(THE CHAPELL’ OF NONYNGTON ANNEXED TO THE COLLEG’ OF WINGHAM.

THE RECTORY OR CHAPPEL’ OF NONYNGTON AND WEMYNGESWOLDE).

(FROM: ARCH CANT. VOL 32, P 169.VISITATION ROLLS OF 1294).

NONYNTONE. SIR THOMAS ?, CHAPLAIN.

THE CHAPLAIN HOLDETH THE ALTARAGE AND THE FRUITS TO FARM, CAUSES THE TITHES TO BE COLLECTED AND MANAGES EVERYTHING. A YEAR HAS ELAPSED SINCE THE WIFE OF ROBERT HOLESTRETE DIED. THE CHAPLAIN HAS MUCH LAND AND BUSIES HIMSELF MUCH IN SECULAR AFFAIRS. THERE IS NO RESIDENT RECTOR NOR IS ANYTHING KNOWN CONCERNING ANY ORDINATION (OF A VICARAGE).

THE ABOTT AND CONVENT OF ST ALBAN’S TAKE CERTAIN TYTHES, BY WHAT RIGHT IS UNKNOWN.

BROTHERHOODS USUALLY EXISTED TO MAINTAIN AND LOOK AFTER THE LIGHTS (VOTIVE CANDLES) OF A PARISH CHURCH, ST. MARY’S AT NONINGTON HAD THE BROTHERHOOD OF JESUS. A WEEKLY DEVOTION, ‘THE JESUS MASS’ WAS SUNG EVERY FRIDAY, BECOMING MORE FREQUENT DURING THE 15^TH. CENTURY AFTER THE ADOPTION IN 1457 OF THE FEAST OF THE HOLY NAME (7^TH AUGUST). VARIOUS BEQUESTS WERE MADE TO THE BROTHERHOOD OF JESUS IN NONINGTON.

TO THE BROTHERHOOD OF JESUS TWO EWES. WILLIAM SHERLAND 1511.

TO THE MASS OF THE NAME OF JESUS OF NONINGTON, TWO SEAMS OF CORN (A SEAM EQUALLED EIGHT BUSHELS) WITH 2 POUNDS OF WAX, FOR MY SOUL AND MY WIFE AGNES. STEPHEN FARRIER OF STOURMOUTH, 1513.

TO THE BROTHERHOOD OF JESUS WITHIN THE PARISH OF NONINGTON FIVE ACRES OF GROUND BESIDE OXENDEN (OXNEY WOOD) IN THE SAID PARISH. WILLIAM PEMBERTON, RECTOR OF CHILLENDEN, 1514.

IN MEDIEVAL TIMES PEOPLE MADE BEQUESTS, OFTEN OF LAND, TO THE CHURCH FOR LIGHTS (CANDLES) TO BE LIT AND MAINTAINED IN THE BENEFITING CHURCH FOR THE BENEFIT OF THEIR SOULS AFTER DEATH. OVER THE YEARS ST. MARY’S RECEIVED VARIOUS BEQUESTS, EXAMPLES OF WHICH FOLLOW:

‘LIGHT LANDS GIVEN TO THE CHURCHE OF NONYNGTON BY WHOM IT IS NOT KNOW FOR THE MAYNTENAUNCE OF TOWE TAPERS TO BURNE YERELY AT EASTER UPON THE SEPULCRE THERE FOR EVER. THE YERELIE VALUE OF THE SAME LAND IS IIJS VJD (3S 6D) WEROF IN RENTS RESOLUTE XVD (15D). AND SO REMANETH CLERE IJS IIJD (2S 3D)’. (THE 1839 PARISH TITHE MAP RECORDS LAND ADJOINING PINNERS HILL AMOUNTING TO 8 ACRES 2 RODS AND 20 POLES AS BEING CALLED ‘THE LIGHT LANDS’, AND BELONGING TO THE ST. ALBAN’S COURT ESTATE. THE LAND MAY POSSIBLY BE THAT MENTIONED IN THE SECOND BEQUEST ABOVE, AS THE YEARLY RENTAL WAS FAIRLY LARGE FOR THE TIMES, INDICATING A SIZABLE PARCEL OF LAND. THE NAME ‘LIGHT LANDS’ APPEARS TO HAVE LINGERED ON FOR SOME THREE CENTURIES AFTER THE LAND WAS LOST TO THE CHURCH.

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).

THE BEQUEST OF ONE AND A HALF ACRES AT FROGHAM HILL WOULD APPEAR TO BE THE LAND BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN GIVEN 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. OTHER SOURCES STATE THAT THE DONOR OF THIS PROPERTY WAS UNKNOWN. IN BAGSHAWS DIRECTORY OF 1847 IT SAYS 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’.

AT THE END OF THE 18^TH CENTURY HASTED WROTE RECORDED THAT THE ANNUAL REVENUE FROM THE LAND, £5 10/-, WAS VESTED IN THE REVEREND JAMES MORRICE, OWNER OF BETTSHANGER MANOR. THE LAND, NOW OCCUPIED IN PART BY NIGHTINGALE COTTAGES, 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 SALE FOR SUCH PURPOSES AS SANCTIONED BY THE COMMITTEE.

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:

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

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

SIR EDWARD BOYS OF NONINGTON 1634 WILL 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’.

PROPERTY PREVIOUSLY GIVEN BY INDIVIDUALS TO THE CHURCH TO SAY MASSES, FOR LIGHTS IN THE CHURCH, OR OTHER DEVOTIONS, WAS, AFTER EDWARD VI’S CHANTRIES ACT OF 1548, LISTED FOR CONFISCATION TO RAISE MONEY FOR THE CROWN AND THE REVENUES AND PROFITS RECORDED TO SHOW TO POTENTIAL PURCHASERS OF THE PROPERTY. WILLIAM BOYS, A MAJOR LOCAL LANDOWNER, ACTED AS A CROWN AGENT IN NONINGTON, LISTING SUCH PROPERTIES IN THE PARISH, THEN PART OF THE COLLEGE OF WINGHAM, AND CHALLOCK IN KENT, WHERE HE ALSO HELD LAND AND ASTUTELY PURCHASING SOME OF THE PROPERTIES, KNOWING BETTER THAN ANYONE THEIR TRUE VALUE.

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NB: PRIOR TO THE ADOPTION OF THE GREGORIAN CALENDAR IN 1752, THE FIRST DAY OF THE YEAR OF THE PREVIOUSLY USED JULIAN CALENDER WAS LADY DAY, 25^TH MARCH, SO THAT 19^TH FEBRUARY 1548 JULIAN WOULD BE 19^TH FEBRUARY 1549 GREGORIAN.

THE USE OF THE TERMS ‘LE PARSONAGE’ AND ‘LE VICAREDGE’ NEED SOME CLARIFICATION TO AVOID CONFUSION IN THE FOLLOWING TEXT. ‘LE PARSONAGE’ REFERS TO THE WHAT WAS THE GLEBE LAND AT THE JUNCTION OF THE PRESENT CHURCH STREET AND OAK HILL (VICARAGE LANE), THE SITE OF AN OLD BARN, PROBABLY ORIGINALLY BUILT TO HOLD TITHES. THE REMAINS OF THE BARN WERE DEMOLISHED IN THE MID-1950’S TO MAKE WAY FOR THE BUNGALOWS WHICH NOW OCCUPY THE LAND. ‘LE VICAREDGE’ IS NOW THE NEW BURIAL GROUND ACROSS THE ROAD THE CHURCH. REFERRED TO IN 1533 AS A MANSION (SHOWING IT TO THEN HAVE BEEN A DWELLING OF SOME SUBSTANCE), LATER IN 1744 AS A TENEMENT (WHICH ACTUALLY MEANS A HIGH STATUS BUILDING WHEN USED IN OLD DOCUMENTS) AND, IN 1847, AS ‘THE PARSONAGE, A SMALL THATCHED HOUSE, OCCUPIED BY THE PARISH CLERK’. PRIOR TO ITS PURCHASED BY THE PARISH IN THE 1870’S THE BUILDING HAD BEEN CONVERTED INTO TWO COTTAGES WHICH WERE DEMOLISHED TO MAKE WAY FOR THE BURIAL GROUND.

THE RECTORY OR CHAPELL’ OF NONYNGTON AND WEMYNGESWOLDE.

FROM A VISITATION DOCUMENT OF THE SAME PERIOD: STIPEND OF A CHAPLAIN KEEPING THE CURE OF THE PARISH OR CHAPELL’ OF NONYNGTON. NOTHING. BECAUSE THE CHAPLAIN THAT SERVES THE SAME CURE HAS THE HOME THERE CALLED ‘LE VICAREDGE’ AND THE LESSER TITHES. NOTHING.

THER YS BELONGING TO PARSONAGE ONE BARNE; ONE BARNE YARD; AND A PASTURE CLOSE OF ONE ACRE, AND A YARD MORE OR LESS ADJOINING TO THE BARNE, LYING TO THE KYNGS HYE WAY NORTH AND WEST (NOW VICARAGE LANE AND CHURCH STREET RESPECTIVELY) AND TO THE LANDE NOW OR LATE OF SIR JOHN WYLES SOUTH AND EAST.

THER IS BELONGING TO THE VYCARIDGE ONE DWELLING HOUSE AND KYTCHIN WITH A GARDEN OR ORCHARD WITH A PASTURE CLOSE ADJOINING CONTAYNING BY ESTIMATION ONE ACRE MORE OR LESS. LYING TO THE LANDS OF THOMAS KYRBY AND THE KYNGS HYE WAY EAST (NOW CHURCH STREET) TO THE LANDS OF SIR JOHN WYLES SOUTH, TO THE LANDS OF (BLANK) STOKES WEST AND TO THE KYNGS HYE WAY BY THE CHURCHYARD NORTH (NOW OLD COURT HILL).

A LEASE BETWEEN THE ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY AND WILLIAM HAMMOND OF ST. ALBAN’S COURT, NONINGTON OF 7^TH JULY 1679.

PARCELLS: PARSONAGE & RECTORY OF NONINGTON & WYMENSWOLD WITH THE GLEBE LAND BY ESTIMATION 2 ACRES ON PART OF WHICH STANDS A LONG PARSONAGE BARN TOGETHER WITH A STABLE AND FFATHERING PLACE (THRESHING FLOOR) WHICH SAID GLEBE LANDS ARE BOUNDED ON THE WEST & NORTH TO THE KINGS HIGHWAY & ON THE EAST AND SOUTH TO LANDS NOW OR LATE OF JEREMY GAY, GENT. & ALL TYTHES PORTIONS PENSIONS & PROFIT.

AT SOME TIME AFTER THE DATE OF THE ABOVE LEASE AND BEFORE THE NEXT TERRIER ‘LE PARSONAGE’ CAME INTO THE OWNERSHIP OF THE HAMMOND FAMILY WHERE IT REMAINED UNTIL THE DISPOSAL OF THE FAMILY ESTATE IN NONINGTON IN THE MID-1930’S.

A TERRIER OF:17^TH MAY 1744:

"A TRUE NOTE OF TERRIER OF THE TENEMENTS, GLEBE LANDS AND TYTHES BELONGING TO THE CURACY OF NONINGTON AND WYMENSWOLD "(EXTRACTS FOR WOMENSWOLD HAVE BEEN EXCLUDED).

A TERRIER OF:16^TH SEPTEMBER 1833:

A TERRIER "OF ALL THE GLEBE LANDS, MEADOWS, GARDENS, ORCHARDS, STOCK, IMPLEMENTS AND TENEMENTS BELONGING TO THE VICARAGE AND PARISH CHURCH OF NONINGTON",

IMPRIMUS: THERE IS A SMALL VICARAGE HOUSE AND ABOUT 40 PERCHES (A QUARTER OF AN ACRE) OF GARDEN, THESE PREMISES ARE BOUNDED IN THE N.W. TO LAND BELONGING TO SIR BROOKE BRIDGES BT., ON THE S.W. BY THE GLEBE PASTURE, ON THE S.E. BY LAND BELONGING TO W. O. HAMMOND ESQ. AND A PUBLIC ROAD LEADING FROM WOMENSWOLD TO NONINGTON CHURCH (CHURCH STREET).

(SEE MAP ON PAGE 6).

ONE BEIR. (FOR CARRYING THE DECEASED AT A FUNERAL).

BY THE DATE OF THE ABOVE TERRIER MOST OF THE LAND ATTACHED TO ‘LE VICAREDGE’ HAS BEEN DISPOSED OF BY THE CHURCH. THE BUILDING WAS SUPERCEDED AS THE VICARAGE IN THE LATE 1840’S WHEN A NEW AND MUCH LARGER HOUSE, THE PRESENT ‘HATCHETTS’, WAS BUILT BY THE INCUMBENT, THOMAS HARRISON, A MAN OF CONSIDERABLE PRIVATE MEANS. THE HOUSE WAS LATER RENTED OUT AS FOLLOWING INCUMBENTS COULD NOT AFFORD TO LIVE THERE. MAP ON PAGE 10.

THE PRESENT VICARAGE WAS BUILT OPPOSITE TO THE ENTRANCE TO "HATCHETTS" IN THE 1920’S TO ACCOMMODATE THE INCUMBENTS WHO FOLLOWED THE REVEREND SYDNEY SARGEANT. MAP ON PAGE 11.