in the year following, in exchange to the king. After which it seems to have remained in the hands of the crown, till the year after the attainder and execution of his son Sir Thomas Wyatt, when queen Mary, in her second year, out of her royal bounty, granted it to his widow, the lady Jane Wyatt, to hold of her, as of her manor of Est Grenewich, by knight's service, and not in capite. This grant seems to have been only for the term of her life, and of her son George Wyatt, who was restored in blood in the 13th year of queen Elizabeth, during which time the reversion of it was granted by king James, in his 16th year, to Thomas Hooker and John Spencer, gent. who joining in a fine levied for that purpose, settled it on the heirs of Geo. Wyatt, esq. above-mentioned. He died in the possession of it in 1624, when Francis Wyatt, esq. of Boxley-abbey, was found to be his eldest son and heir, and accordingly succeeded to it. (fn. 4) He was afterwards knighted, and some years afterwards joining with lady Margaret his wife, conveyed it by sale to Mr. Isaac Seward, gent. from which name it afterwards passed into that of Baker, in which it remained till it was carried in marriage by Jane Baker to James Brewer, of West Farleigh, esq. who died in 1724, leaving an only daughter and heir Jane, who joined with her second husband, John Shrimpton, esq. in the conveyance of it, about the year 1750, to Mr. Robert Wollet, of Sheerness, who died in 1760, and his infant daughter, Sarah, afterwards marrying with Mr. Tho. March, entitled him to it. He rebuilt this seat, and afterwards resided in it. He died in 1797, leaving one son, Mr. Thomas Marsh, who is the present owner of it.

POSIERS is a small manor in this parish, which was antiently the inheritance of a family of that surname, who continued owners of it till the reign of king Henry VIII. about which time they became extinct here. After which it became the property of the family of Wolgate, whose seat was at Wolgate, now called Wilgate-green, in Throwley, where they resided for several generations. At length it became the property of Mr. Ralph Wolgate, who died possessed of it in 1642, leaving an only daughter and heir, who marrying with Mr. William Gennery, entitled him to the fee of this manor, with other estates in this parish. After which it was sold to Grove, of Tunstall, one of whom, John Grove, esq. of Tunstall, died possessed of it in 1755, leaving by Catherine his wife, daughter of Mr. Pearce, of Charing, two sons, Pearce and Richard, and a daughter Anne. He devised this manor to his second son Richard Grove, esq. of the Temple, London, and of St.John's college, Cambridge, who dying unmarried in 1792, devised it among the rest of his estates to W. Jemmet, gent. of Ashford, and W. Marshall, of London, and they joined in the sale of it to W. Wife, gent. of this parish, who is the present possessor of this manor, with that of Vigo, alias Gorts adjoining to it.

THERE was antiently a family which took its name from their possessions in this parish. Philip de Borden is mentioned in the chartulary of the abbey of St. Radigund, as having given half a seam of peas yearly from his manor in Borden to that abbey, and Osbert de Borden is recorded in a charter of king Henry III. and another of Henry IV. as having given pasture for sixty sheep to the monastery of St. Sexburg, in the Isle of Shepey.

There is A HAMLET in this parish, called Woodstreet, but formerly HOADE STREET, corruptly for Oade-street, the yoke of which in 1653, was held by William Genery, already mentioned before.

The family of Allen was formerly of good account in Borden, and resided at Hoad, or Oade street. John Allen resided here in the very beginning of queen Elizabeth's reign, and then held among other premises in this parish, the yoke of Boxfield. His descendant John Allen, gent. Of Oade street, died in 1679, and was buried in this church, they bore for their arms, Or, a chevron, between three blood-bounds, passant, sable, collared of the first; which coat was granted to Christopher Allen, by Sir William Segar, bart. (fn. 5) The Allens of Rochester, descended of the same stock, bore Parted per fess, a pale ingrailed, and three blood-bounds, passant, collared and counter changed.

A younger branch of the family of Forster, of Eve leigh, in Shropshire, was settled in Borden in the reign of king James I. Thomas Forster then residing here; but this family have been long ago extinct here. They bore for their arms, Per fess, indented and pale, argent and sable, two bugle borns strung in the first and fourth quarters, counterchanged.

Thomas Seager held in this parish in 1653, the yoke of Corbett, containing a house, called Banfies, and other lands in this parish, lately belonging to Thomas Reader; which name of Seager remained here till of late years, one of them having but lately owned a house here, called Borden-hall, alias Borden-court belonging to the rectory, of which a further account will be given hereafter.

The family of Napleton, which was possessed of good estates in many parishes of this county, resided here for some generations; but they have been for some time extinct. Several of them lie buried in this church. They bore for their arms, Or, a squirrel sejant, gules.

There is an estate in this parish, formerly called WRENS, but now usually Rains farm, which in 1664 was held of Tunstall manor, by Richard, son of Christopher Allen, esq. from which name it was passed away to Mr. Butler Lacy, and his daughters now possess it.

Charities.

THOMAS EVERARD, formerly vicar of this parish, gave by will in 1619, two pieces of land, containing about six acres, in Borden and Stockbury, for the use of the poor, of the annual value of 1l. 10s. and a silver cup for the use of the communion service.

MICHEAL GOODLARD, of Borden, gave a house, with an orchard and garden, to the use of the poor, of the annual produce of 4l.

A PERSON UNKNOWN, gave five seams of barley, to be paid yearly on a Good Friday out of the parsonage; and two bushels of wheat yearly on Easter-day, for the use of the poor farmers of this parish.

Mr. JOHN KENWARD gave one seam of malt, to be paid yearly on Ascension Thursday, out of some tithe-free land belonging to a farm at Oade-street, late Mrs. Hendresse's.

A PERSON UNKNOWN, gave five groats-worth of bread, to be paid yearly on Easter day, out of a house and orchard called Iron-latche, late belonging to Mr. Stephen Chapman, of Sittingborne.

MR. RALPH SHERWOOD, citizen of London, in 1700 gave a cushion and pulpit-cloth, and a cloth for the reading-desk.

MR. JOHN NAPLETON, and Elizabeth his wife, of this parish, gave a very handsome silver slaggon for the use of the communion.

MR. JOHN BROMFIELD, of Borden, in 1776, gave to the value of 10l. towards erecting the altar-piece.

MR. WILLIAM BARROW, of Borden, who died in 1707, devised the greatest part of his estates in this and many other parishes in this county, to four trustees, to the use of the poor widows and poor men of this parish, not entitled to receive alms, directing the rents of them to be distributed half yearly, the annual amount of them now being 609l. 17s. 6d.

The distribution of this charity was settled and established by a decree of the court of chancery, in the 8th year of queen Anne; by which it was ordered, that the income of this estate should be distributed half yearly to the poor men and poor widows of this parish, the poorest of it next above those who ought to be entitled to relief by the poor's rate; that the proportion of the distribution ought to be equal to all, and not less than 5l. in one year to each; that the trustees should account annually to a vestry of this parish, who should pass and allow the same, and should be allowed their costs and expences in the managing of it. According to which decree this charity is now managed.

Two of the trustees act yearly, one of whom makes the Ladyday distribution, and the other that at Michaelmas. The total annual rents now amount to the sum of 584l. 16s. besides forty acres of woodland, and the clear sum distributed, after all payments and deductions, amounts to about 200l. per annum.

The poor relieved annually, (exclusive of those by Mr. Barrow's charity) are about 28, casually 30.

BORDEN is within the ECCLESIASTICAL JURISDICTION of the diocese of Canterbury, and deanry of Sittingborne.

The church, which is dedicated to St. Peter and St. Paul, is a handsome building, consisting of three isles and three chancels, with a square tower at the west end of it, in which there is a clock, and six bells. It is built mostly of flint, but as a mark of its antiquity, it has a Roman brick or two interspersed among them, and the mortar is composed of cockle-shells. What is very remarkable, in the steeple there are the remains of a chimney, which seems coeval with it. The door-case on the western side of the steeple is of Saxon architecture, with zigzag ornaments, as is that on the opposite or inner side, but of a much larger size. It is kept exceedingly clean and neat, and the greatest part of it has been lately ceiled, that part of it over the high chancel, at the expence of the lay impropriator. In the high chancel is a brass plate and essigies for William Fordinall, vicar, obt. anno 1490. Several of the family of Plot lie buried in the south chancel, and there are monuments for Robert Plot, anno 1669, and his son Dr. Robert Plot, anno 1696; and there are among others in this church memorials for the Seagars, Barrows, Napletons, and Allens, all of whom have been mentioned before.

The church of Borden was part of the possessions of the priory of Leeds, to which it was appropriated before the 8th of king Richard II. (fn. 6) In which situation it continued at the dissolution of it in the 31st year of Henry VIII. when it was, together with the other possessions of the priory, surrendered up into the king's hands.

It appears by the bailiff's accounts in the Augmentation-office, of the revenues of the late priory of Leeds, that this rectory with the lands in this parish belonging to it, was then of the annual value of 41l. 14s. 5d. Soon after which it was granted by the king to Greene, but it seems to have been only for a term, for king Edward VI. in his 6th year, granted it, with all messuages and woods belonging to it, to Sir John Norton, of Northwood, to hold in capite by knight's service. He alienated it to Margaret Roch, who died in the 1st year of queen Elizabeth, and was succeeded in it by Elizabeth her daughter and heir, whose husband, Robert Colt, possessed it in her right. She survived him and died possessed of it, in the 13th year of that reign, at which time it appears to have been accounted a manor, and to have consisted of a house called Borden-hall, with its appurtenances, and three acres of land, with the rectory, tithes, and glebe belonging to it, in Borden. Her son Roger Colt died three years afterwards, leaving his widow Mary surviving, who afterwards married John Norris, esq. His grandson, Sir John Colt, bart. left three sons, John, Rowland, and Henry, who became entitled to this rectory and advowson, with the manor and lands appertaining to it, as coheirs to their father, in gavelkind; the eldest son, John Colte, esq. was of Rickmansworth, in Hertsordshire, and left an only daughter and heir, Gentilles, who entitled her husband, Sir Benjamin Titchborne, (a younger son of Sir Benjamin Tichborne, bart. of Hampshire) to his undivided third part of them, and his son Colte Tichborne, esq. of Woodoaks, in Hertfordshire, (which had been the antient seat of the Coltes) conveyed it jointly with his sister Frances in 1743, to Joseph Musgrave, esq. Rowland and Henry, the two younger sons of Sir John Colte above-mentioned, in 1676 conveyed their respective thirds to Mr. Charles Seager, gent. of Tunstall, whose son and heir of the same name was of Borden-hall, gent. and dying in 1758, was buried, with others of his family in this church. They bore for their arms, Or, a chevron between three mullets, azure. He devised them by will to his sister Mrs. Mary Seager, who in 1765 conveyed her two undivided thirds to Joseph Musgrave, esq. son of Joseph Musgrave, esq. above-mentioned, who having inherited the other third part from his father, became possessed of the entire see of this rectory and advowson, with the manor of Borden-hall, and the lands and appurtenances belonging to it, of which he is the present owner. Joseph Musgrave, is of Kypier, in the bishopric of Durham, and is descended from Joseph Musgrave, esq. of that place, the eldest son of George, the youngest son of Sir Christopher Musgrave, by his second wife Elizabeth, daughter of Sir John Frank lyn, which Sir Christopher, by his first wife, was ancestor of the present Sir Philip Musgrave, of Edenhall, in Cumberland, and of Kempton park, in Middlesex, bart. and was younger brother of Sir Richard Musgrave, bart. grandson of Sir Richard, who was created a baronet anno 9 James I. He bears for his arms, Azure, six annulets, three, two, and one, or.

The vicarage of Borden is valued in the king's books at 8l. 10s. and the yearly tenths at seventeen shillings. It is now of the yearly certified value of 67l. 14s. Sir John Norton, and Alice his wife, gave an annuity of forty shillings, to be paid yearly out of the parsonage, to the vicar of Borden and his successors. In 1578 there were fifty-three dwelling-houses in this parish. Communicants one hundred and sixty. In 1640 it was valued at eighty pounds. Communicants two hundred and seven.

A part of the portion of tithes, already mentioned in the description of the parish of Stockbury, called Ambry Tanton, extends into this parish.

There seems to have been continual disputes between the abbot and convent of St. Augustine's, and the prior and convent of Leeds, relative to the church of Borden, which at last was finally settled between them, about the year 1204; the prior agreeing to pay one marc of silver to the church of St. Augustine.

Church of Borden.

Footnotes