Kent white horse symbol - 9251 Bytes gbflagpolemd.gif - 63006 Bytes

Kent Online Parish Clerks




white cliffs of Dover
Do you have a photograph of the church that you would like to see posted here?  Email me.

Bridge Parish



     A View of the Parish

worldcomputer.PNG - 44860 BytesWe are sorry, there is no Online Parish Clerk for this parish.We have no other information or data for this parish except what is accessed by or detailed on this page.If you wish to volunteer for this post or have data you wish to contribute, please use the appropriate link on our
Contacts page.

Bridge

Bridge is in the archdeaconry of Canterbury and in the deanery of Bridge.  The church is named for St. Peter with registers commencing 1579.

Bridge is a village, a parish, a district, and a hundred in Kent.  The village stands on Watling Street, and on the Little Stour river, near the Beaksbourne station of the Canterbury and Dover railway, 3 miles southeast of Canterbury;  and has a post office under Canterbury.  The parish comprises 1,161 acres.  Real property, £3,339.  Population in 1861 was 893.  Houses 149.

The manor belonged to an ancient abbey, on the ground now occupied by the church;  and passed to the Dutch family of Braeams.  Bridge-Hill House was the seat and death-place of the Baron de Montesquieu, grandson of the famous president.

The living is a vicarage, annexed to the vicarage of Patrixbourne, in the diocese of Canterbury.  The church is Norman and early English;  and contains a remarkable monumental effigies, supposed to be of a steward of the ancient abbey, and some singular carvings, representing the creation and fall of man.

There are a Wesleyan chapel, a literary institute, and a national school.  The artist Jansen resided much in Bridge;and painted here his protrait of the lady popularly called the "Star in the East".

The district comprehends the sub-district of Barham, containing the parishes of Barham, Bridge, Patrixbourne, Beaksbourne, Bishopsbourne, Kingstone, Womenswould, Adisham, Ickham, Wickhambreux, Stodmarsh, Littlebourne, and Fordwich;  and the sub-district of Chartham, containing the parishes of Chartham, Waltham, Petham, Upper Hardres, Lower Hardres, Nackington, Thanington, Milton Chapel and Harbledown, the extra parochial tracts of Mint and St. Nicholas Hospital, and part of the parish of Holy Cross Westgate.  Acres, 41, 394.  Poor rates in 1866, £8,219.  Population in 1861, 11,316.  Houses, 2,308.  Marriages in 1866, 55;  births, 344, of which 9 were illegitimate;  deaths, 200, of which 54 were at ages under 5 years and 7 at ages above 85.  Marriages in the ten years 1851-60, 690;  births 3,539;  deaths, 2,041.

The places of worship in 1851 were 23 of the Church of England, with 5,059 sittings;  1 of Independents with 160 sittings;  7 of Wesleyan Methodists with 680 sittings;  and 2 of Primitive Methodists with 50 sittings.

The schools were 20 public day schools, with 1,054 scholars;  17 private day schools, with 277 scholars;  and 18 Sunday schools, with 830 scholars.

The workhouse is in Bridge and cost £5,000.

The hundred bears the name of Bridge and Petham;  is in the lathe of St. Augustine and contains eight parishes.  Acres 13,369.  Population, 3,009. 1

1 John Marius Wilson, comp.  The Imperial Gazatteer of England and Wales. (London, England: A. Fullerton & Co., 1870).


Bridge Bibliography

-- various. 'Archaeologia Cantiana'. Publisher: Kent, England: Kent Archaeological Society, various dates.  [Note:  The following volumes can be found on archive.org:  1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 (1876), 11, 12, 13 (1880), 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 32, 34, 35, vol. 1907 supplement.]


  • General references to Bridge: vol. , pp.
  • Currently in revision

Great Britain, Public Record Office. 'Calendar of the patent rolls preserved in the Public Record Office--Edward II, Vol. 1. 1307-1313'Each volume has own index. Publisher: Genealogical Society of Utah d.b.a Historical Books on FamilySearch; http://www.familysearch.org.

Great Britain, Public Record Office. 'Inquisitions and assessments relating to feudal aids : with other analogous documents preserved in the Public Record Office, A. D. 1284-1431', Vol. 3. Publisher: Genealogical Society of Utah d.b.a Historical Books on FamilySearch; http://www.familysearch.org.

Great Britain, Exchequer. 'The book of fees commonly called testa de nevill, pt. 3'. The Book of fees contains information about the holdings of feudal tenants. Publisher: Genealogical Society of Utah d.b.a Historical Books on FamilySearch; http://www.familysearch.org.

Hall, Hubert, 1857-1944. 'The Red book of the Exchequer - Liber rubeus de Scaccario, Vol. 3'. The Red book of the Exchequer was a register intended to preserve important documents comprising charters, statutes of the realm, public acts (Placita), private deeds and ordinances, correspondence. Publisher: Genealogical Society of Utah d.b.a Historical Books on FamilySearch; http://www.familysearch.org.

Glencross, Reginald Morshead. 'Administrations in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, Vol. 1. 1559-1571'. Publisher: Genealogical Society of Utah d.b.a Historical Books on FamilySearch; http://www.familysearch.org.

Hasted, Edward. 'The History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent; Containing the antient and present state of it, civil and ecclesiastical; collected from public records, and other authorities: illustrated with maps, views, antiquities, etc. The second edition, improved, corrected, and continued to the present time'. 12 volumes. Publisher: Canterbury: Printed by W. Bristow, 1797-1801. URL: British History Online

Hussey, Arthur. 'Notes on the churches in the counties of Kent, Sussex, and Surrey, mentioned in Domesday book, and those of more recent date'. Publisher: London J.R. Smith,(1852).

Letters, Dr. Samantha. 'Kent', Gazetteer of Markets and Fairs in England and Wales to 1516 (2005).  URL: British History Online.

Page, William, 1861-1934, ed.. 'The Victoria history of the county of Kent'. Publisher: London: Constable (1908).  URL: British History Online

Sharp, J. E. E. S., ed.. 'Inquisitions Post Mortem, Edward I, File 39', Calendar of Inquisitions Post Mortem, Volume 2: Edward I. Published:(1906), pp. 315-323.  URL: British History Online.

Sharp, J. E. E. S., ed.. 'Inquisitions Post Mortem, Henry III, File 45', Calendar of Inquisitions Post Mortem, Volume 1: Henry III. Published:(1904), pp. 296-302.  URL: British History Online.


Location of Records

The following list of records is not intended to be exhaustive.  There are many records that are awaiting discovery in archive offices throughout Kent and England.  This list is intended only to set out those records that are available via at least two relatively easy-to-access avenues.  If you have used or discover a record that would be of benefit to other researchers, that is not on this list, please send me an email with the details of the archive - name, address and archival call number.

Census | Church of England | Non-Conformist | Parish chest | Workhouse and Poor Law | Land | Assizes and Sessions | School

 

Census

DateThe National Archives, Ruskin Avenue,
Kew, Richmond,
Surrey,
TW9 4DU
LDS Family History Centre
(Find a centre near you)
and indexed online at:
New FamilySearch.org
6 June 1841Currently under revision  
30 Mar 1851Currently under revision  
30 Mar 1851 census name index & imagesCurrently under revision  
7 Apr 1861Currently under revision  
2 Apr 1871Currently under revision  
3 Apr 1881Currently under revision  
5 Apr 1891Currently under revision  
31 Mar 1901RG 13/785 - also online at http://www.1901censusonline.com  
2 Apr 1911Currently under revision  
2 Apr 1911RG 78/139 - Census Enumerator's Summary Books online only http://www.1911census.co.uk and other subscription sitesnone
 

Church Records, Church of England

Record TypeDatesArchive 1
(Addresses)
Corresponding LDS Family History Library film numbers
(Find a centre near you)
Parish Register Currently under revision 
Bishop's transcripts Currently under revision 
CMB transcripts Currently under revision 
Parish Registers, transcribed by Thomas Colyer-Fergusson Currently under revision 
 

Church Records, Non-Conformist

Record TypeDatesArchive 1
(Addresses)
Corresponding LDS Family History Library film numbers
(Find a centre near you)
Particular Baptist Chapel, Nonconformist Return Currently under revision 
Methodist Church Registers Currently under revision 
 

Parish chest records

Record TypeDatesArchive 1
(Addresses)
Corresponding LDS Family History Library film numbers
(Find a centre near you)
Parish Council Minutes Currently under revision 
Removal orders out of Bridge Currently under revision 
Settlement Examinations, Minute book Currently under revision 
Overseers' Accounts Currently under revision 
Return of Churchwardens, constables and defaulters   
Tithe Apportionment Files   
Poor Rate books Currently under revision 
 

Workhouse and Poor Law Records

Record TypeDatesArchive 1
(Addresses)
Corresponding LDS Family History Library film numbers
(Find a centre near you)
Admission & Discharge books This section currently under revision 
Guardians' Minutes   
Ledgers   
Births Currently under revision 
Deaths Currently under revision 
Religious creed registers Currently under revision 
Apprentice Register   
Registers of lunatics   
Letters books    
Vaccination registers1899-1930Currently under revision 
 

Land Records

Record TypeDatesArchive 1
(Addresses)
Corresponding LDS Family History Library film numbers
(Find a centre near you)
Land tax assessments1780-1831Currently under revision 
Land tax assessments1875-1876Currently under revision 
Land tax assessments1889-1890 Currently under revision 
Rates and Duties - Houses, Windows, Lights  Currently under revision 
Manorial Court rolls Currently under revision 
War Damage Files1939-1962Centre for Kentish Studies, Maidstone, Kent, no.: Finding Aid at CKS-DRb/RW 123None
 

Assizes and Sessions Records
(poor laws, jail terms, oaths, and other municipal and public records)

Record TypeDatesArchive 1
(Addresses)
Corresponding LDS Family History Library film numbers
(Find a centre near you)
Hearth tax Currently under revision 
Victuallers Recognizances Currently under revision 
Churchwarden's Presentments Currently under revision 
Parish rate books Currently under revision 
 

School Records

Record TypeDatesArchive 1
(Addresses)
Corresponding LDS Family History Library film numbers
(Find a centre near you)
  Currently under revision 
    

Chronology

Coming Soon


Church Registers


Census


Parish Chest
Records

  • Settlement Certificates
  • Removal Orders
  • Bastardy Examinations
  • Parish-assisted Immigrants
  • Churchwarden's Accounts
  • Overseer's Accounts
  • Surveyor's Accounts
  • Workhouse Records
  • Pew Rents
  • Donors' Rolls
  • Vestry Minutes
  • Bishops' Visitations
  • Parish Magazines
  • Parish Histories

Directories


Total Population

1801   -   325
1811   -   397
1821   -   432
1831   -   543
1841   -   817
1851   -   864
1861   -   893
1871   -   941
1881   -   857
1891   -   850
1901   -   775
1911   -   823
1921   -   699


Bridge Distance to

London 55.8 mi.
Canterbury 3.1 mi.
Ashford 13.4 mi.
Bromley 49.3 mi.
Chatham 27.0 mi.
Cranbrook 27.8 mi.
Dartford 42.7 mi.
Deptford 52.9 mi.
Dover 11.4 mi.
Faversham 11.4 mi.
Folkestone 11.3 mi.
Gravesend 35.2 mi.
Greenwich 51.1 mi.
Hythe 12.5 mi.
Maidstone 26.1 mi.
Margate 14.5 mi.
Milton Regis 18.5 mi.
Queenborough 20.2 mi.
Ramsgate 13.9 mi.
Rochester 29.9 mi.
Sandwich 9.6 mi.
Sheerness 21.2 mi.
Tenterden 22.7 mi.
Tunbridge 38.4 mi.
Woolwich 49.1 mi.


Directories


Municipal & Public Records

  • Mayors
  • Town Clerks
  • Recorders
  • Chamberlains
  • M.P.s
  • Jurats, Aldermen and Common Councilmen
  • Electoral Register
  • Freeholders
  • Freemen Index
  • Freeman's Roll
  • Masters Index
  • Pubs, Taverns, Inns, Alehouses
  • Victuallers

Wills & Estate Records

  • AD index 1448-1857
  • CC index 1448-1857
  • PCC 1338-1858
  • PPR 1858-1925
  • Depositions

Court Records

  • Gaol Returns
  • Quarter Sessions
  • Transportations
  • Summons for Pavement Repairs
  • Protestation Rolls c1641-1643
  • Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy 1662
  • Oaths of Allegiance c1720s

Military Records


Land Records
& Maps

  • Parish Map
  • Victoria County History
  • Deeds, Mortgages, etc.
  • Rated Property Returns
  • Returns of owners of land, 1873
  • Manor Court Baron
  • Manor Tenancy Rolls
  • Manors, Castles & Holdings of Significance

Tax Lists

  • Poll Tax
  • Hearth Tax
  • Window Tax
  • Hair Powder Tax
  • Land Tax Assessments 1780-1831
  • Land Tax Assessments 1799-1805

Other Records


Village Resources