Church of St Peter at Pembury

328 THE CHURCH OE ST. PETER AT PEMBURY. mere, a prominent supporter of the party opposed to the policy of that king. Hasted says that Edward, desiring the possession of Leeds Castle, sent his Queen Isabella there, with a large retinue, claiming a night's shelter on her pilgrimage to Canterbury. In Thomas Colepeper, however, she found a most vigilant guardian of the trust; and, on the plea that it would be first necessary for her to obtain permission from Lord Badlesmere, she was refused admission to the castle. The Queen attempted force, but failed and was obliged to camp without. Edward, smarting under the insult, besieged and took the castle in the year 1321. Lord Badlesmere seems to have made a half-hearted attempt to relieve his faithful followers. There is some discrepancy in the account of what foUowed, but, apparently, Thomas Colepeper escaped. His sons, Richard and Walter, were, however, captured and executed; but John, another son, seems to have been received into royal favour by Edward III., and in the year 1355 paid twenty marks to that monarch for licence to found a perpetual chantry for a chaplain to celebrate daily for his soul and those of his ancestors, in the chapel of St. Mary, in the cemetery of the church at Pembury. He had married the co-heiress of the Hardreshull family, and was subsequently knighted. This chantry was entirely separate from the church.* It was 30 ft. in length, 18 ft. in breadth, and was covered by a leaden roof. At the dissolution it was pulled down and the materials were sold. The site that it occupied, in relation to the church, is open to conjecture. In 1526, Cardinal Wolsey obtained letters patent licensing him to appropriate the rectory of Pembury, together with various other places, to the support of Cardinal College, Oxford. At his fall the advowson escheated to the Crown. The church as it now stands consists of chancel, nave with porch on south side, and western tower with spire. * Hasted, v., 271.