Historic Book

Extract from “A visitor’s guide to Faversham” by Francis Frederic Giraud and Charles Edward Donne

Published in 1876

Pages 8 & 9

COUNTRY . The Country within easy reach of Faversham ,
is picturesque and varied . There are the very extensive
Blean Woods , and Perry Wood , on high ground , low lands
stretching out to the sea shore and undulating vales surround
ing Belmont . The lands are perhaps as fertile and highly
cultivated as any within this county . Fruit and Hop planta
tions abound .

BOTANY . Mr. Bateman in his Catalogus Plantarum circa
Faversham , ” Mr. Blackstone in his ” Specimen Botanicum , “
Mr. Jacob in his ” Planta Favershamienses , ” and Mr. Cowell
in his ” Floral Guide , ” have given a list of a number of un
common plants found here . Mr. Cowell says , that the vicinity of
Faversham is exceedingly favourable to the study of botany .
The variety of its soils and its contiguity to the sea , contribute
to the production of an ample and diversified Flora . Its
shores , its chalky districts , its sandy and gravelly soils , and the
occasional tracts of Marsh land which it presents , being each
characterized by distinct vegetable productions .

DISTANCE . – Faversham is distant 47 miles from London ,
9 from Canterbury , and 6 from the Sea Coast . It is on the
London , Chatham and Dover Railway Main Line ; and is a
Junction Station to Whitstable , Herne Bay , Margate and
Ramsgate .

STREETS .– The four older and principal streets form an
irregular cross , in the centre of which stand the Market Place
and Guildhall .

MANUFACTURES . – The chief manufacture is that of Gun
powder . The Mills of Messrs . John Hall and Son cover a
wide extent of ground , and are contiguously in six different
parishes . The works were first established in the reign of
Queen Elizabeth . They were purchased by the Board of
Ordnance from Mr. John Pearse , about the year 1760 , and sold
by them in 1825 ; the whole soon after became the pro
perty of Mr. John Hall , from whom the present firm
” John Hall and Son ” is derived . The Works have since
been considerably extended and improved by the present
owners .

The Works of the Patent Cotton Gunpowder Company ,
Limited , have lately been erected on the shore of the Swale ,
in Oare Parish .

There are two extensive and old established Breweries in
Court Street , belonging to Messrs . Shepherd , Neame , & Co. ,
and Messrs . W. E. and J. Rigden .

The principal Brickfields are in Kingsfield , the Abbey
Fields , and Davington .

On the banks of the Creek are Portland and Roman
Cement and Plaster of Paris Works ; a large Steam Flour
Mill ; Builders ‘ and Shipwrights ‘ Yards ; Timber and Coal
Wharves ; Hoymen’s Wharves , and Storehouses , & c .

PRESENT GOVERNMENT . – The Town is governed by a
Corporation of great antiquity , now regulated by the Muni
cipal Corporations Acts ; and by Pavement Commissioners
appointed under an Act 29 , Geo . III .

The Borough contains an area of 550A . 2R . 5 P. The
Corporation consists of a Mayor , Four Aldermen , and
Twelve Councillors . There is also a Court of Quarter
Sessions , and a Bench of Magistrates consisting of the
Mayor , the Recorder , the ex – Mayor , and six others selected
by the Lord Chancellor .

The Pavement Commissioners act as the Urban Sanitary
Authority of the Town , and comprise the Members of the
Council , and Members chosen by the Commissioners them
selves . Their jurisdiction embraces the Borough area and a
part of Preston Street beyond .

POLICE . The Borough Police Force consists of a Head
Constable , a Sergeant , and six other Constables .

POPULATION .– At the census taken in 1871 there were
1534 inhabited houses , and 7921 persons . The population
has since increased .

Page 22

The effects of Wat Tyler’s rebellion extended to the
neighbourhood of Faversham .

Levies and insurrections
were made at Dartford , on 5th June , 1381 , and the rioters
betook themselves towards Canterbury , committing great
damage , even to killing some , pulling down houses of others ,
plundering the gaols at Maidstone and Rochester , setting
free the felons who were manacled with irons there , and
perpetrating other treasons of the same kind .

John Gardener
a tailor of Faversham , met the insurgents on 10th June at
Preston , and he , with many others , entered the close of
William Makenade , assaulted him , and would have killed
him had not James de Frogenale and Thomas Seyntleger
become bail for him , to fulfil John Gardener’s requirement .

He also went with others to Lymost , in Preston , ejected
Stephen de Makenade from his land and destroyed lime
sacks and utensils found there , and so he went on to Ospringe
and commanded Richard Bertelot to pay him instantly
twenty shillings , or else he would pull down his house and
kill him , and from there he carried away wine flagons , and
other utensils .

On the same day , William Smyth of Boughton , baker , and
others , broke into a house and plundered the goods .

John
Robyn and others assaulted and nearly killed the Constable
of Boughton Hundred , and made him pay a fine ; and John
Brown , a labourer at Faversham , and his companions , pulled
down John Kateby’s house , in Boughton .

On 12th June , Roger Baldewyn , of Boughton , raised
insurrection with other malefactors , and was present aiding
and abetting , when Simon , Archbishop of Canterbury , was
murdered .

On 29th June , Henry Bongay and others assaulted Nicolas
at Crouche , at Ospringe , and compelled him to pay a ransom
of one hundred shillings .