thousand years ago by some towns and villages in Kent, especially those
in the Weald. In a map in Furley’s _Weald_, he gives the manors and
places mentioned in the Domesday Book (A.D. 1086), and by this it
appears that settlements and cultivation were nearly all on the north
and east edges of the great forest of Anderida. The only exceptions are
Tivedale (now Tudely), Benindene (Benenden), Tepindene (Tiffenden), and
Belicedene, which are deeper in the forest.
Taking the line of the Kentish Weald from west to east, we find fringing
the primæval wood, Distreham (Westerham), Briestede (Brasted), Sondresse
(Sundridge), Brotenham (Wrotham), Nargourde (Mereworth), Pecheham (W.
Peckham), Pecheham (East Peckham), Otringebury (Wateringbury), Nedstede
(Nettlestead), Hallinges (Yalding), Meddestane (Maidstone), Boltone
Monchensei (Boughton Monchelsea), Certh (Chart Sutton), Suttone (Sutton
Valence), Sudtone (East Sutton), Olecumbe (Ulcombe), Boltone
Archiepiscopi (B. Malherbe), Bogelei (Bewley in B. Malherbe), Piventone
(Pevington), Pluckelei (Pluckley), Rotinge (Roting in Pluckley),
Litecert (Little Chart), Certh Mill, Certh (Great Chart), Eshetesford or
Estefort (Ashford), Merseham (Mersham), Aldingtone (Aldington), Limes
(Lymne), Boningtone (Bonnington), Bilsvitone (Bilsington), Rochinges
(Ruckinge), Orleverstone (Orleston), Werahorne (Warehorne), Tintintone
Dene (Tinton in Warehorne), Apeldres (Appledore), Palestre (Palster in
Wittersham), Newedene (Newenden).
In the rest of Chenth (Kent) the chief places mentioned in Domesday were
Bromlei (Bromley), Lolingstone (Lullingstone), Tarenteforte (Dartford),
Gravesham (Gravesend), Rovescestre (Rochester), Esledes (Leeds), Scapige
(Sheppey), Favershant (Faversham), Wi (Wye), Goversham (Godmersham),
Cantuaria (Canterbury), Forewic (Fordwich), Roculf (Reculver), Tanet
(Thanet), Sandwice (Sandwich), Estrei (Eastry), Addelam (Deal), Douere
(Dover), Fulchestan (Folkestone), Heda (Hythe), and Romene (Romney).
One thing that strikes one at once is the proof any list of Kentish
villages gives of the forestal character of Kent. As one of my aims is
to save trouble on the part of some future writer who shall produce the
long overdue History of Kentish Place-Names, I will here transcribe all
which indicate a woodland origin. About a few I am doubtful, but
probably others which I have in ignorance left out would balance them.
There are in this list 20 of the characteristic dens, although far more
survive as the names of manors or now uninhabited parts; there are 15
hursts and 35 woods—some of the last being no doubt modern as names of
places. I make 174 of these forestal names as under:—
Abbey Wood, Ackhold (Oakwood), Acol (alias Wood), Acrise? (Oakridge),
Appledore, Arnold’s Oak, Ash, Ashenden, Ashford, Ashley, Ashurst,
Bargrove, Bellegrove (Benenden), Betteshanger, Bircholt, Boghurst
Street, Bough Beech, Boughton (four), Boxhurst (Boxley), Bredhurst,
Broad Oak, Brogueswood, Broome, Broomfield, High Brooms, Broomstreet,
Bush, Challock Wood, Chart (four), Chartham, Chartham Hatch, Cheriton,
Chesnut Street, Cobham Wood, Cowden, Cockham Wood, Colds Wood, Comp
Woods, Crookhurst Street, Denstead, Denstroud, Denton (three), Denwood,
Dingleden, East Malling Woods, Eastwood, Eggringe Wood, Elmley, Elmley
Ferry, Elmstead (two), Elmstone, Eyehorne Hatch, Eyhorne Street,
Eythorne, Hawkenhurst, Filmer’s Wood, Five Oak Green, Forest Hill, Four
Elms, Frogholt, Goathurst Common, Gore Wood, Forsley Wood, Goudhurst,
Grove, Grove End, Grove Ferry, Grove Green, Hatch Green, Hawkhurst,
Hazelwood Hill, Hengrove, Henhurst, Henwood, Heronden, Hoaden,
Hockenden, Hollingbourne, Hollanden, Holm Mill, Holmstone, Holt Street,
Holwood Hill, Hookstead Green (Oakstead?), Horsmonden, Hurst, Ivy Hatch
(Ileden), Kidbrooke?, King’s Wood, Kingsnorth, Knockhall, Knockholt,
Lamberhurst, Leywood, Maiden Wood, Maplescombe, Marden, Mark Beech,
Marwood, Mereworth Woods, Molash, Mussenden, Nagden, Northwood, Norwood
(two), Nurstead (old Nutstead), Oakhurst, Oakley, Old Tree, Otterden,
Oxenden Corner, Paddock Wood, Penenden Heath, Penshurst, Perry Street,
Perry Wood, Pickhurst Green, Pinden, Plumstead, Plumpton, Quarry Wood,
Rainden, Ringwould, Rolvenden, Saltwood, Sandhurst, Sevenoaks,
Shadoxhurst, Sibertswold, Shottenden, Silcox Wood, Sissinghurst,
Smarden, Snoll Hatch, Snoad Street, Southernden, Southwood, Speldhurst,
Standen, Staplehurst, Swanscombe Wood, Tenterden, Thornham, Three
Beeches, Eickenhurst, Waldershare, Waltham, Warden, Weald, Westenhanger,
Westwood (two), Wissenden, Womenswould, Woodchurch, Woodcut Hill,
Woodlands (two), Woodruff, Woodside Green, Wouldham.
Land Divisions of Kent.
Uninterruptedly from Saxon times Kent has been divided into districts
called Lathes, and these into Hundreds, and these again into Borowes or
Townes, the last being in Kent synonymous and used to the exclusion of
the name parish down to the times of Elizabeth.
First, as to the meanings and uses of these three words.
Lathe takes us back to the Saxon Læth for land, and in Latin documents
appears as Lestus or Lastus, _e.g._, “In Lasto Sanctii Augustini” in a
deed of 1347. Lambarde, however, derives it from a verb gelathian, to
assemble; while Latham, following the German writer Zeuss, says the
Terræ lœticæ were lands given to the Lœti. Lœti is the Roman form of
Leute, _i.e._, People, _i.e._, the Teutonic mercenaries who were
imported to defend the Litus Saxonicum—the eastern and south-eastern
coast—which was especially open to the attacks of Scandinavian pirates.
The abstruse and involved explanation will hardy be preferred. It is a
purely Kentish word.
Hundred.—This familiar word, first found in the Laws of King Edgar, 1000
A.D., comes from the old High German (Allemannisch), Huntare or Huntre.
The Huntares in N. Europe were the sub-divisions of the Gau, the primary
settlement with independent jurisdiction, a word to be traced in such
place-names as Spengay and Wormegay, and even in Ely, for its earliest
form was Eligabirig. But why Hundred? Some say each contained an hundred
hides of land (but hundreds vary much in size). Some say each was a
district wherein 100 soldiers had to be forthcoming in war—this approves
itself to Lambarde and Spelman. Some refer it to the original settlement
of 100 Jutish warriors, as sub-divisions of the Teutonic army which
conquered the Britons. Brampton thinks each was to contain 100 villages.
But in view of the historical and legal use of the word one may prefer
the number of the freeholders in an area as constituting the Hundred.
Thus the great legal authority, Blackstone, says: “As 10 families of
freeholders made a town or tithing, so 10 tithings made an Hundred.”
Each had its Hundred Court for civil and criminal jurisdiction; each its
Hundred man or constable; each its Hundred Mote or assembly or
parliament; each its Hundred-penny, or local tax on and in the Hundred.
Most English counties were, and are, divided into Hundreds, wapentakes,
or wards. So Caxton, writing in 1485, says: “In Yorkshire ben xxii
hondredes.” Of these words Wapentake indicates the defensive military
organisation of the Danish intruders, and Hundred the more peaceful
settlements of Jutes and Saxons. A synonym peculiar to Sussex is the
word Rape, the origin of which is said to be that lands seized by the
Conqueror were plotted out by the hrepp or rope.
Tithings were the divisions of the Hundred or Wapentake or Ward or Rape,
and the term is used in most counties. But in Kent Borowe or Ton or
Towne is used instead. A Tything, Freeburgh or Decennary, was a district
containing ten householders, who were answerable to the King for each
other’s good behaviour. Each tything formed a little commonwealth, and
chose its own dean (decanus or chief man of ten) or head, who was
sometimes called Alderman on account of his age and experience. Most
commonly, however, he was called the Borsholder from the Anglo-Saxon
Bohr a surety, and Ealder, head or chief. The members of each tything
formed a court of justice in which disputes were heard. Right down to
1836 the inhabitants of an Hundred where damage was done were each
liable to pay compensation for it. The tendency of small bodies to take
petty and shortsighted views in social matters is evidenced in John
Bunyan’s _Pilgrim’s Progress_, where, quoting a much earlier proverb, he
speaks of “Mr. Penny-wise-pound-foolish,” and “Mr. Get-i’-th’ Hundred
and lose i’ the Shire.”
Originally there were seven Lathes in Kent—Borowart, Estrei, Middletune,
Wiwarlet, Limowart, Sudtone, and Elesford, of which the first five
covered East Kent and the last two West Kent. Each derived its name from
the chief town in each. Those in East Kent had previously been Roman
Villas or towns, while Sutton-at-Hone and Aylesford were of great
antiquity.
Later Borowart and Estrei were united under the name of S. Augustine’s,
and Middletune and Wiwarlet together formed the Lathe of Sherwinhope,
which again, by the addition of the Seven Hundreds of the Weald and the
Hundred of Marden, received its present territory and name of the Lathe
of Scray.
One finds also a Lestus de Hedelynge containing the three Hundreds of
Eastry, Quernilo and Beawesberghe. In this district an old wood in
Waldershare is still Hedlinge.
Since the time of Henry the Third there have been but five Lathes, named
S. Augustine’s, Shepway, Scray, Aylesford, and Sutton-at-Hone.
Now as to their names.
Borowart, Boro-wara-lest, was named from Canterbury, the chief borough
in Kent, and so means the people of the borough, the chief one. Later it
was named from S. Augustine’s Abbey in Canterbury, to which a great part
of the land in the Lathe belonged.
Estrei, or Estre Last, named from the ancient town of Eastry (which may
enshrine the name of the Saxon goddess of Spring, Eastre—whence our
Easter, from the Christian festival coinciding in time with the heathen
festival) was absorbed into the Lathe of S. Augustine.
Middletune (Middeltuna both in the _Anglo-Saxon Chronicle_ and in
Domesday) is our Milton by Sittingbourne, and is said to be named from
being the central town of Kent, as it was then populated and of
importance.
Wiwarlet (Wi-wara-lest), the lest of the people of Wye, together with
Middletune, became later part of the Lathe of Sherwinhope (Scrawynghop,
temp. Hen. 3, and Shewynghope 1347). This name was later changed into
that of Scray. What is the meaning of Sherwinhope? Hope in Saxon denotes
a river valley, and Sands, in his _Memorials of Old Kent_, speaks of the
brook Sherway, which falls into the Beult. But what of Scray?
Limowart, or Limea, denotes the people of Lymne, the old Roman Portus
Lemanis, called Limene in 1291, then Lymene, Lymen 1396, Limne 1475, and
Lymne 1480. I do not find the intrusive and erroneous p in the name
earlier than 1504. The name was changed to Shippeway or Shipway, temp.
Henry III., and a place in Lymne is still called Shipway Cross.
Sudtone, _i.e._, the town south of Dartford, distinguished from other
Suttons by the later addition of “at Hone,” which is said to mean low in
the valley.
Elesford, our Aylesford, is so spelled in Domesday, but in the _Saxon
Chronicle_ it is Egelsford, and in Nennius Egisford. It may very well
have been named by the Saxons after the Teutonic hero-archer or demigod
Eigil, though the Celtic Eglwys, a church, has been suggested. It also
appears as Ægelesthrep, and for this a personal name (_e.g._, Ecglaf),
with threp or thorp for town has been suggested. But thorp we get from
the Danes, and find chiefly in the N.E. There are none in Kent.
The place-name difficulty, however, is intensified when we find,
according to Lambarde in 1570, 13 Hundreds in S. Augustine’s, 14 in
Shepway, 18 in Scray, 14 in Aylesford, and 8 in Sutton-at-Hone, many of
them being long obsolete names, such as Cornilo in S. Augustine’s,
Franchesse in Shepway, Calehill in Scray, Eythorde in Aylesford, and
Coddeshethe in Sutton-at-Hone. And then in some places there are
Half-Hundreds, which, however, did not exist before the reign of Edward
II.
As a matter of nearer local interest I may quote the divisions and
assessments in the time of the Black Prince of the boroughs of the
Hundred of Maydstone.
£ s. d.
Borough of Maydestone was assessed at 19 9 2
Westre (now West Borough) at 44 2
Stone (now Stone St. Ward) at 78 2
Loose at 34 4
Detlinge at 58 4
(These two villages were attached
to Maidstone ecclesiastically
until the reign of Elizabeth).
£ s. d.
Lynton and Crookherst at 50 8
East Farleyghe at 45 1
Boxley at 4 3 4
Sum £38 18 3
I do not understand the omission of the borough of Week or Wyke—whence
Week Street—of which the old manor house still remains in Week Street,
unless it was then included in Boxley.
The study of the place-names of a county (as has been well done for our
neighbour Sussex) mainly confines itself to the derivation and meaning
of existing towns and villages, rivers, and hills, and I have done
little more in these notes. But the subject is not then exhausted, for
there is much of great interest to be gathered from the names of
Hundreds, of Manors, and even of separate farms, and their consideration
would largely extend the enquiry. For example, the Hundred Eyhorne in
1347 had the manors of Herbyltone (Harbledown in Harrietsham),
Rissheforde in Hedcorne, Bromfield and Ledes, Sutton Valence, Olecombe,
Heryetesham, Thorneham, Eynton, Bengebery, Wrensted, Frensted, Yoke,
Wytchlinge, Aldington Septvance, Bocton, Malherbe-cum-Wormsell, Fokeham,
Stockberye, Langele, Bygnor, Aldington Cobham, Otteham, B. Monchelsey
alias Westboltone, West Farnebourne, Shelve in Lenham, Leneham, Downe,
Berghestede, Bugeley, Cherletone, and Bressinge, many of these names
being very unfamiliar now.
[Illustration: decorative glyph]
Transcriber’s Notes
—Silently corrected a few typos.
—Retained publication information from the printed edition: this eBook
is public-domain in the country of publication.
—In the text versions only, text in italics is delimited by
_underscores_.