Vicars of St Mary, West Hythe

( · '238 ·) VICARS OF ST. MARY, WESTHYTHE. BY REV. 'l'. SHIPDEM FRAMP'fON, M.A., F.S.,A. ROBERT DEN, or DEAN, presented to the vicarage of "Westhethe," and ordained Deacon, 14 March 1298-9. (Reg. Winchelsey, f. 104a.) He was of_ Canterbury. He held this· vica1,a,ge as· a Deacon £o1· only a short time, being ordained Priest the following Whitsuntide, at Oxford. RroHARD DE BA:R.THONEj adm. 22 .February 1310-11. Patron : Peter de Ta.lere, fo􀄺 the Archdeacon of Canterbury. (Ibid., f. 52b.) JOHN DE HORTON, inst. 8 October' 18􀄻0, on d. of the last. Patron: The Procto1; of the. :Archdeacon: . {Reg. 􀄼eynolds, f. 26a.) . . · · He is mentioned . as being instituted to · the pe1·petual vicarage of the" Capella" of "Westhethe.'' He resigned 21 November 13􀄽2, on bec􀄾ming Rector of Orlestone. In ·the _following February _he obtained a licence to be nonr 􀄿side:rit for. three years; for the purp'?se of studying. ,n October 1848 he was Rector:of Bilsington; . · · · · LAURENCE m{WELLE; inst. 15 January 1􀅀22"-3. Patron: ·:The Archdeacon. . (Ibid., £. 32a..) . ,. ! \ • G:moFFI'tEY PALSTRE,:_of "Icha:in," inst.- 10 Septembe\· 1327. Patron: Th􀅁 _.A.iich􀅂eacon. (Ibid., f. 26ob.) .: · RoBERT n􀅃 EsToN;· inst._28 November 1827. Patron: Hugh de Engolis,ma,' Archdeacon􀅄 (Oh. Ch. Cant.􀅅 Reg. Q, £. 1'32b.) '. :·: . . : 1 • 234 ""ICA.ltS Oll' "ST. MA.RY, WE!sTR'iTO. LAPINUS GARBAGE, mentioned 13 October 1348. (Ch. Ch. Cant., Scrap Book, vol. ii, p. 125.) ·He attended five Inquisitions held in the deanery of Lympne, respecting vacancies which had occurred at Brenset, Burmarsh, Craythorn, Orlestone, and Sellinge, between October 1348 and September 1349, when it was found that all the vacancies had been caused by death. The grievous plague, known as the Black Death, was raging at the time. Jo1rn WEYTE, of "Swynesfeld," adm. 8 April 1362, on d. of the last. Patron:. The Archdt'acon. (Reg. !slip, f. 297a.) He was still Vicar in 1374, when, by the death of .Archbishop Whittlesey, he was cited with the rest of the clergy _in the deanery of Lympne to appear in P.erson at Oanter, bury, on Saturday next after the Festival of the .Apostles Peter and Paul, to pay canonical obedience to the .Prior and Chapter, the guardians of the spiritualities of the se·e during a vacancy. In his vicariate an atrocious murder was committed at Westhythe, the. victim being the parochial chaplain. The event is thus recorded: " Certain sons of perdition, intoxicated with wickedness and the spirit of rage, craftily contriving the death of Sir Robert Valent, priest at Westhethe, in our diocese, who celebrated Divine Service while he was alive, ensnaring the said priest, who was wholly unaware of their ipalice, on. the King's. highway between the villes of Lymene and Westhethe aforesaid, with bows and arrows and divers other kinds of . weapons, suddenly and hostilely rushed upon him, and at ·first wounded him again and again with arrows, mor4t,lly, and afterwards when on bended knees he tearfully besought their mercy, they with the abovesaid other deadly weapons, with malice· aforethought, as it is said, inhumanly killed him ; thereby culpably incurl'ing the sentence of the Greater Excommunication, du:ected in that case by the canon against such sac!·ilegious men and malefactors." Archbishop Langham, on hearing of the d.eed, issued a VICARS OF s·r. MARY, 'WES-it:fl:-YTHE. 235 mandate to his Commissary General, and to the Official of the Archdeacon of Canterbury, enjoining them to denounce the murderers a.s excommunicated, and to publish: the sentence in his Cathedral Church􀄣 in the Church of Saltwode and the respective Chapels annexed to the same,* in all the Churches of the diocese, and especially in eve-ry Church in the deaneries of Elham and Lymene, and elsewhere should they deem it expedient,· on Sundays and Festivals, at the time of Divine Service, when the greater number of people would be present, with bells ringing, candles lighted,· and then extinguished and thrown to the ground, and with Cross erect. The officials were to signify to the Archbishop what they had done, before the Feast of the Annunciation next ensuing. Dated at Otteford., 29 December 1367. (Reg._Langh:am, f. 60a.) \ JoHN RoUNDELL, adm. 16 November 1391. Patron: Adam Mottrum, Archdeacon. (Reg. Courtenay, II., f. 200b.) HENEY Scml':i>ENE, resigned in i396. (Ch. Oh. Cant., Reg. G.,£. 275b.) RrcHA.RD TYCKIL, adm. 17 September 1396, on resig·. of the last. Patron: Adam de Moth-um, Archdeacon. (Ibid.) After a brief tenure of office here he exchanged for St. Clement's Recto1·y, Rochester, where he remained only a few months, and then went to Tudely. WILLIAM WELLYS, exch. with the last, c. 1 May 1397. (Reg. W. Botlesham, Bp. of Rocheste1·, f. 103a.) JoHN CLIFFORTH., inst. 24 October 1397, on d. of the last. Patron: Richard Clifford, Archdeacon. (Reg. Arundel, I., f. 260a.) JoHN PURVEY, adrn. 11 August 1401, on d. of the last Vicar. Patron: Richard Clifford, Archdeacon. (Ibid., f. 278a.) II< 8in9ulisqiu1 Oapellis tnF ST.· MARY, WES'i'H't':fl:l'El. JOHN BoTELER, adm. 8 October 1403, on resig. of the last. Patron: Robert Hallum, Archdeacon. (Ibid.,£. 290b.) He was collated as a Deacon to the vicarage . of St. Nicholas, Thanet, by Archbishop Courtenay, on 19 February 1390-1. He vacated Westhythe by exchange £or Stalis:6.eld, and two years later again e:ff ected _a􀄮 ex-ehange for Rygge, or Rydge, in Hertfordshire, in the patronage of St . .Alban's Abbey. ,. TRoMa.s· HoRTON, '?Xch. with the last, 3 January 1410-11. ,Patron: John Wakering;.Archdeacon. (Ibid􀀙􀀚 II., ( 6la.) .. WILLIAM BRET, adm. 24 lY}:ay 1424. Patron: The .A.rch' aeacon. , (.Reg, Chichele, £. 150a.) ,· RwHA.RD BARKER, adm. 31 March 1430, on resig. of the -last. Patron : Prosper de Columna., Archdeacon. (Ibid., ,£,. 182a.) JoRN PowLE, adm. 2 January 1431-2. Patron: Prosper ,de Columna, Archdeacon. (Ibid•. , f. 193a.) Jomr .A.sSHTON, adm. 19 February i-432-3.' Patron: Prosper de Columna, Archdeacon. (Ibid., £. 197b.) THoMA.s BENET, adm. 25 April 1435. Patron : Thomas Qhichele, Archdeacon. (Ibid.,£. 206a.) JoHN BoYDE, re􀄯gned in 1449. (Reg. Stafford, f. l00b.) The date of his appointment to Westhythe has not been ascertained. He resigned the ,benefice for the vicarage of Lymne [sic], which he se􀄰ms to hav􀄱 held until his death, ''ten years later. · · · RrnHA.:aD YNs, adm. 21 September 1449, on resig. of the last. Patron: Thomas Chichele, Archdeacon. (lbid.) THOMAS WoTT<>N, i-esigned in 1461. (Reg. Bourchier, £. 82a.) One of this name -was • presented by. the .Prioress and VICARS OF ST. MA.ltY; WESTHYTHE. 287 Convent of St. Sepulchre's, Cantei•bury, to St. Mary Breden's Church, and held it nearly twenty years, till his death in 1480. HENRY SAYS, or Sus, ".Bacc. in Decretis," adm. 22 October 1461, on resig. of the last. Patron: Thomas Chichele, .A.i·chdeacon. (Ibid.) Ite subsequently held the vicarage of Oheshunt; from 1471 to 1480. WILLIAM SUMPTER, ac1m. 13 November 1465, on resig. of the last. Patron: Thomas Ohichele,, Archdeacon. (Ibid., f. 91b.) · He wa.s p1·eviously Rector of Bircholt. Jo1rn JAY, adm. 22 October 1479, on d. of the last Vicar. Patron: John Bourchier, Archdeacon. (Ibid., f. 122b.) HENRY DYE, resigned in 1484. · (Pat. 2· Richard III., pt. I., m. 4.) He exchanged with his successor for Okeford in the diocese of Exeter. TaoMA.S GEORGE, exch. with the last, 6 November 1484. (Ibid.) Before moving into the Exeter diocese he had held two benefices in this immediate neighbourhood, Dymchurch from 14.66 to 1478, and then Warehorne. RoBER'l' BEVERLEY, adm. 30 July 1488, on resig. of the last. Patron: John Bourchier, Archdeacon. · (Re􀄱. Morton; II., f. 135a..) He left directions in his will, dated 5 February 1500-1, and proved 2 6 May following, for his body to be buried in the choir of the Church of the Blessed Mary of Westhythe. He bequeathed. to the [principal] Light there, 12d.; to the Light of' the Holy. Cross, 6d. ; and to the Torch Light, 12d. Also towai'ds the purchase of a Processional, 5s. Also for amending a foul way between the Chm;c·h of W l'Sthythe and 238 VICARS OF ST. MARY, WESTHYTHE. "Westhythis went," 2s. Other bequests were left £or charitable 􀄂ncl religious purposes, including 6s. Bel. to the Chantry 0£ Latton near Harlow, in Essex, and 8s. 4d. to the Domus Dei at Ospringe. WILLIAM MARTYN, inst. in 1501. Patron: Hugh Peyntwyn, LL.D., Archdeacon. (Oh. Oh. Cn.nt., Reg. R., f. 68b.) In selecting· the place for his burial this Vicar differed from his predecessor, and bequeathed his "body to be • bureyd wythin the Churche •Of Saltwod before Saint Nicholas." He left to the "iij principall lyghtes there iijs., and to the reparacion of the same Churche xs." Also " to euery housold in W esthythe xij d." His will is dated 4 September 1506, and was proved 4 February 1506-7, · which fixes approximately the time of his decease. CLEMENT HARDYNG, LL.B., adm. 6 April 1507, on d. of the last Vicar. 'Patron: The Archdeacon. (Reg. Warham, f. 830a.) He was also Vicar of Holy Cross, Westgate, Canterbury, in which church, according to Battely's edition of Somner, was a memorial of him with the following lines:- Multorum causas defendere q uique sole bat Hane mo:rtis causam evndere non potuit . Doctus et indoctus moritur, sic respire :finem Ut bene discedas quisquis es ista legens. JoHN HEEDE, 01· HEDDE., adm. 17 February 1507-8, on d. of the last. Patron: The Archdeacon. (Ibid., f. 332a.) He resigned this benefice £or Dymchurch, which he held until his death in 1518. JORN Don, adm. 31 March J 511, on resig. of the last. Patron: William Warham, .A.i·chdeacon. (Ibid., f. 842a.) Withiu a few months of this Vicar's institution Archbishop W arham held his Visitation of the deanery of Lympne in Aldington Ohu1·ch􀄃 whe:q it w􀄄 fo1,U1Q.. "'l'Ji!lit .VICARS OF ST. MARY, WESTHYTHE. .239 the Chancel [of Westhith] is not sufficiently repaired." .A.t a subsequent date 1the Vicar appeared, and stated that the chancel was sufficiently repaired. His twenty years' incum- . bency seems to have left with him the impression that the existence of his church, as the centre of religious life in the parish, might not be of much longer continuance. By his will, dated 12 April 1531, and proved 22 May following, he directs that his burial should take place" in the Church of Westhith, in the presbyte,ry of the aforesaid Chui·ch, before "};he High Altar." With regard to bequests he expresses his wishes thus: H Item I bequeithe xs. to bye paynted clothes £or the high aulter if ther be a, vycar Indewed, ift not . the said xs. shall helpe to the high waye next to howcars [? Hooker's] barne." .A.gain he says: "Also I bequeithe to the Rep'ations of the bodye of the Churche ther xs. iftlwr be a vicar Indued." Among· many other bequests were the following : " to euery one of my Godchildren yn the Oountie of Kent, xijd. To euery household1·e yn Westhithe, ijs. Item to our Lady light, iijs. iiijd." He left directions for the sale of his two houses, that the purposes of his will might be fulfilled. JAMES Tu&YNG, M.A., adm. 12 June 1531, on d. of the last. Patron: William Warham, Archdeacon. (Ibid., f. 405a.) TxoMAs CARDON, M.A., adm. 4 August 1534, on resig. of the last. Patron: Edmund Cranmer, Archdeacon. (Reg. Cranmer, f. 350b.) Shorbly after the institution of this Vicar the Valor Ecclesiasticus, or Liber Regis, was compiled, in which, under " Westheth," it is stated that "Thomas Carden, vycar there, ha.the one mesuage and di' acr' of lande to the yerely value of xxd. I u tythes predyall, personall obla'cons, and other spirituall profetts yerely ixli. iiijd." Three years after accepting this benefice his patron, .A1·chdeacon Edm. Cranmer, presented him to the vicarage of Lympne, which he heH with Westhythe until lf>53, Fo:r the nerl ten year13 240 VICARS OF ST. MARY, WESTHYTHE. Westhythe had; probably, to look to Lympne for Church Services, there being no mention made of a separate incumbent. HENRY WEsTPHALINGE, adm. 3 September 1568, on d. of the last Vicar. Patron: Edm. Gheast, Bishop of Rochester and Archdeacon. (Reg. Parker, I., .f. 862a.) He succeeded Richard Keete, on the death of the latter, as Vicar of Lympne in June 1568, and in the following September was presented by the same patron to W esthythe. He held both benefices for more than twenty years. Soon after his institution here returns were required of all parishioners who were communicants, and of the number of those who were not. The result shews what a very small population the parish possessed at the time-1564 :-· The parryshe of W estheithe : Edwarde Webbe and his wife, one manseruante, and one Ladde Communicants, and ij vnable. Rycharde Jhonson and his wyfe, one mayed seruante, ,Communicants, an. d one vnable. Edwarde Rolfe and his wyfe, ij Ladds, one mayde seruant Communicants, and one vnable. Jhon OveU and his wy£e Communicants, and ij vnable. Sum 0£ all there is in this parryshe, iiij householde􀁣, :riiij Communicants, and vj vnable. Mr. Westphalinge resigned Lympne about a year before his death, but retained Westhythe to the last. He continued to reside at Lympne, and gave directions for his burial there. The new Vicar, Mr. Merick, was a witness to his will, dated 1 May 1585, as was also William. Hawkins, Vicar of PostJing·, evidently an old and valued friend, to whom it was left to "pryce" all the testator's books and band over the proceeds of the sale to John Knatchbull, " and I will that he shall bestowe the same vppon raiment for 􀀄y sonne Henry Westphalinge, as he bath neede thereof." Testator appointed as the "Overseer" of his will James Stone, and bequeathed to him "for his paines, Sleaden's Comm,entary." VICARS OF ST. MARY, WES'l'HYTHE. 241 WILLI.AM ST.AOEY, M.A., inst. 23 March 1585-6, on d. of the last In cum bent. Patron: William Redman, Archdeacon. (Reg. Whitgift, I.,£. 466a.) In the autumn of 1586 he was· instituted to the church of Upper Hardres, with the cha,pel of Stelling annexed, on the presentation of Richard Hardres, Esq., and retained the preferment till his death, in 1632. He also seems to have held Bonnington, 1611-1615; and Sevingto1l, 1628-1624. Mr. Stacey was twice married-first, in · 1587, to Mary Munday, of Barfreston, who was, perhaps, a daughter of the Rev. Nicholas Munday, Re􀄇tor of that parish, and Vicar of Tilman stone ; and secondly, to Frances Johnson, of Smeeth. It is uncertain when he vacated W esthythe, but it must have been some little time before his successor's appointment, as the latter was pre􀄈ented by the Crown, owing to lapse. WILLIAM MERIORE, 01· MERRICK, B..A.., inst. 23 July 1595. Patron: Queen Elizabeth, by lapse. (lbid., II., f. 330a.) In the stunmer of 1572 Mr. Merick was instituted to Thurnham with .A.ldington, . on the presentation · of Tho. Wotton, Esq., and was still Vicar there in 1588. Early in 1585 the vicarage of Lympne became vacant by the resignation of Mr. Westphalinge, and the patron, Archdeacon Redman, offered it to Mr. Merick, who was instituted therein 8 February 1584-5, and retained it till his death. Among the Harleian MSS. is a letter, dated at Lambeth, 10 July 1595, from Archbishop Whitgift to the Lord Keeper, recommending Mr. Merick for the vicarage of Westhythe, to which, within a fortnight, he was duly instituted, and which he held with Lympne for mqre than fourteen years. The parochial registers bear eloquent 􀄉estimony to the · heavy berea-vements which befell this Vicar's hous􀄊hold :- Buried one Trinyty Sundaye [1603], Margaret Merick, wife of Willyam Merick. Buryed y0 28 0£ Mal'ch [1609-10], Elisn.beth Merrick, ditughter of William Merrick. 'VOL.:;tD;, '242 VICARS OF' ST. MARY, WES!l.'HYTRE. Buryed y0 30th of March [1610], Elener Merrick, daughter of William Merrick. Buryed y8 3d of Aprill [1610], Anne Merrick, wife of William Merrick of Lympne. Buryed y0 first· of May [1610], Wi,Jliam Merrick, Vicare of Lympne. - ' · His second wife was a Lympne lady, Anne Marten, whom he married in 1604. JAMES HYRsT, M.A., inst. 22 May 1610, on d. of the ,last. Pafa-ou: Charles Fotherby, .A.1·chdeacon. · (Reg. Bap.crof:t, f. 300b.) After Mr. Merick's death Lympne and Westhytbe were again held separately, and so continued until within the memory of persons still Jiving·. In November 1615 Hackington, or St. Stephen's, near Canterbury, fell vacant by the death of its Incumbent, when the patron, Archdeacon Fotherby, presented Mr. Hyrst to thn.t vicarage, and he remained there until his death, in 1642. BARN.A.BAS PowNOLL, inst. 15 December 1615, on resig. of the last. Patron: Charles Fotherby, Archdeacon. (.Reg. A.bbot, I., f. 414b.) Early in the year 1609 Mr. Pownoll had been instituted to the church of Charlton by Dover, on the presentation of · Stephen Moyns, Esq., aud he held that benefice until his death, in 1638. Within five years 0£ his institution to Westhythe the church there suffered severely by fire, which is thus ref erred to in the Parish Register Transcripts for the year ending at Michaelmas 1620 : "The Church is burnt downe, therefore noe Minister to subscribe." The fire, no doubt, destroyed the roof, and whatever other woodwork there was, leaving the· bare walls, which are referred to in another note under the same year, 1620: "In the pari·ishe of W estbith there is noe Church, onely the walles of the Church remayne, therefore noe Minister to certefye this bill." Wrr,LIA.M KENNETT, M.A., inst. 23 July 1629, on resig. of :VICARS OF srr. 'MA.RY􀀕 WESTHYTHE. 243 the la.st. Patron: William Kingsley, Archdeacon .. (Ibid., ID.,£. 184;b.) Mr. Kennett, after holding this benefice four years, died about the time of the translation of Dr. Laud, Bishop of London, to the Metropolitan See of Canterbury. During the time he ,was Vicar the transcripts of the W esthythe register were signed by Thomas Kingsmill (until bis resignation), and then by Richard Jaggard, Vica1·s of Lympne, the· following note being appended: "Extracted out of the Register booke of Westhith kept by appoini} at Lymmne. Richard Jaggard." STEPHEN S.A.OKET'.I.', M.A., inst. 2 November 1633, on d. of the h1,st. Patron: William Kingsley, Archdeacon. (Reg. Laud, f. 308a.) Early in June 1632 Mr. Sackett was instituted to the vicarage of SS. Cosmus and Damianus, Bleau, on the presentation of John Boys, Esq., and the Rev. John Sackett, S.T.B., Master of .Eastbridge Hospital, Canterbury. Early in November of the following year, .Archdeacon Kingsley presented him to Westhythe. This seems to have necessitated his resignation of Blean, to which, however, he was instituted.a second time, in March 1634, on the presentation of the Rev. John Sackett, S.T.B., Master _of Eastbridge Hospital. He held both benefices till his death, in 1679. Re paid occasional visits to W esthythe, and in October 1663 performed three Christenings there, a fourth being taken by Mr. Hart, of Burmarsh. A little later a memorandum by Mr. Sackett occurs on one of the Tra.nscripts, which presen,ts a melancholy view of Church life in the district at that time :- Burials· in the parish we haue norie, nor noe place of burying, 01· Marrying: our church defaced: Lymph, the parish to which we should resort for religious exercises, hauing noe Minister is seldome supplyed by-any, and our Register should be kept at Lim be Ohurcl1. Steph: Sackett. Abmham Quilter, Churchwarden. Ext 22° J ulij 1664. .R2 244 VICARS. bF ST. MARY, WESTHYTHE, WILLIAM Oor,E11.u.N, inst. 31 Ma1·ch 1679, on d. of the last. Patron: Samuel Parker, .Archdeacon. (l;teg. Bancroft, £. 377b.) For the long term of half a century Mr. Coleman had for his patron an Archdeacon of Canterbury. In 1666 he was instituted to St. Clement's Vic􀄲rage, Sa,ndwich, on the presentation of Dr. George Hall, Bishop of Chester, and Archdeacon of Canterbury. He held that benefice until 1677, and was presented, two years later, by Archdeacon Samuel Parker, to W esthythe, which he held for rather more than forty years, until the time of his death. WILLIAM NEWTON, inst. 14 March 1719-20, on d. of the last. Patron: -Thomas Green, .Archdeacon. (Reg. Wa;re, I., £. 3lla.) He was born at Maidstone, where his ancestors had been settled £or some generations. When more than thirty years of age he entered Holy Orders, pa.rt1y on the advice of \ friends, among whom was Dr. White Kennett, afterwards Bishop of Peterborough. He soon obtained p1·eferment, being presented to Wingham and Stodmarsh, in addition to Westhythe, in the diocese of Canterbin;y, and to the vica1·age of · Gillingham, in the county of Dorset. He is said to have obtained. the 􀄳ast-named bene:fice on resigning Westhythe. His literary attainments were varied. Among his works were: A Oompa/Yl,ion for the Lord's Day, published in 1716; The Life of Bishop Kennet, 1730; The History and Antiquities of Maidstone, 1741; and several Sermons. He also assisted Mr. Hutchins, the Historian of Dorset, in his History of Gillingham. He died in the year 1744, at the age of about sixty, and was buried in his chru·ch of Wingham. His name appears on the eighth bell of that church, under the year 1720, when the entire peal was re-cast. JORN SAOKETTE, M.A., inst. 14 June 1732, on cess, of the last. Patron: Samuel Lisle, Archdeacon. (Ibid., II., f. 266b.) Of Corpus Christi Coll.􀄴 Cambridge; B..A.. 1690; M.A. VlOA.RS OF ST .. '.MA'.R'Y, WES'l'llY'.l'HJt •. 245 ' . 1694. He was appointed to the cure of Folkestone in 1699. Three years later he married· Mrs. Margaret Tempest, a lady of Patricksbourne, whose goodness of heart was so gratefully appreciated by the Rev. Henry Bi􀄃ton, Rector of Oheriton, that at his decease, in 17 48, he bequeathed to her the sum of £800, desiring her "to accept of the same as a Gratuity for the trouble and Oare she has had of me." · In November 1713 the Rev. Robert Daniel, the Rector of Hawkinge, died, and Archbishop Tenison: conferred the vacant benefice on Mr. Sackette, who was instituted iri the following January. In 1782 Archdeacon Lisle preseRted him to West];iythe; and in March 1746-7 Archbishop Potter conferred on him the Mastership of Eastbridge Hospital,. Canterbury. AU these preferments were held by him at the time of his death. WILLIAM HoWDELL, B.A., inst. 18 April 1758, on d. of the last. Patron: John Head, Archdeacon. (Reg. Herring, £. 297a.) Of St. John's Coll., Cambridge; B.A. l 748. He was 01·dained Deacon in December 17 50, by the Hon. and Rig·ht Rev. Fredei'ick Cornwallis, then Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry, and subsequently .Archbishop of Canterbury. He was ordained Priest in February 1752, by the Bishop of Peterborough. W esthythe appears to have been ·the only benefice which he held in the diocese of Canterbury, ancl his tenure of that is the longest on record-more than half a centm·y. He died on the 1st December 1804, in his seventy-seventh yea.r, at Canterbury. He was a special benefactor to that city, having left; among numerous other legacies, £500 to the Kent and Canterbury Hospital, £100 to the Widows and Orphans of the Clergy in the diocese of Canterbm·y, and £100 to auother local Charity which had been recently founded. JanrEs FoLDs, inst. 12 April 1805, on d. of the last. Patron: Houshonne Radcliffe, Archdeacon, (Reg. Sutton, f. 2.) 246 V.IO.A.RS OF s'i'. MARY, W.ESTRYTHE. Mr. ·Folds was considerably advanced in years when he was instituted to Westhythe, having been ordained Deacon in September 17 54, by Edmund Keene, Bishop of Chester ; and Prie.st in July 1756, by Bishop Newcome of Llandaff. His early clerical life would thus seem to have been passed in the north-west of England, or Wales. In the year 1817 he is mentioned as holding the cure of Walmisley, an outlying district of Bolton, in the Chester diocese. His induction to · Westhythe was performed by the patron himself, Dr. Houstonne Radcliffe, Archdeacon of Canterbury. Mr. Folds died in August 1820. DANIEL P .A.LMER, M.A., inst. 28 September 1820, on d. of the last .. Patron : Houstonne Radcliffe, Archdeacon. . (Ibid., II.,£. 54.) The early part of Mr. Palmer's clerical life seems to have been passed in · Ireland􀄤 where he was ordained Deacon in September 1791 by the Bishop of Ossory; and Priest in the following year, by the Bishop of Cork and· Ross. · In 1814 Mr. Palmer was licensed by the Archbishop of Cantei·bury to the curacy of Gillingham in Kent, the vicarage of which was one of his Grace's 'peculiars,' and was held by Dr. Houstonne Radcliffe, Archdeacon of Canterbury. Mr. Palmer's stipend was :fixed at £90 per annum.-· Six years later his Vicar presented him to W esthythe. From time to time Mr. Palmer obtained licence to be non-resident, the latest occasion being on the 10th January 1833, when a licence was granted to him which was valid till the 31st December 1834. He is mentioned as still holding . the benefice in the Olerical Guide for 1836. He was the last Vicar instituted to Westhythe as a separate benefice. · EDWIN BmoN, M.A., inst. 24 June 1840, to Lympne with W esthythe, on d. of James Bell, Vicar of Lympne. Patron : James Croft, Archdeacon. (Reg. Howley, f. 762.) Shortly.after the death of the Rev. James Bell, who had held the vicarage of Lympne for thirty-eight years, that benefice and Westhythe were united by an Order in Council, \l'ICARS OF ·'sT. MARY, WESTHYTHE. 247 dated the 2 2nd May 1840'. To these united vicarages the Rev. Edwin Biron was now presented by the Venerable James Croft, Archdeacon of Canterbury. Mr. Biron graduated from Trinity Coll., Dublin;- B.A. 182 6; M.A. 1830. He was ordained both Deacon and Priest by the Hon. and Rt. Rev. Charles Lindsay, D.D., Bishop of Kildare, in the year 1827. In 1838 he ·was nominateq. by the Archdeacon of Canterbury to the Perpetual Curacy of Stodmarsh, which he · held for nearly two years, when the same patron presented him to Lympne with Westhythe, which he retained till his death, in 1877. In the year 1854 the small rectory of Eastbridge, in Romney :Marsh, fell vacant by the cession of the Rev. Frederick Thomas Scott, who had held it, by dispensation, with Hythe for about ten years. When Mr. Scott was presented to it the parish contained a population of sixteen persons, and the benefice was certified as worth £65 0s. IO½d. This rect;ory was now united to Lympne and Westhythe,* and Mr. Biron was presented and instituted therein by Archbishop Sumner, 1st June 1854. Mr. Biron's long· tenure of office was marked by the building of a vicarage-house at· Lympne, and by the restoration of the chancel of the church there. GEORGE .BoHUN OouLCHER, M.A., inst. 20 March 1877, on d .. of the last. Patron: Rt. Rev. Edw. Parry, as Archdeacon. · {Inst. Book.) 0£ Corpus Christi Coll., Cambridge; B.A.. 1865; M.A. l:869. Deacon 1868; Pi-iest 1869, by the Archbishop of Canterbury. Before becoming beneficed he held clerical appointments at St. John's, Tunbridge Wells; at Acton, Middlesex; and at St. Mary's, Dover.. On the decease of Mr. Biron he was presented to the united vicarages of Lympne and W esthythe by his former Rector at Acton, who was now Archdeacon of Canterbury and Bishop Suffragan of Dover. .A.fter a vica1·iate of neai-ly five and a half years he was promoted by Archbishop Tate to the new · * E"8tbridge was severed from Lympne and Westhythe by an Order in Co11noil, da.ted 18 November 1867. '248 VICARS OF ST. 'MA.RY, W.lilSTHYTitE. vicarage of St. Michael and All Angels, Maidstone, which he held until 1902, wl1en he resigned. He subsequently went to reside at Ipswich, wh.􀅊re he regularly assisted in the services at the church of St. Mary-le-Tower until within a· few weeks 0£ his decease, which occurred on the 23rd December 1912. While at Lympne Mr. Coulcher effected a thorough restoration of its ea;rly Norman church, espeeially of the tower, nave, north aisle, and porch, under the professional guidance of Mr. J.P. St. Aubyn, in 1878-80. He also enlarged and improved the vicarage-house. HENRY BRYDGES BrnoN, B.A., inst. 13 September:1882, on cess. of the last. Patron: Rt. Rev. Edw. Parry, as Al·chdeacon. (Ibid.) After leaving the King's School, Canterbury, Mr. Bfron entered at Trinity Hall, Cambridge, from which he gl"a.duated B.A. ih 1858. He was ordained in the following year, and licensed to the curacy of Mersham, where he remained nine years. His other clerical appointments, previous to becoming beneficed, were at Biddenden, 1868-78, and at Harbledown, 1878-82. In the last-mentioned year, on the promotion of Mr. Coulcher to St. Michael's, Maidstone, he was presented by Dr. Parry to the united vicarages of Lympne and West­ hythe, which had been held by his fother, the Rev. Edwin Biron, from 1840 to 1877. Although Mr. Biron succeeded to a newly-restored church at Lympne, he found many opportunities of supplying what was needed in the ornaments and furniture of the fabric, in all which he was co1·dially supported by his appreciative pai·ishioners. Among many such details may be mentioned the fixing of a reredos of Caeu stone, with dark marble shafts, and panels filled with mosaic work. Also the􀅋·erection of new altar-rails, and the introduction of standard lamps for the· better lighting of the chancel. An organ was subsequently set up, which greatly contributed to the more efficient rendering·of the. musical portions of the services. Still later the area of the churchyard was extended by the addition of a piece of ground, which was consecrated.on the 15th Oot6ber 19,08 'Vl:0Al1$ ()])' SIJ.'. 'MARY, WES'l'Hl'THE. 249 by Dr. Walsh, Bishop of Dover, who at the same ti.me dedicated . a lych gate, erected at the entrance to the churchyard, the gift. of Mrs. Tennant of Lympne Castle. After · about thirty years of conscientious work as Vica,r, Mr. Biron resigned Ms parochial charges, very much to the regret of bis parishioners, among whom his memory. will long be ·cherished with feelings of affection. On leaving the vicarage he went to reside nea.r Canterb111·y, the scene of his school life and cricket achievements, for it may be mentioned that, having devoted much of his leislll'e time in early years to that pursuit, he so greatly excelled as to merit the coveted distinction of being· selected to play for Kent· in County matches during the Canterbury cricket week. GILBERT MA.xwELL SooTT, M.A., inst. 7 October 1912, on 1·esig. of the last. ·Patron: Rt. Rev. Will. Walsh, as .Archdeacon. (Ibid.) Of Jesus Coll., Oxford; B,.A.. 1885; M.A. 1889. Also of Wycliffe Hall, Oxford, 1885. Deaco.n 1886, and Priest 1887, by the Bishop of Oxford. He served the curacy of St. John the Evangelist at Reading, 1886-92, and in the latter year was instituted to the vicarage of Nailswortb, in the diocese of Gloucester, which he held until 1904,. After being on the staff at the College of St. Saviour, Southwark, from 1905 to 1908, lie was appointed Organizing Secretary of the C. E. T. S. for the Dioceses of Canterbury and Rochester. In February 1918 a Grant of £50 was made towards the improvement of Lympne Vicarage .by the Diocesan Church Building Society.