Pigots 1840 - Kent
Shoreham, Otford, Kemsing, Ightham, Wrotham, Seal & neighbourhoods
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Shoreham, four miles & a half north from Seven Oaks, is a handsome village, through which runs the river Darenth, crossed by a stone bridge, and upon the stream is an extensive paper manufactory; the village within these ten years, has received a considerable addition of good houses and it is progressively improving. The church dedicated to St Peter, is built of brick and very ancient, with a low square tower and a clock; the living is a discharged vicarage, in the patronage of the dean and chapter of Westminster. (For the population of this and the following parishes see after Seal)
About two miles south from Shoreham and three north from Seven Oaks; s the village of Otford, presenting the wide spread ruins of a castle, once the proud residence of the celebrated Thomas á Becket; a square tower belonging to this edifice is still standing, and in a good state of preservation; and a small portion of the castle has been rendered habitable; some idea may be formed of its grandeur from the fact that during the prelates time, the repairs cost upwards of £30,000. The mouths of many subterraneous passages are at this day visible, but the direction they take, and their length are not ascertained. Near the castle is a well termed Thomas á Beckets well, said to have been used by him as a bath. The parish is well watered by several excellent springs, the village is clean and the country around exceedingly pleasant and fertile. The church dedicated to St Bartholomew, is a neat erection and has fine monuments several descendants of Oliver Cromwell are entombed here. The living a perpetual curacy is in the same patronage as that of Shoreham.
About two miles E by S from Otford and three and a half from Seven Oaks, is the small village of Kemsing. The church, an old fabric, built of stone, with a wooden tower, is dedicated to St Mary; the benefice is a vicarage, in the patronage of the heirs of the Dorset family.
Ightham five miles SE from Seven Oaks, is a pleasant little village, in an extensive parish, well clothed with orchards and hop grounds. The church dedicated to St Peter stands at a little distance from the village; it is said to have been erected about the year 1526, has a square tower and contains several elegant monuments to the Selby family; the living is a rectory in the presentation of the Rev S W Cobb. There is a national school in the village. A small fair of no importance as to business, is held in Whitsun week.
Two miles from Ightham is the village of Wrotham, in an extensive parish; principally situated on the side of a hill, on the road to Maidstone, from which it is distant eleven miles. It was formerly a market town and appears to have had some importance attached to it, as from it the hundred in which it is situated is named. The parish contains the townships of Hale, Nepicar, Plaxtol and Winfield and Roughway. The church dedicated to St George, is a spacious stone edifice, with a square tower, containing eight bells and chimes; the benefice comprises a sinecure rectory and a vicarage, both in the gift of the see of Canterbury. From Wrotham Hill which is partly clothed with fine beech trees, there is a delightful prospect, southward, over the vale beneath, embracing a great extent of agreeably diversified country. There is a chapel of ease at Plaxtol. A fair is held at Wrotham on the 4th of May; but the market which was held on Tuesday, has been long extinct.
The pleasant village of Seal stands on the main road from Maidstone to Seven Oaks, fifteen miles west from former and two from the latter place. The church dedicated to St Peter, is an elegant structure of stone, with a square tower containing five bells; the benefice is annexed to the vicarage of Kemsing. There is a national school here. The Marquess of Camden has a beautiful seat near this place. A fair is annually held on Thursday in Whitsun week.
The foregoing parishes (excepting Wrotham and Ightham, which are in the hundred of Wrotham and lathe of Aylesford), are in Codsheath hundred and lathe of Sutton at Hone; the population in 1831 was as follows: Shoreham 1015; Otford 746; Kemsing 399; Ightham 1017; Wrotham (& its dependent townships), 2469; and Seal 1454 inhabitants.
POST – Receiving Houses at the George, Shoreham; the White Horse, Seal; and at John Ashdown’s, Wrotham. These places are within the Seven Oaks delivery and letters arrive from and are despatched to that town daily.
POST – Otford. Letters from and are despatched to Dartford (by foot post), daily.
NOBILITY, GENTRY & CLERGY
AUBER Rev Robert, Shoreham
BRADLEY Joseph esq, Otford
BURGESS Thomas esq, Crowdelham
BURTENSHAW Mr Henry, Wrotham
BURTON Captain Rider, Duntshill Priory
CAMDEN The Marquess of, Wilderness Park, Seal
CHARLTON Mr Thomas, Ightham
CLARK Stephen esq, Seal
COBB Rev Samuel Wyatt, Ightham
CRICHTON Sir Alexander, Seal grove
DURNTFORD Colonel, Wrotham
DYKE Rev Thomas, Lullingstone Park
ELLIS William esq, Wrotham
FRIDAY Mr Henry, Otford
GREGORY Captain Arthur, Wrotham
GREGORY George Sandback esq, Shoreham
HARWOOD Rev George, Seal
HODSOLL Mrs Sarah, Wrotham
JAMES Demetrius Gravis esq, Ightham
KNOWLES Mr John, Wrotham
MANSELL Lady, Wrotham heath
MARTIN James, Otford
MATTHEWS Mrs Ann, Wrotham
MAYO Rev Richard, Wrotham
MILDMAY Humphrey St John esq, Shoreham
MOORE Rev George, Wrotham
PARKINSON Mr Thomas, Kemsing
POLHILL Rev Frederick, Otford
PRICE Rev Robert, Shoreham
ROUND Richard esq, Seal
SELBY Mrs, Ightham
SELBY Thomas esq, Obery place
SPENCER Mr John, Wrotham
SPENCER Mr Joshua, Wrotham
STAMER Rev William, Seal
STEPHENS William esq, Seal
SWAISLAND Amos esq, Kemsing
TAYLOR William esq, Ightham
WILSON Lergent esq, Seal
WREFORD Mr John, Otford
WYNN Rev John, Plaxtol
YATES Miss, Fair Lawn
ACADEMIES & SCHOOLS – not otherwise described are Day Schools
FEATHERSTONE James, Wrotham
HARRISON John, Seal
National School, Ightham, George CRITTLE, master; Jane WRIGHT, mistress
National School, Seal, James HARDING, master; Mary SUMMERS, mistress
SAXBY Ann, (boarding), Wrotham
SMITH Ann, Shoreham
WILBRAHAM Charles Mitchell, (boarding), Wrotham
BAKERS
ASHDOWN John, Wrotham
JESSUP Stephen, Seal
MARTIN Francis, Wrotham
MARTIN John, Shoreham
SKINNER William, Seal
BANK
Surrey, Kent & Sussex Banking Company, (Branch), Wrotham, (draw upon the London Establishment) – John EVENDEN, agent
BLACKSMITHS
ASHDOWN Henry, Wrotham
BRIGDEN Joseph, (& brazier & tin man), Wrotham
GASSON Thomas, Ightham
HIDER Mary & Son, Neal
HOLDEN James, Kemsing
ROSE Richard, Otford
SEAKER David, Shoreham
STREETON John, Ightham
BRICKLAYERS
ALLINGHAM Thomas, Seal
NOSMAN William, Otford
SEAKER Robert, Shoreham
BOOT & SHOE MAKERS
BROWN George, Seal
BROWN Josiah, Seal
COLLIER Edward, Otford
COLLIER William, Otford
CRASS Thomas, Wrotham
HEAD William, Shoreham
JOHNSON John, Ightham
MARTIN Daniel, Wrotham
NIGHTINGALE William, Shoreham
WALTER John, Seal
BUTCHERS
JOHNSON John, Ightham
MILLS Mary, Shoreham
MILLS Richard, Otford
MOYCE Henry, Seal
MOYCE Sarah, Seal
POLTICK James, Wrotham
REEVES William, Otford
WAGHORN John, Wrotham
YAYES Samuel, Shoreham
CARPENTERS
CARLEY John, Wrotham
CORKE Benjamin, Seal
JESSOP William, Otford
WAKEMAN Richard, Shoreham
WILLIAMS Charles William, Wrotham
WRIGHT George, Ightham
EDGE TOOL MAKERS
MARCHANT Robert, Seal
SHOEBRIDGE Richard, Seal
FIRE, &c. OFFICE AGENTS
Kent, John EVENDEN, Wrotham
Norwich Union, Frederick LENEY, Wrotham
GROCERS & DEALERS IN SUNDRIES – marked thus * are also Drapers
ALFORD William, Seal
* BARHAM James, Seal
BATT & MARTIN, Ightham
* BRISTOW Ann, Wrotham
BROOMFIELD Charles, Shoreham
* CRONK & TAPLEY, Seal
* DEANE Elizabeth, Ightham
ELFORD William, Seal
* EVENDEN John, Wrotham
GROOMBRIDGE William, Seal
* HARRISON Ann, Ightham
LARKIN William, Plaxtol
* MARTIN Martha, Plaxtol
* ROGERS William, Shoreham
* SEAMARK James, Wrotham
* SHARWELL William, Otford
SIMMONS Mary, Shoreham
TOWNSEND George, Kemsing
TROUGHTON Charles, Otford
WIGZELL Robert, Kemsing
LIME BURNERS
CRUNDELL William, Seal
JESSOP George, Otford
LENEY & SPENCER, Wrotham
MALTSTERS
CROWHURST William, Ightham
LENEY Charles, Seal
SQUIB Joseph & Sarah, Seal
MILLERS
BOWLES Richard, Shoreham
NASH Edward, Otford
RIGARLSFORD John, Otford
PLUMBERS, PAINTERS & GLAZIERS
BOOTH Hannah, Ightham
BOOTH Sarah, Seal
GRIFFITHS John, Shoreham
MAIR William, Wrotham
SADDLERS
BOYCE Benjamin, Wrotham
CATT David, Seal
CHILMAN Thomas, Ightham
VERRELLS Thomas, Shoreham
SURGEONS
CROW John, Wrotham
PARKER Charles, Wrotham
RICHARDS George, Seal
RICHARDS Robert, Otford
SURVEYORS – LAND
CRANK William, Seal
FEATHERSTONE James, Wrotham
SELBY James, Otford
TAILORS
BREWER John, Shoreham
CHATFIELD William, Plaxtol
DUTNALL John, Wrotham
GRAY Joseph, Seal
SCARF John, Wrotham
WALTER & CHATFIELD, Ightham
TAVERNS & PUBLIC HOUSES
Bell, Thomas WHALE, Kemsing
Black Horse, John DOWLEY, Borough Green
Bull, Daniel, DAY, Otford
Bull, Frederick LENEY, Wrotham
Cat & Tiger, Thomas NASH, Plaxtol
Chequers, John BATEY, Wrotham
Chequers, Thomas BENNETT, Kemsing
Chequers, James TURNER, Ightham
Crown, William HUNTLEY, Seal
Crown, James SQUIB, Shoreham
Crown Point, Isaac TILLMAN, Ightham
Dukes Head, William STRATTON, Otford
George, John DAY, Shoreham
George & Dragon, Richard ALLCHIN, Wrotham
George & Dragon, William SMITH, Ightham
Kentish Yeoman, John RICHARDSON, Seal
Plough, William, EVENDEN, Wrotham
Red Lion, William THOMPSON, Plaxtol
Rose & Crown, John CARLEY, Wrotham
Rose & Crown, John STROUD, Otford
Royal Oak, Thomas KERN, Wrotham
Spring Tavern, William STREETER, Wrotham
White Horse, Richard JONES, Seal
WHEELWRIGHTS
BENNETT James, Plaxtol
COOMBER George, Seal
JESSOP William, Otford
USHERWOOD James, Ightham
WAKEMAN Richard, Wrotham
YATES William, Shoreham
MISCELLANEOUS
FARRANT William, watchmaker, Wrotham
JESSUP Robert, hairdresser, Wrotham
MILLER Henry, cooper, Wrotham
REYNOLDS Richard, brick maker, Seal
SAKER John, millwright, Ightham
WILMOTT George, paper manufacturer, Shoreham
COACHES
To London, Coaches (from Maidstone), call at the Bull Inn, Wrotham every morning at six, seven, half past nine and a quarter past ten and afternoon at two and half past four.
To Maidstone &c. Coaches, (from London), call at the Bull Inn, Wrotham every afternoon at two, half past four and five and night at seven and eight & a Coach Van (from Westerham), passes through Seal & Ightham every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday morning.
To Westerham, a Coach Van (from Maidstone), passes through Seal & Ightham every Monday, Wednesday and Friday afternoon.
CARRIERS
To London, Edward CROWHURST and Robert FORDHAM from Shoreham and Otford every Monday, Wednesday and Friday and James MARTIN’s Van from the Bull, Wrotham every morning (Sunday excepted) at nine.
This page was last updated on 06-Mar-2021.
Copyright © 2008 Janet & Richard Mason.