at Catherine Hall, in the university of Cambridge, where his rivalry with his fellow student, Sherlock, is said to have commenced. He was successively bishop of Bangor, Hereford, Salisbury, and Winchester, and died in 1761, at the advanced age of eighty-five: his works have been published in four volumes, folio. His brother, Dr. John Hoadly, died archbishop of Armagh, in 1746; and his son, Dr. Benjamin Hoadly, was author of several eminent dramatic pieces. The learned martyr, John Fryth, in the reign of Henry VIII. was born at Westerham*,

We return to the principal road from Sevenoak to London; and at OTFORD, notice the ruins of the antient palace of the archbishops of Canterbury, who had large possessions and two parks here. Archbishop Becket is thought to have been particularly fond of this retirement, and is reputed to have wrought several miracles at Otford +. Archbishop

* Some singular land slips are recorded, by Hasted, as having happened, at different periods, in this parish. The first mentioned, occurred in 1596, near Oakham Hill, about a mile and a half southward from the town; where about nine acres of ground continued in motion for eleven days; some parts sinking into pits, and others rising into hills. The second occurred at Toy's Hill, about a mile and a half eastward from the town; where a field of about two acres and a half, underwent considerable alterations of surface, from an almost imperceptible motion, which continued some time: this was in the spring of 1756. In the neighbouring parish of Eatonbridge, a slight shock of an earthquake was felt, on January the twenty-fourth, 1758; and three years before this, on the same day that the great earthquake happened at Lisbon, the waters of a pond, covering about an acre of ground, were considerably agitated.

"It was long since fancied," says Lambard, "and is yet of two many believed, that while Thomas Becket lay at the olde house at Otford, (which of long time belonged to the archbishops, and whereof the hall and chapell onely do now remaine,) and same that it wanted a fit spring to water it, that he strake his staffe into the drye grounde, in a place thereof now called St. Thomas' Well, and that immediately water appeared, the whiche running plentifully, serveth the offices of the new house till this present day.-They say also, that, as he walked on a time in the olde parke, busie at his prayers, that he was muche hindered in devotion by the sweete note and melodie of a nightingale that sang in a bushe beside him, and that therefore (in the might of his holynesse) he enjoyned LI 2 that

bishop Warham expended upwards of 33,000l. on the palace, in which he was several times visited by Henry VIII, to whom archbishop Cranmer surrendered the manor and palace of Otford, with other possessions belonging to the see of Canterbury, about 1538. Lambard imforms us "the palace was so woefully destroyed, that only the ball and chapel remained perfect." The ruins now cover an extensive plot of ground,

During the Saxon invasion, two battles were fought in this vicinity; many vestiges of which, as skeletons, spear-heads, and fragments of military weapons, have been dug up. The first battle was about the year 773, between Aldric, king of Kent, and Offa king of Mercia, when the latter obtained the victory, though not without a severe struggle, and great slaughter. The last was in the year 1016, when Canute the Dane was defeated by the brave Edmund Ironside.

that from thenceforth no byrde of that kynde shoulde be so holde as to sing thereaboutes.--Some men report likewise, that as muche as a smithe, then dwelling in the towne, had cloyed his horse, he enacted by like authority, that after that time no smithe should thrive within the parishe."

But, "beside this Thomas, there was holden in great veneration at Otford, another saint, called Bartilinew the Apostle, as I trowe, for his feast daye was kept solemne, bothe with a fayre, and good fare there. This man served the person (parson) as purrveyour of his poultrie, and was frequented by ye parishioners and neighbors about, for a most rare and singular propertie y he possessed: for y maner was, y if any woman, coceived with child, desired to bring foorthe a male, she should offer to Saint Bartholemewe a cocke chicken; and if her wishe were to be delivered of a female, she should present him with a hen.-Assuredly, through the fraude of this foxe, the country people (as wise as capons) were many years together robbed of their hennes and cockes: til at the length it chaunced king Henrie the Eight, after exchange made with the archbishop for this manor of Otford, to have conferrence with some of the towne about the enlarging of his parke there; amongst the whiche, one called maister Robert Multon, (a man, whom, for the honest memorie of his godly zeal, and vertuous life, I sticke not to name,) detesting the abuse, and espying the prince inclined to heare, unfolded unto him the whole packe of the idolatrie, and prevailed so farre in favor, that shortly after, the king commanded St. Bartholomewe to be taken downe, and delivered him."-Peramb. of Kent, p. 375-6. Edit.

1576.

WROTHAM

WROTHAM is a respectable village near the foot of the Chalk Hills, formerly a market town, and given by king Ethelstan, to the priory of Christchurch, Canterbury, in

964.

On the division of the possessions of the monks by archbishop Lanfranc, this manor was allotted to the future archbishops, who had a PALACE, and frequently resided here till archbishop Islip pulled down part of the buildings for the materials, to complete the palace begun at Maidstone by his predecessor archbishop Ufford. Archbishop Cranmer resigned this place to Henry VIII. Edward VI. granted it to Sir John Mason, to hold in capite by knight's service: Sir John alienated it to the family of Byng, ancestors to the lords Torrington, who sold it. It is now possessed by the descendants of William James, Esq. who purchased it of the above noble family.

The CHURCH is large and well built; it is dedicated to St. George, and has an embattled tower at the west end: the chancel is light and elegant. Among the sepulchral monuments and curious brasses are those to the memory of the family of Peckham, resident in this parish, during several centuries: that of Reynold Peckham the elder, esquyer for the body of the most excellent prynce king Henry VIII.' represents him in his tabard of arms: he died in 1525. Several of the baronet family of Rayner, who resided at Wrotham Place from the reign of James the First till that of queen Anne, have also monuments here. The principal remains of the archiepiscopal palace, are a gateway, and substantial stone building, which formed part of the offices *.

ADDINGTON is famous for a place called the WARREN, on which are the remains of a druidical temple. The stones appear to have originally formed an oval, measuring about fifty paces by forty-two. Another antient monument of

* Mr. Hasted says, that "about seventy years ago, a considerable quantity of British silver coin was discovered in this parish, by a mole's cast ing up the earth, and by digging afterwards; all which were seized by the lord of the manor of Ightham."-Hist. of Kent, Vol. II. p. 243. fa. 1782.

this

this kind stood at the distance of about one hundred and twenty yards to the north-west, and consisted of six huge stones, in a circle of eleven paces in diameter. In the adjoining parish of TROTTESCLIFFE, are some huge stones of a similar description. On the same farm were discovered, a few years ago, several copper swords, and a few pieces of British coin, with other articles also supposed British. The manor of Trottescliffe was, in 788, given by king Offa, to the priory at Rochester; after the Conquest, it was allotted to the bishops of that see, who had a small palace here, rebuilt by bishop Glanville. Bishop De Hythe made considerable additions to it, in the reign of Edward the Third.

MEOPHAM, or MEPHAM, was the birth-place of archbishop Meopham, who is said to have rebuilt the parish CHURCH here, about the time of Edward the Third: within the fabric is some painted glass, particularly an archbishop in his pontificalibus.

Near Wrotham is Ightham; in the church are monuments to the memory of Sir Thomas Cawne, who lived in the reign of Edward III.; and to the family of Selby; that of dame Dorothy Selby is very curious.

"On Oldbury Hill, in Ightham parish, are the remains of a vast entrenchment, called OLDBURY CAMP, the middle of which is crossed by the old turnpike road running between Ightham and Sevenoaks. Its form is very irregular, but approaches nearest to that of an oval: the boundaries are difficult to trace, through all the southern part being overgrown with wood: the northern part is divided, and cultivated. It occupies the entire summit of the hill, the strength of the surrounding ditch being regulated by the nature of the ground. The area comprehends the great extent of one hundred and thirty-seven acres: within it are two springs: its largest direction is from north to south. The new turnpike road, made some years ago, was carried entirely round the south end of Oldbury Hill."

At Horton Kirkby appear the ruins of an antient castle, founded by the family of Ros, at the Conquest. The do

main belongs at present to Qucen's College, Oxford, by devise in 1736, as in Plumsted. In the church are several memorials for the elder branch of the noble family of Bathurst, who held the venerable building of FRANKS, in the reign of queen Elizabeth.

FARNINGHAM was held by a family surnamed De Fermingham, during the reign of Henry III. It had a grant for a weekly market: several of the abovementioned family were sheriffs of Kent at different periods. The village is now considerable, on the high road from London to Maidstone: the Darent bridge of four arches passes through it. The CHURCH, dedicated to St. Peter and St. Paul, consists of a nave and chancel, with a tower of flints at the west end. Among the other memorials in the church, are several curious brasses. The font is very remarkable: it is of an octagonal form; of an height nearly four feet three inches: the diameter of the base being nineteen inches and a half; and the depth, ten inches. It is divided by mould. jugs into three stages; the first ornamented with Gothic roses; the second slightly cavettoed; and the uppermost displaying a series of eight subjects, exhibiting various ceremonies of the Romish church. The figures are rude and ill drawn, but not destitute of expression.

Near Farningham, on the borders of the Darent, are the ruins of EYNESORD CASTLE, thought to have been erected in the Norman times by a family surnamed De Eynesford, who held the manor of the see of Canterbury. The outer walls included about three quarters of an acre, having a square keep in the centre, surrounded by a moat, formerly supplied with water from the Darent, but now filled up, and converted into garden ground. Eynesford CHURCH is of early Norman structure; and though it has greatly suffered from neglect, still exhibits a very curious ornamented doorway.

At Lullingstone have been ploughed up Roman bricks, coins, and warlike instruments, with part of a tesselated pavement, LULLINGSTONE PARK is the property and re

sidence