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Southfleetchurch
St. Nicholas Church
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Southfleet Parish



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Southfleet

Southfleet is, ecclesiastically, in the diocese of Rochester, in the archdeaconry of Rochester and St. Albans.  The church is named for St. Nicholas of Myra with registers commencing 1558.

Southfleet is a village and a parish in Dartford district, Kent.  The village stands near Watling Street, 3 miles southwest of Gravesend rail station;  originated in the Roman station Vagniacæ, on Watling Street;  was known at Domesday as Suthfleta;  took that name and its present one from a flete or creek, which came to it from the Thames at Northfleet, but is now shut out by an embankment;  is much frequented by visitors;  and has a post office under Gravesend.  The parish comprises also the hamlets of Betsam or Betsome and Westwood, and the gardens of Spring Head, famous for watercresses.  Acres, 2,340.  Real property in 1860, £4,856.  Population in 1861, 717.  Houses, 155.  The property is divided among a few.

Many Roman relics, including a milestone, a sarcophagus, earthen vessels, glass urns, trinkets, and coins, have been found.

The living is a rectory in the diocese of Rochester.  Value, £789 with a habitable glebe house.  Patron, the Bishop of Rochester.  The church is decorated English.1

In the 15th year of King Edward I this church was valued at thirty marcs. [See Stev. Mon. vol. i. p. 456.]2

There is an endowed school with £20 a year.1

Adjoining to Swanscombe southward, lies Southfleet, called in Domesday, Suthfleta, and so named to distinguish it from Northfleet. It is called in the Textus Roffensis, Fletis and Fleotis, [See Text. Ross. p. 190, 193] which name it acquired from its situation close to the fleet, or arm of the Thames, which now flows under Northfleet bridge, and formerly came up as high as this parish, and was probably then navigable a great way up. These parishes taking their names from it, at least shews it to have been a water of no small consequence.2

This parish is rather an unfrequented place, nor is it much known, there being no public thoroughfare or high road through it; and the gentlemens' seats in it, of which there were several, having been greatly neglected, and suffered to run to ruin, some of them have been pulled down, and the remaining ones being inhabited only by the occupiers of the lands, the roads in it have been likewise neglected, and there are none to it now, but for waggons and carts of husbandry; otherwise it is situated very pleasant and rural, the air is very healthy, and the lands more level and fertile, and less covered with slints, than those of the neighbouring parishes.2

The village is situated nearly in the middle of the parish; in the centre of it is a space called Hook-green [see below], having Hook-place on it, now used as a farm-house, and the church and free school on the north-west side of it, and the parsonage at a small distance southward. The ancient seat of Scadbury stands at a small distance northward from it, being now converted into a farm house, and excepting the rector, there is not a gentleman residing in the parish, though the farmers in it are very respectable and opulent.2

On the remains of this road, about half a mile westward of Wingfield-bank, near adjoining to Springhead, in the land now called Barkfields, in this parish, some years ago, a stone was discovered, which, when dug up, was judged to be a Roman milliare, or mile stone. It stood nearly upright, the top of it about six or seven inches below the surface of the ground, so that it has been much surrowed by the passing of the plough over it. It measured two feet and a half long, two of its sides were sixteen inches, the other two fourteen. The corners of it were chiselled, but its faces were rustic; on one side there was a cross or figure of tin, deeply cut, which was undoubtedly to shew that it stood that distance from some particular station.2

Betsome is a hamlet in Southfleet parish, Kent;  3-1/4 miles southwest of Gravesend.  Population in 1861, 188.1  About a mile northwest from the village is the hamlet of Betsham [Betsome], formerly called Bedesham, through which the roads lead from Greensted-green to Wingfield-bank, where it meets the ancient Watling-street or Roman highway, which having passed through Swanscombe-park wood, runs with the present road along the northern side of this parish, towards Shinglewell, and thence on to Cobham-park and Rochester.2

Hook-Green half a mile south-west is a hamlet in Southfleet having Hook Place upon it.3

Red Street half a mile south is a hamlet in Southfleet.3

Westwood is a hamlet in Southfleet parish, Kent;  4-1/4 miles southeast of Dartford.1

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

2  Edward Hasted, Parishes: Southfleet, in The History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent: Volume 2 (Canterbury, 1797), pp. 421-440.

3  Southfleet.Kelly's Directory of Kent, 1903. [Part 2: Private Resident & Trade Directories]. (London: Kelly's Directories Ltd., 182, 183, 184 High H, London, W. C..)

Southfleet 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 Southfleet: 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

Date The 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 1841 Currently under revision  
30 Mar 1851 Currently under revision  
30 Mar 1851 census name index & images Currently under revision  
7 Apr 1861 Currently under revision  
2 Apr 1871 Currently under revision  
3 Apr 1881 Currently under revision  
5 Apr 1891 Currently under revision  
31 Mar 1901 RG 13/785 - also online at http://www.1901censusonline.com  
2 Apr 1911 Currently under revision  
2 Apr 1911 RG 78/139 - 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)
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 Type Dates Archive 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 Type Dates Archive 1
(Addresses)
Corresponding LDS Family History Library film numbers
(Find a centre near you)
Parish Council Minutes   Currently under revision  
Removal orders out of Southfleet   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 Type Dates Archive 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 registers 1899-1930 Currently under revision  
 

Land Records

Record Type Dates Archive 1
(Addresses)
Corresponding LDS Family History Library film numbers
(Find a centre near you)
Land tax assessments 1780-1831 Currently under revision  
Land tax assessments 1875-1876 Currently under revision  
Land tax assessments 1889-1890 Currently under revision  
Rates and Duties - Houses, Windows, Lights   Currently under revision  
Manorial Court rolls   Currently under revision  
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)
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 Type Dates Archive 1
(Addresses)
Corresponding LDS Family History Library film numbers
(Find a centre near you)
    Currently under revision  
       

Chronology

pre 40-70AD - first inhumation of humans discovered at Pepper Hill
ca 43AD - Southfleet is believed to have been the Roman station "Vagniacae"
14thC - St. Nicholas church built
ca 1402 - John Urban settled at Southfleet from Cornwall
1688 - Charles Sedley, Esq. of Southfleet knighted
1867 - restoration work proceeded on the church
1886 - 17 Apr. railway station opened, on the London, Chatham and Dover Railway's Fawkham Junction to Gravesend branch line
1953 - 3 Aug. railway station closed following steady decline in demand


Church Registers


Census


Parish Chest
Records

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

Directories


Total Population

1801   -   508
1811   -   548
1821   -   577
1831   -   624
1841   -   667
1851   -   657
1861   -   717
1871   -   730
1881   -   922
1891   -   968
1901   -   1,111
1911   -   1,151
1921   -   1,311
1931   -   1,216
1951   -   1,414
1961   -   1,813
2011   -   918


Southfleet Distance to

London 18.9 mi.
Canterbury 34.0 mi.
Ashford 30.2 mi.
Bromley 13.1 mi.
Chatham 10.0 mi.
Cranbrook 23.9 mi.
Dartford 5.7 mi.
Deptford 16.0 mi.
Dover 47.3 mi.
Faversham 25.6 mi.
Folkestone 43.1 mi.
Gravesend 3.1 mi.
Greenwich 14.2 mi.
Hythe 41.2 mi.
Maidstone 13.6 mi.
Margate 46.0 mi.
Milton Regis 18.5 mi.
Queenborough 18.6 mi.
Ramsgate 48.0 mi.
Rochester 7.1 mi.
Sandwich 45.4 mi.
Sheerness 18.8 mi.
Tenterden 28.9 mi.
Tunbridge 20.0 mi.
Woolwich 12.2 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


Tax Lists

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

Other Records

  • Apprenticeships
  • Immigration
  • School Records
  • Notable Events
  • Nefarious Activities

Village Resources