Canterbury - St. Dunstan

Canterbury - St. Dunstan is, ecclesiastically, in the diocese of Canterbury, in the archdeaconry of Canterbury and in the deanery of Canterbury.  The church is named for St. Dunstan with Archdeaon's Transcripts commencing 1560.

St. Dunstan's church, without the walls, is a modernized ancient structure, with Norman features; consists of two aisles, a small western chancel, and two large eastern ones, with western tower and contiguous half-circular tower; and contains a piscina, a font, an ancient chantry, and the burial vault of the Ropers, with the head of Sir Thomas More. A brick gateway nearly opposite, now part of a brewery, is a remnant of the Ropers' manorhouse, where Margaret, the learned daughter of Sir Thomas More, spent her married life.¹

St. Dunstan is a parish in Blean district, Kent; on the river Stour, and on the Canterbury and Whitstable railway, 1/4 of a mile northwest of Canterbury. Post town, Canterbury. Acres, 365. Real property, £5,955. Pop., 1,520. Houses, 331. The property is much sub-divided. A number of new houses have been erected, and the Clergy Orphan asylum established, since 1851. The living is a vicarage in the diocese of Canterbury. Value, £120. Patron, the Archbishop of Canterbury. The church is very good; and there are charities of £145.¹

The living is a vicarage of St. Dunstan. Value of St. Dunstan, £120. Patron of St. Dunstan, the Archbishop of Canterbury.¹

St. Dunstan's, lies the next parish eastward from that of St. Michael, Harbledowne, by which only it is separated from that of Thanington. It makes a part of the suburbs of the city of Canterbury on the western side of it, and is so called from the saint, to which the church is dedicated.²

This parish adjoins eastward to that of Holy Cross, Westgate, about midway between the city gate and St. Dunstan's church. The street is built on each side of the high London road. It is unpaved, but very broad and sightly, and the houses are, many of them, though small, very neat and modern.²

On the north side of it is the gaol, for the eastern division of the county, but it is a gaol only for felons, and prisoners under the jurisdiction of the justices, and not for debtors, the sheriff of the county taking no cognizance of it.²

The ancient Place-house of the Ropers stands opposite the church, at the west end of the street. A little further, on the opposite side of the way, at St. Dunstan's cross, there is a good new-built house, the property, and late the residence of John Baker, Esq. but it is now occupied by Colonel Smith, of the royal artillery. Here the road divides, that towards the south-west leading to London, along which this parish extends near a quarter of a mile, where the lands in it are exceedingly fertile, and planted with hops. The other road runs strait forward from the cross up St. Thomas's hill, [See Dec. Script. col. 1491. Battely's Somn. p. 47.] and so over Bleane common, at the beginning of which this parish ends, towards Whitstable. The street of St. Dunstan's contains about two hundred houses, and near one thousand inhabitants.²

There is a synagogue belonging to the Jews, who inhabit mostly together in the eastern part of this parish, and in the part of Westgate adjoining to it, and with some few others in the different parts of Canterbury, are said to amount to near four hundred. They have a burying-ground in this parish, near the entrance of the Whitstable road from St. Dunstan's cross; and there is another belonging to the Quakers near it.²

There was a gallows for the public execution of criminals, on St. Thomas's hill; two of whom were executed here in 1698, and the like in 1700 and 1702, as appears by the parish register.²

A fair is held in St. Dunstan's street on the Monday se'nnight after the feast of St. Peter ad Vincula.²

The Manor of Westgate, belonging to the archbishop, claims over the whole of this parish.²

Charities.

Thomas Strensham, by deed in 1584, gave certain houses and lands; the produce to be applied to the comforting of poor householders of this parish, clothing their children, or setting them to service. Which premises are vested in ten feoffees, and are of the annual produce of £17 11s. 8d.²

Thomas Maneringe, by Will in 1692, gave to two poor men of this parish, the yearly sum of 6s. 8d. to be paid to them at Easter, out of an estate in Broad-street, in Canterbury, now vested in Mr. Hammond.²

The poor constantly relieved are about forty-five, casually thirty.²

The church, which is dedicated to St. Dunstan, is large and handsome, consisting of two isles, two chancels at the east end, and a small one on the north side, near the west end. At the south-west corner is a tower steeple, in which there is a clock and a peal of six bells. This church is well pewed, and very neatly kept. In it is a monument and a burial place for the Rondeau's, the first of whom was a refugee in England for the Protestant religion; their arms, Azure, on a fess wavy, three burts, in base a star of many points, or; not far from which are memorials for several of this family, and for the Alkins. A small monument for Charles Webb, Esq. of St. Thomas's hill, Colonel of Foot, obt. 1786, arms, Quarterly, gules, a cross between four birds, or; and paly, gules, and or, impaling gules, a plain cross argent, a label of three points, azure.²

In the north, or high chancel there are several memorials for the family of Scranton. Underneath, near the north side, is a large vault, wherein many of the family of Roberts are deposited. The altar cloth is very curious, made seemingly before the reformation, having on it several figures of cherubs, and in the middle a crucifix, with the figure of Christ on it; all elegantly wrought in needle-work embossed with gold, not unlikely by one of the ladies of the Roper family.²

The south chancel is called the Roper chancel, in a vault underneath which many of this family are deposited, and being full, it has been closed up. Against the south wall are two tombs of Bethersden marble, one of them partly within an arch in the wall, probably that of the founder of this chancel; over the other is a banner, of the arms of Roper, mostly torn off, and a helmet, and surcoat, with the arms of More on it, Argent, a chevron ermine, between three moor cocks, sable. Against a pillar is a handsome monument for Thomas Roper, Esq. grandson of Sir Thomas More, by his daughter Margaret, obt. 1597; above are the arms of Roper, with quarterings.²

In the east window are some small remains of painted glass. Somner gives several inscriptions remaining in his time, for the Ropers, one of which is for William Roper, Esq. son and heir of John Roper, Esq. and for Margaret his wife, daughter of Sir Thomas More, lord chancellor. His monument is that with the banner over it, against the south wall. In a hollow in the wall of the vault underneath, having an iron grate before it, next to the coffin of the above Margaret, there is still remaining a scull, being that of Sir Thomas More; for after he was beheaded, anno 1535, though his body was permitted to be buried, first in the church of St. Peter in the Tower, and afterwards in Chelsea church, where it now lies, yet his head was set on a pole on London bridge, and was afterwards privily bought by his daughter Margaret, and for some time preserved by her in a leaden box, with much devotion, and placed in this vault, when she died, near her coffin.²

In the south isle are memorials for the Heatons, of St. Thomas's hill.²

The cover to the font is of a pyramidical shape, curiously carved in wood, in the gothic taste.²

On the north side of this church is a small chapel, now made use of as a vestry room, founded by Henry de Canterbury, the king's chaplain, in 1330, and dedicated to the Holy Trinity, in which he established a perpetual chantry, which he committed to the care of the hospital of the poor priests in Canterbury, who were to find the chaplain. And it remained in this state till the dissolution of such endowments, in King Edward VI's reign.²

The chancel or chapel above-mentioned, belonging to the Ropers, was founded by John Roper, Esq. as appears by patent 4th Henry IV for two chaplains to sing mass in it, at the altar of St. Nicholas, for the souls of such of the family as were deceased, and the welfare of such as were living; each of which chaplains had eight pounds per annum allowed to them by him and his heirs, besides a house for their habitation, adjoining to the mansion-house of the family in this parish, on the west side of it; which house is still remaining, and is made use of as part of the mansion.²

This church was part of the ancient possessions of St. Gregory's priory, in Canterbury, founded by archbishop Lanfranc; and archbishop Hubert, in King Richard I's reign, confirmed the same, among the rest of the possessions of it. [See Dugdale's Monasticon, vol. ii. p. 374.] After which, the church, with the advowson of the vicarage, remained with the priory till the dissolution of it, in King Henry VIII's reign, when coming into the King's hands, it was granted, with the site and most of the possessions of the priory, that same year, in exchange, to the archbishop. Since which the whole of the premises above-mentioned, in which this parsonage was included, have been demised by the several archbishops in one great beneficial lease. George Gipps, Esq. of Harbledowne, is the present lessee of it, as part of St. Gregories priory, under the archbishop. It is now of the value of only five pounds per annum.²

Archbishop Walter Reynolds, in 1322, endowed the vicarage of this church, then appropriated to the priory of St. Gregory, decreeing, that the vicar of it should receive, for the maintenance of himself and his family, all small tithes, oblations, and other profits of every kind, the tithes of sheaves of every sort of corn growing in the fields only excepted, which he allotted to the religious in the name of the rectory, who should acknowledge all burthens, ordinary as well as extraordinary, of the chancel, books, and ornaments, as far as they were accustomed to belong to the rectors of places. [See Battely's Somner, appendix, p. 75.] After which, on a representation to archbishop Stratford, that the above endowment was by no means sufficient for his support, the value of the vicarage amounting to only four marcs yearly, the archbishop's commissary assigned to the vicars, beyond the endowment above-mentioned, the house of the vicarage, which the vicars were wont of old to inhabit, and also the pension of two marcs sterling, to be paid yearly by the religious, in augmentation of the portion so assigned to him. And he decreed, that the vicar, in future should serve the church in divine rites, and should provide tapers, lights, and bread and wine for the celebration of masses; and should support the burthens of the church, estimated at four marcs for the moiety, in all payments whatsoever of tenths and other extraordinary impositions; and that the religious should rebuild and repair the chancel of the church, and find books, vestments, and ornaments, belonging to the rectors of places, all which the archbishop approved, and confirmed in 1342. [See Battely's Somner, appendix, p. 75. Ducarel's Repertory, p. 14.]²

In the 8th year of King Richard II anno 1384, the vicarage was valued at four pounds, being one of those small benefices, which, on account of their slender income, were not taxed to the tenth. It is valued in the King's books at five pounds, and is now of the clear yearly certified value of eighteen pounds. In 1588 it was valued at twenty pounds, communicants one hundred and fifty-six. In 1640 it was valued at forty pounds, the like number of communicants.²

Archbishop Juxon, in 1661, augmented the vicarages and curacies late belonging to St. Gregory's priory, and then of the patronage of the see of Canterbury, with the yearly sum of two hundred and ten pounds, out of the great tithes of the several parsonages; but this of St. Dunstan's, probably from the inefficient value of the parsonage for that purpose, did not receive any part of it.²

Archbishop Tenison gave to the governors of Queen Anne's bounty, which he confirmed by his Will in 1715, the sum of two hundred pounds, to the augmentation of this vicarage, to which the governors added two hundred pounds more for the same purpose. It is now of the annual value of about fifty pounds.²

There have been no remains of the vicarage-house for a long time.²

PATRONS (Or by whom presented) & VICARS

• The Archbishop of Canterbury, Patron. John Kinton, in 1607, obt. May 1613. He was buried in this church on May 28.
  
  
• James Astin, inducted June 16, 1613.
  
  
• James Penny, 1615, obt. 1663. He was buried in this church.
  
  
• Robert Poyle, S. T. B. January, 1664.
  
  
• Paul Knell, obt. August 1664. He was buried in this church.
  
  
• Simon Louth, A. M. deprived 1689. Likewise vicar of Bleane, and nominated to the deanry of Rochester. See further of him and the cause of his deprivation under Bleane.
  
  
• James Williamson, inducted Feb. 15, 1709, obt. 1728. Also by dispensation in 1709 vicar of Bleane.
  
  
• Stephen Hobday, A. M. inducted Dec. 14, 1728, obt. Sept. 28, 1743. He resigned the rectory of Lower Hardres for this vicarage, which he held with that of Waldershare.
  
  
• Isaac Johnson, A. M. inducted Nov. II, 1743, obt. March 1767. Also rector of Wormsell by dispensation.
  
  
• John Loftie, A. B. June 27, 1767, the present vicar. Also perpetual curate of Wingham. In 1788, having been appointed chaplain to the East-India Company's factory at Calcutta, in Bengal, he embarked for that province, from whence he returned in 1798.
  
  

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

² Edward Hasted, Parishes: St Dunstan's near Canterbury, in The History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent: Volume 9 (Canterbury, 1800), pp. 33-42. Also found at https://www.british-history.ac.uk/survey-kent/vol9/pp33-42.

Canterbury - St. Dunstan 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 Canterbury - St. Dunstan: 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 ancient 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

Church Records, Church of England

Church Records, Non-Conformist

Parish chest records

Workhouse and Poor Law Records

Land Records

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

School Records