Tenterden

Tenterden is, ecclesiastically, in the diocese of Canterbury, in the archdeaconry of Canterbury and in the deanery of West Charing.  The church is named for St. Mildred with registers commencing 1544.

Tenterden, a small town, a parish, a sub-district, and a district, in Kent.  The town stands on elevated ground, 7 miles west-north-west of Appledore rail station, and 12 miles southwest of Ashford;  was anciently called Thein-warden;  became, in the time of Henry VI, a member of the Rye cinque port, and a municipal borough;  is governed, under the new act, by a mayor, 4 aldermen and 12 councillors;  includes, within its borough boundaries, all Tenterden parish, and part of Ebony;  is a seat of quarter sessions, petty sessions, county courts, and a polling place;  consists chiefly of one street about a mile long;  and has a post office under Staplehurst with a savings bank and a money order office, two other banking offices, a good inn, a town hall and assembly rooms, a small town jail, a church, four dissenting chapels, a new ultra-mural cemetery, an endowed national school with £59 a year and British schools, a female reformatory, a subscription library, an agricultural society, a workhouse, apprenticing charities of £80, other charities of £130, a weekly market on Friday and a fair on the first Monday of May.

The church belonged anciently to St. Augustine's abbey in Canterbury;  is large and later English, with a lofty pinnacled tower;  and has attached to its north side an exclusorium, in which the martyrs of the time of Mary were confined prior to their removal to Canterbury.  The tower is of a later period than the main body;  was erected in the time of Henry VI;  and is notable for a proverb which alleges that the removal of stone for it, from a sea wall on the east coast, was the cause of the formation of the Goodwin sands.  Population of the borough in 1851, 3,901;  in 1861, 3,762.  Houses, 711.

The parish comprises 8,300 acres.  Real property in 1860, £21,457;  of which £105 are in gas works.  Population in 1851, 3,782;  in 1861, 3,656.  Houses, 692.

Heronden Hall and Finchden are chief residences.  Hales Place and Kenchill were formerly mansions, and are now farmhouses.  A section in the north was constituted a separate charge, under the name of St. Michael, in 1862;  and another section, noticed in Small Hythe, is also a separate charge.  The head living is a vicarage and that of St. Michael is a perpetual curacy, in the diocese of Canterbury.  Value of the former, £450 with a habitable glebe house;  of the latter, not reported.  Patrons of the former, the Dean and Chapter of Canterbury;  of the latter, S. Beal, Esq..

The sub-district contains 6 parishes.  Acres, 26,372.  Population in 1861, 6,616.  Houses, 1,269.

The district includes also Rolvenden sub-district and comprises 46,889 acres.  Poor rates in 1863, £7,808.  Population in 1851, 11,279;  in 1861, 10,947.  Houses, 2,134.  Marriages in 1863, 69;  births, 329 of which 27 were illegitimate;  deaths, 214 of which 80 were at ages under 5 years and 12 at ages above 85.  Marriages in the ten years 1851-60, 762;  births, 3,794;  deaths, 2,146.  The places of worship, in 1851, were 12 of the Church of England, with 4,762 sittings;  5 of Baptists, with 660 sittings;  1 of Unitarian, with 262 sittings;  7 of Wesleyans with 1,210 sittings;  and 4 of Bible Christians, with 518 sittings.

The schools were 14 public day schools with 1,171 scholars;  25 private day schools, with 537 scholars;  23 Sunday schools, with 1,395 scholars;  and 2 evening schools for adults, with 17 scholars.

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

The hamlet of SMALLHYTH, commonly called Smallit, is situated somewhat more than three miles from the town of Tenterden, at the southern boundary of this parish, close to the old channel of the river Rother, over which there is a passage from it into the Isle of Oxney. The inhabitants were formerly, by report, very numerous, and this place of much more consequence than at present, from the expressions frequently made use of in old writings of those infra oppidum and intra oppidum de Smallhyth; the prevalent opinion being, that the buildings once extended towards Bullen westward; no proof of which, however, can be brought from the present state of it, as there remain only three or four straggling farm-houses on either side, and a few cottages in the street near the chapel. The sea came up to this place so lately as the year 1509, as is evident by the power then given of burying in this chapel-yard the bodies of those who were cast by shipwreck on the shore of the sea infra predictum oppidum de Smalhyth; which are the very words of the faculty granted for that purpose.

At this place A CHAPEL was built, and was soon afterwards licensed by faculty from archbishop Warham, anno 1509, on the petition of the inhabitants, on account of the distance from their parish church of Tenterden, the badness of the roads, and the dangers they underwent from the waters being out in their way thither; and was dedicated to St. John Baptist. The words of it are very remarkable: And we William, archbishop aforesaid, of the infinite mercy of Almighty God, and by the authority of St. Peter and St. Paul the apostles, and also of our patrons St. Alphage and St. Thomas, remit, &c.

Divine service still continues to be performed in this chapel, which is repaired and maintained, and the salary of the chaplain paid out of the rents of lands in this parish and Wittersham, which are vested in trustees; who pay him the annual produce of them, the rents of them being at this time £52 10s. per annum, though it is set down in Bacon's Liber Regis, as only of the clear yearly certified value of forty five pounds. The present curate is Thomas Morphett, appointed in 1773.

Source:  Edward Hasted, The hundred, town and parish of Tenterden, in The History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent: Volume 7(Canterbury, 1798), British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/survey-kent/vol7/pp200-219.

"Tenterden was first incorporated as the Bailiff and Commonalty of the Town and Hundred in 1449, and made a limb of the Ancient Town of Rye, one of the Cinque Ports. The whole of the hundred of Tenterden was incorporated including the portion of the parish of Ebony known as Reading. Tenterden thus enjoyed the privileges of a Cinque Port. In 1493 an agreement between Rye and Tenterden was made in an attempt to define Tenterden's obligations to Rye. Tenterden paid to Rye each year 'composition money' which was a continuing source of friction between the two towns and lead to a law suit even as late as 1762."¹

Source:  https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/fc04871f-5e0f-4e76-a905-13cb54a428af.

Tenterden 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 Tenterden:
• "Angel" (" Six Bells," "Eight Bells "), vol. 33, p. 95;
• Asherinden vol. 125, p. 57;
• bailiffs, vol. 32, pp. 295-300;
• bells, vol. 31, p. 230;
• bequests, vol. 31, pp. 35-36;
• Brotherhood of St. Mary, vol. 30, p. 137;
• butcher vol. 112, p. 5;
• chantry, vol. 14, p. 49;
• charter, vol. 32, pp. 283-284.
• church vol. 14, p. 45; vol. 26, p. 304; vol. 30, pp. 137, 190; vol. 31, pp. 212, 213, 237-270; vol. 32, p. 290; vol. 37, p. 30; vol. 44, p. 291; vol. 45, pp. 88, 209; vol. 110, p. 56; vol. 112, p. 112; vol. 135, p. 113;
• churchgoing vol. 128, pp. 350, 351;
• Cinque Port, vol. 13, p. 261;
• clockmaking vol. 126, pp. 93, 107;
• dens vol. 125, pp. 51, 57, 59;
• Dering entries in the parish registers, vol. 10, p. 335;
• dispute over use of North door, vol. 31, pp. 222, 245-250;
• Earl of, vol. 14, pp. 64, 74;
• early history of, vol. 14, pp. 37-60;
• fine of lands in, vol. 11, p. 353;
• gaol and courthouse, burning, vol. 33, pp. 91-95;
• godparents and baptism vol. 135, p. 212;
• Hales, John, of vol. 111, p. f185; vol. 119, p. 33;
• heraldic fireback, vol. 29, p. 46;
• hundred vol. 10, 139; vol. 135, p. 120, vol. 12N, p. 14;
• hundred, boroughs, vol. 32, p. 289;
• inscriptions, vol. 44, p. 276;
• John, v. of, vol. 31, p. 208; vol. 32, p. 175;
• maces, vol. 33, pp. 109-110;
• market vol. 117, p. 102;
• Mayor of, vol. 9, p. 33; vol. 14, p. 77;
• medical men vol. 126, p. 136;
• municipal records, (A. H. Taylor), vol. 32, pp. 283-302; vol. 33, pp. 91-112;
• nonconformity vol. 112, p. 326;
• parish register vol. 135, pp. 165, 172, 178;
• parish registers, extracts from, vol. 30, pp. 167-170;
• parish registers, vol. 14, p. 55;
• population C19 - 20 vol. 112, p. 15; vol. 114, p. 20;
• presentment, T., vol. 3, p. 78;
• property, vol. 31, pp. 254-255;
• Raynold, John, of vol. 110, p. 57;
• Reading Street bridge vol. 110, p. 63;
• Reading Street chapel vol. 110, pp. 50, 52, 60, 61;
• rectors and vicars (A. H. Taylor), vol. 31, pp. 207-236;
• renovations, vol. 31, p. 235;
• riots, T., vol. 3, p. 79;
• road services vol. 127, pp. 215, 219, 222, 228, 230;
• school, vol. 31, pp. 243, 259; vol. 43, p. 126; vol. 44, pp. 129-146;
• seals of, vol. 33, pp. 110-111;
• Smallhythe, chapel vol. 119, p. 55;
• St. Katherine's chancel in the church, vol. 11, pp. 376, 378;
• steeple, vol. 9, p. 141; vol. 11, p. 377; vol. 12, p. 348; vol. 14, p. 52;
• Tenterden (Tentwarden, Thenderden, Theinwarden), vol. 10, 139; vol. 11, 376; vol. 13, 344; vol. 14, pp. 40, 61-5, 74, 75, 77, 79, 95, 166; vol. 15, 33; vol. 16, 70; vol. 18, pp. 16, 19, 20, 22, 23, 24, 29, 37, 55; vol. 20, pp. 2-48 passim, 188, 238; vol. 21, p. 208; vol. 22, pp. 92, 102, 209, 219; vol. 23, p. 76; vol. 25, pp. 270, 281, 284, 285; vol. 26, p. 193; vol. 27, pp. 57, 194; vol. 28, pp. 16, 31, 52, 73, 76 ; vol. 30, pp. 133-191; vol. 31, pp. 52, 237-270; vol. 33, pp. 92, 94, 97, 102; vol. 129, pp. 37, 47, 88, vol. 130, p. 386;
• Tenterden (Tentwardine), Alex. de, vol. 14, p. 44;
• Tenterden, Charles Abbot, Lord, vol. 5, p. 40; his collar of SS. descended to Lord Denman, vol. 1, p. 91;
• Tenterden, John, ironmonger vol. 131, p. 220;
• Tenterden, lay piety vol. 134, pp. 283-4, 290;
• Thomas de, vol. 14, p. 45;
• Tilby, Robert, of vol. 114, p. 154;
• tower, vol. 31, pp. 207, 235, 236;
• Town Hall, royal arms, vol. 45, p. 214;
• trained band, vol. 33, p. 105;
• Union, vol. 31, p. 235;
• visitation, vol. 29, p. 310; vol. 31, pp. 237-238;
• William, v., vol. 31, p. 208;
• wills, extracts, vol. 31, pp. 260-270;
• "Woolpack," vol. 33, p. 100.

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', Calendar of Inquisitions Post Mortem, various volumes: Edward I. Published:(1906).  URL: British History Online.

Sharp, J. E. E. S., ed.. 'Inquisitions Post Mortem, Edward II', Calendar of Inquisitions Post Mortem, various volumes: Edward II. Published:(1910).  URL: British History Online.

Sharp, J. E. E. S., ed.. 'Inquisitions Post Mortem, Edward III', Calendar of Inquisitions Post Mortem, various volumes: Edward III. Published:(1938).  URL: British History Online.

Sharp, J. E. E. S., ed.. 'Inquisitions Post Mortem, Henry III', Calendar of Inquisitions Post Mortem, various volumes: Henry III. Published:(1904).  URL: British History Online.

Kirby, J. L., ed.. 'Inquisitions Post Mortem, Henry IV', Calendar of Inquisitions Post Mortem, various volumes: Henry IV. Published:(1992).  URL: British History Online.

Kirby, J. L., ed.. 'Inquisitions Post Mortem, Henry V', Calendar of Inquisitions Post Mortem, various volumes: Henry V. Published:(1995).  URL: British History Online.

Cyril Flower, M. C. B. Dawes and A. C. Wood, ed.. 'Inquisitions Post Mortem, Henry VII', Calendar of Inquisitions Post Mortem, various volumes: Henry VII. Published:(1955).  URL: British History Online.

M. C. B. Dawes, H. C. Johnson, M. M. Condon, C. A. Cook and H. E. Jones, ed.. 'Inquisitions Post Mortem, Richard II', Calendar of Inquisitions Post Mortem, various volumes: Richard II. Published:(1988).  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