ture death of Edward Duke of Buckingham,* in the reign of Henry VIII. that monarch bestowed this manor, on Charles Somerset (natural son of Henry Duke of Somerset) created successively Lord Herbert of Cherbury, and Earl of Worcester, "a person of great parts and much favored both by King Henry VII. and VIII." It is at present among the possessions of Lord Barham, of Barham court in the adjoining parish of Teston, some time since first Lord of the admiralty; but the court lodge and demesne lands have been long separated from the manor itself, and for many years have been in the family of Plumer, of Hertfordshire. This parish also contains the manors of Woodfolde, Lodingford, Jennings court, and part of the manor of Bockingfold, the court lodge of which was anciently surrounded by an extensive park or forest, and had annexed to it a free chapel: its demesnes extended into the parishes of Brenchley, Horsmonden, Marden and Goudhurst, and from their great extent, the wildness of their appearance and the quantity of wood contained within their boundary, had very early acquired the appellation of a forest; Twine in his treatise, de Rebus Albionicis, styling this manor the forest of Buckenwald. JENNINGS COURT which is among the possessions of Brazen-nose college Oxford, is held on lease by Sir M m 2

* Edward Duke of Buckingham, was accused and found guilty of conspiring the death of Henry VIII. and for this offence was beheaded on Tower-hill, in the 13th year of that reign. His father, Henry Duke of Buckingham, had before suffered in the same manner at Salisbury, and for the same offence, against the usurper Richard. This unfortunate man, being deserted by the army he had raised in Wales in favor of the Earl of Richmond, took refuge in the house of one Ralph Banister, an old servant of the family, but the cupidity of this ungrateful villain, being excited by the reward offered for the apprehension of the Duke, basely betrayed his master, and independent of the reward offered, had granted to him, as a further remuneration for this service, the manor of Yalding, which he held until the accession of the Earl of Richmond to the crown.

John Gregory Shaw, Bart. The house lies under shelter of the hill, in a retired but pleasant situation, the grounds gently sloping to the medway and well studded with ornamental timber. At Beau-hill, directly above Jennings court, is a respectable farm-house, commanding an extensive prospect in the direction of Nettlested, Wateringbury, &c. the churches at these places, adding considerably to the interest of the scene. The ingenious and improvident author of "The Craftsman," (Nicholas Amherst) was a native of this or the adjoining parish of Marden. From Merchant Taylor's school, where he received his grammatical education, he was removed to St. John's College Oxford, whence, for real or alledged irregularities he was expelled; and being incensed at his expulsion, he published those satires against the university of Oxford, known by the title of Terræ Filius. But his chief literary undertaking, was "The Craftsman," a very popular work, in which he was assisted by Lord Bolingbroke and Mr. Pulteney. "This work was carried on," says the author of the Biographical Dictionary "for a number of years with great spirit and success, and was more read and attended to than any production of the kind which had hitherto been published in England, Ten or twelve thousand were sold in a day; and the effect which it had in raising the indignation of the people, and in controlling the power of administration, was very considerable. Yet, notwithstanding Mr. Amherst's merit with his party, he was totally neglected by them, when they made their terms with the crown. He died soon after at Twickenham, April 27th, 1742, of a broken heart and was buried at the charge of his printer, Richard Franklin."

The church consists of a nave, side aisles and transept, with a square unsightly tower at the west end. It is spacious, but mean, possessing nothing to please the eye or gratify the antiquary; the principal monuments it contains are those for the families of Warde and Kenward. The present incum

bent is the Rev. Richard Warde, whose uncle and predecessor the Rev. John Warde, some time since rebuilt the vicaragehouse, pleasantly situated a short distance from the town, eastward. "There are two separate manors, one belonging to the rectory or parsonage, and the other to the vicarage of this church.” *

* Hasted.

THE END.

INDEX.