The History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent: Volume 10. Originally published by W Bristow, Canterbury, 1800.
This free content was digitised by double rekeying. All rights reserved.
WRITTEN in the survey of Domesday, Cilledene, lies the next parish westward from Knolton, taking its name from its cold and low situation. The manors of Knolton and Woodnesborough claim over part of this parish, as does the manor of Adisham over another part of it. A borsholder is appointed for this parish by the justices, at their petty sessions for this division of the lath of St. Augustine.
THE PARISH of Chillenden lies dry and healthy, but it is not very pleasantly situated, though surrounded by other parishes which are remarkably so; it is very small, containing only one hundred and sixty acres, and the whole rents in it amount to little more than 250l. per annum. There are three farms in it, one belonging to Mr. Hammond, and the other two to Sir Brook Bridges, bart. It lies low in a bottom, the high road from Canterbury to Deal leads through the village called Chillenden-street, which consists of twenty two houses; on the south side stands the church. The soil is chalky and poor, and the lands, which are arable, are open and uninclosed. A fair is held here on WhitMonday, for pedlary, &c.
Osbern (son of Letard) holds of the bishop Cilledene. It was taxed at one suling and one yoke and ten acres. The arable land is . . . . In demesne there is nothing now, but nine villeins have there two carucates and an half. In the time of king Edward the Consessor it was worth sixty shillings, and afterwards thirty shillings, now forty shillings. Godwin held it of king Edward, and five other Thanes. Thomas Osbern put three of their lands into one manor.
After which it came into the possession of a family, who took their surname from it, and there is mention made in deeds, which are as antient as the reign of king Henry III. of John de Chillenden, Edward and William de Chillenden, who had an interest in this place; after this name was become extinct here, the Bakers, of Caldham, in Capel, near Folkestone, possessed it, in whom this manor continued till king Henry VI.'s reign, when it passed by sale to Hunt, whose descendants remained entitled to it for two or three descents, when one of them alienated it to Gason, of Apulton, in Ickham. (fn. 1) They bore for their arms, Azure, a fess cotized, ermine, between three goats heads, couped, argent; which coat was granted anno 39 king Henry VIII. (fn. 1) in which name it continued for some time, and till it was at length sold to Hammond, of St. Alban's, in Nonington, in whose descendants it has continued down to William Hammond, esq. of St. Alban's, who is the present owner of this manor.
The church, which is dedicated to All Saints, seems antient, it is a mean building, very small, having a square tower at the west end, in which there is only one bell. It consists of a body, and one chancel. In the windows are remains of very handsome painted glass. There is a handsome zig-zag moulding, and circular arch over the north door. There is likewise a circular arch, but plainer than the other, over the south door. It has nothing further worth mention in it.
This church was part of the possessions of the priory of Ledes, being given to it by William de Northwic, about the latter end of king Henry II.'s reign; (fn. 2) but the prior and convent never obtained the appropriation of it, but contented themselves with a pension of eight shillings yearly from it; in which state it continued till the dissolution of the priory in the 31st year of king Henry VIII's reign, when the advowson, together with the above pension, came with the rest of the possession of the priory, into the hands of the crown, in which the patronage of this church continues at this time. But the annual pension of eight shillings was soon afterwards settled by the king in his 33d year, among other premises, on his new-founded dean and chapter of Rochester, part of whose possessions it still continues.
This rectory is valued in the king's books at five pounds. It is now a discharged living, and is of about the clear yearly value of twenty six pounds. In 1588 it was valued at forty pounds, communicants seventyseven. In 1640 it was valued at the same, communicants seventy.