DURING THE REIGN OF HENRY VIII , THOMAS BATE OF CHALLOCK, WHO HELD LAND THERE AND IN NONINGTON , MADE CHARITABLE BEQUESTS OF THE LAND IN THOSE PARISHES. THE FOLLOWING CONCERN NONINGTON:

ALSO: RENT OR FERME OF V RODS (5 RODS OR 1 ¼ ACRES) OF LAND IN THE PARISH OF NONYNGTON NEXT HARELESTRETE BUTTS NOW OR LATE IN THE TENURE OF RICHARD MOCKETT THERE, YERELY IJS (2S). (PREVIOUSLY OWNED BY THE KNIGHTS OF ST. JOHN AND CONFISCATED BY THE CROWN).

ALSO: RENT OR FERME OF I (ONE) AND HALF ACRES AT FROGHAM HILL THERE NOW IN TENERE OF WILLIAM STUPPELL YERELY XVIIJD.(18.D OR 71/2 PENCE))".

THESE ONE AND A HALF ACRES AT FROGHAM HILL PURCHASED IN EDWARD VI’S REIGN BY WILLIAM BOYS, WHOSE EXTENDED FAMILY HAD LARGE LAND HOLDINGS IN NONINGTON AND SURROUNDING PARISHES, .APPEARS TO BE THE BEQUEST MADE BY WILLIAM BOYS OF TILMANSTONE IN HIS 1600 WILL WHICH GAVE TWO POOR HOUSE KEEPERS TWO HOUSES, AND AN ACRE AND A HALF OF LAND; AND A SACK OF WHEAT EACH AT CHRISTMAS. AT THE END OF THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY HASTED REPORTED THAT THE DONOR OF THIS PROPERTY WAS UNKNOWN AND THAT THE LANDS ANNUAL REVENUE OF £5 10/-, (£5 50p) WAS VESTED IN THE OWNER OF BETTSHANGER MANOR, THEN THE REVEREND JAMES MORRICE

"PARISH OF NONINGTON. UNKNOWN DONOR.

IT IS STATED IN HASTED’S HISTORY OF KENT THAT A DONOR UNKNOWN GAVE TO POOR HOUSE-KEEPERS OF THIS PARISH TWO HOUSES AND ONE ACRE AND A HALF OF LAND AT FROGHAM, WITH A SACK OF WHEAT TO EACH HOUSE KEEPER EVERY CHRISTMAS, THEN VESTED IN THE REV. JAMES MORRICE, OWNER OF BETTSHANGER MANOR, AND OF THE ANNUAL PRODUCE OF 5L 10S. (£5 50 PENCE).

IT IS STATED BY J. P. PLUMPTRE, ESQ., OF FREDVILLE PARK, IN THIS PARISH, THAT THE PROPERTY CONSISTS OF TWO OLD TENEMENTS UNDER ONE ROOF, WITH TWO SMALL OUTBUILDINGS EAST, AND ABOUT ONE QUARTER OF AN ACRE OF LAND ADJOINING, USED BY THE INMATES OF THE HOUSES AS GARDEN-GROUND; THAT THERE ALSO BELONGS TO THE CHARITY A QUARTER OF AN ACRE OF LAND WHICH HAS BEEN FOR MANY YEARS TAKEN INTO FREDVILLE PARK, AND FOR WHICH THE PROPRIETORS OF THE ESTATE HAVE ALWAYS PAID A YEARLY RENT OF 3L (£3.00).

ALSO TWO SMALL FIELDS CONTIGEOUS TO EACH OTHER , CONTAINING EACH ABOUT 1 A. 1 R. ( ONE ACRE AND ONE ROOD, OR ONE AND A QUARTER ACRES) AND BOUNDED ON EVERY SIDE BY LAND BELONGING TO MR. PLUMPTRE, WHO PAYS THE YEARLY RENT OF 2L 2S (£2 10 PENCE) FOR EACH FIELD.

THE PATRONAGE OF THESE ALMS HOUSES HAS FOR UPWARDS OF A CENTURY BEEN CONSIDERED AS VESTED IN THE OWNERS OF THE BETSHANGER ESTATE, AND IT IS STATED BY MR. MORRICE, THE PRESENT PROPRIETOR, THAT IN CONSEQUENCE OF THE CHARITY-HOUSES AND LAND BEING SITUATED IN THE MIDST OF THE FREDVILLE PROPERTY, AN AGREEMENT WAS ENTERED INTO WITH THE LATE MR. PLUMPTRE, THAT SHOULD FILL UP THE VACANCIES, TAKING UPON HIMSELF THE ANNUAL PAYMENT OF A SACK OF WHEAT TO THE TENANTS OF THE HOUSES, A BOUNTY TO WHICH THEY WERE ENTITLED, AS IS SUPPOSED, OUT OF THE BETSHANGER ESTATE.

TWO OLD LABOURERS HAVE BEEN APPOINTED TO THESE ALMSHOUSES FROM TIME TO TIME BY MR. PLUMPTRE AND HIS PREDECESSOR, AND THEY HAVE RECEIVED A SACK OF WHEAT OR ITS VALUE IN MONEY, AND THE RENTS OF THE THREE PIECES OF LAND BEFORE MENTIONED EQUALLY BETWEEN THEM.THE BUILDINGS ARE VERY OLD AND DILAPIDATED, AND THERE APPEARS TO BE NO FUNDS FOR THE REPAIRS, EXCEPT BY DETAINING PART OF THE RENTS ABOVE MENTIONED FOR THAT PURPOSE.

NO OTHER CHARITIES ARE RECORDED."

BAGSHAWS 1847 DIRECTORY RECORDS THAT: ‘TWO OLD LABOURERS HAVE BEEN APPOINTED FROM TIME TO TIME BY MR. PLUMPTRE AND £7 4/- IS DIVIDED EQUALLY BETWEEN THE INMATES AS THE YEARLY VALUE OF THE LANDS.

’THE ONE ACRE AND A HALF APPEARS TO HAVE GROWN OVER THE YEARS. THE 1839 TYTHE APPORTIONMENT, BASED ON EXISTING, AND OFTEN INACCURATE, LAND-OWNERS MAPS AND RECORDS SHOW THE OWNERS AS THE TRUSTEES OF THE CHARITY LANDS, THE OCCUPIERS OF THE COTTAGES & GARDENS, AN AREA OF 1 ROOD, 24 PERCHES. EDWARD YOUNG & ONE OTHER. J. P. PLUMPTRE OCCUPIED PARK FIELD, AN AREA OF 2 ACRES, 3 ROODS, 16 PERCHES.

A TOTAL OF 3 ACRES.

THE 1859 TYTHE APPORTIONMENT, FOR WHICH A FULL AND ACCURATE SURVEY TO PRODUCE A NEW PARISH MAP WAS CARRIED OUT, SHOW THE OWNERS AS NONINGTON CHARITY LANDS COMMISSIONERS AND OCCUPIERS OF THE TWO COTTAGES & GARDENS, AREA OF 1 ROOD, 14 PERCHES. AS MARY BURVILLE & ONE OTHER AND WILLIAM CANNABY AS OCCUPYING PT. LONGLANDS FIELD, 1 ACRE, 1 ROOD, 18 PERCHES. MIDDLE CLOSE, 1 ACRE, 2 ROODS, 1 PERCH. FURTHER CLOSE, 1 ACRE, 1 ROOD, 26 PERCHES.

THE LAND REFERRED TO ABOVE WAS SOLD BY CONSENT OF THE CHARITY COMMISSIONERS TO H. W. PLUMTRE IN 1903 WITH FOUR TRUSTEES APPOINTED TO ADMINISTER THE INVESTMENT OF THE PROCEEDS OF THE SALE FOR SUCH PURPOSES AS SANCTIONED BY THE COMMITTEE. NIGHTINGALE COTTAGES AND THEIR GARDENS NOW OCCUPY PART OF THE LAND, THE REMAINDER BY A SMALL PADDOCK AND HUMPHRIES (WESTERN) WOOD.

HASTED ALSO MENTIONS OTHER CHARITIES IN THE PARISH BUT BAGSHAWS STATES IN 1847 THAT THESE CHARITIES ARE NOT RECORDED IN THE CHARITY COMMISSIONERS REPORTS.

THESE CHARITIES WERE AS FOLLOWS:

EDWARD BOYS, GENTLEMAN, OF NONINGTON AND CHALLOCK, SON OF WILLIAM BOYS, ESQ., OF NONINGTON, PURCHASER OF VARIOUS LANDS FROM THE CROWN, IN HIS 1596 WILL GAVE A 40/- PER ANNUM ANNUITY FROM 15 ACRES IN NONINGTON AND BARFRESTON THE MONEY TO BE PAID ANNUALLY TO THE POOREST OF THE PARISH.

ROBERT BARGER, YEOMAN, OF BRIDGE, GAVE TO THE PARSON AND CHURCHWARDENS OF NONINGTON IN HIS WILL OF 1600 THE RENTS AND PROFITS OF HIS HOUSE IN THE PARISH FOR THE RELIEF OF THE POOR OF NONINGTON.

SIR EDWARD BOYS OF NONINGTON IN HIS WILL OF 1634 GAVE THE POOR OF THE PARISH THE SUM OF £6 TO BE ‘EMPLOYED FOR A STOCK TO SET THE POOR AT WORK, AND NOT OTHERWISE TO BE EMPLOYED, SO AS THE OVERSEERS OR ANY SUFFICIENT MAN OF THE PARISH BE BOUND YEARLY TO THE HEIRS OF FREDVILLE, WHEREBY THE STOCK BE NOT LOST’.