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

Kent Online Parish Clerks




white cliffs of Dover
photo of St. Mary the Virgin Parish Church at Downe, Kent, England copyright 2005 Philip Talmage licensed via Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic License
St. Mary the Virgin, Downe
(Click photo for larger view)

Downe Parish



     A View of the Parish

Sattelite image of Downe, Kent, England
Click on map to view full size on Google Maps.
1881 Ordnance survey map of Downe with link to modern ordnance survey map
Click here for larger image of this 1881 survey.
Click map for modern Ordnance survey map.
Reproduced from Ordnance Survey map data by permission of Ordnance Survey, © Crown copyright.
worldcomputer.PNG - 44860 BytesYour Online Parish Clerk is:
Mr. Henry Mantell


Email him at:
downeopc "at" gmail "dot" com
(Replace words in quotes with the appropriate symbols and remove any extraneous spaces.)

Henry is offering lookups in:
baptism register 1813-1883;
marriage register 1754-1911;
burial register 1813-1949;
PR transcripts; Downe Poor Law Union Creed registers; other surviving workhouse records.

Statistical Summary

Acres:  2,654
OS co-ordinates:  TQ4361
Latitude:  16:17.02N
Longitude:  5:43.167E

Parish Church:  St. Mary the Virgin
   aka St. Mary Magdalen

Registers commence:  1538
Other Denominations:  Downe Baptist Church
Markets:
  Downe-each Thurday; cattle market third  Thursday  of month
  Westerham-Wednesdays
  Croydon, SRY-Wednesdays for corn and oats
Fairs:
  Whit Monday
  Croydon SRY-2 October
Newspapers:   
Electoral Place:   
Courts:   
Jails:   


Hospitals:   
Amenities:  Post office
Registration District:  Downe
Poor Law Union:  Downe 1834+
Workhouse:  Downe
Diocese:  Canterbury, formerly Rochester
Archdeaconry:  Canterbury
Deanery:  Dartford, formerly a peculiar of Shoreham
Probate:
   pre-1846 - Shoreham
   1846-1857 - Prerogative Court of Canterbury
   post-1857 - Principal Probate Registry
Lathe:  Sutton at Hone
Hundred:  Rokesley aka Rooksley
  aka Ruxley

Houses:  911
Manor:  parish is within the Manor of Great
  Orpington
.
Parishes within 6 mile radius:
Addington*, Brasted, Downe, Chelsfield, Chelsham*, Chevening, Chiselhurst, Crockenhill, Cudham, Farnborough, Halsted, Hayes, Keston, Knockholt, Limpsfield*, Lullingstone, Orpington, Otford, Shoreham, Shortlands, St Mary Cray, St Pauls Cray, Sundridge, Tatsfield*, Titsey*, Warlingham*, West Wickham, Westerham, Woldingham* (* signify parishes in Surrey)
Ordnance Survey map of Downe as it existed circa 1805
Ordnance Survey, First Series Map circa 1805. Click map for larger image.


Domesday Reference:
   None

Principal landholder:
   None

Downe

Downe, is a parish in Downe district, Kent;  5 miles south-south-west of St. Mary Cray rail station, and 5-1/2 southeast-by-south of Downe.  It has a post office under Downe, London, S.E., and a fair on Whit Monday.  Acres, 2,654.  Real property in 1860, £2,918.  Population in 1851, 496.  Houses, 91.  The property is subdivided.

Down House belonged to the Petlees, and passed to the Johnsons.

There are a Baptist chapel, and a school with £5.

The living is a vicarage in the diocese of Canterbury.  Value, £105.  Patron, the Archbishop of Canterbury.  The church has a spire;  contains a piscina, sedilia, two brasses, and monuments of the Petlees;  and is good.1  The church is small, consisting of only one isle and a chancel, having a spire steeple, at the west end, in which are three bells.2

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

2Edward Hasted, ed. and comp.  The parish of Downe, The History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent: Volume 2 (1798), pp. 54-59 .

3William Page, 1861-1934, ed.  The Victoria County History of Kent.(London, England: The St. Catherine Press, Stamford Street, Waterloo, S.E., 1932).


Downe 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 Downe (Doune, Dune): vol. 15, p. 220;  vol. 20, pp. 14, 28, 72, 164;  vol. 22, p. 308;  vol. 23, p. 73  vol. 45, pp. 294-295  See also under Downe.
  • church: vol. 14, p. 198.
  • church goods: vol. 8, p. 142.
  • brasses: of J. Verzeline and wife vol. 77, p. 152.
  • Downe Court: vol. 43, p. 100
  • Downe Court Manor: vol. 10, p. 143;  vol. 37, p. 39  vol. 38, p. 120
  • fines of lands in vol. 11, p. 323;  vol. 12, p. 303;  vol. 13, p. 310;  vol. 14, p. 279;  vol. 15, p. 279.
  • inscriptions and parish registers vol. 6, p. 273.
  • populations: vol. 13, p. 374.

Thorne, R., ed. 1986. Lubbock, John William (1773-1840), of Downe, Kent and Lamas, Norfolk. The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1790-1820. London, England:  The History of Parliament Trust, 1964-2012 (http://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1790-1820/member/lubbock-john-william-1773-1840).

Langridge, B.. Downe Workhouse and Downe Union (Part 1), North-west Kent Family History Society Journal, 7, 12, pp.397-400. Kent, England: North-west Kent Family History Society, 1997.

Langridge, B.. Downe Workhouse and Downe Union (Part 2), North-west Kent Family History Society Journal, 7, 12, pp.422-425. Kent, England: North-west Kent Family History Society, 1997.

Langridge, B.. Downe Workhouse and Downe Union (Part 3), North-west Kent Family History Society Journal, 8, 1, pp.7-9. Kent, England: North-west Kent Family History Society, 1998.

Atkins, Hedley J. B. Sir. Down, the home of the Darwins : the story of a house and the people who lived there. London : Royal College of Surgeons of England, 1974, isn: 0902166018.

Wilson, Ken. A Place in the Country: High Elms, Downe, Kent GB: London Borough of Downe, 1982.

Anon.. Historical and Descriptive Catalogue of the Darwin Memorial at Down House, Downe, Kent; Surrey, printed by Knapp, Drewett & Sons, n.d..

Searle, Muriel V.. Farnborough and Downe in Old Picture Postcards European Library, 1990.

Blandford, J. Harland. Farnborough and its Surroundings Which Include Orpington, Chelsfield, Cudham, Downe, Keston and Hayes..... Downe: E. Clarke & Son, 1914.


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

Date The National Archives, Ruskin Avenue,
Kew, Richmond,
Surrey,
TW9 4DU
also available at:
Downe Local Studies & Archives, Central Library, High Street, Downe, BR1 1EX, tel. 020 8461 7170, Email: localstudies.library@Downe.gov.uk
LDS Family Search Centre
(Find a centre near you)
and indexed online at:
New FamilySearch.org
6 June 1841 HO107/482/6, ED 13 Film #0306875
30 Mar 1851 HO107/1606/1, ED 6 Film #0193505
30 Mar 1851 census transcription & images, or as name index only Northwest Kent Family History Society CD7 or on microfiche as part of Volume I, respectively. Film #0193505
7 Apr 1861 RG9/462, ED 5 Film #0542642
2 Apr 1871 RG10/875, ED 18 Film #0827771
3 Apr 1881 RG11/855, ED 28 Film #1341203
5 Apr 1891 RG 12/631, ED 34; also available from nwkfhs.org.uk as a transcript published on CD-Rom as part of CD2 Microfiche #6095741
31 Mar 1901 RG 13/686, ED 23 - online only http://www.1901censusonline.com and other subscription sites Indexed online at:
New FamilySearch.org
2 Apr 1911 RG 14/3693, ED 6 of Cudham; available online at http://www.1911census.co.uk and other subscription sites Indexed online at:
New FamilySearch.org
2 Apr 1911 RG 78/42/3, ED 6 - Census Enumerator's Summary Books online only http://www.1911census.co.uk and other subscription sites none
 

Church Records, Church of England

Record Type Dates Archive 1
(Addresses)
Corresponding LDS Family History Library film numbers
(Find a centre near you)
St. Mary the Virgin
Parish registers
1538-1949 Centre for Kentish Studies, Maidstone, Kent, no.: P123/1/8-14 Film #1473706: Baptisms 1538-1732, 1697-1883. Marriages 1538-1732, 1697-1746, 1783-1787. Marriages 1755-1812, 1814-1911. Marriages banns 1755-1812. Burials, 1538-1732, 1697-1910, 1926-1927, 1946-1949.
St. Mary the Virgin
Parish registers
Baptism Register 1813-1883 P/123/1/10
Burial Register 1813-1949 P/123/1/14
Marriage Register and banns 1755-1812 P/123/1/11
Marriage Register 1814-1836 P/123/1/12
Marriage Register 1838-1911 P/123/1/13
Banns Register 1814-1911 P/123/1/15
Composite register 1538-1733 P/123/1/8
Composite Register 1697-1812 P/123/1/9
Downe Archives and Local Studies
High Street,
Downe,
Kent,
BR1 1EX
Phone +44 (0)208 461 7070
Fax +44 (0)208 313 9975
email: localstudies.library@Downe.gov.uk
Film #1473706: Baptisms 1538-1732, 1697-1883. Marriages 1538-1732, 1697-1746, 1783-1787. Marriages 1755-1812, 1814-1911. Marriages banns 1755-1812. Burials, 1538-1732, 1697-1910, 1926-1927, 1946-1949.
St. Mary the Virgin
Parish register transcripts
1669-1847, 1678, 1680, 1799-1812, 1845-1847 Lambeth Palace, London Film #0395084 Items 1 - 2
St. Mary the Virgin
Bishop's transcripts
Baptisms 1813-1835, 1849-1858, 1875, 1893, 1898-99, 1903. Burials 1813-1835, 1849-1858, 1875, 1893, 1898-99, 1903. Marriages, 1813-1835. Centre for Kentish Studies, Maidstone, Kent, no.: Film #1469340, Item 2
St. Mary the Virgin
Rochester Diocese Transcripts
1813-1875, 1893, 1898-99, 1903 Centre for Kentish Studies, Maidstone, Kent, no.: CKS-DRB/RT2/123-CKS-DRB/RT2/123/3 None
St. Mary the Virgin, addition to churchyard 1897 Canterbury Cathedral Archives, Canterbury, Kent, no.: CCA-DCb-E/C/2/D16/1 None
St. Mary the Virgin, church property 1872-1873 Canterbury Cathedral Archives, Canterbury, Kent, no.: CCA-DCb-D/C/D/12 None
St. Mary the Virgin, Administrative records 19th-20th Cent, including selling of the rectory, reseating the church and stained Canterbury Cathedral Archives, Canterbury, Kent, no.: Finding Aid at CCA-DCb-E/F/Downe None
 

Church Records, Non-Conformist

Record Type Dates Archive 1
(Addresses)
Corresponding LDS Family History Library film numbers
(Find a centre near you)
Particular Baptist Chapel, Nonconformist Return 1829. Note: Less than 35, most of whom also attend the parish church Centre for Kentish Studies, Maidstone, Kent, no: CKS-Q/C/R/3/W/46 None
 

Parish chest records

Record Type Dates Archive 1
(Addresses)
Corresponding LDS Family History Library film numbers
(Find a centre near you)
Removal orders out of Downe 1741-1834 (4 records) Downe Archives and Local Studies
High Street,
Downe,
Kent,
BR1 1EX
Phone +44 (0)208 461 7070
Fax +44 (0)208 313 9975
email: localstudies.library@Downe.gov.uk no.: P/123/13/8-15
None
Removal orders into Downe 1728-1831 (4 records) Downe Archives and Local Studies
High Street,
Downe,
Kent,
BR1 1EX
Phone +44 (0)208 461 7070
Fax +44 (0)208 313 9975
email: localstudies.library@Downe.gov.uk no.: P/123/13/4-7
None
Overseers' Accounts 1789-1833 Downe Archives and Local Studies
High Street,
Downe,
Kent,
BR1 1EX
Phone +44 (0)208 461 7070
Fax +44 (0)208 313 9975
email: localstudies.library@Downe.gov.uk no.: P47/12/1-2.
accounts, 1789-1808; Film #2145686, Item 5
accounts, 1818-1833; Film #2145687
Return of Churchwardens, constables and defaulters of the poor rate 1588-1594 Centre for Kentish Studies, Maidstone, Kent, no.: CKS-QM/SB 50/4 None
Tithe Apportionment Files ca1832 The National Archives, Kew, Surrey, no.: IR 18/3404 None
Poor Rate books 1673-1876 Central Library in Downe Central Library call no.: P47/11/1-90; P47/4/1 1673-1679, 1688-1697, 1706-172; Film #2145582, Items 5 - 7
1721-1737, 1757-1761, 1764-1780; Film #2145583
1787-1816; Film #2145584
1816-1817, 1837, 1839-1841; Film #2145675
1842-1845; Film #2145676
1846-1849; Film #2145677
1849-1853; Film #2145678
1853-1856; Film #2145679
1856-1859; Film #2145680
1859-1860; Film #2145681
1861-1863; Film #2145682
1863-1866; Film #2145683
1866-1868; Film # 2145684
1868, 1870-1872; Film #2145685
1872, 1876, 1806-1833; Film #2145686, Items 1 - 4
 

Workhouse and Poor Law Records

Record Type Dates Archive 1
(Addresses)
Corresponding LDS Family History Library film numbers
(Find a centre near you)
Admission & Discharge books 1882-1930 Downe Local Studies Library,
Central Library, High St.,
Downe, Kent, BR1 1EX
--
Guardians' Minutes 1836-1930 Downe Local Studies Library,
Central Library, High St.,
Downe, Kent, BR1 1EX
--
Ledgers 1836-1930, with gaps Downe Local Studies Library,
Central Library, High St.,
Downe, Kent, BR1 1EX
--
Births 1879-1936 Downe Local Studies Library,
Central Library, High St.,
Downe, Kent, BR1 1EX
1879-1913 on Film #2145581
1914-1936 on Film #2145582, Items 1 - 4
Deaths 1907-1932 Downe Local Studies Library,
Central Library, High St.,
Downe, Kent, BR1 1EX
Film #2145582, Items 1 - 4
Religious creed registers 1889-1930 Downe Archives and Local Studies
High Street,
Downe,
Kent,
BR1 1EX
Phone +44 (0)208 461 7070
Fax +44 (0)208 313 9975
email: localstudies.library@Downe.gov.uk no.: Gby/WIc1-14; Gby/WIb1-3; Gby/WId1-3. (See also link to online records 1889-1893/4 in links section to the right)
A-Z, 1870-1894; A-S, 1870-1898 Film #2145577 Item 3
A-Z, 1871-1902; A-Z, 1871-1904; A-Z, 1871-1907; A-S, 1871-1909 Film #2145578
A-Z, 1871-1915; A-Z, 1871-1917; A-T, 1871-1921 Film #2145579
A-Z, 1893-1930; A-Z, 1895-1931; A-Z, 1915-1931 Film #2145581
A-Z, 1871-1925; A-R, 1871-1927 Film #2145580
S-Z, 1871-1927 Film #2145581
T-Z, 1870-1898 Film #2145578
T-Z, 1871-1909 Film #2145579
U-Z, 1871-1921 Film #2145580
Apprentice Register 1882-1912, 1927-1930 Downe Local Studies Library,
Central Library, High St.,
Downe, Kent, BR1 1EX
--
Registers of lunatics 1899-1931 Downe Local Studies Library,
Central Library, High St.,
Downe, Kent, BR1 1EX
--
Letters books 1872-1931 Downe Local Studies Library,
Central Library, High St.,
Downe, Kent, BR1 1EX
--
Vaccination registers 1895-1921 Downe Local Studies Library,
Central Library, High St.,
Downe, Kent, BR1 1EX
--
 

Land Records

Record Type Dates Archive 1
(Addresses)
Corresponding LDS Family History Library film numbers
(Find a centre near you)
Land tax assessments 1780-1808, 1810-1812, 1814-1818, 1820-1831 Centre for Kentish Studies, Maidstone, Kent, Archives Office no.: Q/RPL/109 Film #1469943, Item 4
Land tax assessments (duplicate) 1780-1808, 1810-1812, 1814-1818, 1820-1831 Centre for Kentish Studies, Maidstone, Kent, Archives Office no.: CKS-Q/RPl 109 None
Land tax assessments (duplicate) 1789-1799 Centre for Kentish Studies, Maidstone, Kent, Archives Office no.: CKS-Q/RPl 438 None
Custumal mid 15th century, details of rents, in money and kind, and services Canterbury Cathedral Archives, Canterbury, Kent, no.: CCA-DCc-ChAnt/O/118 None
Estate Rental 1300-c1350, tenants, lands, and amounts due listed in tabular form Canterbury Cathedral Archives, Canterbury, Kent, no.: CCA-DCc-Rental/166 None
Estate Rental 1377-1378, tenants, land, and amounts for five terms in 1 Richard II Canterbury Cathedral Archives, Canterbury, Kent, no.: CCA-DCc/BR/Orpington/50 None
Rent Roll 1425-c1475, payees and amounts Canterbury Cathedral Archives, Canterbury, Kent, no.: CCA-DCc/BR/Orpington/51 None
Rough accounts for Orpington manor c1460, includes dues from named tenants. Reference to list of tenants in 1460-1461. Canterbury Cathedral Archives, Canterbury, Kent, no.: CCA-DCc-ChChLet/I/1 None
Estate Rental 1440-1441, possibly regarding the manor of Orpington, listing tenants, property, and rent Canterbury Cathedral Archives, Canterbury, Kent, no.: CCA-DCc-Rental/162 None
Highway Enrolment, Downe highway diversion 1789, part of highway, between village of Down and village of Keston, now 1,226 yards, to be diverted through lands of Thomas Phillips, John Best, Richard Carew, Esq., John Farnaby, Esq., and Rt. Hon. William Pitt, 1,147 yards long, 20 feet wide with part of highway, between Down and Hallwood Hill in Keston, to be diverted into the new highway. Centre for Kentish Studies, Maidstone, Kent Archives no.: CKS-Q/RH 2/35 None
Highway Enrolment, Downe highway diversion 1832, part of the highway along the boundary of the parishes of Keston and Downe, from Farnborough to the branching of the highway to Downe from North End, 1,342 yards in length. Equal length to be repaired by each of Downe and Farnborough, includes plan giving adjoining landowners. Centre for Kentish Studies, Maidstone, Kent Archives no.: CKS-Q/RH 3/14 None
Highway Enrolment, Downe highway stopping up 1841, beside property of High Elms, reserving a right of bridle way, with plan (scale: 26-2/3 inches to mile) Centre for Kentish Studies, Maidstone, Kent Archives no.: CKS-Q/RH 2/302 None
Highway Enrolment, Downe highway diversion 1849, near premises used with High Elms Farm and the Clock-house Centre for Kentish Studies, Maidstone, Kent Archives no.: CKS-Q/RH 2/330 None
Highway Enrolment, Downe highway diversion 16 Feb 1914, footpath from Keston to Downe, from Keston-Downe road near Downe village to junction with footpath through Harbours Shaw towards Keston Centre for Kentish Studies, Maidstone, Kent Archives no.: CKS-Q/RH 2/746 None
Manor of Down Court various records, 1538 - 1949 Downe Archives and Local Studies
High Street,
Downe,
Kent,
BR1 1EX
Phone +44 (0)208 461 7070
Fax +44 (0)208 313 9975
email: localstudies.library@Downe.gov.uk
None
Lubbock manuscripts 1670-1934, 1656-1866 (detailed abstracts of land ownership of High Elms estate, and deeds and papers of Lubbock estates and business interests. Includes Will of Sir John William Lubbock, 1840. Downe Archives and Local Studies
High Street,
Downe,
Kent,
BR1 1EX
Phone +44 (0)208 461 7070
Fax +44 (0)208 313 9975
email: localstudies.library@Downe.gov.uk

Also at Centre for Kentish Studies, Maidstone, Kent in form Finding Aids of Chadwyck-Healey
Fiche #6073995 (1 fiche), finding aid only
Stanhope of Chevening Manuscripts 1587 Centre for Kentish Studies, Maidstone, Kent, no.: CKS-U1590 with Finding Aids at CKS-U1590/T22/14, CKS-U1590/T22/20 None
Barrett-Lennard Manuscripts no dates, title deeds Centre for Kentish Studies, Maidstone, Kent, no.: CKS-U1384 with Finding Aid at CKS-U1384/M/umk8 None
Oxon Hoath Estate 1725, manorial documents, deeds, etc. Centre for Kentish Studies, Maidstone, Kent, no.: CKS-U31 with Finding Aid at CKS-U31/P/1 None
War Damage Files 1939-1962 Centre for Kentish Studies, Maidstone, Kent, no.: Finding Aid at CKS-DRb/RW 123 None
 

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

Record Type Dates Archive 1
(Addresses)>
Corresponding LDS Family History Library film numbers
(Find a centre near you)
Court of Petty Sessions, sessions papers and petty sessions minute book 1747-1787, 1816-1831, mostly settlements Central Library in Downe Oct. 1747-Mar. 1770; Film #2145576, Item 9
Mar. 1770-1787; Petty sessions minute book, 1816-1831; Film #2145577, Items 1 - 2
Hearth tax 1664 Centre for Kentish Studies, Maidstone, Kent no.: CKS-Q, Finding Aid at CKS-Q/Rth. None
Victuallers Recognizances 24 Oct 1594 Centre for Kentish Studies, Maidstone, Kent no.: CKS-Q, Finding Aid at CKS-QM/RLv 26/27. None
Churchwarden's Presentments 1595 Centre for Kentish Studies, Maidstone, Kent no.: CKS-Q, Finding Aid at CKS-QM/SB 59/2. None
Parish rate books 1862 Centre for Kentish Studies, Maidstone, Kent no.: CKS-Q, Finding Aid CKS-Q/GFr 12/28-31. None
 

School Records

Record Type Dates Archive 1
(Addresses)
Corresponding LDS Family History Library film numbers
(Find a centre near you)
Council School: Managers' Minutes 1922-1947 Downe Archives and Local Studies
High Street,
Downe,
Kent,
BR1 1EX
Phone +44 (0)208 461 7070
Fax +44 (0)208 313 9975
email: localstudies.library@Downe.gov.uk no.: C/E/S/123/1/1
None
Downe Schools no date Downe Archives and Local Studies
High Street,
Downe,
Kent,
BR1 1EX
Phone +44 (0)208 461 7070
Fax +44 (0)208 313 9975
email: localstudies.library@Downe.gov.uk no.: C/E/S/123
None

Chronology

1114-22 Archbishop Radulphus confirmed the gift of all the tithes of the villeins who hold land in Downe in addition to other things

ca1291 chapel of Downe built to be chapel to Orpington and later chapel to Hayes

ca1300 referenced in Custumak Roffense (the custumal of Rochester)

1377 first poll tax

1559 November 30 Margaret, daughter of Henry Manning, was baptized "after ye Queene's visitacon" [sic]. Henry Manning was Knight Marshal, or Marshal of the Household, under Queen Elizabeth I as well as for the previous three monarchs: Mary, Edward VI, and Henry VIII

1672 Philip Jones resumed the proper keeping of the parish register

1842 Sept. 14 Emma Darwin moved into Down House followed shortly after by her husband, Charles Darwin

1931 Buckston Browne Farm built as a surgical research centre by the Royal College of Surgeons

1976 Down was incorporated with Cudham as a united benefice

1984 Buckston Browne Farm raided by anti-vivisection activists

1996 Down House acquired by English Heritage

1998 April Down House reopened as a museum


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   -   217
1811   -   266
1821   -   340
1831   -   421
1841   -   444
1851   -   437
1861   -   496
1871   -   423
1881   -   555
1891   -   581
1901   -   610
1911   -   649
1921   -   791


Downe Distance to

London 13.6 mi.
Canterbury 44.2 mi.
Downe 5.3 mi.
Chatham 20.6 mi.
Croydon, SRY 6.5 mi.
Dartford 49.2 mi.
Deptford 10.8 mi.
Dover 56.0 mi.
Faversham 36.0 mi.
Folkestone 50.9 mi.
Gravesend 15.9 mi.
Greenwich 10.2 mi.
Hayes 3.6 mi.
Hythe 48.3 mi.
Maidstone 20.8 mi.
Margate 57.4 mi.
Milton Regis 29.2 mi.
Orpington 2.8 mi.
Ramsgate 59.0 mi.
Rochester 18.5 mi.
Sandwich 55.9 mi.
Sheerness 31.0 mi.
Tenterden 32.9 mi.
Tunbridge Wells 16.5 mi.
Westerham 4.4 mi.
West Wickham 4.0 mi.
Woolwich 11.2 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
  • Manors
  • Manor Court Baron
  • Manor Tenancy Rolls
  • Manors, Castles & Holdings of Significance

Tax Lists


Other Records



Village Resources