Old Images of Birchington-on-Sea, Kent

Historic Book

Extract from “Archaeologia Cantiana -Volume 12“

Published in 1878

Pages 402-409

Birchington is the only parish in Thanet , that could be

supposed to derive its name from a Saxon family which

settled there ; and even with respect to this name it may be

doubted whether there was a family of Birchingas , or

descendants of Birch . Undoubtedly , however , this place was

occupied at a very early period .

One relic of its early inhabitants , found here , many

years ago , was a Saxon coin called a scatta , of the reign of

EPA , King of Mercia , who was slain in A.D. 612. An

engraving of this ancient coin is given by Mr. Roach Smith

in the first volume of his Collectanea Antiqua .

Upon many maps of Thanet we see Epalds Bay marked ,

in Birchington . This is clearly a Saxon name , and , if the

maps are correctly marked , it should have some claim , I think ,

to be identified with the Ippelesfleot mentioned in Gotselinus ‘

Life of St. Mildred , as the port into which her ship , on one

occasion , came .

   For several centuries Birchington has been a limb of

Dover , one of the Cinque Ports . Consequently it was under

the jurisdiction of a deputy appointed by the Mayor and

Jurats of Dover .

In the year 1526 , the Corporation of

Dover received , from the various ” limbs ” of that Port , con

tributions towards the cost of its suit for the discharge of a

subsidy . Amongst them it enumerates ” The Deputy of

Birchington and Goresend 16s . 8d . ”

The mention of two

names suggests the existence of two distinct quays , or land

ing places , one in Birchington village , the other at the out

lying hamlet of Goresend . When both are mentioned , some

times one is named first , sometimes the other , but in many

cases Goresend is not mentioned at all , it being evidently

a mere outlying hamlet of Birchington . For instance , in

June , 1523 , we find mention of one list of Jurors in the

five ports , including ” Mergate and St. Johns , St. Peters and

Byrchyngton , ” while another list names Mergate and St.

Peters , Goresende and Byrchington .

The ancient map of

Thanet , drawn circa A.D. 1414 , does not mention Goresend ,

although it names both Berchingtone and Wodecherche , and

marks a church at each of them , as well as at ” All Saints . “

On the 18th of March , 1565 , certain special commissioners

made a return of the number of boats , population , houses

and officials in the members and limbs of the Cinque Ports .

They do not mention Goresend , but they state that Birching

ton was under the government of the Mayor and Jurats of

Dover , that it contained forty – two inhabited houses , and had

neither ship , nor boat .

In or about the year 1584 Vincent

Underdown , deputy of Birchington , certified that there were

but three fishermen at that place , all of whom were in the

habit of sailing from Margate . They were Henry Brabsonne ,

Ralphe Linche , and Stephen Knighte .

   The number of men composing the select and general

bands in the Cinque Ports was returned to the Secretary of

State about A.D. 1572. The totals shew from St. John’s , St.

Peter’s , and Birchington , together , 170 men in the select

band ; and 204 in the general band .

   In 1620 the deputy of Birchington incurred the displeasure

and wrath of the Lord Warden . He had allowed

passengers from the continent to land at Birchington with

out taking the oath of allegiance to James I. Sir Henry

Mainwaring , Lieutenant of Dover Castle , sent for him on the

12th of December , and he was committed to prison . How

ever , fourteen days after , Sir Henry wrote to the Lord

Warden asking for the deputy’s release because he had erred

from ignorance .

   Great precautions and vigilance were required in those

days , and the inhabitants were called to furnish men and

arms , as the annexed muster roll will shew :

In the unsettled state of relations with neighbouring nations

precautions of many kinds were necessary . The following

list of soldiers billeted in Birchington shews who the in

habitants were , while it affords an illustration of the state

of affairs :

BIRCHINGTON . A tru List of the names of all such Soldiers as

       were lately billetted in Birchington in the Isle of Thanett

       & also the names of such persons vpon whom they were

       billetted & the tyme of theire Continuance there , viz . from

       Jan. 22 1627 untill Mar. 3 , An . eodem 6 weekes full :

The whole number of Soldiers billetted there are 15 Soldiers &

one Lieutenant , of whch 12 Soldiers were billetted there 6 weekes &

the Leiuetant & 3 Soldiers but one weeke : :

  The 12 Soldiers billetts for 6 weekes at iijs vid a piece per

    weeke is xiili xij .

There was continual contention respecting the rights to

wreck of the sea . The Warden of the Cinque Ports claimed

all wrecks within the limbs and members of those Ports ;

while the Lords of manors asserted their claims to wrecks

within their manors . Thus , in the reign of Queen Elizabeth

the Dean and Chapter , of Christ Church , claimed all wrecks

from Pope head gate , alias Pope gate , to Westgate Bay in

Birchington , in right of their manor of Monkton . Henry

Crispe Esquire , in like manner , claimed wrecks from the

mainland to low water mark , within certain of his land , in

Birchington , called Brockmans .

In 1602 the Judge of the

Lord Warden’s Admiralty Court investigated these various

claims , and , amongst other items of information , we learn

that the Lord Warden’s advocate would not bring forward ,

as a witness , John Underdown of Birchington , because he

answered wholly on Mr. Wotton’s part. Mr. Wotton

claimed wrecks at the Hope at Cliffs End by Stonor and

Pegwell , from Tarryes way to the liberties of Sandwich .

The Parish Accounts for Birchington , and those for the

Ville of Wood , during the past 250 years , are still in existence.

The ” cess , ” or rate , levied upon the parishioners was

of a comprehensive kind . It touched both land and income ;

realty and personalty . The land , in 1620 , was assessed at

1d . per acre ; how much in the pound was charged for

” ability ” rate I cannot discover .

The effect however was ,

for example , that in 1620 Sir Henry Crispe knight , paid

£ 1 0s . 6d . for 246 acres , and likewise £ 1 5s . Od . for ” ability

rate . ” Henry Crispe , Esq . , paid nothing for land , but was

charged 6s . for ability rate . Thirty – six years later , in

January , 1656 , Henry Crispe , Esq . , paid 13s . 4d . for ” ability , “

while he likewise paid on 274 acres of land . At the same

time Sir Nicholas Crispe , his son , paid 11d . for ability rate ,

and also paid for eleven acres of land .

   In 1631 , when a dearth of corn caused much distress , the

parish officers of the Ville of Wood bought about twenty

four bushels of wheat , at prices varying from 6s . 3d . to

7s . 6d . per bushel , and sold them to the poor at 4s . per

bushel . They likewise bought barley which was much cheaper .

   What pestilence happened during 1644 we do not know ,

but in the parish account book we read , ” This yeare the

Parishe beeing visited with Godes heauye hande , there weare

3 assessments made and confirmed for the use of the sicke

and poore of Birchington ; the first was made July 6 , 1644 ;

the second was made August 31st , 1644 ; the third was made

October 6th , 1644 ; whereof the third and last is heere

onlye registered . “

  Many of the entries in the parish accounts are of interest ,

but we can only notice very few .

When the Hearth or Chimney Tax * was collected in A.D.

1673-4 , George Ruck was the deputy of Birchington , and

230 hearths were paid for , by the occupants of seventy – nine

houses . Poor persons , who inhabited twenty – seven other

houses , were excused from payment , because they received

parochial relief . Thomas Crispe , Esq . , of Quex , paid the tax

for seventeen chimneys in that house , and also for six others

in his farm house . The largest number of hearths paid for

by any other inhabitant was that of seven in the house of

Richard Davidge .

The family of Kentis , or Cantis , or Canteys , of which

two or more branches were living in Monkton when the

Hearth Tax was assessed , had , in the middle ages , property

in Birchington . For instance , at Martinmas , 1309 , Amisius

Kentis , and Agnes his wife , obtained from Richard de

de Subury , for £ 20 , a messuage , in ” Bircheton and Thanet , “

consisting of thirteen acres of land , and three acres of marsh

with appurtenances .

                 BIRCHINGTON CHURCH .

   Birchington was , until recently , a chapelry appendant to

Monkton Church ; and , like a neighbouring chapel , which

was appendant to St. Nicholas Church , it was dedicated to

All Saints , or All Hallows . It is a singular circumstance

that two chapels , situated so near to each other , should have

had the same dedication . Both buildings are marked upon

the old map of Thanet , which was made about A.D. 1414 .

The three conterminous chancels , and the tower , of

Birchington Church seem to have been built during the

reign , either of King John , or of his son Henry III . Like

many others , erected at that period , its tower stands at the

west end of the south chancel . Crowned with a shingled

spire , this unpretending tower though low , and without

buttresses , is graceful in its proportions , notwithstanding

its simplicity . Divided into four stages , it has in its second

stage a small Perpendicular square – headed window with

label , on the south side ; in its third stage there are lancets ,

and in its fourth stage are four windows , each of a single

light . On the interior the tower is open on three sides ,

having three plain Early English arches rising from im

posts .

The chancel has , on each side , a plain arcade of two

Early English pointed arches , springing from simple im

posts , resting on wall – like piers . The north , or Quex

Chancel , has , above its western arch , a western lancet

window ; which is a very unusual feature . Of the same age as

the chancels and tower , is the Font . It is a plain octagon ,

supported upon one large central, and four smaller, round

shafts .

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