Collection Info
As with other series shelfmarked MS. Ch. and MS. Rolls, this is an artificial collection created from a range of archival sources, and the provenance of individual items is not always known.
The collection catalogued in 1878 comprised MSS. Ch. Kent 1-237 and MSS. Rolls Kent 1-12. MSS. Ch. Kent 1-141 and Rolls Kent 6-10 were from the archives of Tonbridge Priory, later part of the archives of Christ Church Oxford, as described more fully in the collection overview for MSS. D. D. Ch. Ch. Items from the archives of Lesnes Abbey have the same history.
MSS. Ch. Kent 238-475 and Rolls Kent 13 are later accessions from a variety of sources, the most substantial of which are:
- MSS. Ch. Kent 251-284: New College leases, described more fully in the collection overview for Berkshire.
- MSS. Ch. Kent 298-382: Andrewes family deeds, mainly relating to East Malling (New Summary Catalogue, II p. 1397)
Search Results
2. MS. Ch. Kent. 138
- Date Range:
- 1518 - 1518
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OXFORD. An indenture made the 27th of Nov., 1518, witnessing that John, the prior of Ellsyngspittell in London , had received of Richard, the prior of Tonbryge , the sum of £18 in part towards the building of St. Maries College in Oxford, according to the schedule from my lord Cardinal; in the handwriting of, and signed by, John the prior. [English]
3. MS. Ch. Kent. 139
- Date Range:
- 1520 - 1521
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Indenture between Richard Thomlyne, prior, and the convent of Tunbregge of the one part, and Henry Everard of Denarstone, Suffolk , of the other part, witnessing that the prior and convent demise to the said Henry their parsonage of Denarstone for 28 years at an annual rent of four pounds, payable in the church porch of Bodkesham, co. Cambridge. Dated 18 May, 12 Hen. VIII. (English)
4. MS. Ch. Kent. 140
- Date Range:
- 1524 - 1525
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Indenture dated 24th day of May, 16 Hen. VIII, between Richard Thomlyn, the prior, and convent of Tunbridge of the one part, and Thomas Cook of Plaskestoll, Wrotham the other, witnessing that the prior and convent have sold to the said Thomas all their wood and underwood lying and growyng in two parcels of land in Sheborn, called the Hook and Capelbooth, for the sum of £5 13s. 4d. [English]
5. MS. Ch. Kent. 141
- Date Range:
- 1509 - 1547
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Indenture made 10 ... in the .. Hen. VIII, between Richard Thomlyn, prior, and the monastery of Tunbridge, of the one part, and William Cook of Estegreuewych , leasing to him their parsonage of ..., within the county of Kent ... [Mutilated and partly effaced.] [English]
6. MS. Ch. Kent. 157
- Date Range:
- 1516 - 1517
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7. MS. Ch. Kent. 159
- Date Range:
- 1516 - 1517
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Indenture made 22nd day of May, 8 Hen. VIII, by which Hewe at Hatche of Charyng co. Kent, gent., and others charge certain lands in the co. of Kent with an annual payment of £3 to Stephen Draner of Cranbroke . [English]
8. MS. Ch. Kent. 160
- Date Range:
- 1517 - 1518
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Indenture made 8 March, 9 Henry VIII, by which Hewe at Hatche of Charryng , in consideration of the receipt of £80, sells to Stephen Draner of Cranbroke one yearly rent of £4 to be paid in the churchyard of Cranebroke issuing out of the manor called Pettesplace, and six score acres of land in the parishes of Charryng, Pette and Westwell. [English]
9. MS. Ch. Kent. 161
- Date Range:
- 1524 - 1525
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Indenture made 15 March, 16 Hen. VIII, by which Stephen Draner of Crainbrook sells to the lord archbishop of Canterbury for £90 all his messuages, lands and tenements, called Pett or Pett-place, in the parishes of Charyng, Pett and Westwell. [English]
10. MS. Ch. Kent. 162a
- Date Range:
- 1533 - 1534
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11. MS. Ch. Kent. 171
- Date Range:
- 1532 - 1533
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12. MS. Ch. Kent. 183
- Date Range:
- 1576 - 1577
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ICKHAM and WICKHAM. Indenture made 12 July, 19 Elizabeth, between Richard Rogers, suffragan bishop of Dover, and executor of the last will of Edward Isaak (who signs the dead), late of Canterbury, esq., of the one part, and Henry Palmer of the said city, John Jermy of Ipswich , and Thomas Apelton of Waldingfeld, of the other part, witnesseth that a grant is made to the said second parties to this indenture of a messuage or tenement with appurtenances in Ickham and Wickham, co. Kent, for ever. [English]
13. MS. Ch. Kent. 199
- Date Range:
- 1520 - 1521
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LODENHAM, OWRE, and FEVERSHAM. Indenture by which the abbot and convent of Lesnes demise to sir John Norton, kt., for 12 years, 83 acres of marsh ground in the parishes of Lodenham, Owre, and Feversham, co. Kent, paying yearly five marks. Dated 31 Jan., 12 Hen. VIII. [English]
14. MS. Ch. Kent. 218
- Date Range:
- 1520 - 1521
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ROMNEY MARSH. Indenture made 21 Sept., 12 Hen. VIII, by which John Honywode of Newenton , in consideration of the receipt of £19, sells to Thomas Pulton of Bataile, Sussex , a parcel of laud in the parish of St. Mary church in Romeney Mersshe. [English]
15. MS. Ch. Kent 233
- Date Range:
- 1395 - 1395
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ISELHAM (Deanery of). Letter of William [de Bottlesham], bishop of Rochester , to the dean of Iselham, for the collection of a subsidy of 4d. in the pound in the said deanery for the archbishop of Canterbury [William Bourteney] on mandate from Thomas [Fitz-Alan], archbishop of York in accordance with bulls [here recited] from Bonaface IX). Dated at Trottesclyve, 31 Oct., 1395. On the back of the document is an early English poem entitled 'Hec est carta Dei.' [Metrical verses representing the grant of heaven to men by Christ; drawn up in form of legal grant of land. Printed in Notes & Queries, Ser. IX, vol. viii, p. 240, a version of its charter of Christ.] English and Latin
16. MS. Rolls Kent 6
- Date Range:
- 1316 - 1377
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A long roll of evidences, records of proceedings, presentations and various forms of documents appertaining to the priory of St. Mary Magdalen, Tunbridge; in many places tattered and mutilated. [A continuation of the preceding series, MSS. Ch. Kent. 83-88]
(a) Fragment of a bond given by the prior and convent of Tunbridge to John de Feriby , to secure the payment of an annual pension of four marks. Dated at Tunbridge, 30 March, 1322.
(b) Mandate from the priors of St. Gregory of Canterbury, and of Tunbridge, visitors of the order of St. Augustine for Canterbury and Rochester dioceses, to the prior and convent of Ledes, to cite all the brethren of the convent to be present at a visitation of their house to be held the Monday next after the translation of St. Thomas the martyr; also citing the prior to the general chapter to be held at St. Frideswide, Oxon, the 2nd day after the feast of St. Margaret the Virgin. Dated at Canterbury on the feast of the translation of St, Thomas the martyr, 1322.
(c) Letter of John, the prior of Tunbridge , to the abbot of Wiencester(?) and prior of Lantony, Gloucestershire appointing William de Mallyng, canon of the same house, his proctor to act for him at the general chapter to be held in the monastery of St. Frideswide, Oxon. Dated at Tunbridge, 16 kl. Aug., 1322.
(d) Fragment of a letter ("Litera fraternitatis") from John, the prior, and convent of Tunbridge to sir William de Scelvestrod, prior of Michelham . [Mutilated.]
(d(b)) Fragment of a royal writ; Glouc. 13 Apr. an. 14.
(e) Mandate from King Edward II, to the sheriff of Kent, to seise the lands, tenements and goods of Henry d'Audley, junior, in his bailiwick. Dated at Gloucester the 9th April, 14 of his reign.
(f) Letter from Thomas, earl of Lancaster, to the mayor and good men of London, inclosing a letter addressed to the king by the barons. Dated at his castle of Pontefract, 2nd December.
(g) Copy of the letter from the barons to the king demanding redress, &c., sent as above (f). [Mutilated.]
(h) Payment entitled "Littera qualiter natives debet inhetrare(?) terram tenendam de domino suo in vilenagio": Nicholas, son of Nicholas de Stanmer, clerk , has received of Walter, archbishop of Canterbury , one field called 'le pykedecroft,' with one grange built thereupon as inclosed within hedges and ditches. And one field called 'le sandpetfeld' enclosed by ancient boundary ditches, also one field lying near the curtilage of William de Londeshamne as is inclosed by the boundary ditches, which fields the said William, a native of the archbishop, lately held of him in villenage, in the borough ("borgha") of Okkefelde at Londeshame - rendering annually the same service which the said William was accustomed to make.
(i) Commission from the prior of Tunbridge and the archdeacon of Rochester to the prior of St. Andrew the apostle of Rochester, executor or provisor in the business of making a provision for Richard, [son of] Philip, a poor clerk of Brenchesle, Rochester diocese . [Mutilated.]
(k) Letter of attorney from John, the prior of Tunbridge , (being absent,) to Nicholas de Faversham, sub-prior, to nominate a fit clerk to the bishop of Norwich for the church of Stradeselle then vacant.
(l) Petition to the bishop for an indulgence to all who pray for the soul of sir Richard de Clare, formerly earl of Hertford, whose body lies in the church of St. Mary Magdalen of Tonebregge, and for the souls of all faithful deceased and those who shall have assisted in the building, or sustentation of the lights, &c. of the same church.
(m) Citation from Simon, archbishop of Canterbury , to the prior and convent of Tunbridge, to appear the court-day after the feast of St. Luke the evangelist, or to show their privileges. Dated at Wrotham, 8 Id. Oct., 1329.
(n) Order from the bishop of Rochester for the publication in the greater churches of the deanery of Malling (?) of a certain chapter of the constitutions of the council of London, announcing excommunication against those who infringe the rights of churches. Dated at Hallyng, 7 kl. Sept., 1329. [Mutilated.]
(o) Fragment of a document relating to the preceding. [Mutilated.]
(p) The prior of Tunbridge acknowledges that he owes to Stephen de Cobeham, junior, £40, payable to him on the octave of Easter next. Dated 3 Oct., 4 Ed. III; enrolled in the exchequer.
(q) 'Provocatio facta per magistrum Walterum de Gronweye .' General notice of an intended appeal to the pope by N. de T., proctor of the priory of Tunbridge, in case of litigation.
(r) Notice to the bishop of Rochester that the prior and convent of Tunbridge are absolved from a sentence of excommunication passed upon them for the non-payment of Peter's pence for the years 1329 and 1330. Dated at London, 12 June, 1331.
(s) Ornaments, vestments, and books in the churches of Aldynge [Yalding], Brenchesle, Teudele [Tudley], and Denardestone, at the feast of St. Michael the archangel, 1331, 5 Ed. III.
(t) Taxation of all the goods of the priory of Tunbridge both temporal and spiritual.
(u) Form of oath to be taken by the prior elect of the monastery of Tunbridge at the high altar, upon his installation.
(v) A form for letters credential.
(w) The dress of the novices at their first coming and entrance.
(x) Form of licence for appropriation of a chruch being Letters patent of Edw. [III] dated at Northwich, 23 Sept., 2 Ed. III, giving licence to the prior and convent of Boxgrave to give the church of Bilsington to the prior and convent of Bilsington; to hold the same for ever.
(y) Walter de Shorham, priest, Chichester diocese, renounces all action and right by reason of a provision or grace from the pope to the prior and convent of Tunbridge. Dated 1335.
(z) Letter of Hamo, bishop of Rochester , to the dean of Malling, reciting the king's writ, dated at Salop, 15 Jan., 15 Ed. II, concerning the burning of Bridgenorth¨("Briggenorh'") by Humphrey de Boun, earl of Hereford and Essex, and others, and ordering a levy of all men between 16 and 60 to be armed, and commanding the same to be promulgated in each collegiate church. [Mutilated. (See Rymer, Foed., vol. iii. p. 923.)
(z(b)) Fragment of a citation dated at Ledes 15 kal. Oct., 1316.
(aa) Notice of the visitation of the priory of Tunbridge the Monday after the feast of the ascension of our Lord, by the priors of Ledes and Combwelle. Dated at Ledes, 8 Id. May, 1317.
(bb) Form of a circular letter to bishops from brother J., prior of Tunbridge , for the ordination of a canon or canons.
(cc) John, the prior, and convent of Tunbridge grant a corrody to Richard de Wyth , commencing on the first Sunday of Lent, 1321. 14 Edw. fil. Edw. [Mutilated.]
(dd) Mandate by Walter, archbishop of Canterbury for processions and prayers for the reale(?) of the kindgdom in pursuance of an order from the king of 1 March. Dated at Lambeth the Nones of March, 1321. [Mutilated.]
(ee) John, the prior, and convent of Tunbridge appoint Roger, perpetual vicar of Tunbridge , their proctor, to appear for them in the convocation of the clergy of the diocese of Rochester. [Undated]
(ff) Mandate of Simon, archbishop of Canterbury , to the dean of Sydyngbourne against those who unjustly separate the tithe corn of the church of Bordenne appropriated to the prior and convent of Ledes. [Mutilated.]
(gg) Mandate of Hamo, bishop of Rochester , for excommunicating certain parishioners of Brenchesle who absent themselves from, and injure the church. Dated at Hallyng ... 1329.
(gg(b)) Fragment of a letter of attorney, dated at Thonebregge on the feast of St. Paulinus, 1329.
(hh) Licence granted to brother Laurence de la Wealde by John, the prior of Tunbridge , at the instance of sir Hugh Daudele and the lady Margaret countess of Cornwall, his consort, to live in their family. Dated at Tunbridge on the feast of the Epiphany, 1329.
(ii) Protect of the clergy at a council held at Lambeth, 16 Kl. May, 1330, against the grant of a subsidy to the king.
(kk) Letter from sir Hugh Daudele to the prior and canons of Tunbridge, asking for a corrody for William de la Welde . [English] [Mutilated.]
(ll) Mandate from the official of Rochester to the dean of Mallyng, commanding him to cite the prior and convent of Tunbridge to appear by themselves or a proctor on the Monday next after the feast of the translation of St. Thomas the martyr, in the church of Mallyng, to answer certain articles of Roger, the master, and brethren of the hospital of Strode. Dated at Rochester, 14 Kl. July, 1330.
(mm) Articles exhibited against the prior and convent of Tunbridge, by Roger, the master, and the brethren of the hospital of Strode, for the subtraction of the tithes of a place commonly called 'Horsherst' in the parish of Aldyng, for 3 1/2 years.
(nn) John, the prior, and the convent of Tunbridge appoint brother William de Mailing and sir Roger de Frendesbery, rector of Strateshell , their attornies, to receive the manor of Bodkesham from Richard de Queye and Agnes his wife and to deliver the same to John Loy to farm. Dated at Tunbridge the Thursday after the feast of St. James the apostle, .. Ed. III.
(oo) Letter of John, the prior of Tunbridge , to the steward and bailiffs of Elizabeth de Burgh, lady of the honor of Clare, appointing Walkeline de Caney to do suit and service for him at the court of Bodkesham. Dated .. Easter, 2 Ed. III. [Mutilated.]
(pp) The official of the bishop of Rochester to the archdeacon of Rochester, reciting the mandate of Icherius de Concreto, canon of Sarum and nuncio of the pope, for promulgating the sentence of excommunication passed upon the prior, and convent of Tunbridge, for the nonpayment of procurations of the pope. Dated at Rochester the Ides of May, 1331.
(qq) Relaxation of the previous mandate (pp). Dated at London, 23 May, 1331. [Mutilated.]
(rr) Decree of Robert de Winchelsey, archbishop of Canterbury , concerning the providing of ornaments, &c. for churches by the parishioners and rectors, viz. the parishioners to find the chalice, mass, principal vestment, viz. the chasuble, albe, amice, stole, maniple, with ii. towels for use at the high altar, cope for the priest, processional cross, cross for the dead, thurible, a lamp with a bell for bearing the body of Christ to the sick, a lenten veil, a banner for rogation days, two hand-bells to ring before the bodies of the dead, a bier, vessels for the holy water, a pax, a candlestick for the Easter candle, and bells in the tower, cords for the same, fonts with locks, reparation of the nave of the church in length and breadth, inside and outside, both in the altars as well as in the images and windows, the inclosure of the churchyard. All other things, whether for the reparation of chancel and ornaments of the same both within and without, belong to the rectors. (See Wilkins' Concilia, vol. ii. p. 280.)
(ss) John, the prior, and convent of Tunbridge grant to Nicholas Colepeper an annual pension of two marks. Dated at Tunbridge on the feast of the apostles Peter and Paul, 133..
(tt) Bond given by William ate Melle of Aldyng , John de Te... and Walter ate Wealde to sir Robert de Hagham, kt., to secure the payment of £10 at Michaelmas next in the church of Tunbridge. [Undated.] [French]
(uu) Mandate from the archdeacon of Rochester to the dean of Mallyng, commanding him to sequester the churches of Aldyng, Brenchesle, and Teudele, for default in not repairing them. Dated at Longefeld, 5 Kl. March, 1331.
(vv) Mandate from the abbot of Leicester and the prior of Kenilworth, presiding at the general chapter of the order of St. Augustine within the province of Canterbury, to the priors of St. Gregory of Canterbury and Tunbridge, commanding them to personally visit each house of the above order in the dioceses of Canterbury and Rochester, to inquire concerning the state, reformation, and observance of the order whether by the head or its members, and to correct and reform abuses, and in case of being themselves unable to settle any matters, then to cite the heads of the houses to the general chapter to be held at Dunstable on the octave of Holy Trinity, 1334, &c. Dated 4 Non. October, 1333.
(ww) Mandate from the abbot of Leicester and prior of Kenilworth, presiding at the chapter of the order of St. Augustine in the province of Canterbury, to the heads of the monasteries of that order within the dioceses of Rochester and Canterbury, commanding them to receive the priors of St. Gregory of Canterbury and of Tunbridge in a suitable manner at their visitation, and to carry out sentences of excommunication or suspension, should they be promulgated. Dated the 3 Non. of October, 1333.
(xx) Appointment of N. de T., canon of Tunbridge , and master Richard, rector of St. Benedict of Wodwarf, London diocese , proctors, to act for the prior and convent of Tunbridge conjointly or separately. (yy] Letters patent of King Edward III, at the request of Bartholomew de Badelesmere, steward of his household, for the appropriation of the church of Chert near Ledes, to the prior and convent of Ledes.