Near this place on the 20th day of March, 1797, was deposited the body of Edward Greensted, who after a virtuous and well spent life of 83 years, "Dropt like ripe fruit into its mother's lap."

and below, these tributary lines:

"Here rests a man, who, plain without offence,
Of self taught science, drawn from native sense;
Displayed a striking lesson to mankind

Of tranquil goodness in a sphere confined ;>
Who long time fill'd with strict and watchful care
His humble station in this house of prayer,
And swayed with gentle and with equal rule,
The little sceptre of his village school;
While patient, cheerful, and resign'd he sought
Himself to practice what his precepts taught.
Then reader learn, while pensive o'er his dust,
To be like him devout, and meek, and just;
Whate'er thy lot in life, his plan pursue,
Keep such examples always in thy view:
To virtue only is the promise given,

It leads to peace, to happiness, to heaven."

In the register are some whimsical entries of illegimate children born towards the latter end of the sixteenth century, and who are designated as "Sent of God;” “Filius populi,” or "Filius mundi." Here also are recorded two instances of great longevity: Thomas Boothe, buried March 24th, 1562, aged 112; and Henry Fiveash, aged 104, buried July 24th, 1677.

WOODCHURCH. The face of the country here differs little from that in the adjoining parish of Halden, abundance of underwood and bad roads characterising them both; and though much of Woodchurch lies on rather elevated ground, it is from the before mentioned circumstances far from being pleasant. An expanse of marsh lands called Shirley-moor or The upper levels commences in the south-west part extending into the parishes of Appledore, Eboney and Tenterden, being about three miles in length, and two in breath.* This valuable

* Hasted, vol. VII. p. 227.

tract, which contains by estimation one thousand two hundred and forty-five acres, is considered equal in quality to any land in the county; vast numbers of cattle are annually fattened on it, intended principally for the London markets; the chief proprietors of lands in this level are Sir Edward Hales, Bart. the dean and chapter of Canterbury, Richard Curteis, Esq. and Thomas Blackmore, Esq. of Hertfordshire, who is also owner of Shirley-house and the farm attached to it, situated on the rising ground northward. The church and parsonage stand nearly in the centre of the parish, close to which surrounding a small green, are the few dwellings which constitute the village. The remains of the PLACE-HOUSE, now divided into several distinct tenements, carry with it but few traces of its former consequence, it stands a little removed from the church eastward, and in early times was the residence of a a family of some note; who had assumed the surname of Woodchurch about the time of the conquest. Simon de Woodchurch (a descendant of Anchitel de Woodchurch the first on record of the family) was among the Kentish gentry that accompanied the victorious Edward in the Scottish expedition, and who for his gallantry on that occasion received the honor of Knighthood. This estate is now the property of Samuel Egerton Brydges, Esq. second son of the late Edward Bridges, of Wootton, author of the Censura Literaria and several other literary productions, of acknowledged merit.

The manor of WOODCHURCH alias TOWNLAND was among the éstates allotted for the defence of Dover castle, forming part of the barony of the constable of that important fortress, hence called the constabularie. The name of Townland (a corruption of Thunland) it acquired from Ralph de la Thun, who possessed this manor in the reign of Henry III. and in whose descendants it continued, to Thomas Townland (anno 7 Henry IV.) when it passed by sale to the family of Norton and in the beginning of the reign of Henry VIII. was

sold to the prior and convent of Leeds, with which it remained until the dissolution of that priory. (anno 31 Henry VIII.)

The church (dedicated to ALL SAINTS) is a spacious edifice, consisting of a nave, and side aisles with a massive square tower at the west end, supported by large raking buttresses and surmounted by an enormous shingled spire, which though it contributes little to the beauty of the building, is a striking feature from many points of view. The scene exhibited on attaining the summit of the hill in the approach from Kenardington hither, and at the distance of about three quarters of a mile from the latter place, is extremely fine. The country in this direction is well wooded and agreeably chequered with farm houses and cottages, the distance on the left is occupied by the town and church of Tenterden, but the most prominent object in the view is the spire of Woodchurch rising above the wood on the right. The lancet-headed windows in the high chancel of this church are not destitute of beauty; in one, on the north side, are the arms of the Harbackendens, and below, a canopied altar tomb with an elegant groined ceiling covered with tracery, at the back of which are several brasses of that family. At one end of the south aisle, is another altar tomb, for Sir Edward Waterhouse, chancellor of the exchequer, and a member of the privy council in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, and in the window over this tomb, are five shields of arms in stained glass. In the chancel are brasses for Master Nicholas de Gore, with an inscription in old french and another for William Benge, Capellarius, obt. 1457. The font, which is of Bethersden marble, appears to be ancient, the date is not known, and it would be difficult to determine this. point from the thing itself. In the north chancel was formerly a small chapel; and an opening in one corner, and a closed doorway, supposed to have been the approach to the pulpit, are still shewn; the roofs to the aisles appear by a date on one

of the brackets to have been put up about the year 1604. Nicholas Carter, S. T. P. rector of Woodchurch, who died in 1774, was father of the justly celebrated Mrs Elizabeth Carter.

A decree of Archbishop Peckham respecting the tythes of Woodchurch in the year 1281, is preserved among the Lambeth MSS.*

YALDING, which Leland describes as a pruty townlet,

is placed at the confluence of the Beult and Teise with the Medway; from the peculiarity of its situation, the lower part of the town, and the lands near it are liable to occasional annoyance during the winter season, from the overflowing of these streams; but the temporary inconvenience thence arising, is counterbalanced by a pure and healthy air, to which, these hasty floods may reasonably be supposed to contribute: whatever might have been the appearance of Yalding in the time of Leland (temp. Hen. VIII). the term praty cannot now be applied to it, with any propriety. It consists principally of one irregular street containing but few houses of respectable appearance, and is but indifferently paved; at the upper end, on comparatively high ground, stands the schoolhouse, an establishment, under the management of trustees, for the education of boys from the age of seven to fourteen: it was founded and endowed in the year 1663 by William, M m

* See Ducarel's Repertory, p. 122.

+ In this river, Eels of an uncommon size are frequently taken. Hasted says, that in the year 1757 an Eel was caught in the river at this place which measured five feet nine inches in length, eighteen inches in girt, and weighed upwards of forty pounds.

Cleave, citizen and haberdasher of London, and a native of this place, for teaching the sons of the parishioners, reading, writing and arithmetic. The present master, Mr. Williams, has held this situation for thirteen years with singular credit; besides the boys on the foundation, he has generally about twenty boarders.

The Medway is navigable for barges to within a short distance of the town, and a considerable intercourse is in consequence maintained between these parts and the different dockyards on the Thames: much of the lading upwards consisted formerly of great guns, shot, &c. for his Majesty's yards at Chatham and Sheerness, but the foundaries in this neighbourhood have been silenced some years, and at present, oak timber for naval purposes, is the only article of importance conveyed by water from this place.*

Richard Fitz Gilbert, a near relative of the Conqueror, and ancestor of the noble family of Clare, Earls of Gloucester and Hertford, was owner of the MANOR OF YALDING at the period of the Domesday survey: in the reign of Edward II. Hugh de Audley, Jun. became possessed of it, in right of his wife Margaret, second sister, and one of the co-heiresses of Gilbert de Clare, nephew of Edward I. to whom succeeded the Staffords, advanced to the Earldom of Stafford, and subsequently created Dukes of Buckingham. After the prema

"The commissioners for the navigation of the river Medway, about twenty years ago, (1777) made a navigable cut or canal, from a place in the river called Hampsted, where they judiciously constructed a lock to a place in the river near Twyford-bridge, and there erected a tumbling bay for the water, when at a certain height, to pass over. The contrivance of this cut from one bend or angle of the river to the other, is of the greatest utility to the navigation, by not only shortening the passage, but by baying up a convenient depth of water, which they could not have had along the lees, and other adjoining low lands on each side of that part of the river, which is avoided by it, or at least not without a very great expence." Hasted, vol. V. p. 157.