By mistake I ended up in West Malling, but it was a good thing, as the village is chocolate box pretty, and the church very fine indeed. The only church I visited that had no wardens to welcome (I think, sorry if I have mis-remembered). Anyway, a fine church, amazing coat of arms, and glad I visited.

 

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A story of all's well that ends well. A Norman tower and thirteenth-century chancel are linked by a twentieth-century nave that had in its turn replaced one erected to replace its medieval predecessor in the eighteenth century! The west window and those in the south aisle are by C.E. Kempe and Co. Ltd, and of special note is the one depicting the Three Kings. On the south side of the chancel, backing on to a medieval lean-to vestry, is the splendid tomb of Sir Robert Brett (d. 1620), which has recently been restored. The colours are superb and show how churches must have looked when these monuments were new. In the north aisle is a large painting of the Last Supper by Francis Slater, the eighteenth-century artist who painted the ceilings of nearby Mereworth Castle. Hanging on the front of the west gallery are the outstanding Royal Arms of James II, of carved and painted wood. The twentieth-century rebuilding of the church was financed by the sale of an Elizabethan stoneware jug (now in the British Museum), the transaction being recorded on an inscribed stone in the north porch.

 

www.kentchurches.info/church.asp?p=West+Malling

 

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WESTWARD from East Malling lies the town and parish of West Malling, now most commonly called Town Malling.

 

It is written in Domesday, MALLENGETIS, and in the Textus Roffensis, MELLINGES. In many deeds after the conquest, it is stiled MILLINGES PARVA, to distinguish it from East Malling, then the larger and more noted village of the two.

 

The town and parish of West Malling, excepting the borough of St. Leonard, which is under the jurisdiction of the constables of the hundred of Larkfield, is under the jurisdiction of its own constables, of which there are two chosen yearly.

 

THE PARISH of Town Malling, as it is usually called, is situated equally pleasant and healthy. It lies on high ground, and though dry is well watered, the soil of it being in the northern part a sand, the rest of it a loam, covering the quarry rock, which is very fertile, as has been frequently noticed before in the like situations. The high road from London through Wrotham to Maidstone, at the twenty-ninth mile stone leads along the northern boundaries of the parish, being called in king Edmund's grant of this place to the bishop of Rochester, the military way, no doubt from its having been used as such by the Romans, southward of it the ground gently rising; at less than a quarter of a mile's distance is the town of Malling, which is well built, having many genteel houses in it, the streets of a handsome width, and well paved. At the east end of it is the abbey, to which the approach is by a venerable antient gateway. Although the house itself was almost all of it pulled down and rebuilt by Mr. Honywood, yet many of the antient buildings and offices be longing to it are still remaining, and are made use of as such at present. A handsome tower of the church, the front of which is decorated with intersecting arches and zig-zag ornaments, similar to those on the west front of Rochester cathedral, built by the same founder, bishop Gundulph, is still remaining, as is an antient chapel or oratory, now made use of as a dwellinghouse.

 

From the foundations discovered in levelling the ground by Mr. Honywood, it appears, that this abbey consisted of two quadrangles or courts, with cloysters, and a spacious hall; and that the church had another tower, of the like size to that now standing. The burying-place seems to have been on the south side of the church, as in digging there, great quantities of human bones have been thrown up, and two stone coffins with skeletons in them, the lids of them had no inscriptions on them, but were ornamented each with a cross, having a quaterfoil pierced at the upper end, the stem of which was crossed more than once with foliage, several rings and trinkets, and some old coins have likewise been found at different times in cleaning away the rubbish.

 

Over the west end of the grand gateway, which stands at the entrance into the precinct of the abbey from the town, at the west end of the building, there is carved in stone, a heart distilling drops of blood, and on the other side, in a shield, Ermine, a crozier in bend sinister, on a chief three annulets.

 

In the meadows above the gardens, are large square excavations still visible, where the fish ponds of the aunnery formerly were.

 

The precinct of this monastery is washed by a rivulet of excellent clear water, which rising in the hamlet of St. Leonard, runs by the house, and through the gardens of it, whence gushing through the wall with a cascade, it crosses the road towards the Rev. Mr. Brooke's gardens. There is a view of this abbey in its present state published by Mr. Grose, in his Antiquities of England.

 

Near the abbey gate there is a good house, with a large garden, canal, and pleasure grounds, behind it, reaching down to the London road. It has been many years the residence of the Brooke's, from whom it passed by the will of Joseph Brooke, esq. who died in 1792, after the decease of his widow in 1796, to the Rev. John Kenward Shaw, brother of Sir John Gregory Shaw, bart. who has since, in pursuance of the above will, and by the king's licence, taken the name of Brooke, and now resides in it. A little further westward there is a very antient stone building, called the Old Gaol, having narrow gothic windows, and the walls of great thickness. It is reported to have been the prison belonging to the abbey, and is now used as an oast for the drying of hops. About the middle of the street stands the church, and a little distance from it a good house, late the residence of Benjamin Hubble, esq. whose family have been inhabitants of this town for some length of time, several of them lying buried in this church. He died in 1780, leaving his widow, sister of Richard Savage, esq. of Boughton Monchelsea, surviving, and two daughters, his coheirs, one of whom having married Thomas Augustus Douce, esq. he now resides in it; further southward is the hamlet of St. Leonard, now making part of the town, and called St. Leonard's-street, in which is an antient seat, some years ago the residence of Charles Stewart, esq. whose father admiral Stewart purchased it of judge Twisden. This district had once a cell in it, belonging to the abbey, with a chapel. It was given at the time the manor and church was to it, as has been already mentioned. The whole of it has been long since desecrated, and in ruins; the square tower of the chapel which stands in the next field south-west from the late Mr. Stewart's house, is all that remains of it. It was purchased by him some years ago, of Sir John Honywood, in exchange for other premises near the abbey, and is now made use of as a stowage for hops. Mr. Stewart died in 1780, and was buried near his father in this church, and he was succeeded here by the hon. admiral John Forbes, who lately died posfessed of it. A market is held in the principal highstreet every Saturday, which is plentifully supplied and well frequented. There are three fairs, which are held by the alteration of the stile on August 12, October 2, and November 17, yearly, for horses, cattle, toys, &c. The whole town is excellently well watered with fine springs, which having supplied the town and abbey, collect themselves into one stream, and passing northward through Mr. Brooke's grounds, cross the high Maidstone road, and runs from thence into the Addington brook, just above Leyborne mill.

 

About half a mile south-east from the abbey there is a good modern-built house, called New Barne, which formerly belonged to Mr. Alchin, from whom it passed to Graham, the present possessor, who resides in it.

 

Above St. Leonard's street is the high road from Teston over East-Malling-heath, and through this parish to Offham, southward of which this parish extends into the large tract of coppice woods which reach to West Peckham and Mereworth.

 

Dr. William Briggs, an eminent physician, resided at the latter end of the last century at Town Malling, where he died, Sept. 1704, æt. 64, and was buried in this church, He was a great traveller into foreign countries, and was greatly esteemed for his skill in his profession, as well as for his learning, of which the several writings he published are sufficient testimonies. He was physician in ordinary to king William, and to St. Thomas's hospital, and bore his arms, Gules, three bars gemelles, or, a canton sable. (fn. 1)

 

THIS PLACE was given, about the year 945, by Edmund, king of the Angles and of Mercia, to Burhric, bishop of Rochester, by the description of a small portion of his land, called Meallingas, containing three plough lands; and he granted it to him, for the good of his soul, in perpetual inheritance, in augmentation of the revenues of his monastery of St. Andrew, with all its rights, liberties, members, and appurtenances, and this he did with the consent of his nobles and princes, whose names were subscribed to it. After the names of king Edmund, Edred his brother, and Eadgife his mother, are those of the archbishops and bishops, and then that of Ælgifu, the king's concubine, Ego Ælgifu Concubina Regis affui, and after her the dukes, &c. The bounds of this land are thus described in Saxon, viz. from the south part of it to the king's plaine, and from thence to the bounds of the parish of Offaham, and thence to the military way, and so along the said way over Lilleburne to the bounds of the parish of Est Meallinges, and so directly southward from the east of the cross or gallows to the broad way towards the south, in a direct line along the said way to the king's plaine. To which the king added certain denberies for the pannage of hogs.

 

This land did not continue long in the possession of the church of Rochester, being wrested from it in the time of the Danish wars; and when William the Conqueror had attained the crown, he gave it to Odo, bishop of Baieux, his half brother, from whom it was recovered, together with the church of Mallinges, in the solemn assembly of the whole county held on this occasion, by the king's command, at Pinenden heath, in 1076, by archbishop Lanfrance, who afterward restored it to bishop Gundulph, and the church of St. Andrew; which gift was confirmed by archbishops Anselm and Boniface. (fn. 2)

 

In the survey of Domesday, taken about four years afterwards, this manor is thus described, under the general title of the bishop of Rochester's lands:

 

The same bishop (of Rochester) holds Mellingetes, it was taxed, in the time of king Edward the Confessor, at three sulings, and now at one and an half. The arable land is three carucates. In demesne there is one, and five villeins, with fix borderers, having two carucates. There is a church, and one mill of two shillings, wood for the pannage of twenty hogs. In the time of king Edward the Confessor, and afterwards, it was worth forty shillings, and now four pounds.

 

Bishop Gundulph, in the 4th year of the reign of king William Rufus, anno 1090, having founded an abbey of Benedictine nuns in this parish, to the honor of the Virgin Mary, gave this manor and church to it, with other possessions for the endowment of it; (fn. 3) and although it was, about one hundred years after its being first erected, with the adjoining village, destroyed by fire, yet it was again soon afterwards re-edified, and continued to increase in a flourishing state.

 

In the 7th year of king Edward I. anno 1278, the abbess of Malling claimed sundry liberties in this parish, by grant from king Henry III. and a market weekly throughout the year on a Saturday and Wednesday; and she claimed by grant from king John to have warren in all her lands at Malling, by grant from king Henry, from time beyond memory; and to have fairs in the parish on the eve, day, and morrow of St. Matthew the apostle, and the like on the eve, and day of St. Leonard, and the like on the eve, and day of St. Peter, ad vincula.

 

By which, and such like favours granted to it, this place, which at the first foundation of the monastery was plain fields, and almost without an inhabitant, became notwithstanding its former calamity mentioned before, exceedingly populous from the numbers who flocked to it from all parts, who building themselves houses here, increased the village to a large size, well suited for trade, to the no small emolument of the nuns; whence it soon lost its name of Malling Parva, which was for some time transferred to the neighbouring parish of East Malling, as appears by some grants, &c. of this time, and king Edward III. (fn. 4)

 

In the 15th year of king Edward I. the temporalities of the abbess of Malling in this parish and East Malling were valued at forty-five pounds.

 

There was an annual pension of ten pounds of wax, and one boar, paid by the abbess to the bishop of Rochester, as an acknowledgment of her subjection to that see.

 

In the year 1321, the bishop of Rochester, at the king's request, to whom the nuns had made a complaint, that their monastery was ruined by the bad management of their abbess, sister of Bartholomew de Badlesmere, visited it, and heard the complaints against her; in consequence of which she resigned, and the lady Agnes de Leyborne, was chosen in her room. Three years after which she died, and the bishop, at the unanimous request of the nuns, appointed Lora de Retling abbess here, though much against his will, knowing her to be very ignorant, and unfit for the office. However, he inhibited her giving a corredy to her maid servant, as had been the custom, and sequestered their common seal, inhibiting her from using it without his licence.

 

A great pestilence raging in the year 1348, the bishop made two abbesses here, who presently died; nor were there more than four nuns professed, and four not professed, remaining in this monastery; and he com mitted the custody of the spirituals and temporals to two of them, as there was not a proper person for the office of abbess.

 

In the year 1493, anno 9 Henry VII. Joane Moone was abbess of this monastery. (fn. 5)

 

This abbey was surrendered into the king's hands, with all its possessions, (fn. 6) among which were the manors of East and West Malling, with the precincts of Ewell and Parrock annexed to the latter, by Margaret Vernon, abbess, and the convent of it, in the 30th year of king Henry VIII. at which time it was valued at 245l. 10s. 2½d. annual rent, according to Speed, and 218l. 4s. 2½d. clear value, according to Dugdale, and there was granted to the abbess a pension of forty pounds yearly, and to eleven nuns from 31. 6s. 8d. down to 2l. 13s. 4d. yearly pensions, each for their lives.

 

After which that king, by his letters patent, in his 31st year, granted and sold, in exchange, among other premises, to Thomas Cranmer, archbishop of Canterbury, the scite of the abbey, with the precinct and circuit of it, and the manors of West Malling, Ewell, and Parocke, and the parsonage of West Malling, late appropriate to it, excepting to the king all advowsons, presentations, &c. to hold by knight's service, at the yearly rent therein mentioned; and as the king was entitled to the tenths of these premises, he discharged the archbishop of them, and all other outgoings whatsoever, except the rent therein mentioned. Which grant was in consequence of an indenture made between the king and the archbishop, inrolled in the Augmentation-office.

 

These manors and premises were again exchanged with the crown in the beginning of the reign of queen Elizabeth, in the 12th year of which she granted them in lease to Sir Henry Brooke, alias Cobham, fifth son of Sir George Brooke, lord Cobham; after which they were held by the same possessors, as the manor of East Malling before described, till at length, after the death of Sir Robert Brett, anno 1621, king James granted the manor of West, alias Town Malling, with the precinct of Ewell annexed, the scite of the late monastery, with the house, buildings, and ground within the precinct of it with all their appurtenances, late parcel of the possessions of the late monastery, in fee, to John Rayney, esq. which was further confirmed to Sir John Rayney, his eldest son, in the 2d year of king Charles I. He was of Wrothamplace, in this neighbourhood, and was created a baronet of Nova Scotia, in 1641, and his son of the same name, about the time of the restoration, conveyed these premises to Isaac Honywood, gent. of Hampsted, Middlesex, who was the only son of Edward, third son of Sir Thomas Honywood, of Elmsted, ancestor likewise of the present Sir John Honywood, of Elmsted, baronet, and he continued to bear the same coat of arms; whose second son, Isaac Honywood, esq. of Hampsted, succeeded him in this manor and estate. Frazer Honywood, esq. of Hampsted and London, his only son and heir, rebuilt the abbey house of Malling in the antient gothic taste, at a very great expence, making it one of the seats of his residence, and having thus greatly improved it, he died possessed of this seat and manor, with the estate belonging to it, in 1764, leaving no issue by his wife, the daughter of Abraham Atkins, of Clapham. He gave them, as well as the rest of his estates here and elsewhere, by will, to his kinsman, Sir John Honywood, bart. of Elmsted, and his heirs male, with divers remainders over to the family of Honywood. Sir John Honywood, bart. is since deceased, and his grandson of the same name is the present owner of this manor, with the precinct of Ewell annexed, and the seat of Malling abbey, with the lands and appurtenances in this parish belonging to it, but Mr. Foote resides in it.

 

The family of Say antiently possessed THE MANOR of CLEMENTS IN EWELL, in this parish. Geoffry de Say held it in the 7th year of king Edward II. as half a knight's fee. His son, Geoffry de Say, paid aid for it in the 20th year of king Edward III. as half a knight's fee, which John at Forde held before in Ewell, in Malling, of the bishop of Rochester. This manor was afterwards in the name of Coveney, (fn. 7) and in the latter end of king Henry VIII. it was in the possession of Mr. William Fowle. Since which it has sunk into such obscurity, that neither the scite nor the owners of it can be traced out even by the most diligent enquiries.

 

CHARITIES.

 

THERE is a lecture founded in this church of a sermon every fortnight, on the Saturday; two of the preachers to be the ministers of East and West Malling, who are to be paid 10s. for every sermon they preach; the other preachers are appointed at the will of the trustees.

 

FRANCIS TRESSE, gent. of this town, who died in 1632, by his will gave a piece of land, and 40l. towards the building of a free school in this parish; and he charged one of his houses in Town Malling with the sum of 13s. 4d. per annum, for the keeping of it in repair; and appointed that four principal freeholders of this parish should be trustees for the execution of this part of his will for ever. This school was accordingly erected, and was made use of for the teaching of boys writing and arithmetic. The charity is veisted in the minister and tour substantial freehold inhabitants, and the estate out of which it is paid in Mr. Robert Sutton, of this parish, but there being no master, the school-house is at present let to the late master's widow at 2gs. perannum, which with the 13s. 4d. is applied towards the maintaining of the building. He also gave two silver cups for the use of the holy communion, and 6s. 8d. payable yearly out of a piece of land, called Cousin's Plat, now vested in Mary Brome, widow.

 

SIR ROBERT BRETT, by will in 1620, gave land sufficient to pay yearly 10s. per week, to be bestowed in bread and meat to twenty poor persons, or else to be distributed in money to them. His executors accordingly conveyed lands in Tewksbury, in Gloucestershire, for this purpose, which is now vested in lord Romney, and twenty-three others, trustees, of the annual produce of 26l. but of late years the annual produce has been but 19l. 14s.

 

TOWN MALLING is within the ECCLESIASTICAL JURIDISCTION of the diocese of Rochester, and gives name to the deanry of Malling, in which it is situated.

 

The church, which is a handsome building, with an elegant spire steeple, is dedicated to St. Mary.

 

At the latter end of the year 1778, some of the main pillars of the body of it giving way, the whole roof of it fell in, leaving only the steeple and chancel at the two extremities of it standing. It has since been repaired, and thoroughly finished by a brief, which was obtained for that purpose.

 

The church of West Malling was given, with the manor, to the church of Rochester, by king Edmund, in 945; and having afterwards been taken from it, was again restored by archbishop Lanfranc to bishop Gundulph, in the time of the Conqueror, who gave it to the monastery here, at his foundation of it, and this gift was confirmed by several succeeding kings, archbishops of Canterbury, bishops of Rochester, &c. as has been already mentioned.

 

It was appropriated to the abbess and convent by bishop Gundulph, at the time it was given to them; which appropriation was specially confirmed by Simon, archbishop of Canterbury, in the year 1351.

 

In the reign of king Edward III. great discutes arising between the abbess and nuns of this monastery, and Robert de Beulton, perpetual vicar of this church, especially concerning the receiving of the tithes of flax and hemp, and the payment of archidiaconal procurations, they were at last settled by Hamo, bishop of Rochester, who in the year 1339, decreed, that, saving the due and accustomed portion of the prebend of the great mass in the conventual church of Malling, and the portion of the vicar, as undermentioned, the religious should take all tithes of corn within the parish, and all oblations and obventions belonging to their conventual church, and the cell of St. Leonard; and that they should not be bound to pay to the vicar the tithes of their hay, woods, or mills. And whereas the bishop was informed, and it was allowed, that the above-mentioned prebendary, and other domestics, serving in the monastery, or in the houses of the prebendary, or perpetual chaplain, celebrating for the dead, as also the brothers and sisters, and other persons dwelling in the monastery, or house of the prebendary, who, when they were without the monastery and houses, were not housekeepers in the parish, were wont to receive the sacraments and sacramentals, in life and in death, and to be buried there, if they happened to die within the monastery or houses, unless by chance they chose to be buried elsewhere; in which case, the religious had the first mass for the body before them, in their monastery, and received all the oblations then and there made, so that no portion was left for the vicar of the parish church. And further, that the prebendary for the time being had been used to receive antiently, and to that time, in part of the portion due to him, all the great and small tithes of the demesne lands of the religious, and of the food of their cattle, and also the great tithes arising from many of the crofts of their tenants situated in the said parish, and also the small tithes of his house, and of the house and land of the perpetual chaplain aforesaid, and all the predial tithes arising from the houses or messuages, curtilages and gardens, late of Thomas atte Shoppe and William Cake, in the street, called Holirode-strete, of this parish of Malling, situated above the house of the prebendary; and of all the houses, messuages, curtilages, and gardens whatsoever, from thence towards the east and north in Holirode-street, and in the street, called Tan-street, as far as the end of the parish of Malling on that side; and that the religious and prebendary had possessed all and singular the premises aforesaid, in certain distinct portions, peaceably and without contradiction, from the time beyond memory. (fn. 8)

 

The bishop, therefore, that none of the premises should be altered, decreed, saving all and every matter as aforesaid, that the vicar should receive for his portion all other small tithes, oblations, obventions and profits belonging to the parish church more especially, viz. the tithe of herbage, silva cedua, apples, pears, flax, hemp, wool, milk, cheese, calves, lambs, pigs, pidgeons, geese, ducks, bees, eggs, merchandizings, fowlings, fishings, swans, pulse, and other fruits, and also of corn growing in orchards or gardens, as he had-been accustomed to receive them.

 

¶And that the vicar should also receive the personal tithes of the inhabitants of the houses or messuages of Thomas atte Shoppe and William Cake, and of others, inhabiting in the houses or messuages situated in the streets, called Holirode-strete and Tan-strete, and the oblations due and accustomed to the parish church, and should administer ecclesiastical rights to them, and should have the burial of them in the parish church; and that the vicar should have for his habitation, as assigned to him by the religious, the dwelling with its precinct, which the vicar then inhabited, and his predecessors used to inhabit, which he should repair at his own expence, and preserve in a decent state, and should pay the yearly rents and services, due and accustomed from thence; all which the bishop adjudged to be a sufficient portion for the vicar for the time being. And he further decreed, that the vicar should cause the books to be bound, the vestments to be washed; and the same, and the rest of the ornaments of the parish church, which belonged to the religious to find, as often as need should require, to be repaired, and should cause them to be safely and honestly kept; and that he should provide and find bread, wine, processional tapers, and other lights necessary and accustomed in the chancel, the necessary and accustomed ministers, rochets, surplices, napkins, unconsecrated vessels, basons, and also green rushes to strow the church, if they had been so accustomed, and did not belong to the parishioners to find; and that he should pay the dues to the bishop, and the archidiaconal procurations, and that the vicar should acknowledge and undergo, according to the rate of the taxation of his portion as under-mentioned, all ordinaries and extraordinaries, which, although it might amount to five marcs, being near the moiety of the value of the whole church, according to the estimation then had, he decreed should remain according to the antient taxation of it, as often as burthens of this kind were to be borne, and paid from small benefices. And he decreed, that the religious should acknowledge and undergo all and singular other burthens happening to the parish church, by reason of their portion, which he estimated at twelve marcs, according to the antient taxation of it, notwithstanding this assignation, which was made with the consent of both parties, and which by his episcopal authority, he corroborated and confirmed, &c. and that it might not be called in doubt in future times, or be litigated, he had caused it to be entered in his register, and to be reduced into three different writings, of which he decreed one to remain in the hands of the religious, another in the hands of the vicar, and the third in the hands of the prebendary aforesaid, to perpetuate the memory of it, and had caused it to be authenticated with his seal, &c.

 

This parsonage, prebend, and the advowson of the vicarage, were, on the dissolution of the abbey in the 30th year of king Henry VIII. surrendered into the king's hands. After which the king, next year, granted this parsonage, with the manor of West Malling, and other premises, to Thomas Cranmer, archbishop of Canterbury, to hold by knight's service, at the yearly rent therein mentioned. After which it passed, with the manor of West Malling, in a like succession of ownership, down to Sir John Rayney, bart. who sold these premises, about the time of the restoration, to judge Twisden, and his descendant, Sir John Papillon Twisden, bart. is the present possessor of this parsonage, and the advowson of the vicarage of West or Town Malling.

 

The vicarage is valued in the king's books at ten pounds, and the yearly tenths at one pound.

 

www.british-history.ac.uk/survey-kent/vol4/pp518-533

trans action of aylesbury a43

By mistake I ended up in West Malling, but it was a good thing, as the village is chocolate box pretty, and the church very fine indeed. The only church I visited that had no wardens to welcome (I think, sorry if I have mis-remembered). Anyway, a fine church, amazing coat of arms, and glad I visited.

 

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A story of all's well that ends well. A Norman tower and thirteenth-century chancel are linked by a twentieth-century nave that had in its turn replaced one erected to replace its medieval predecessor in the eighteenth century! The west window and those in the south aisle are by C.E. Kempe and Co. Ltd, and of special note is the one depicting the Three Kings. On the south side of the chancel, backing on to a medieval lean-to vestry, is the splendid tomb of Sir Robert Brett (d. 1620), which has recently been restored. The colours are superb and show how churches must have looked when these monuments were new. In the north aisle is a large painting of the Last Supper by Francis Slater, the eighteenth-century artist who painted the ceilings of nearby Mereworth Castle. Hanging on the front of the west gallery are the outstanding Royal Arms of James II, of carved and painted wood. The twentieth-century rebuilding of the church was financed by the sale of an Elizabethan stoneware jug (now in the British Museum), the transaction being recorded on an inscribed stone in the north porch.

 

www.kentchurches.info/church.asp?p=West+Malling

 

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WESTWARD from East Malling lies the town and parish of West Malling, now most commonly called Town Malling.

 

It is written in Domesday, MALLENGETIS, and in the Textus Roffensis, MELLINGES. In many deeds after the conquest, it is stiled MILLINGES PARVA, to distinguish it from East Malling, then the larger and more noted village of the two.

 

The town and parish of West Malling, excepting the borough of St. Leonard, which is under the jurisdiction of the constables of the hundred of Larkfield, is under the jurisdiction of its own constables, of which there are two chosen yearly.

 

THE PARISH of Town Malling, as it is usually called, is situated equally pleasant and healthy. It lies on high ground, and though dry is well watered, the soil of it being in the northern part a sand, the rest of it a loam, covering the quarry rock, which is very fertile, as has been frequently noticed before in the like situations. The high road from London through Wrotham to Maidstone, at the twenty-ninth mile stone leads along the northern boundaries of the parish, being called in king Edmund's grant of this place to the bishop of Rochester, the military way, no doubt from its having been used as such by the Romans, southward of it the ground gently rising; at less than a quarter of a mile's distance is the town of Malling, which is well built, having many genteel houses in it, the streets of a handsome width, and well paved. At the east end of it is the abbey, to which the approach is by a venerable antient gateway. Although the house itself was almost all of it pulled down and rebuilt by Mr. Honywood, yet many of the antient buildings and offices be longing to it are still remaining, and are made use of as such at present. A handsome tower of the church, the front of which is decorated with intersecting arches and zig-zag ornaments, similar to those on the west front of Rochester cathedral, built by the same founder, bishop Gundulph, is still remaining, as is an antient chapel or oratory, now made use of as a dwellinghouse.

 

From the foundations discovered in levelling the ground by Mr. Honywood, it appears, that this abbey consisted of two quadrangles or courts, with cloysters, and a spacious hall; and that the church had another tower, of the like size to that now standing. The burying-place seems to have been on the south side of the church, as in digging there, great quantities of human bones have been thrown up, and two stone coffins with skeletons in them, the lids of them had no inscriptions on them, but were ornamented each with a cross, having a quaterfoil pierced at the upper end, the stem of which was crossed more than once with foliage, several rings and trinkets, and some old coins have likewise been found at different times in cleaning away the rubbish.

 

Over the west end of the grand gateway, which stands at the entrance into the precinct of the abbey from the town, at the west end of the building, there is carved in stone, a heart distilling drops of blood, and on the other side, in a shield, Ermine, a crozier in bend sinister, on a chief three annulets.

 

In the meadows above the gardens, are large square excavations still visible, where the fish ponds of the aunnery formerly were.

 

The precinct of this monastery is washed by a rivulet of excellent clear water, which rising in the hamlet of St. Leonard, runs by the house, and through the gardens of it, whence gushing through the wall with a cascade, it crosses the road towards the Rev. Mr. Brooke's gardens. There is a view of this abbey in its present state published by Mr. Grose, in his Antiquities of England.

 

Near the abbey gate there is a good house, with a large garden, canal, and pleasure grounds, behind it, reaching down to the London road. It has been many years the residence of the Brooke's, from whom it passed by the will of Joseph Brooke, esq. who died in 1792, after the decease of his widow in 1796, to the Rev. John Kenward Shaw, brother of Sir John Gregory Shaw, bart. who has since, in pursuance of the above will, and by the king's licence, taken the name of Brooke, and now resides in it. A little further westward there is a very antient stone building, called the Old Gaol, having narrow gothic windows, and the walls of great thickness. It is reported to have been the prison belonging to the abbey, and is now used as an oast for the drying of hops. About the middle of the street stands the church, and a little distance from it a good house, late the residence of Benjamin Hubble, esq. whose family have been inhabitants of this town for some length of time, several of them lying buried in this church. He died in 1780, leaving his widow, sister of Richard Savage, esq. of Boughton Monchelsea, surviving, and two daughters, his coheirs, one of whom having married Thomas Augustus Douce, esq. he now resides in it; further southward is the hamlet of St. Leonard, now making part of the town, and called St. Leonard's-street, in which is an antient seat, some years ago the residence of Charles Stewart, esq. whose father admiral Stewart purchased it of judge Twisden. This district had once a cell in it, belonging to the abbey, with a chapel. It was given at the time the manor and church was to it, as has been already mentioned. The whole of it has been long since desecrated, and in ruins; the square tower of the chapel which stands in the next field south-west from the late Mr. Stewart's house, is all that remains of it. It was purchased by him some years ago, of Sir John Honywood, in exchange for other premises near the abbey, and is now made use of as a stowage for hops. Mr. Stewart died in 1780, and was buried near his father in this church, and he was succeeded here by the hon. admiral John Forbes, who lately died posfessed of it. A market is held in the principal highstreet every Saturday, which is plentifully supplied and well frequented. There are three fairs, which are held by the alteration of the stile on August 12, October 2, and November 17, yearly, for horses, cattle, toys, &c. The whole town is excellently well watered with fine springs, which having supplied the town and abbey, collect themselves into one stream, and passing northward through Mr. Brooke's grounds, cross the high Maidstone road, and runs from thence into the Addington brook, just above Leyborne mill.

 

About half a mile south-east from the abbey there is a good modern-built house, called New Barne, which formerly belonged to Mr. Alchin, from whom it passed to Graham, the present possessor, who resides in it.

 

Above St. Leonard's street is the high road from Teston over East-Malling-heath, and through this parish to Offham, southward of which this parish extends into the large tract of coppice woods which reach to West Peckham and Mereworth.

 

Dr. William Briggs, an eminent physician, resided at the latter end of the last century at Town Malling, where he died, Sept. 1704, æt. 64, and was buried in this church, He was a great traveller into foreign countries, and was greatly esteemed for his skill in his profession, as well as for his learning, of which the several writings he published are sufficient testimonies. He was physician in ordinary to king William, and to St. Thomas's hospital, and bore his arms, Gules, three bars gemelles, or, a canton sable. (fn. 1)

 

THIS PLACE was given, about the year 945, by Edmund, king of the Angles and of Mercia, to Burhric, bishop of Rochester, by the description of a small portion of his land, called Meallingas, containing three plough lands; and he granted it to him, for the good of his soul, in perpetual inheritance, in augmentation of the revenues of his monastery of St. Andrew, with all its rights, liberties, members, and appurtenances, and this he did with the consent of his nobles and princes, whose names were subscribed to it. After the names of king Edmund, Edred his brother, and Eadgife his mother, are those of the archbishops and bishops, and then that of Ælgifu, the king's concubine, Ego Ælgifu Concubina Regis affui, and after her the dukes, &c. The bounds of this land are thus described in Saxon, viz. from the south part of it to the king's plaine, and from thence to the bounds of the parish of Offaham, and thence to the military way, and so along the said way over Lilleburne to the bounds of the parish of Est Meallinges, and so directly southward from the east of the cross or gallows to the broad way towards the south, in a direct line along the said way to the king's plaine. To which the king added certain denberies for the pannage of hogs.

 

This land did not continue long in the possession of the church of Rochester, being wrested from it in the time of the Danish wars; and when William the Conqueror had attained the crown, he gave it to Odo, bishop of Baieux, his half brother, from whom it was recovered, together with the church of Mallinges, in the solemn assembly of the whole county held on this occasion, by the king's command, at Pinenden heath, in 1076, by archbishop Lanfrance, who afterward restored it to bishop Gundulph, and the church of St. Andrew; which gift was confirmed by archbishops Anselm and Boniface. (fn. 2)

 

In the survey of Domesday, taken about four years afterwards, this manor is thus described, under the general title of the bishop of Rochester's lands:

 

The same bishop (of Rochester) holds Mellingetes, it was taxed, in the time of king Edward the Confessor, at three sulings, and now at one and an half. The arable land is three carucates. In demesne there is one, and five villeins, with fix borderers, having two carucates. There is a church, and one mill of two shillings, wood for the pannage of twenty hogs. In the time of king Edward the Confessor, and afterwards, it was worth forty shillings, and now four pounds.

 

Bishop Gundulph, in the 4th year of the reign of king William Rufus, anno 1090, having founded an abbey of Benedictine nuns in this parish, to the honor of the Virgin Mary, gave this manor and church to it, with other possessions for the endowment of it; (fn. 3) and although it was, about one hundred years after its being first erected, with the adjoining village, destroyed by fire, yet it was again soon afterwards re-edified, and continued to increase in a flourishing state.

 

In the 7th year of king Edward I. anno 1278, the abbess of Malling claimed sundry liberties in this parish, by grant from king Henry III. and a market weekly throughout the year on a Saturday and Wednesday; and she claimed by grant from king John to have warren in all her lands at Malling, by grant from king Henry, from time beyond memory; and to have fairs in the parish on the eve, day, and morrow of St. Matthew the apostle, and the like on the eve, and day of St. Leonard, and the like on the eve, and day of St. Peter, ad vincula.

 

By which, and such like favours granted to it, this place, which at the first foundation of the monastery was plain fields, and almost without an inhabitant, became notwithstanding its former calamity mentioned before, exceedingly populous from the numbers who flocked to it from all parts, who building themselves houses here, increased the village to a large size, well suited for trade, to the no small emolument of the nuns; whence it soon lost its name of Malling Parva, which was for some time transferred to the neighbouring parish of East Malling, as appears by some grants, &c. of this time, and king Edward III. (fn. 4)

 

In the 15th year of king Edward I. the temporalities of the abbess of Malling in this parish and East Malling were valued at forty-five pounds.

 

There was an annual pension of ten pounds of wax, and one boar, paid by the abbess to the bishop of Rochester, as an acknowledgment of her subjection to that see.

 

In the year 1321, the bishop of Rochester, at the king's request, to whom the nuns had made a complaint, that their monastery was ruined by the bad management of their abbess, sister of Bartholomew de Badlesmere, visited it, and heard the complaints against her; in consequence of which she resigned, and the lady Agnes de Leyborne, was chosen in her room. Three years after which she died, and the bishop, at the unanimous request of the nuns, appointed Lora de Retling abbess here, though much against his will, knowing her to be very ignorant, and unfit for the office. However, he inhibited her giving a corredy to her maid servant, as had been the custom, and sequestered their common seal, inhibiting her from using it without his licence.

 

A great pestilence raging in the year 1348, the bishop made two abbesses here, who presently died; nor were there more than four nuns professed, and four not professed, remaining in this monastery; and he com mitted the custody of the spirituals and temporals to two of them, as there was not a proper person for the office of abbess.

 

In the year 1493, anno 9 Henry VII. Joane Moone was abbess of this monastery. (fn. 5)

 

This abbey was surrendered into the king's hands, with all its possessions, (fn. 6) among which were the manors of East and West Malling, with the precincts of Ewell and Parrock annexed to the latter, by Margaret Vernon, abbess, and the convent of it, in the 30th year of king Henry VIII. at which time it was valued at 245l. 10s. 2½d. annual rent, according to Speed, and 218l. 4s. 2½d. clear value, according to Dugdale, and there was granted to the abbess a pension of forty pounds yearly, and to eleven nuns from 31. 6s. 8d. down to 2l. 13s. 4d. yearly pensions, each for their lives.

 

After which that king, by his letters patent, in his 31st year, granted and sold, in exchange, among other premises, to Thomas Cranmer, archbishop of Canterbury, the scite of the abbey, with the precinct and circuit of it, and the manors of West Malling, Ewell, and Parocke, and the parsonage of West Malling, late appropriate to it, excepting to the king all advowsons, presentations, &c. to hold by knight's service, at the yearly rent therein mentioned; and as the king was entitled to the tenths of these premises, he discharged the archbishop of them, and all other outgoings whatsoever, except the rent therein mentioned. Which grant was in consequence of an indenture made between the king and the archbishop, inrolled in the Augmentation-office.

 

These manors and premises were again exchanged with the crown in the beginning of the reign of queen Elizabeth, in the 12th year of which she granted them in lease to Sir Henry Brooke, alias Cobham, fifth son of Sir George Brooke, lord Cobham; after which they were held by the same possessors, as the manor of East Malling before described, till at length, after the death of Sir Robert Brett, anno 1621, king James granted the manor of West, alias Town Malling, with the precinct of Ewell annexed, the scite of the late monastery, with the house, buildings, and ground within the precinct of it with all their appurtenances, late parcel of the possessions of the late monastery, in fee, to John Rayney, esq. which was further confirmed to Sir John Rayney, his eldest son, in the 2d year of king Charles I. He was of Wrothamplace, in this neighbourhood, and was created a baronet of Nova Scotia, in 1641, and his son of the same name, about the time of the restoration, conveyed these premises to Isaac Honywood, gent. of Hampsted, Middlesex, who was the only son of Edward, third son of Sir Thomas Honywood, of Elmsted, ancestor likewise of the present Sir John Honywood, of Elmsted, baronet, and he continued to bear the same coat of arms; whose second son, Isaac Honywood, esq. of Hampsted, succeeded him in this manor and estate. Frazer Honywood, esq. of Hampsted and London, his only son and heir, rebuilt the abbey house of Malling in the antient gothic taste, at a very great expence, making it one of the seats of his residence, and having thus greatly improved it, he died possessed of this seat and manor, with the estate belonging to it, in 1764, leaving no issue by his wife, the daughter of Abraham Atkins, of Clapham. He gave them, as well as the rest of his estates here and elsewhere, by will, to his kinsman, Sir John Honywood, bart. of Elmsted, and his heirs male, with divers remainders over to the family of Honywood. Sir John Honywood, bart. is since deceased, and his grandson of the same name is the present owner of this manor, with the precinct of Ewell annexed, and the seat of Malling abbey, with the lands and appurtenances in this parish belonging to it, but Mr. Foote resides in it.

 

The family of Say antiently possessed THE MANOR of CLEMENTS IN EWELL, in this parish. Geoffry de Say held it in the 7th year of king Edward II. as half a knight's fee. His son, Geoffry de Say, paid aid for it in the 20th year of king Edward III. as half a knight's fee, which John at Forde held before in Ewell, in Malling, of the bishop of Rochester. This manor was afterwards in the name of Coveney, (fn. 7) and in the latter end of king Henry VIII. it was in the possession of Mr. William Fowle. Since which it has sunk into such obscurity, that neither the scite nor the owners of it can be traced out even by the most diligent enquiries.

 

CHARITIES.

 

THERE is a lecture founded in this church of a sermon every fortnight, on the Saturday; two of the preachers to be the ministers of East and West Malling, who are to be paid 10s. for every sermon they preach; the other preachers are appointed at the will of the trustees.

 

FRANCIS TRESSE, gent. of this town, who died in 1632, by his will gave a piece of land, and 40l. towards the building of a free school in this parish; and he charged one of his houses in Town Malling with the sum of 13s. 4d. per annum, for the keeping of it in repair; and appointed that four principal freeholders of this parish should be trustees for the execution of this part of his will for ever. This school was accordingly erected, and was made use of for the teaching of boys writing and arithmetic. The charity is veisted in the minister and tour substantial freehold inhabitants, and the estate out of which it is paid in Mr. Robert Sutton, of this parish, but there being no master, the school-house is at present let to the late master's widow at 2gs. perannum, which with the 13s. 4d. is applied towards the maintaining of the building. He also gave two silver cups for the use of the holy communion, and 6s. 8d. payable yearly out of a piece of land, called Cousin's Plat, now vested in Mary Brome, widow.

 

SIR ROBERT BRETT, by will in 1620, gave land sufficient to pay yearly 10s. per week, to be bestowed in bread and meat to twenty poor persons, or else to be distributed in money to them. His executors accordingly conveyed lands in Tewksbury, in Gloucestershire, for this purpose, which is now vested in lord Romney, and twenty-three others, trustees, of the annual produce of 26l. but of late years the annual produce has been but 19l. 14s.

 

TOWN MALLING is within the ECCLESIASTICAL JURIDISCTION of the diocese of Rochester, and gives name to the deanry of Malling, in which it is situated.

 

The church, which is a handsome building, with an elegant spire steeple, is dedicated to St. Mary.

 

At the latter end of the year 1778, some of the main pillars of the body of it giving way, the whole roof of it fell in, leaving only the steeple and chancel at the two extremities of it standing. It has since been repaired, and thoroughly finished by a brief, which was obtained for that purpose.

 

The church of West Malling was given, with the manor, to the church of Rochester, by king Edmund, in 945; and having afterwards been taken from it, was again restored by archbishop Lanfranc to bishop Gundulph, in the time of the Conqueror, who gave it to the monastery here, at his foundation of it, and this gift was confirmed by several succeeding kings, archbishops of Canterbury, bishops of Rochester, &c. as has been already mentioned.

 

It was appropriated to the abbess and convent by bishop Gundulph, at the time it was given to them; which appropriation was specially confirmed by Simon, archbishop of Canterbury, in the year 1351.

 

In the reign of king Edward III. great discutes arising between the abbess and nuns of this monastery, and Robert de Beulton, perpetual vicar of this church, especially concerning the receiving of the tithes of flax and hemp, and the payment of archidiaconal procurations, they were at last settled by Hamo, bishop of Rochester, who in the year 1339, decreed, that, saving the due and accustomed portion of the prebend of the great mass in the conventual church of Malling, and the portion of the vicar, as undermentioned, the religious should take all tithes of corn within the parish, and all oblations and obventions belonging to their conventual church, and the cell of St. Leonard; and that they should not be bound to pay to the vicar the tithes of their hay, woods, or mills. And whereas the bishop was informed, and it was allowed, that the above-mentioned prebendary, and other domestics, serving in the monastery, or in the houses of the prebendary, or perpetual chaplain, celebrating for the dead, as also the brothers and sisters, and other persons dwelling in the monastery, or house of the prebendary, who, when they were without the monastery and houses, were not housekeepers in the parish, were wont to receive the sacraments and sacramentals, in life and in death, and to be buried there, if they happened to die within the monastery or houses, unless by chance they chose to be buried elsewhere; in which case, the religious had the first mass for the body before them, in their monastery, and received all the oblations then and there made, so that no portion was left for the vicar of the parish church. And further, that the prebendary for the time being had been used to receive antiently, and to that time, in part of the portion due to him, all the great and small tithes of the demesne lands of the religious, and of the food of their cattle, and also the great tithes arising from many of the crofts of their tenants situated in the said parish, and also the small tithes of his house, and of the house and land of the perpetual chaplain aforesaid, and all the predial tithes arising from the houses or messuages, curtilages and gardens, late of Thomas atte Shoppe and William Cake, in the street, called Holirode-strete, of this parish of Malling, situated above the house of the prebendary; and of all the houses, messuages, curtilages, and gardens whatsoever, from thence towards the east and north in Holirode-street, and in the street, called Tan-street, as far as the end of the parish of Malling on that side; and that the religious and prebendary had possessed all and singular the premises aforesaid, in certain distinct portions, peaceably and without contradiction, from the time beyond memory. (fn. 8)

 

The bishop, therefore, that none of the premises should be altered, decreed, saving all and every matter as aforesaid, that the vicar should receive for his portion all other small tithes, oblations, obventions and profits belonging to the parish church more especially, viz. the tithe of herbage, silva cedua, apples, pears, flax, hemp, wool, milk, cheese, calves, lambs, pigs, pidgeons, geese, ducks, bees, eggs, merchandizings, fowlings, fishings, swans, pulse, and other fruits, and also of corn growing in orchards or gardens, as he had-been accustomed to receive them.

 

¶And that the vicar should also receive the personal tithes of the inhabitants of the houses or messuages of Thomas atte Shoppe and William Cake, and of others, inhabiting in the houses or messuages situated in the streets, called Holirode-strete and Tan-strete, and the oblations due and accustomed to the parish church, and should administer ecclesiastical rights to them, and should have the burial of them in the parish church; and that the vicar should have for his habitation, as assigned to him by the religious, the dwelling with its precinct, which the vicar then inhabited, and his predecessors used to inhabit, which he should repair at his own expence, and preserve in a decent state, and should pay the yearly rents and services, due and accustomed from thence; all which the bishop adjudged to be a sufficient portion for the vicar for the time being. And he further decreed, that the vicar should cause the books to be bound, the vestments to be washed; and the same, and the rest of the ornaments of the parish church, which belonged to the religious to find, as often as need should require, to be repaired, and should cause them to be safely and honestly kept; and that he should provide and find bread, wine, processional tapers, and other lights necessary and accustomed in the chancel, the necessary and accustomed ministers, rochets, surplices, napkins, unconsecrated vessels, basons, and also green rushes to strow the church, if they had been so accustomed, and did not belong to the parishioners to find; and that he should pay the dues to the bishop, and the archidiaconal procurations, and that the vicar should acknowledge and undergo, according to the rate of the taxation of his portion as under-mentioned, all ordinaries and extraordinaries, which, although it might amount to five marcs, being near the moiety of the value of the whole church, according to the estimation then had, he decreed should remain according to the antient taxation of it, as often as burthens of this kind were to be borne, and paid from small benefices. And he decreed, that the religious should acknowledge and undergo all and singular other burthens happening to the parish church, by reason of their portion, which he estimated at twelve marcs, according to the antient taxation of it, notwithstanding this assignation, which was made with the consent of both parties, and which by his episcopal authority, he corroborated and confirmed, &c. and that it might not be called in doubt in future times, or be litigated, he had caused it to be entered in his register, and to be reduced into three different writings, of which he decreed one to remain in the hands of the religious, another in the hands of the vicar, and the third in the hands of the prebendary aforesaid, to perpetuate the memory of it, and had caused it to be authenticated with his seal, &c.

 

This parsonage, prebend, and the advowson of the vicarage, were, on the dissolution of the abbey in the 30th year of king Henry VIII. surrendered into the king's hands. After which the king, next year, granted this parsonage, with the manor of West Malling, and other premises, to Thomas Cranmer, archbishop of Canterbury, to hold by knight's service, at the yearly rent therein mentioned. After which it passed, with the manor of West Malling, in a like succession of ownership, down to Sir John Rayney, bart. who sold these premises, about the time of the restoration, to judge Twisden, and his descendant, Sir John Papillon Twisden, bart. is the present possessor of this parsonage, and the advowson of the vicarage of West or Town Malling.

 

The vicarage is valued in the king's books at ten pounds, and the yearly tenths at one pound.

 

www.british-history.ac.uk/survey-kent/vol4/pp518-533

Mostly hidden behind the 1954 brick addition.

 

Foundation stone 10 May 1869 by John Hodgkiss, designed by George William Highet, limestone with brick quoins & stucco dressings, opened 22 Sep 1869, extensions opened 29 Apr 1919. In a back room of the Town Hall, schools were held by John Gurr 1876 & Lucretia Brown 1875-1877. Baptist church services from 1915 until own church opened 1918. When new Municipal Offices were opened 1937 on Jetty Road, the building was leased to Brighton RSL Sub-branch (who developed bowling greens adjacent), also some rooms used by Mothers & Babies and Old Age Pensioner groups. With merger of RSL clubs 2008, the building was left unoccupied. The 1954 front brick addition was removed as unsafe 2014. Heritage listed building restored 2018.

 

“foundation-stone of the Brighton Town Hall was laid by the Hon. John Hodgkiss, M.L.C. The site chosen was an acre and a half of land situate about the centre of the town, which had been purchased by the Corporation. . . the building was originally intended for a Council Chamber, but the Council afterwards decided to raise a more substantial building that would serve for the wants of the citizens as well as for the transaction of Corporation business After the erection of the building it would be used as their Council Chamber, but not exclusively as such, as it would be thrown open as a reading room and he was pleased to say that a number of gentlemen had promised books to establish a library, and he hoped many others would also contribute. The Hall would likewise be appropriated for the purpose of monthly lectures, entertainments, and other meetings for the people. . . The foundations are concrete, with limestone for superstructure, the building being finished in dressed stone from Mr. Ayliffe's quarry near Glen Osmond.” [Advertiser 24 May 1869]

 

“Brighton Town Hall . . . The formal opening . . . being celebrated by means of a tea meeting and concert which was very numerously attended. The Brightonians have, to a certain extent gone ahead of the people of the Bay, in being the first to erect a Town Hall, though something like six years ago the Glenelgites voluntarily taxed themselves for the erection of a public schoolroom, which was supposed to have answered the civic purpose as well as the educational, but seemingly it would not answer, as no meeting of the corporate body has ever taken place in it. . . The walls are of limestone, with brick quoins and stucco dressings. The Hall is 48 feet long, by a breadth of 28 feet, and 20 feet in height, and contains a platform of 8 feet.” [Register 23 Sep 1869]

 

“On Easter Monday the annual festival of the Brighton Band of Hope and Rechabite Tents was held in the Town Hall. The weather was favorable, although at times it looked threatening. About l2 o'clock: the Norwood Excelsior Lifeboat Crew and drum, and fife band arrived in one of Hill &'Co.’s large coaches, accompanied by a number of friends from Adelaide and Norwood. . . On Wednesday the members of the Band of Hope met for the purpose of proceeding to the paddock of Mr. Everard for a picnic, that gentleman having kindly lent it for the occasion, but owing to the unfavorable state of the weather they decided to spend the day in the Town Hall, and the adjoining paddock of Mr. Eckersby.”[Express & Telegraph 18 Apr 1873]

 

“Brighton. . . Town Clerk reported having let Town Hall to Oddfellows, Brighton Lodge, for their ordinary meetings, at £4 4s. per annum.” [Evening Journal 10 Jul 1873]

 

“Brighton. . . Mr. J. Gurr applied for the use of the Town Hall for a superior school after midwinter.” [Register 1 May 1876]

 

“His Worship reported having obtained from Mr. J. Gurr (who was about leaving the Colony) £7 10s., being a half-year's rent due for the use of the Town Hall as a School-room. A letter was read from Mrs. Gurr, requesting the Council to take possession.” [Express & Telegraph 3 Feb 1877]

 

“Brighton. The ninth annual Juvenile Exhibition in connection with the Brighton Floricultnral Society was held in the local Town Hall. . . The hall was most tastefully decorated with flowers and draperies, while paintings, maps, and drawings adorned the walls. The committee were very fortunate this year in respect to the weather, a beautiful warm day, moderated by a cool sea breeze, prevailing. . . A rather amusing sight was the different modes by which the children conveyed their exhibits. All the forenoon might be seen wheelbarrows, perambulators, handcarts, boxes on wheels, and even a small cart drawn by a dog on their way to the hall. . . Plants in pots, cut flowers, bouquets, and table designs were especially good. Vegetables and herbs were well represented. In needlework and fancy work there were a great number of exhibits. . . Handiwork and artistic work were good, that of the latter done by tho inmates of the Blind and Deaf and Dumb Institution being especially worthy of mention.” [Register 24 Oct 1891]

 

“the pantomime 'Aladdin or the Wonderful Lamp’ was given by the members of the Gondolier Musical Society in the Brighton Town Hall in aid of St. Jude's Church Building Fund.” [Register 9 Dec 1892]

 

“The Brighton Town Hall was filled on Monday afternoon when a drawing room entertainment was given in aid of the Queen Victoria Home for Convalescent Children.” [Advertiser 29 Jun 1897]

 

“The members of the Brighton Gymnastic Class entertained their friends . . . in the Brighton Town Hall on Wednesday evening, when a gymnastic display was given.” [Register 15 Oct 1897]

 

“Miss Sprod's music pupils entertained several friends in the Brighton Town Hall on Friday evening, the occasion being the annual concert prior to going into recess.” [Register 20 Dec 1897]

 

“A strawberry fete and bazaar in aid of the funds of the Brighton Methodist church took place on Saturday afternoon in the Brighton Town Hall. It was opened by Mrs. F. W. Holder, and proved a great success, the takings amounting to about £34.” [Register 27 Nov 1900]

 

“The Baptists at Brighton have secured the use of the local Town Hall for the purpose of holding regular Sunday services. These will begin on the first Sunday in August.” [Advertiser 24 Jul 1915]

 

“In connection with the recruiting campaign a meeting was held in the Brighton Town Hall. . . appealed for recruits, and said if men were prepared to do their duty for the King and Empire he felt sure whatever calling, they gave up to do so, they would be shown every consideration by their employers on their return from the front. . . Now was the time for men to enlist, for the need of more and more men at Gallipoli was serious indeed. He appealed to those who were able to serve their country not to hesitate in coming forward.” [Register 16 Aug 1915]

 

“A roll of honor, containing the names of 71 residents of Brighton who have enlisted, was unveiled in the local Town Hall. . . The tablet would remain as a memorial of the spirit of the men of Brighton who were fighting shoulder to shoulder with their French, Serbian, and Russian Allies in order to crush German tyranny and bring about the triumph of freedom.” [Advertiser 4 Sep 1916]

 

“A somewhat unsightly and inadequate building has done duty for years, and it was felt that the time had arrived when something better should be provided. The additions now made to the hall will be greatly appreciated. On one side of the existing building a handsome council chamber . . . furnished throughout in blackwood. . . Adjoining this is a spacious office for the transaction of public business with accommodation for the town clerk. . . Corresponding with this on the other side of the main hall is an up-to-date room, 38 x 14 for the use of the local institute library.” [Register 6 Mar 1919]

 

“Brighton. . . the recent additions to the local town hall were officially opened by the Mayor of Brighton (Mr. J. H. Grundy). . . a commodious council chamber, with up-to-date accommodation for the Town Clerk, and his staff and a public office for the convenience of ratepayers and others doing business with the council. This structure has been erected on the east side of the existing hall, and a fine building for the housing of the library owned by the institute has been added on the west side.” [Register 30 Apr 1919]

 

“The Brighton Council has decided to ascertain what amount can be obtained by hiring its town hall to the public instead of holding council meetings there. At a meeting last night Ald. Giltrap said that £500 had been spent on improving the hall so that the public could use it, but since the improvements the council had monopolised it as a council chamber.” [News 7 Feb 1933]

 

“The Brighton Council has decided to hold a special meeting to consider the building of a new town hall and municipal offices as a centenary project.” [News 29 Nov 1934]

 

“Councillor Hewish suggested that, in the event of a new council chamber and town hall being built, the existing building should be handed over to the local sub-branch of the Returned Soldiers' League at a nominal rental. Councillor Niehuus supported the suggestion, but Councillor Bruce said he thought it was premature. It would be better, in his opinion, to discuss the matter later. No action was taken.” [Advertiser 15 Sep 1936]

 

“Because about 200 Brighton ratepayers have objected to the council raising a loan of £6,000 to construct a new town hall and municipal offices, a poll will be held.” [News 21 Dec 1936]

 

“Although the Brighton Council, by a majority of one vote, decided at its meeting last night to take steps for the erection of municipal offices and a council chamber, to cost £3.000 . . . the mayor (Mr. F. J. Brown) told members that because of the divided opinion he did not think it advisable to instruct the town clerk to proceed.” [News 26 Jan 1937]

 

“To discuss whether new municipal offices for Brighton should be built on the site of the present town hall alongside the Hove Railway Station, or on another block owned by the corporation at the corner of Jetty and Rainbow roads, Brighton, a public meeting will be held in Brighton Town Hall tonight. The mayor (Mr. F. J. Brown) will preside. At a recent meeting the council, by a majority of one vote, decided to build municipal offices at a cost of £3.000. Provision is made in the plans for the addition of a hall at a later date.” [News 17 Feb 1937]

 

“In a plebiscite conducted by the Brighton Council on Saturday, ratepayers decided by a majority of 16 votes that the proposed new municipal offices and council chamber should be erected on a site at the corner of Rainbow and Jetty roads, Brighton. The voting was as follows: — For Jetty road site 176. For present site (Brighton road) 160. There was only a 10 per cent poll. Only about 10 people were present when the town clerk (Mr. A. H. Sanders) announced the result at the Brighton Town Hall.” [Advertiser 22 Feb 1937]

 

“If a new site is chosen, it should be on the main Brighton road, next to the Savings Bank for preference; otherwise rebuild a town hail and offices on the existing site. Such buildings would look ridiculous half way down Jetty road. Why not have another referendum?” [Advertiser 11 May 1937]

 

“A conference will be held between representatives of the Brighton Council and the Brighton, Seacliff and Marion sub-branch of the R.S.L. tomorrow night to discuss the conditions under which the old Town Hall will be made available to the sub branch. . . the main hall of the old building should be made available to the R.S.L., with provision made for the needs of ratepayers for public meetings and other functions, and the northern annexe could be made available to the local Old Age Pensioners' Association, and the southern annexe to the local branch of the Mothers and Babies' Health Association.” [Advertiser 18 Aug 1937]

 

“'It is a debt the Brighton Council and the residents of the district owe to the returned soldiers,' said the Mayor of Brighton (Mr. F. J. Brown) on Saturday night, when officially handing over portion of the building formerly used for municipal purposes to the Brighton, Seacliff, and Marion sub-branch of the R.S.S.I.L.” [Advertiser 30 May 1938]

 

“members greatly appreciated the action of the Brighton Corporation In allowing the association the free use of portion of the old town hall building for meetings and social functions. . . The corporation was pleased to hand over the building for the use of three societies: — Old Age Pensioners. Mothers and Babies' Health, and the Returned Soldiers.” [Advertiser 4 Feb 1938]

 

By mistake I ended up in West Malling, but it was a good thing, as the village is chocolate box pretty, and the church very fine indeed. The only church I visited that had no wardens to welcome (I think, sorry if I have mis-remembered). Anyway, a fine church, amazing coat of arms, and glad I visited.

 

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A story of all's well that ends well. A Norman tower and thirteenth-century chancel are linked by a twentieth-century nave that had in its turn replaced one erected to replace its medieval predecessor in the eighteenth century! The west window and those in the south aisle are by C.E. Kempe and Co. Ltd, and of special note is the one depicting the Three Kings. On the south side of the chancel, backing on to a medieval lean-to vestry, is the splendid tomb of Sir Robert Brett (d. 1620), which has recently been restored. The colours are superb and show how churches must have looked when these monuments were new. In the north aisle is a large painting of the Last Supper by Francis Slater, the eighteenth-century artist who painted the ceilings of nearby Mereworth Castle. Hanging on the front of the west gallery are the outstanding Royal Arms of James II, of carved and painted wood. The twentieth-century rebuilding of the church was financed by the sale of an Elizabethan stoneware jug (now in the British Museum), the transaction being recorded on an inscribed stone in the north porch.

 

www.kentchurches.info/church.asp?p=West+Malling

 

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WESTWARD from East Malling lies the town and parish of West Malling, now most commonly called Town Malling.

 

It is written in Domesday, MALLENGETIS, and in the Textus Roffensis, MELLINGES. In many deeds after the conquest, it is stiled MILLINGES PARVA, to distinguish it from East Malling, then the larger and more noted village of the two.

 

The town and parish of West Malling, excepting the borough of St. Leonard, which is under the jurisdiction of the constables of the hundred of Larkfield, is under the jurisdiction of its own constables, of which there are two chosen yearly.

 

THE PARISH of Town Malling, as it is usually called, is situated equally pleasant and healthy. It lies on high ground, and though dry is well watered, the soil of it being in the northern part a sand, the rest of it a loam, covering the quarry rock, which is very fertile, as has been frequently noticed before in the like situations. The high road from London through Wrotham to Maidstone, at the twenty-ninth mile stone leads along the northern boundaries of the parish, being called in king Edmund's grant of this place to the bishop of Rochester, the military way, no doubt from its having been used as such by the Romans, southward of it the ground gently rising; at less than a quarter of a mile's distance is the town of Malling, which is well built, having many genteel houses in it, the streets of a handsome width, and well paved. At the east end of it is the abbey, to which the approach is by a venerable antient gateway. Although the house itself was almost all of it pulled down and rebuilt by Mr. Honywood, yet many of the antient buildings and offices be longing to it are still remaining, and are made use of as such at present. A handsome tower of the church, the front of which is decorated with intersecting arches and zig-zag ornaments, similar to those on the west front of Rochester cathedral, built by the same founder, bishop Gundulph, is still remaining, as is an antient chapel or oratory, now made use of as a dwellinghouse.

 

From the foundations discovered in levelling the ground by Mr. Honywood, it appears, that this abbey consisted of two quadrangles or courts, with cloysters, and a spacious hall; and that the church had another tower, of the like size to that now standing. The burying-place seems to have been on the south side of the church, as in digging there, great quantities of human bones have been thrown up, and two stone coffins with skeletons in them, the lids of them had no inscriptions on them, but were ornamented each with a cross, having a quaterfoil pierced at the upper end, the stem of which was crossed more than once with foliage, several rings and trinkets, and some old coins have likewise been found at different times in cleaning away the rubbish.

 

Over the west end of the grand gateway, which stands at the entrance into the precinct of the abbey from the town, at the west end of the building, there is carved in stone, a heart distilling drops of blood, and on the other side, in a shield, Ermine, a crozier in bend sinister, on a chief three annulets.

 

In the meadows above the gardens, are large square excavations still visible, where the fish ponds of the aunnery formerly were.

 

The precinct of this monastery is washed by a rivulet of excellent clear water, which rising in the hamlet of St. Leonard, runs by the house, and through the gardens of it, whence gushing through the wall with a cascade, it crosses the road towards the Rev. Mr. Brooke's gardens. There is a view of this abbey in its present state published by Mr. Grose, in his Antiquities of England.

 

Near the abbey gate there is a good house, with a large garden, canal, and pleasure grounds, behind it, reaching down to the London road. It has been many years the residence of the Brooke's, from whom it passed by the will of Joseph Brooke, esq. who died in 1792, after the decease of his widow in 1796, to the Rev. John Kenward Shaw, brother of Sir John Gregory Shaw, bart. who has since, in pursuance of the above will, and by the king's licence, taken the name of Brooke, and now resides in it. A little further westward there is a very antient stone building, called the Old Gaol, having narrow gothic windows, and the walls of great thickness. It is reported to have been the prison belonging to the abbey, and is now used as an oast for the drying of hops. About the middle of the street stands the church, and a little distance from it a good house, late the residence of Benjamin Hubble, esq. whose family have been inhabitants of this town for some length of time, several of them lying buried in this church. He died in 1780, leaving his widow, sister of Richard Savage, esq. of Boughton Monchelsea, surviving, and two daughters, his coheirs, one of whom having married Thomas Augustus Douce, esq. he now resides in it; further southward is the hamlet of St. Leonard, now making part of the town, and called St. Leonard's-street, in which is an antient seat, some years ago the residence of Charles Stewart, esq. whose father admiral Stewart purchased it of judge Twisden. This district had once a cell in it, belonging to the abbey, with a chapel. It was given at the time the manor and church was to it, as has been already mentioned. The whole of it has been long since desecrated, and in ruins; the square tower of the chapel which stands in the next field south-west from the late Mr. Stewart's house, is all that remains of it. It was purchased by him some years ago, of Sir John Honywood, in exchange for other premises near the abbey, and is now made use of as a stowage for hops. Mr. Stewart died in 1780, and was buried near his father in this church, and he was succeeded here by the hon. admiral John Forbes, who lately died posfessed of it. A market is held in the principal highstreet every Saturday, which is plentifully supplied and well frequented. There are three fairs, which are held by the alteration of the stile on August 12, October 2, and November 17, yearly, for horses, cattle, toys, &c. The whole town is excellently well watered with fine springs, which having supplied the town and abbey, collect themselves into one stream, and passing northward through Mr. Brooke's grounds, cross the high Maidstone road, and runs from thence into the Addington brook, just above Leyborne mill.

 

About half a mile south-east from the abbey there is a good modern-built house, called New Barne, which formerly belonged to Mr. Alchin, from whom it passed to Graham, the present possessor, who resides in it.

 

Above St. Leonard's street is the high road from Teston over East-Malling-heath, and through this parish to Offham, southward of which this parish extends into the large tract of coppice woods which reach to West Peckham and Mereworth.

 

Dr. William Briggs, an eminent physician, resided at the latter end of the last century at Town Malling, where he died, Sept. 1704, æt. 64, and was buried in this church, He was a great traveller into foreign countries, and was greatly esteemed for his skill in his profession, as well as for his learning, of which the several writings he published are sufficient testimonies. He was physician in ordinary to king William, and to St. Thomas's hospital, and bore his arms, Gules, three bars gemelles, or, a canton sable. (fn. 1)

 

THIS PLACE was given, about the year 945, by Edmund, king of the Angles and of Mercia, to Burhric, bishop of Rochester, by the description of a small portion of his land, called Meallingas, containing three plough lands; and he granted it to him, for the good of his soul, in perpetual inheritance, in augmentation of the revenues of his monastery of St. Andrew, with all its rights, liberties, members, and appurtenances, and this he did with the consent of his nobles and princes, whose names were subscribed to it. After the names of king Edmund, Edred his brother, and Eadgife his mother, are those of the archbishops and bishops, and then that of Ælgifu, the king's concubine, Ego Ælgifu Concubina Regis affui, and after her the dukes, &c. The bounds of this land are thus described in Saxon, viz. from the south part of it to the king's plaine, and from thence to the bounds of the parish of Offaham, and thence to the military way, and so along the said way over Lilleburne to the bounds of the parish of Est Meallinges, and so directly southward from the east of the cross or gallows to the broad way towards the south, in a direct line along the said way to the king's plaine. To which the king added certain denberies for the pannage of hogs.

 

This land did not continue long in the possession of the church of Rochester, being wrested from it in the time of the Danish wars; and when William the Conqueror had attained the crown, he gave it to Odo, bishop of Baieux, his half brother, from whom it was recovered, together with the church of Mallinges, in the solemn assembly of the whole county held on this occasion, by the king's command, at Pinenden heath, in 1076, by archbishop Lanfrance, who afterward restored it to bishop Gundulph, and the church of St. Andrew; which gift was confirmed by archbishops Anselm and Boniface. (fn. 2)

 

In the survey of Domesday, taken about four years afterwards, this manor is thus described, under the general title of the bishop of Rochester's lands:

 

The same bishop (of Rochester) holds Mellingetes, it was taxed, in the time of king Edward the Confessor, at three sulings, and now at one and an half. The arable land is three carucates. In demesne there is one, and five villeins, with fix borderers, having two carucates. There is a church, and one mill of two shillings, wood for the pannage of twenty hogs. In the time of king Edward the Confessor, and afterwards, it was worth forty shillings, and now four pounds.

 

Bishop Gundulph, in the 4th year of the reign of king William Rufus, anno 1090, having founded an abbey of Benedictine nuns in this parish, to the honor of the Virgin Mary, gave this manor and church to it, with other possessions for the endowment of it; (fn. 3) and although it was, about one hundred years after its being first erected, with the adjoining village, destroyed by fire, yet it was again soon afterwards re-edified, and continued to increase in a flourishing state.

 

In the 7th year of king Edward I. anno 1278, the abbess of Malling claimed sundry liberties in this parish, by grant from king Henry III. and a market weekly throughout the year on a Saturday and Wednesday; and she claimed by grant from king John to have warren in all her lands at Malling, by grant from king Henry, from time beyond memory; and to have fairs in the parish on the eve, day, and morrow of St. Matthew the apostle, and the like on the eve, and day of St. Leonard, and the like on the eve, and day of St. Peter, ad vincula.

 

By which, and such like favours granted to it, this place, which at the first foundation of the monastery was plain fields, and almost without an inhabitant, became notwithstanding its former calamity mentioned before, exceedingly populous from the numbers who flocked to it from all parts, who building themselves houses here, increased the village to a large size, well suited for trade, to the no small emolument of the nuns; whence it soon lost its name of Malling Parva, which was for some time transferred to the neighbouring parish of East Malling, as appears by some grants, &c. of this time, and king Edward III. (fn. 4)

 

In the 15th year of king Edward I. the temporalities of the abbess of Malling in this parish and East Malling were valued at forty-five pounds.

 

There was an annual pension of ten pounds of wax, and one boar, paid by the abbess to the bishop of Rochester, as an acknowledgment of her subjection to that see.

 

In the year 1321, the bishop of Rochester, at the king's request, to whom the nuns had made a complaint, that their monastery was ruined by the bad management of their abbess, sister of Bartholomew de Badlesmere, visited it, and heard the complaints against her; in consequence of which she resigned, and the lady Agnes de Leyborne, was chosen in her room. Three years after which she died, and the bishop, at the unanimous request of the nuns, appointed Lora de Retling abbess here, though much against his will, knowing her to be very ignorant, and unfit for the office. However, he inhibited her giving a corredy to her maid servant, as had been the custom, and sequestered their common seal, inhibiting her from using it without his licence.

 

A great pestilence raging in the year 1348, the bishop made two abbesses here, who presently died; nor were there more than four nuns professed, and four not professed, remaining in this monastery; and he com mitted the custody of the spirituals and temporals to two of them, as there was not a proper person for the office of abbess.

 

In the year 1493, anno 9 Henry VII. Joane Moone was abbess of this monastery. (fn. 5)

 

This abbey was surrendered into the king's hands, with all its possessions, (fn. 6) among which were the manors of East and West Malling, with the precincts of Ewell and Parrock annexed to the latter, by Margaret Vernon, abbess, and the convent of it, in the 30th year of king Henry VIII. at which time it was valued at 245l. 10s. 2½d. annual rent, according to Speed, and 218l. 4s. 2½d. clear value, according to Dugdale, and there was granted to the abbess a pension of forty pounds yearly, and to eleven nuns from 31. 6s. 8d. down to 2l. 13s. 4d. yearly pensions, each for their lives.

 

After which that king, by his letters patent, in his 31st year, granted and sold, in exchange, among other premises, to Thomas Cranmer, archbishop of Canterbury, the scite of the abbey, with the precinct and circuit of it, and the manors of West Malling, Ewell, and Parocke, and the parsonage of West Malling, late appropriate to it, excepting to the king all advowsons, presentations, &c. to hold by knight's service, at the yearly rent therein mentioned; and as the king was entitled to the tenths of these premises, he discharged the archbishop of them, and all other outgoings whatsoever, except the rent therein mentioned. Which grant was in consequence of an indenture made between the king and the archbishop, inrolled in the Augmentation-office.

 

These manors and premises were again exchanged with the crown in the beginning of the reign of queen Elizabeth, in the 12th year of which she granted them in lease to Sir Henry Brooke, alias Cobham, fifth son of Sir George Brooke, lord Cobham; after which they were held by the same possessors, as the manor of East Malling before described, till at length, after the death of Sir Robert Brett, anno 1621, king James granted the manor of West, alias Town Malling, with the precinct of Ewell annexed, the scite of the late monastery, with the house, buildings, and ground within the precinct of it with all their appurtenances, late parcel of the possessions of the late monastery, in fee, to John Rayney, esq. which was further confirmed to Sir John Rayney, his eldest son, in the 2d year of king Charles I. He was of Wrothamplace, in this neighbourhood, and was created a baronet of Nova Scotia, in 1641, and his son of the same name, about the time of the restoration, conveyed these premises to Isaac Honywood, gent. of Hampsted, Middlesex, who was the only son of Edward, third son of Sir Thomas Honywood, of Elmsted, ancestor likewise of the present Sir John Honywood, of Elmsted, baronet, and he continued to bear the same coat of arms; whose second son, Isaac Honywood, esq. of Hampsted, succeeded him in this manor and estate. Frazer Honywood, esq. of Hampsted and London, his only son and heir, rebuilt the abbey house of Malling in the antient gothic taste, at a very great expence, making it one of the seats of his residence, and having thus greatly improved it, he died possessed of this seat and manor, with the estate belonging to it, in 1764, leaving no issue by his wife, the daughter of Abraham Atkins, of Clapham. He gave them, as well as the rest of his estates here and elsewhere, by will, to his kinsman, Sir John Honywood, bart. of Elmsted, and his heirs male, with divers remainders over to the family of Honywood. Sir John Honywood, bart. is since deceased, and his grandson of the same name is the present owner of this manor, with the precinct of Ewell annexed, and the seat of Malling abbey, with the lands and appurtenances in this parish belonging to it, but Mr. Foote resides in it.

 

The family of Say antiently possessed THE MANOR of CLEMENTS IN EWELL, in this parish. Geoffry de Say held it in the 7th year of king Edward II. as half a knight's fee. His son, Geoffry de Say, paid aid for it in the 20th year of king Edward III. as half a knight's fee, which John at Forde held before in Ewell, in Malling, of the bishop of Rochester. This manor was afterwards in the name of Coveney, (fn. 7) and in the latter end of king Henry VIII. it was in the possession of Mr. William Fowle. Since which it has sunk into such obscurity, that neither the scite nor the owners of it can be traced out even by the most diligent enquiries.

 

CHARITIES.

 

THERE is a lecture founded in this church of a sermon every fortnight, on the Saturday; two of the preachers to be the ministers of East and West Malling, who are to be paid 10s. for every sermon they preach; the other preachers are appointed at the will of the trustees.

 

FRANCIS TRESSE, gent. of this town, who died in 1632, by his will gave a piece of land, and 40l. towards the building of a free school in this parish; and he charged one of his houses in Town Malling with the sum of 13s. 4d. per annum, for the keeping of it in repair; and appointed that four principal freeholders of this parish should be trustees for the execution of this part of his will for ever. This school was accordingly erected, and was made use of for the teaching of boys writing and arithmetic. The charity is veisted in the minister and tour substantial freehold inhabitants, and the estate out of which it is paid in Mr. Robert Sutton, of this parish, but there being no master, the school-house is at present let to the late master's widow at 2gs. perannum, which with the 13s. 4d. is applied towards the maintaining of the building. He also gave two silver cups for the use of the holy communion, and 6s. 8d. payable yearly out of a piece of land, called Cousin's Plat, now vested in Mary Brome, widow.

 

SIR ROBERT BRETT, by will in 1620, gave land sufficient to pay yearly 10s. per week, to be bestowed in bread and meat to twenty poor persons, or else to be distributed in money to them. His executors accordingly conveyed lands in Tewksbury, in Gloucestershire, for this purpose, which is now vested in lord Romney, and twenty-three others, trustees, of the annual produce of 26l. but of late years the annual produce has been but 19l. 14s.

 

TOWN MALLING is within the ECCLESIASTICAL JURIDISCTION of the diocese of Rochester, and gives name to the deanry of Malling, in which it is situated.

 

The church, which is a handsome building, with an elegant spire steeple, is dedicated to St. Mary.

 

At the latter end of the year 1778, some of the main pillars of the body of it giving way, the whole roof of it fell in, leaving only the steeple and chancel at the two extremities of it standing. It has since been repaired, and thoroughly finished by a brief, which was obtained for that purpose.

 

The church of West Malling was given, with the manor, to the church of Rochester, by king Edmund, in 945; and having afterwards been taken from it, was again restored by archbishop Lanfranc to bishop Gundulph, in the time of the Conqueror, who gave it to the monastery here, at his foundation of it, and this gift was confirmed by several succeeding kings, archbishops of Canterbury, bishops of Rochester, &c. as has been already mentioned.

 

It was appropriated to the abbess and convent by bishop Gundulph, at the time it was given to them; which appropriation was specially confirmed by Simon, archbishop of Canterbury, in the year 1351.

 

In the reign of king Edward III. great discutes arising between the abbess and nuns of this monastery, and Robert de Beulton, perpetual vicar of this church, especially concerning the receiving of the tithes of flax and hemp, and the payment of archidiaconal procurations, they were at last settled by Hamo, bishop of Rochester, who in the year 1339, decreed, that, saving the due and accustomed portion of the prebend of the great mass in the conventual church of Malling, and the portion of the vicar, as undermentioned, the religious should take all tithes of corn within the parish, and all oblations and obventions belonging to their conventual church, and the cell of St. Leonard; and that they should not be bound to pay to the vicar the tithes of their hay, woods, or mills. And whereas the bishop was informed, and it was allowed, that the above-mentioned prebendary, and other domestics, serving in the monastery, or in the houses of the prebendary, or perpetual chaplain, celebrating for the dead, as also the brothers and sisters, and other persons dwelling in the monastery, or house of the prebendary, who, when they were without the monastery and houses, were not housekeepers in the parish, were wont to receive the sacraments and sacramentals, in life and in death, and to be buried there, if they happened to die within the monastery or houses, unless by chance they chose to be buried elsewhere; in which case, the religious had the first mass for the body before them, in their monastery, and received all the oblations then and there made, so that no portion was left for the vicar of the parish church. And further, that the prebendary for the time being had been used to receive antiently, and to that time, in part of the portion due to him, all the great and small tithes of the demesne lands of the religious, and of the food of their cattle, and also the great tithes arising from many of the crofts of their tenants situated in the said parish, and also the small tithes of his house, and of the house and land of the perpetual chaplain aforesaid, and all the predial tithes arising from the houses or messuages, curtilages and gardens, late of Thomas atte Shoppe and William Cake, in the street, called Holirode-strete, of this parish of Malling, situated above the house of the prebendary; and of all the houses, messuages, curtilages, and gardens whatsoever, from thence towards the east and north in Holirode-street, and in the street, called Tan-street, as far as the end of the parish of Malling on that side; and that the religious and prebendary had possessed all and singular the premises aforesaid, in certain distinct portions, peaceably and without contradiction, from the time beyond memory. (fn. 8)

 

The bishop, therefore, that none of the premises should be altered, decreed, saving all and every matter as aforesaid, that the vicar should receive for his portion all other small tithes, oblations, obventions and profits belonging to the parish church more especially, viz. the tithe of herbage, silva cedua, apples, pears, flax, hemp, wool, milk, cheese, calves, lambs, pigs, pidgeons, geese, ducks, bees, eggs, merchandizings, fowlings, fishings, swans, pulse, and other fruits, and also of corn growing in orchards or gardens, as he had-been accustomed to receive them.

 

¶And that the vicar should also receive the personal tithes of the inhabitants of the houses or messuages of Thomas atte Shoppe and William Cake, and of others, inhabiting in the houses or messuages situated in the streets, called Holirode-strete and Tan-strete, and the oblations due and accustomed to the parish church, and should administer ecclesiastical rights to them, and should have the burial of them in the parish church; and that the vicar should have for his habitation, as assigned to him by the religious, the dwelling with its precinct, which the vicar then inhabited, and his predecessors used to inhabit, which he should repair at his own expence, and preserve in a decent state, and should pay the yearly rents and services, due and accustomed from thence; all which the bishop adjudged to be a sufficient portion for the vicar for the time being. And he further decreed, that the vicar should cause the books to be bound, the vestments to be washed; and the same, and the rest of the ornaments of the parish church, which belonged to the religious to find, as often as need should require, to be repaired, and should cause them to be safely and honestly kept; and that he should provide and find bread, wine, processional tapers, and other lights necessary and accustomed in the chancel, the necessary and accustomed ministers, rochets, surplices, napkins, unconsecrated vessels, basons, and also green rushes to strow the church, if they had been so accustomed, and did not belong to the parishioners to find; and that he should pay the dues to the bishop, and the archidiaconal procurations, and that the vicar should acknowledge and undergo, according to the rate of the taxation of his portion as under-mentioned, all ordinaries and extraordinaries, which, although it might amount to five marcs, being near the moiety of the value of the whole church, according to the estimation then had, he decreed should remain according to the antient taxation of it, as often as burthens of this kind were to be borne, and paid from small benefices. And he decreed, that the religious should acknowledge and undergo all and singular other burthens happening to the parish church, by reason of their portion, which he estimated at twelve marcs, according to the antient taxation of it, notwithstanding this assignation, which was made with the consent of both parties, and which by his episcopal authority, he corroborated and confirmed, &c. and that it might not be called in doubt in future times, or be litigated, he had caused it to be entered in his register, and to be reduced into three different writings, of which he decreed one to remain in the hands of the religious, another in the hands of the vicar, and the third in the hands of the prebendary aforesaid, to perpetuate the memory of it, and had caused it to be authenticated with his seal, &c.

 

This parsonage, prebend, and the advowson of the vicarage, were, on the dissolution of the abbey in the 30th year of king Henry VIII. surrendered into the king's hands. After which the king, next year, granted this parsonage, with the manor of West Malling, and other premises, to Thomas Cranmer, archbishop of Canterbury, to hold by knight's service, at the yearly rent therein mentioned. After which it passed, with the manor of West Malling, in a like succession of ownership, down to Sir John Rayney, bart. who sold these premises, about the time of the restoration, to judge Twisden, and his descendant, Sir John Papillon Twisden, bart. is the present possessor of this parsonage, and the advowson of the vicarage of West or Town Malling.

 

The vicarage is valued in the king's books at ten pounds, and the yearly tenths at one pound.

 

www.british-history.ac.uk/survey-kent/vol4/pp518-533

Scott Kelby's Worldwide Photowalk 2010 / Historic Downtown Los Angeles

 

"Grand Central Market is to Latino and Asian foodies what Bristol Farms or Whole Foods Market is to Anglos...only better and much, much cheaper. Where can you buy a basket of berries for only 50 cents? In WINTER? Well, here you can."

Sold it yo! First dress to sell.

 

www.etsy.com/view_transaction.php?transaction_id=5629790

To the surprise of.... well, probably nobody, during my travels I came across another piece of Road Swag to add to my collection. But, not just any Road Swag... this is a piece that honestly, I'm surprised didn't turn up sooner. Sort of. It wasn't like I hadn't been trying, just circumstances always seemed to make it such that a successful transaction was just beyond my grasp. Well, finally broke that streak of losing.

 

Presenting S.H. Figuarts Sailor Chibi Moon.

 

In my mind, I would describe Sailor Moon as not only the first major Magical Girl anime I ever watched parts of in English back in the 90s, but in the grand scheme of things, it would be the Dragon Ball Z of anime geared towards girls. Immensely popular, with a cast that kept growing as the series went on and on. I know more about Sailor Moon than most of the other properties that I've purchased from, but like with Dragon Ball, for me to try to explain it would be quite the disservice.. I'm just gonna stick to Transformers for my lore discussions, thank you. All you need to know is that a bunch of high school girls transform and beat the crap out of a monster-of-the-week.

 

Much like Dragon Ball, Bandai eventually released a series of Figuarts based on the characters from both the Sailor Moon and Sailor Moon S lines, with the latter giving the Sailor Scouts their Super forms, along with an actual effect, making those a better deal, as it were. If I were going to get a set of the girls, I'd naturally gun for those. I really haven't been able to find any of those for relatively cheap.. or any of the regular line either, for that matter. Further complicating matters is that like with Sentai, it seems that the ball was dropped somewhere and not everyone got a Super figure. I think I'm using too much brain power thinking about this.

 

Anyway, I finally found a reasonably priced Sailor Moon Figuarts, which just happened to be Sailor Chibi Moon.

 

In the unlikely event you, my dear reader, have never watched any of Sailor Moon, the story starts getting complicated with the appearance of Chibi Moon here. So, based on my memory and internet research, Sailor Chibi Moon is better known as Chibiusa in her civilian form (Rini in the 90s dub I watched). the daughter of Usagi and Endymion (Serena and Darien). She sent back into the past to prevent the forces of evil from corrupting her in the future. In the past, she basically discovers who her parents are, that they have the ability to Henshin into super heroes, and eventually gains the ability to change into one herself, calling herself Sailor Chibi Moon.

 

Yeah, told you.. I'd be butchering any explanations.

 

Chibi Moon is probably the most visually diverse of the group, being full on anime in terms of her colouring (predominately pink). She is also living her own gimmick (Chibi refers to short and cute) being a kid pretty much throughout the entire series (except for the dark future arcs, but that's another story for a different figure). Much like a child, she's initially portrayed as a brat, always getting on her mothers nerves, fighting for the affection of her father, but she does eventually mature.. somewhat. But that wouldn't for another series or two, I believe. But enough about that - let's move on to the figure.

 

Seeing how this is my first Sailor Moon Figuarts, I don't know how she scales in terms of accessories, but I think they gave her a little something extra to compensate for the smaller size. Oh, Pro-Tip... keep an eye on EVERYTHING when you're changing parts and what not, because these things are tiny and they fall to the ground, well good luck finding it.

 

There's the figure itself, four total expressions (neutral, happy, attacking, determined) which I think is one more than normal, an addition hair piece featuring her Wing Hairclips, her Pink Moon Rod weapon, a variety of hands including some moulded in the various gang signs that the Sailor Scouts are known for, and, dare I say it.. an actually freaking stand. And due to the weight imbalance of her giant head, you're probably going to be using the heart shaped base quite a bit.

 

For those keeping score at home, Dragon Ball, a series known for its flying characters, gigantic Ki blasts, and insane battle scenes, has figures that don't come with a stand. Magical girl anime.. yes, lets throw in a stand. You can probably see that Bandai wanted to make sure the Sailor Moon line sold, and wasn't worried about the Dragon Ball line in the slightest.

 

Lets talk appearance. There is no doubt that this is Chibi Moon. Everything including her hair and outfit, her silhouette, and the shape of her face and expressions - pretty much ripped right out of the anime and made into 3D. The face plates really are what sells this figure (as with most figures, really) as the sculptors captured her expressions quite accurately and with the right pose, just oozes personality. One face plate that I would expected to see with Chibi Moon is a winking one, which sadly is not present.

 

The nitpicky part of me has to mention that the face does seem a tiny bit off, being sharper around the jaw and chin whereas it seems more rounded in the anime (the 90s one anyway), but it's nothing I'd lose sleep over. Bandai even went to duplicated those two curly hairs that Chibi Moon has near her bangs. Detailing of the sculpt itself is pretty solid, and includes things like ruffles on the skirt and her Choker and Pendant. Sculpting on the hair is a bit on the rough side, and is noticeable crude compare to the Figma on my shelves and, to be honest, even the Figuarts that I have. It's pretty much Kobobukiya levels here... it's not the end of the world, but it certainly is underwhelming. Tolerances on the face plate are a bit on the "meh" side, with the head and face not meshing properly, leaving a visible gap.

 

Paint work is somewhat of a mixed bag. I appreciate the fact that rather than using matte paints all over, the pink paints on her outfit are all pearl infused, and the tiara is painted with a metallic gold. Her Pink Moon Rod also features some metallic and pearl based paints. Furthermore, what is nicely done is the addition of some white streaks in the hair to simulate that 2D anime shading. Decal work on the eyes is spot on and sharp. Paint masking can be on the rough side though, and the paint work on the Rod just looks sloppy. surprisingly, the paint masking for all the other fine details are, well fine. It also seems to me that her bare skin areas (thighs, arms, face) could have used a coat of flesh colour as the finish of the base plastic really stands out.

 

Articulation is somewhat limited, which in some ways is understandable, and others just poor design choices. I'm guessing due to the smaller body, the overall number of articulation points is lower than that of a full size Figuarts. You get ankles, knees with some rotation, hips with extension capabilities for increased range of motion, mid torso, shoulders with some collapse, elbows with rotation, limited wrist articulation, head, and limited articulation for her hair. Most notable amongst the missing points of articulation are the neck and waist. I get the neck, probably due to the small size, but I don't get the lack of a waist. As mentioned, the hip extension does technically allow for more range of motion of the legs, allowing for a proper sitting position, but her skirt gets in the way and Chibi Moon always leans backwards when she's sitting down. Special note on the wrists - they're kind of fragile, though fortunately it's more of an FYI as opposed to a precautionary tale. You see, unlike the more recent Figuarts/Figma, Chibi Moon's wrist are just simple pegs with a ball joint on the end of it. There's no additional bending joint on the wrists, hence my mentioning they are limited in motion. Press to hard, and you might snap it off, rendering the figure effectively crippled until you can get a new arm.. if you can at all. Furthermore, because the forearms and peg are one piece of plastic, you get the deal with the fun of QC. My right arm is fine, but my left arm has a ball joint which is JUST too small, and as a result any attached hands have a rather easy time of falling off, resulting in my angry, curse laden searches of the floor. The sheer bulk of the bow on her dress also limits the range of motion you can get out of her arms as well.

 

In conclusion, not the strongest product I've seen from the Figuarts line, but still nowhere near the low quality to price ratio that figures like the PAK line offer. Flaws and all, there is no mistaking that this is a very good representation of Sailor Chibi Moon, and I'm sure if I ever get my hands on the rest of the Sailor Scouts, those will also follow suit in being the defacto action figures for this property.. just hopefully with fewer QC issues.

 

Finding this merch at good prices, however, is tough, probably tougher than finding Dragon Ball stuff as everyone generally just keeps getting the upgraded form like they do with Iron Man figures. It's just that there's nothing for the Sailor Moon crowd to upgrade to.

 

Until next time, Sailor Moon says.... SEE YA!

By mistake I ended up in West Malling, but it was a good thing, as the village is chocolate box pretty, and the church very fine indeed. The only church I visited that had no wardens to welcome (I think, sorry if I have mis-remembered). Anyway, a fine church, amazing coat of arms, and glad I visited.

 

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A story of all's well that ends well. A Norman tower and thirteenth-century chancel are linked by a twentieth-century nave that had in its turn replaced one erected to replace its medieval predecessor in the eighteenth century! The west window and those in the south aisle are by C.E. Kempe and Co. Ltd, and of special note is the one depicting the Three Kings. On the south side of the chancel, backing on to a medieval lean-to vestry, is the splendid tomb of Sir Robert Brett (d. 1620), which has recently been restored. The colours are superb and show how churches must have looked when these monuments were new. In the north aisle is a large painting of the Last Supper by Francis Slater, the eighteenth-century artist who painted the ceilings of nearby Mereworth Castle. Hanging on the front of the west gallery are the outstanding Royal Arms of James II, of carved and painted wood. The twentieth-century rebuilding of the church was financed by the sale of an Elizabethan stoneware jug (now in the British Museum), the transaction being recorded on an inscribed stone in the north porch.

 

www.kentchurches.info/church.asp?p=West+Malling

 

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WESTWARD from East Malling lies the town and parish of West Malling, now most commonly called Town Malling.

 

It is written in Domesday, MALLENGETIS, and in the Textus Roffensis, MELLINGES. In many deeds after the conquest, it is stiled MILLINGES PARVA, to distinguish it from East Malling, then the larger and more noted village of the two.

 

The town and parish of West Malling, excepting the borough of St. Leonard, which is under the jurisdiction of the constables of the hundred of Larkfield, is under the jurisdiction of its own constables, of which there are two chosen yearly.

 

THE PARISH of Town Malling, as it is usually called, is situated equally pleasant and healthy. It lies on high ground, and though dry is well watered, the soil of it being in the northern part a sand, the rest of it a loam, covering the quarry rock, which is very fertile, as has been frequently noticed before in the like situations. The high road from London through Wrotham to Maidstone, at the twenty-ninth mile stone leads along the northern boundaries of the parish, being called in king Edmund's grant of this place to the bishop of Rochester, the military way, no doubt from its having been used as such by the Romans, southward of it the ground gently rising; at less than a quarter of a mile's distance is the town of Malling, which is well built, having many genteel houses in it, the streets of a handsome width, and well paved. At the east end of it is the abbey, to which the approach is by a venerable antient gateway. Although the house itself was almost all of it pulled down and rebuilt by Mr. Honywood, yet many of the antient buildings and offices be longing to it are still remaining, and are made use of as such at present. A handsome tower of the church, the front of which is decorated with intersecting arches and zig-zag ornaments, similar to those on the west front of Rochester cathedral, built by the same founder, bishop Gundulph, is still remaining, as is an antient chapel or oratory, now made use of as a dwellinghouse.

 

From the foundations discovered in levelling the ground by Mr. Honywood, it appears, that this abbey consisted of two quadrangles or courts, with cloysters, and a spacious hall; and that the church had another tower, of the like size to that now standing. The burying-place seems to have been on the south side of the church, as in digging there, great quantities of human bones have been thrown up, and two stone coffins with skeletons in them, the lids of them had no inscriptions on them, but were ornamented each with a cross, having a quaterfoil pierced at the upper end, the stem of which was crossed more than once with foliage, several rings and trinkets, and some old coins have likewise been found at different times in cleaning away the rubbish.

 

Over the west end of the grand gateway, which stands at the entrance into the precinct of the abbey from the town, at the west end of the building, there is carved in stone, a heart distilling drops of blood, and on the other side, in a shield, Ermine, a crozier in bend sinister, on a chief three annulets.

 

In the meadows above the gardens, are large square excavations still visible, where the fish ponds of the aunnery formerly were.

 

The precinct of this monastery is washed by a rivulet of excellent clear water, which rising in the hamlet of St. Leonard, runs by the house, and through the gardens of it, whence gushing through the wall with a cascade, it crosses the road towards the Rev. Mr. Brooke's gardens. There is a view of this abbey in its present state published by Mr. Grose, in his Antiquities of England.

 

Near the abbey gate there is a good house, with a large garden, canal, and pleasure grounds, behind it, reaching down to the London road. It has been many years the residence of the Brooke's, from whom it passed by the will of Joseph Brooke, esq. who died in 1792, after the decease of his widow in 1796, to the Rev. John Kenward Shaw, brother of Sir John Gregory Shaw, bart. who has since, in pursuance of the above will, and by the king's licence, taken the name of Brooke, and now resides in it. A little further westward there is a very antient stone building, called the Old Gaol, having narrow gothic windows, and the walls of great thickness. It is reported to have been the prison belonging to the abbey, and is now used as an oast for the drying of hops. About the middle of the street stands the church, and a little distance from it a good house, late the residence of Benjamin Hubble, esq. whose family have been inhabitants of this town for some length of time, several of them lying buried in this church. He died in 1780, leaving his widow, sister of Richard Savage, esq. of Boughton Monchelsea, surviving, and two daughters, his coheirs, one of whom having married Thomas Augustus Douce, esq. he now resides in it; further southward is the hamlet of St. Leonard, now making part of the town, and called St. Leonard's-street, in which is an antient seat, some years ago the residence of Charles Stewart, esq. whose father admiral Stewart purchased it of judge Twisden. This district had once a cell in it, belonging to the abbey, with a chapel. It was given at the time the manor and church was to it, as has been already mentioned. The whole of it has been long since desecrated, and in ruins; the square tower of the chapel which stands in the next field south-west from the late Mr. Stewart's house, is all that remains of it. It was purchased by him some years ago, of Sir John Honywood, in exchange for other premises near the abbey, and is now made use of as a stowage for hops. Mr. Stewart died in 1780, and was buried near his father in this church, and he was succeeded here by the hon. admiral John Forbes, who lately died posfessed of it. A market is held in the principal highstreet every Saturday, which is plentifully supplied and well frequented. There are three fairs, which are held by the alteration of the stile on August 12, October 2, and November 17, yearly, for horses, cattle, toys, &c. The whole town is excellently well watered with fine springs, which having supplied the town and abbey, collect themselves into one stream, and passing northward through Mr. Brooke's grounds, cross the high Maidstone road, and runs from thence into the Addington brook, just above Leyborne mill.

 

About half a mile south-east from the abbey there is a good modern-built house, called New Barne, which formerly belonged to Mr. Alchin, from whom it passed to Graham, the present possessor, who resides in it.

 

Above St. Leonard's street is the high road from Teston over East-Malling-heath, and through this parish to Offham, southward of which this parish extends into the large tract of coppice woods which reach to West Peckham and Mereworth.

 

Dr. William Briggs, an eminent physician, resided at the latter end of the last century at Town Malling, where he died, Sept. 1704, æt. 64, and was buried in this church, He was a great traveller into foreign countries, and was greatly esteemed for his skill in his profession, as well as for his learning, of which the several writings he published are sufficient testimonies. He was physician in ordinary to king William, and to St. Thomas's hospital, and bore his arms, Gules, three bars gemelles, or, a canton sable. (fn. 1)

 

THIS PLACE was given, about the year 945, by Edmund, king of the Angles and of Mercia, to Burhric, bishop of Rochester, by the description of a small portion of his land, called Meallingas, containing three plough lands; and he granted it to him, for the good of his soul, in perpetual inheritance, in augmentation of the revenues of his monastery of St. Andrew, with all its rights, liberties, members, and appurtenances, and this he did with the consent of his nobles and princes, whose names were subscribed to it. After the names of king Edmund, Edred his brother, and Eadgife his mother, are those of the archbishops and bishops, and then that of Ælgifu, the king's concubine, Ego Ælgifu Concubina Regis affui, and after her the dukes, &c. The bounds of this land are thus described in Saxon, viz. from the south part of it to the king's plaine, and from thence to the bounds of the parish of Offaham, and thence to the military way, and so along the said way over Lilleburne to the bounds of the parish of Est Meallinges, and so directly southward from the east of the cross or gallows to the broad way towards the south, in a direct line along the said way to the king's plaine. To which the king added certain denberies for the pannage of hogs.

 

This land did not continue long in the possession of the church of Rochester, being wrested from it in the time of the Danish wars; and when William the Conqueror had attained the crown, he gave it to Odo, bishop of Baieux, his half brother, from whom it was recovered, together with the church of Mallinges, in the solemn assembly of the whole county held on this occasion, by the king's command, at Pinenden heath, in 1076, by archbishop Lanfrance, who afterward restored it to bishop Gundulph, and the church of St. Andrew; which gift was confirmed by archbishops Anselm and Boniface. (fn. 2)

 

In the survey of Domesday, taken about four years afterwards, this manor is thus described, under the general title of the bishop of Rochester's lands:

 

The same bishop (of Rochester) holds Mellingetes, it was taxed, in the time of king Edward the Confessor, at three sulings, and now at one and an half. The arable land is three carucates. In demesne there is one, and five villeins, with fix borderers, having two carucates. There is a church, and one mill of two shillings, wood for the pannage of twenty hogs. In the time of king Edward the Confessor, and afterwards, it was worth forty shillings, and now four pounds.

 

Bishop Gundulph, in the 4th year of the reign of king William Rufus, anno 1090, having founded an abbey of Benedictine nuns in this parish, to the honor of the Virgin Mary, gave this manor and church to it, with other possessions for the endowment of it; (fn. 3) and although it was, about one hundred years after its being first erected, with the adjoining village, destroyed by fire, yet it was again soon afterwards re-edified, and continued to increase in a flourishing state.

 

In the 7th year of king Edward I. anno 1278, the abbess of Malling claimed sundry liberties in this parish, by grant from king Henry III. and a market weekly throughout the year on a Saturday and Wednesday; and she claimed by grant from king John to have warren in all her lands at Malling, by grant from king Henry, from time beyond memory; and to have fairs in the parish on the eve, day, and morrow of St. Matthew the apostle, and the like on the eve, and day of St. Leonard, and the like on the eve, and day of St. Peter, ad vincula.

 

By which, and such like favours granted to it, this place, which at the first foundation of the monastery was plain fields, and almost without an inhabitant, became notwithstanding its former calamity mentioned before, exceedingly populous from the numbers who flocked to it from all parts, who building themselves houses here, increased the village to a large size, well suited for trade, to the no small emolument of the nuns; whence it soon lost its name of Malling Parva, which was for some time transferred to the neighbouring parish of East Malling, as appears by some grants, &c. of this time, and king Edward III. (fn. 4)

 

In the 15th year of king Edward I. the temporalities of the abbess of Malling in this parish and East Malling were valued at forty-five pounds.

 

There was an annual pension of ten pounds of wax, and one boar, paid by the abbess to the bishop of Rochester, as an acknowledgment of her subjection to that see.

 

In the year 1321, the bishop of Rochester, at the king's request, to whom the nuns had made a complaint, that their monastery was ruined by the bad management of their abbess, sister of Bartholomew de Badlesmere, visited it, and heard the complaints against her; in consequence of which she resigned, and the lady Agnes de Leyborne, was chosen in her room. Three years after which she died, and the bishop, at the unanimous request of the nuns, appointed Lora de Retling abbess here, though much against his will, knowing her to be very ignorant, and unfit for the office. However, he inhibited her giving a corredy to her maid servant, as had been the custom, and sequestered their common seal, inhibiting her from using it without his licence.

 

A great pestilence raging in the year 1348, the bishop made two abbesses here, who presently died; nor were there more than four nuns professed, and four not professed, remaining in this monastery; and he com mitted the custody of the spirituals and temporals to two of them, as there was not a proper person for the office of abbess.

 

In the year 1493, anno 9 Henry VII. Joane Moone was abbess of this monastery. (fn. 5)

 

This abbey was surrendered into the king's hands, with all its possessions, (fn. 6) among which were the manors of East and West Malling, with the precincts of Ewell and Parrock annexed to the latter, by Margaret Vernon, abbess, and the convent of it, in the 30th year of king Henry VIII. at which time it was valued at 245l. 10s. 2½d. annual rent, according to Speed, and 218l. 4s. 2½d. clear value, according to Dugdale, and there was granted to the abbess a pension of forty pounds yearly, and to eleven nuns from 31. 6s. 8d. down to 2l. 13s. 4d. yearly pensions, each for their lives.

 

After which that king, by his letters patent, in his 31st year, granted and sold, in exchange, among other premises, to Thomas Cranmer, archbishop of Canterbury, the scite of the abbey, with the precinct and circuit of it, and the manors of West Malling, Ewell, and Parocke, and the parsonage of West Malling, late appropriate to it, excepting to the king all advowsons, presentations, &c. to hold by knight's service, at the yearly rent therein mentioned; and as the king was entitled to the tenths of these premises, he discharged the archbishop of them, and all other outgoings whatsoever, except the rent therein mentioned. Which grant was in consequence of an indenture made between the king and the archbishop, inrolled in the Augmentation-office.

 

These manors and premises were again exchanged with the crown in the beginning of the reign of queen Elizabeth, in the 12th year of which she granted them in lease to Sir Henry Brooke, alias Cobham, fifth son of Sir George Brooke, lord Cobham; after which they were held by the same possessors, as the manor of East Malling before described, till at length, after the death of Sir Robert Brett, anno 1621, king James granted the manor of West, alias Town Malling, with the precinct of Ewell annexed, the scite of the late monastery, with the house, buildings, and ground within the precinct of it with all their appurtenances, late parcel of the possessions of the late monastery, in fee, to John Rayney, esq. which was further confirmed to Sir John Rayney, his eldest son, in the 2d year of king Charles I. He was of Wrothamplace, in this neighbourhood, and was created a baronet of Nova Scotia, in 1641, and his son of the same name, about the time of the restoration, conveyed these premises to Isaac Honywood, gent. of Hampsted, Middlesex, who was the only son of Edward, third son of Sir Thomas Honywood, of Elmsted, ancestor likewise of the present Sir John Honywood, of Elmsted, baronet, and he continued to bear the same coat of arms; whose second son, Isaac Honywood, esq. of Hampsted, succeeded him in this manor and estate. Frazer Honywood, esq. of Hampsted and London, his only son and heir, rebuilt the abbey house of Malling in the antient gothic taste, at a very great expence, making it one of the seats of his residence, and having thus greatly improved it, he died possessed of this seat and manor, with the estate belonging to it, in 1764, leaving no issue by his wife, the daughter of Abraham Atkins, of Clapham. He gave them, as well as the rest of his estates here and elsewhere, by will, to his kinsman, Sir John Honywood, bart. of Elmsted, and his heirs male, with divers remainders over to the family of Honywood. Sir John Honywood, bart. is since deceased, and his grandson of the same name is the present owner of this manor, with the precinct of Ewell annexed, and the seat of Malling abbey, with the lands and appurtenances in this parish belonging to it, but Mr. Foote resides in it.

 

The family of Say antiently possessed THE MANOR of CLEMENTS IN EWELL, in this parish. Geoffry de Say held it in the 7th year of king Edward II. as half a knight's fee. His son, Geoffry de Say, paid aid for it in the 20th year of king Edward III. as half a knight's fee, which John at Forde held before in Ewell, in Malling, of the bishop of Rochester. This manor was afterwards in the name of Coveney, (fn. 7) and in the latter end of king Henry VIII. it was in the possession of Mr. William Fowle. Since which it has sunk into such obscurity, that neither the scite nor the owners of it can be traced out even by the most diligent enquiries.

 

CHARITIES.

 

THERE is a lecture founded in this church of a sermon every fortnight, on the Saturday; two of the preachers to be the ministers of East and West Malling, who are to be paid 10s. for every sermon they preach; the other preachers are appointed at the will of the trustees.

 

FRANCIS TRESSE, gent. of this town, who died in 1632, by his will gave a piece of land, and 40l. towards the building of a free school in this parish; and he charged one of his houses in Town Malling with the sum of 13s. 4d. per annum, for the keeping of it in repair; and appointed that four principal freeholders of this parish should be trustees for the execution of this part of his will for ever. This school was accordingly erected, and was made use of for the teaching of boys writing and arithmetic. The charity is veisted in the minister and tour substantial freehold inhabitants, and the estate out of which it is paid in Mr. Robert Sutton, of this parish, but there being no master, the school-house is at present let to the late master's widow at 2gs. perannum, which with the 13s. 4d. is applied towards the maintaining of the building. He also gave two silver cups for the use of the holy communion, and 6s. 8d. payable yearly out of a piece of land, called Cousin's Plat, now vested in Mary Brome, widow.

 

SIR ROBERT BRETT, by will in 1620, gave land sufficient to pay yearly 10s. per week, to be bestowed in bread and meat to twenty poor persons, or else to be distributed in money to them. His executors accordingly conveyed lands in Tewksbury, in Gloucestershire, for this purpose, which is now vested in lord Romney, and twenty-three others, trustees, of the annual produce of 26l. but of late years the annual produce has been but 19l. 14s.

 

TOWN MALLING is within the ECCLESIASTICAL JURIDISCTION of the diocese of Rochester, and gives name to the deanry of Malling, in which it is situated.

 

The church, which is a handsome building, with an elegant spire steeple, is dedicated to St. Mary.

 

At the latter end of the year 1778, some of the main pillars of the body of it giving way, the whole roof of it fell in, leaving only the steeple and chancel at the two extremities of it standing. It has since been repaired, and thoroughly finished by a brief, which was obtained for that purpose.

 

The church of West Malling was given, with the manor, to the church of Rochester, by king Edmund, in 945; and having afterwards been taken from it, was again restored by archbishop Lanfranc to bishop Gundulph, in the time of the Conqueror, who gave it to the monastery here, at his foundation of it, and this gift was confirmed by several succeeding kings, archbishops of Canterbury, bishops of Rochester, &c. as has been already mentioned.

 

It was appropriated to the abbess and convent by bishop Gundulph, at the time it was given to them; which appropriation was specially confirmed by Simon, archbishop of Canterbury, in the year 1351.

 

In the reign of king Edward III. great discutes arising between the abbess and nuns of this monastery, and Robert de Beulton, perpetual vicar of this church, especially concerning the receiving of the tithes of flax and hemp, and the payment of archidiaconal procurations, they were at last settled by Hamo, bishop of Rochester, who in the year 1339, decreed, that, saving the due and accustomed portion of the prebend of the great mass in the conventual church of Malling, and the portion of the vicar, as undermentioned, the religious should take all tithes of corn within the parish, and all oblations and obventions belonging to their conventual church, and the cell of St. Leonard; and that they should not be bound to pay to the vicar the tithes of their hay, woods, or mills. And whereas the bishop was informed, and it was allowed, that the above-mentioned prebendary, and other domestics, serving in the monastery, or in the houses of the prebendary, or perpetual chaplain, celebrating for the dead, as also the brothers and sisters, and other persons dwelling in the monastery, or house of the prebendary, who, when they were without the monastery and houses, were not housekeepers in the parish, were wont to receive the sacraments and sacramentals, in life and in death, and to be buried there, if they happened to die within the monastery or houses, unless by chance they chose to be buried elsewhere; in which case, the religious had the first mass for the body before them, in their monastery, and received all the oblations then and there made, so that no portion was left for the vicar of the parish church. And further, that the prebendary for the time being had been used to receive antiently, and to that time, in part of the portion due to him, all the great and small tithes of the demesne lands of the religious, and of the food of their cattle, and also the great tithes arising from many of the crofts of their tenants situated in the said parish, and also the small tithes of his house, and of the house and land of the perpetual chaplain aforesaid, and all the predial tithes arising from the houses or messuages, curtilages and gardens, late of Thomas atte Shoppe and William Cake, in the street, called Holirode-strete, of this parish of Malling, situated above the house of the prebendary; and of all the houses, messuages, curtilages, and gardens whatsoever, from thence towards the east and north in Holirode-street, and in the street, called Tan-street, as far as the end of the parish of Malling on that side; and that the religious and prebendary had possessed all and singular the premises aforesaid, in certain distinct portions, peaceably and without contradiction, from the time beyond memory. (fn. 8)

 

The bishop, therefore, that none of the premises should be altered, decreed, saving all and every matter as aforesaid, that the vicar should receive for his portion all other small tithes, oblations, obventions and profits belonging to the parish church more especially, viz. the tithe of herbage, silva cedua, apples, pears, flax, hemp, wool, milk, cheese, calves, lambs, pigs, pidgeons, geese, ducks, bees, eggs, merchandizings, fowlings, fishings, swans, pulse, and other fruits, and also of corn growing in orchards or gardens, as he had-been accustomed to receive them.

 

¶And that the vicar should also receive the personal tithes of the inhabitants of the houses or messuages of Thomas atte Shoppe and William Cake, and of others, inhabiting in the houses or messuages situated in the streets, called Holirode-strete and Tan-strete, and the oblations due and accustomed to the parish church, and should administer ecclesiastical rights to them, and should have the burial of them in the parish church; and that the vicar should have for his habitation, as assigned to him by the religious, the dwelling with its precinct, which the vicar then inhabited, and his predecessors used to inhabit, which he should repair at his own expence, and preserve in a decent state, and should pay the yearly rents and services, due and accustomed from thence; all which the bishop adjudged to be a sufficient portion for the vicar for the time being. And he further decreed, that the vicar should cause the books to be bound, the vestments to be washed; and the same, and the rest of the ornaments of the parish church, which belonged to the religious to find, as often as need should require, to be repaired, and should cause them to be safely and honestly kept; and that he should provide and find bread, wine, processional tapers, and other lights necessary and accustomed in the chancel, the necessary and accustomed ministers, rochets, surplices, napkins, unconsecrated vessels, basons, and also green rushes to strow the church, if they had been so accustomed, and did not belong to the parishioners to find; and that he should pay the dues to the bishop, and the archidiaconal procurations, and that the vicar should acknowledge and undergo, according to the rate of the taxation of his portion as under-mentioned, all ordinaries and extraordinaries, which, although it might amount to five marcs, being near the moiety of the value of the whole church, according to the estimation then had, he decreed should remain according to the antient taxation of it, as often as burthens of this kind were to be borne, and paid from small benefices. And he decreed, that the religious should acknowledge and undergo all and singular other burthens happening to the parish church, by reason of their portion, which he estimated at twelve marcs, according to the antient taxation of it, notwithstanding this assignation, which was made with the consent of both parties, and which by his episcopal authority, he corroborated and confirmed, &c. and that it might not be called in doubt in future times, or be litigated, he had caused it to be entered in his register, and to be reduced into three different writings, of which he decreed one to remain in the hands of the religious, another in the hands of the vicar, and the third in the hands of the prebendary aforesaid, to perpetuate the memory of it, and had caused it to be authenticated with his seal, &c.

 

This parsonage, prebend, and the advowson of the vicarage, were, on the dissolution of the abbey in the 30th year of king Henry VIII. surrendered into the king's hands. After which the king, next year, granted this parsonage, with the manor of West Malling, and other premises, to Thomas Cranmer, archbishop of Canterbury, to hold by knight's service, at the yearly rent therein mentioned. After which it passed, with the manor of West Malling, in a like succession of ownership, down to Sir John Rayney, bart. who sold these premises, about the time of the restoration, to judge Twisden, and his descendant, Sir John Papillon Twisden, bart. is the present possessor of this parsonage, and the advowson of the vicarage of West or Town Malling.

 

The vicarage is valued in the king's books at ten pounds, and the yearly tenths at one pound.

 

www.british-history.ac.uk/survey-kent/vol4/pp518-533

By mistake I ended up in West Malling, but it was a good thing, as the village is chocolate box pretty, and the church very fine indeed. The only church I visited that had no wardens to welcome (I think, sorry if I have mis-remembered). Anyway, a fine church, amazing coat of arms, and glad I visited.

 

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A story of all's well that ends well. A Norman tower and thirteenth-century chancel are linked by a twentieth-century nave that had in its turn replaced one erected to replace its medieval predecessor in the eighteenth century! The west window and those in the south aisle are by C.E. Kempe and Co. Ltd, and of special note is the one depicting the Three Kings. On the south side of the chancel, backing on to a medieval lean-to vestry, is the splendid tomb of Sir Robert Brett (d. 1620), which has recently been restored. The colours are superb and show how churches must have looked when these monuments were new. In the north aisle is a large painting of the Last Supper by Francis Slater, the eighteenth-century artist who painted the ceilings of nearby Mereworth Castle. Hanging on the front of the west gallery are the outstanding Royal Arms of James II, of carved and painted wood. The twentieth-century rebuilding of the church was financed by the sale of an Elizabethan stoneware jug (now in the British Museum), the transaction being recorded on an inscribed stone in the north porch.

 

www.kentchurches.info/church.asp?p=West+Malling

 

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WESTWARD from East Malling lies the town and parish of West Malling, now most commonly called Town Malling.

 

It is written in Domesday, MALLENGETIS, and in the Textus Roffensis, MELLINGES. In many deeds after the conquest, it is stiled MILLINGES PARVA, to distinguish it from East Malling, then the larger and more noted village of the two.

 

The town and parish of West Malling, excepting the borough of St. Leonard, which is under the jurisdiction of the constables of the hundred of Larkfield, is under the jurisdiction of its own constables, of which there are two chosen yearly.

 

THE PARISH of Town Malling, as it is usually called, is situated equally pleasant and healthy. It lies on high ground, and though dry is well watered, the soil of it being in the northern part a sand, the rest of it a loam, covering the quarry rock, which is very fertile, as has been frequently noticed before in the like situations. The high road from London through Wrotham to Maidstone, at the twenty-ninth mile stone leads along the northern boundaries of the parish, being called in king Edmund's grant of this place to the bishop of Rochester, the military way, no doubt from its having been used as such by the Romans, southward of it the ground gently rising; at less than a quarter of a mile's distance is the town of Malling, which is well built, having many genteel houses in it, the streets of a handsome width, and well paved. At the east end of it is the abbey, to which the approach is by a venerable antient gateway. Although the house itself was almost all of it pulled down and rebuilt by Mr. Honywood, yet many of the antient buildings and offices be longing to it are still remaining, and are made use of as such at present. A handsome tower of the church, the front of which is decorated with intersecting arches and zig-zag ornaments, similar to those on the west front of Rochester cathedral, built by the same founder, bishop Gundulph, is still remaining, as is an antient chapel or oratory, now made use of as a dwellinghouse.

 

From the foundations discovered in levelling the ground by Mr. Honywood, it appears, that this abbey consisted of two quadrangles or courts, with cloysters, and a spacious hall; and that the church had another tower, of the like size to that now standing. The burying-place seems to have been on the south side of the church, as in digging there, great quantities of human bones have been thrown up, and two stone coffins with skeletons in them, the lids of them had no inscriptions on them, but were ornamented each with a cross, having a quaterfoil pierced at the upper end, the stem of which was crossed more than once with foliage, several rings and trinkets, and some old coins have likewise been found at different times in cleaning away the rubbish.

 

Over the west end of the grand gateway, which stands at the entrance into the precinct of the abbey from the town, at the west end of the building, there is carved in stone, a heart distilling drops of blood, and on the other side, in a shield, Ermine, a crozier in bend sinister, on a chief three annulets.

 

In the meadows above the gardens, are large square excavations still visible, where the fish ponds of the aunnery formerly were.

 

The precinct of this monastery is washed by a rivulet of excellent clear water, which rising in the hamlet of St. Leonard, runs by the house, and through the gardens of it, whence gushing through the wall with a cascade, it crosses the road towards the Rev. Mr. Brooke's gardens. There is a view of this abbey in its present state published by Mr. Grose, in his Antiquities of England.

 

Near the abbey gate there is a good house, with a large garden, canal, and pleasure grounds, behind it, reaching down to the London road. It has been many years the residence of the Brooke's, from whom it passed by the will of Joseph Brooke, esq. who died in 1792, after the decease of his widow in 1796, to the Rev. John Kenward Shaw, brother of Sir John Gregory Shaw, bart. who has since, in pursuance of the above will, and by the king's licence, taken the name of Brooke, and now resides in it. A little further westward there is a very antient stone building, called the Old Gaol, having narrow gothic windows, and the walls of great thickness. It is reported to have been the prison belonging to the abbey, and is now used as an oast for the drying of hops. About the middle of the street stands the church, and a little distance from it a good house, late the residence of Benjamin Hubble, esq. whose family have been inhabitants of this town for some length of time, several of them lying buried in this church. He died in 1780, leaving his widow, sister of Richard Savage, esq. of Boughton Monchelsea, surviving, and two daughters, his coheirs, one of whom having married Thomas Augustus Douce, esq. he now resides in it; further southward is the hamlet of St. Leonard, now making part of the town, and called St. Leonard's-street, in which is an antient seat, some years ago the residence of Charles Stewart, esq. whose father admiral Stewart purchased it of judge Twisden. This district had once a cell in it, belonging to the abbey, with a chapel. It was given at the time the manor and church was to it, as has been already mentioned. The whole of it has been long since desecrated, and in ruins; the square tower of the chapel which stands in the next field south-west from the late Mr. Stewart's house, is all that remains of it. It was purchased by him some years ago, of Sir John Honywood, in exchange for other premises near the abbey, and is now made use of as a stowage for hops. Mr. Stewart died in 1780, and was buried near his father in this church, and he was succeeded here by the hon. admiral John Forbes, who lately died posfessed of it. A market is held in the principal highstreet every Saturday, which is plentifully supplied and well frequented. There are three fairs, which are held by the alteration of the stile on August 12, October 2, and November 17, yearly, for horses, cattle, toys, &c. The whole town is excellently well watered with fine springs, which having supplied the town and abbey, collect themselves into one stream, and passing northward through Mr. Brooke's grounds, cross the high Maidstone road, and runs from thence into the Addington brook, just above Leyborne mill.

 

About half a mile south-east from the abbey there is a good modern-built house, called New Barne, which formerly belonged to Mr. Alchin, from whom it passed to Graham, the present possessor, who resides in it.

 

Above St. Leonard's street is the high road from Teston over East-Malling-heath, and through this parish to Offham, southward of which this parish extends into the large tract of coppice woods which reach to West Peckham and Mereworth.

 

Dr. William Briggs, an eminent physician, resided at the latter end of the last century at Town Malling, where he died, Sept. 1704, æt. 64, and was buried in this church, He was a great traveller into foreign countries, and was greatly esteemed for his skill in his profession, as well as for his learning, of which the several writings he published are sufficient testimonies. He was physician in ordinary to king William, and to St. Thomas's hospital, and bore his arms, Gules, three bars gemelles, or, a canton sable. (fn. 1)

 

THIS PLACE was given, about the year 945, by Edmund, king of the Angles and of Mercia, to Burhric, bishop of Rochester, by the description of a small portion of his land, called Meallingas, containing three plough lands; and he granted it to him, for the good of his soul, in perpetual inheritance, in augmentation of the revenues of his monastery of St. Andrew, with all its rights, liberties, members, and appurtenances, and this he did with the consent of his nobles and princes, whose names were subscribed to it. After the names of king Edmund, Edred his brother, and Eadgife his mother, are those of the archbishops and bishops, and then that of Ælgifu, the king's concubine, Ego Ælgifu Concubina Regis affui, and after her the dukes, &c. The bounds of this land are thus described in Saxon, viz. from the south part of it to the king's plaine, and from thence to the bounds of the parish of Offaham, and thence to the military way, and so along the said way over Lilleburne to the bounds of the parish of Est Meallinges, and so directly southward from the east of the cross or gallows to the broad way towards the south, in a direct line along the said way to the king's plaine. To which the king added certain denberies for the pannage of hogs.

 

This land did not continue long in the possession of the church of Rochester, being wrested from it in the time of the Danish wars; and when William the Conqueror had attained the crown, he gave it to Odo, bishop of Baieux, his half brother, from whom it was recovered, together with the church of Mallinges, in the solemn assembly of the whole county held on this occasion, by the king's command, at Pinenden heath, in 1076, by archbishop Lanfrance, who afterward restored it to bishop Gundulph, and the church of St. Andrew; which gift was confirmed by archbishops Anselm and Boniface. (fn. 2)

 

In the survey of Domesday, taken about four years afterwards, this manor is thus described, under the general title of the bishop of Rochester's lands:

 

The same bishop (of Rochester) holds Mellingetes, it was taxed, in the time of king Edward the Confessor, at three sulings, and now at one and an half. The arable land is three carucates. In demesne there is one, and five villeins, with fix borderers, having two carucates. There is a church, and one mill of two shillings, wood for the pannage of twenty hogs. In the time of king Edward the Confessor, and afterwards, it was worth forty shillings, and now four pounds.

 

Bishop Gundulph, in the 4th year of the reign of king William Rufus, anno 1090, having founded an abbey of Benedictine nuns in this parish, to the honor of the Virgin Mary, gave this manor and church to it, with other possessions for the endowment of it; (fn. 3) and although it was, about one hundred years after its being first erected, with the adjoining village, destroyed by fire, yet it was again soon afterwards re-edified, and continued to increase in a flourishing state.

 

In the 7th year of king Edward I. anno 1278, the abbess of Malling claimed sundry liberties in this parish, by grant from king Henry III. and a market weekly throughout the year on a Saturday and Wednesday; and she claimed by grant from king John to have warren in all her lands at Malling, by grant from king Henry, from time beyond memory; and to have fairs in the parish on the eve, day, and morrow of St. Matthew the apostle, and the like on the eve, and day of St. Leonard, and the like on the eve, and day of St. Peter, ad vincula.

 

By which, and such like favours granted to it, this place, which at the first foundation of the monastery was plain fields, and almost without an inhabitant, became notwithstanding its former calamity mentioned before, exceedingly populous from the numbers who flocked to it from all parts, who building themselves houses here, increased the village to a large size, well suited for trade, to the no small emolument of the nuns; whence it soon lost its name of Malling Parva, which was for some time transferred to the neighbouring parish of East Malling, as appears by some grants, &c. of this time, and king Edward III. (fn. 4)

 

In the 15th year of king Edward I. the temporalities of the abbess of Malling in this parish and East Malling were valued at forty-five pounds.

 

There was an annual pension of ten pounds of wax, and one boar, paid by the abbess to the bishop of Rochester, as an acknowledgment of her subjection to that see.

 

In the year 1321, the bishop of Rochester, at the king's request, to whom the nuns had made a complaint, that their monastery was ruined by the bad management of their abbess, sister of Bartholomew de Badlesmere, visited it, and heard the complaints against her; in consequence of which she resigned, and the lady Agnes de Leyborne, was chosen in her room. Three years after which she died, and the bishop, at the unanimous request of the nuns, appointed Lora de Retling abbess here, though much against his will, knowing her to be very ignorant, and unfit for the office. However, he inhibited her giving a corredy to her maid servant, as had been the custom, and sequestered their common seal, inhibiting her from using it without his licence.

 

A great pestilence raging in the year 1348, the bishop made two abbesses here, who presently died; nor were there more than four nuns professed, and four not professed, remaining in this monastery; and he com mitted the custody of the spirituals and temporals to two of them, as there was not a proper person for the office of abbess.

 

In the year 1493, anno 9 Henry VII. Joane Moone was abbess of this monastery. (fn. 5)

 

This abbey was surrendered into the king's hands, with all its possessions, (fn. 6) among which were the manors of East and West Malling, with the precincts of Ewell and Parrock annexed to the latter, by Margaret Vernon, abbess, and the convent of it, in the 30th year of king Henry VIII. at which time it was valued at 245l. 10s. 2½d. annual rent, according to Speed, and 218l. 4s. 2½d. clear value, according to Dugdale, and there was granted to the abbess a pension of forty pounds yearly, and to eleven nuns from 31. 6s. 8d. down to 2l. 13s. 4d. yearly pensions, each for their lives.

 

After which that king, by his letters patent, in his 31st year, granted and sold, in exchange, among other premises, to Thomas Cranmer, archbishop of Canterbury, the scite of the abbey, with the precinct and circuit of it, and the manors of West Malling, Ewell, and Parocke, and the parsonage of West Malling, late appropriate to it, excepting to the king all advowsons, presentations, &c. to hold by knight's service, at the yearly rent therein mentioned; and as the king was entitled to the tenths of these premises, he discharged the archbishop of them, and all other outgoings whatsoever, except the rent therein mentioned. Which grant was in consequence of an indenture made between the king and the archbishop, inrolled in the Augmentation-office.

 

These manors and premises were again exchanged with the crown in the beginning of the reign of queen Elizabeth, in the 12th year of which she granted them in lease to Sir Henry Brooke, alias Cobham, fifth son of Sir George Brooke, lord Cobham; after which they were held by the same possessors, as the manor of East Malling before described, till at length, after the death of Sir Robert Brett, anno 1621, king James granted the manor of West, alias Town Malling, with the precinct of Ewell annexed, the scite of the late monastery, with the house, buildings, and ground within the precinct of it with all their appurtenances, late parcel of the possessions of the late monastery, in fee, to John Rayney, esq. which was further confirmed to Sir John Rayney, his eldest son, in the 2d year of king Charles I. He was of Wrothamplace, in this neighbourhood, and was created a baronet of Nova Scotia, in 1641, and his son of the same name, about the time of the restoration, conveyed these premises to Isaac Honywood, gent. of Hampsted, Middlesex, who was the only son of Edward, third son of Sir Thomas Honywood, of Elmsted, ancestor likewise of the present Sir John Honywood, of Elmsted, baronet, and he continued to bear the same coat of arms; whose second son, Isaac Honywood, esq. of Hampsted, succeeded him in this manor and estate. Frazer Honywood, esq. of Hampsted and London, his only son and heir, rebuilt the abbey house of Malling in the antient gothic taste, at a very great expence, making it one of the seats of his residence, and having thus greatly improved it, he died possessed of this seat and manor, with the estate belonging to it, in 1764, leaving no issue by his wife, the daughter of Abraham Atkins, of Clapham. He gave them, as well as the rest of his estates here and elsewhere, by will, to his kinsman, Sir John Honywood, bart. of Elmsted, and his heirs male, with divers remainders over to the family of Honywood. Sir John Honywood, bart. is since deceased, and his grandson of the same name is the present owner of this manor, with the precinct of Ewell annexed, and the seat of Malling abbey, with the lands and appurtenances in this parish belonging to it, but Mr. Foote resides in it.

 

The family of Say antiently possessed THE MANOR of CLEMENTS IN EWELL, in this parish. Geoffry de Say held it in the 7th year of king Edward II. as half a knight's fee. His son, Geoffry de Say, paid aid for it in the 20th year of king Edward III. as half a knight's fee, which John at Forde held before in Ewell, in Malling, of the bishop of Rochester. This manor was afterwards in the name of Coveney, (fn. 7) and in the latter end of king Henry VIII. it was in the possession of Mr. William Fowle. Since which it has sunk into such obscurity, that neither the scite nor the owners of it can be traced out even by the most diligent enquiries.

 

CHARITIES.

 

THERE is a lecture founded in this church of a sermon every fortnight, on the Saturday; two of the preachers to be the ministers of East and West Malling, who are to be paid 10s. for every sermon they preach; the other preachers are appointed at the will of the trustees.

 

FRANCIS TRESSE, gent. of this town, who died in 1632, by his will gave a piece of land, and 40l. towards the building of a free school in this parish; and he charged one of his houses in Town Malling with the sum of 13s. 4d. per annum, for the keeping of it in repair; and appointed that four principal freeholders of this parish should be trustees for the execution of this part of his will for ever. This school was accordingly erected, and was made use of for the teaching of boys writing and arithmetic. The charity is veisted in the minister and tour substantial freehold inhabitants, and the estate out of which it is paid in Mr. Robert Sutton, of this parish, but there being no master, the school-house is at present let to the late master's widow at 2gs. perannum, which with the 13s. 4d. is applied towards the maintaining of the building. He also gave two silver cups for the use of the holy communion, and 6s. 8d. payable yearly out of a piece of land, called Cousin's Plat, now vested in Mary Brome, widow.

 

SIR ROBERT BRETT, by will in 1620, gave land sufficient to pay yearly 10s. per week, to be bestowed in bread and meat to twenty poor persons, or else to be distributed in money to them. His executors accordingly conveyed lands in Tewksbury, in Gloucestershire, for this purpose, which is now vested in lord Romney, and twenty-three others, trustees, of the annual produce of 26l. but of late years the annual produce has been but 19l. 14s.

 

TOWN MALLING is within the ECCLESIASTICAL JURIDISCTION of the diocese of Rochester, and gives name to the deanry of Malling, in which it is situated.

 

The church, which is a handsome building, with an elegant spire steeple, is dedicated to St. Mary.

 

At the latter end of the year 1778, some of the main pillars of the body of it giving way, the whole roof of it fell in, leaving only the steeple and chancel at the two extremities of it standing. It has since been repaired, and thoroughly finished by a brief, which was obtained for that purpose.

 

The church of West Malling was given, with the manor, to the church of Rochester, by king Edmund, in 945; and having afterwards been taken from it, was again restored by archbishop Lanfranc to bishop Gundulph, in the time of the Conqueror, who gave it to the monastery here, at his foundation of it, and this gift was confirmed by several succeeding kings, archbishops of Canterbury, bishops of Rochester, &c. as has been already mentioned.

 

It was appropriated to the abbess and convent by bishop Gundulph, at the time it was given to them; which appropriation was specially confirmed by Simon, archbishop of Canterbury, in the year 1351.

 

In the reign of king Edward III. great discutes arising between the abbess and nuns of this monastery, and Robert de Beulton, perpetual vicar of this church, especially concerning the receiving of the tithes of flax and hemp, and the payment of archidiaconal procurations, they were at last settled by Hamo, bishop of Rochester, who in the year 1339, decreed, that, saving the due and accustomed portion of the prebend of the great mass in the conventual church of Malling, and the portion of the vicar, as undermentioned, the religious should take all tithes of corn within the parish, and all oblations and obventions belonging to their conventual church, and the cell of St. Leonard; and that they should not be bound to pay to the vicar the tithes of their hay, woods, or mills. And whereas the bishop was informed, and it was allowed, that the above-mentioned prebendary, and other domestics, serving in the monastery, or in the houses of the prebendary, or perpetual chaplain, celebrating for the dead, as also the brothers and sisters, and other persons dwelling in the monastery, or house of the prebendary, who, when they were without the monastery and houses, were not housekeepers in the parish, were wont to receive the sacraments and sacramentals, in life and in death, and to be buried there, if they happened to die within the monastery or houses, unless by chance they chose to be buried elsewhere; in which case, the religious had the first mass for the body before them, in their monastery, and received all the oblations then and there made, so that no portion was left for the vicar of the parish church. And further, that the prebendary for the time being had been used to receive antiently, and to that time, in part of the portion due to him, all the great and small tithes of the demesne lands of the religious, and of the food of their cattle, and also the great tithes arising from many of the crofts of their tenants situated in the said parish, and also the small tithes of his house, and of the house and land of the perpetual chaplain aforesaid, and all the predial tithes arising from the houses or messuages, curtilages and gardens, late of Thomas atte Shoppe and William Cake, in the street, called Holirode-strete, of this parish of Malling, situated above the house of the prebendary; and of all the houses, messuages, curtilages, and gardens whatsoever, from thence towards the east and north in Holirode-street, and in the street, called Tan-street, as far as the end of the parish of Malling on that side; and that the religious and prebendary had possessed all and singular the premises aforesaid, in certain distinct portions, peaceably and without contradiction, from the time beyond memory. (fn. 8)

 

The bishop, therefore, that none of the premises should be altered, decreed, saving all and every matter as aforesaid, that the vicar should receive for his portion all other small tithes, oblations, obventions and profits belonging to the parish church more especially, viz. the tithe of herbage, silva cedua, apples, pears, flax, hemp, wool, milk, cheese, calves, lambs, pigs, pidgeons, geese, ducks, bees, eggs, merchandizings, fowlings, fishings, swans, pulse, and other fruits, and also of corn growing in orchards or gardens, as he had-been accustomed to receive them.

 

¶And that the vicar should also receive the personal tithes of the inhabitants of the houses or messuages of Thomas atte Shoppe and William Cake, and of others, inhabiting in the houses or messuages situated in the streets, called Holirode-strete and Tan-strete, and the oblations due and accustomed to the parish church, and should administer ecclesiastical rights to them, and should have the burial of them in the parish church; and that the vicar should have for his habitation, as assigned to him by the religious, the dwelling with its precinct, which the vicar then inhabited, and his predecessors used to inhabit, which he should repair at his own expence, and preserve in a decent state, and should pay the yearly rents and services, due and accustomed from thence; all which the bishop adjudged to be a sufficient portion for the vicar for the time being. And he further decreed, that the vicar should cause the books to be bound, the vestments to be washed; and the same, and the rest of the ornaments of the parish church, which belonged to the religious to find, as often as need should require, to be repaired, and should cause them to be safely and honestly kept; and that he should provide and find bread, wine, processional tapers, and other lights necessary and accustomed in the chancel, the necessary and accustomed ministers, rochets, surplices, napkins, unconsecrated vessels, basons, and also green rushes to strow the church, if they had been so accustomed, and did not belong to the parishioners to find; and that he should pay the dues to the bishop, and the archidiaconal procurations, and that the vicar should acknowledge and undergo, according to the rate of the taxation of his portion as under-mentioned, all ordinaries and extraordinaries, which, although it might amount to five marcs, being near the moiety of the value of the whole church, according to the estimation then had, he decreed should remain according to the antient taxation of it, as often as burthens of this kind were to be borne, and paid from small benefices. And he decreed, that the religious should acknowledge and undergo all and singular other burthens happening to the parish church, by reason of their portion, which he estimated at twelve marcs, according to the antient taxation of it, notwithstanding this assignation, which was made with the consent of both parties, and which by his episcopal authority, he corroborated and confirmed, &c. and that it might not be called in doubt in future times, or be litigated, he had caused it to be entered in his register, and to be reduced into three different writings, of which he decreed one to remain in the hands of the religious, another in the hands of the vicar, and the third in the hands of the prebendary aforesaid, to perpetuate the memory of it, and had caused it to be authenticated with his seal, &c.

 

This parsonage, prebend, and the advowson of the vicarage, were, on the dissolution of the abbey in the 30th year of king Henry VIII. surrendered into the king's hands. After which the king, next year, granted this parsonage, with the manor of West Malling, and other premises, to Thomas Cranmer, archbishop of Canterbury, to hold by knight's service, at the yearly rent therein mentioned. After which it passed, with the manor of West Malling, in a like succession of ownership, down to Sir John Rayney, bart. who sold these premises, about the time of the restoration, to judge Twisden, and his descendant, Sir John Papillon Twisden, bart. is the present possessor of this parsonage, and the advowson of the vicarage of West or Town Malling.

 

The vicarage is valued in the king's books at ten pounds, and the yearly tenths at one pound.

 

www.british-history.ac.uk/survey-kent/vol4/pp518-533

www.etsy.com/transaction/1041143738?

Just south of the campus of Indiana University, at the intersection of Hunter and S. Highland Ave. in Bloomington, Indiana, a couple has dismounted from the Lime scooters they were using and are now concluding the transaction.

By mistake I ended up in West Malling, but it was a good thing, as the village is chocolate box pretty, and the church very fine indeed. The only church I visited that had no wardens to welcome (I think, sorry if I have mis-remembered). Anyway, a fine church, amazing coat of arms, and glad I visited.

 

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A story of all's well that ends well. A Norman tower and thirteenth-century chancel are linked by a twentieth-century nave that had in its turn replaced one erected to replace its medieval predecessor in the eighteenth century! The west window and those in the south aisle are by C.E. Kempe and Co. Ltd, and of special note is the one depicting the Three Kings. On the south side of the chancel, backing on to a medieval lean-to vestry, is the splendid tomb of Sir Robert Brett (d. 1620), which has recently been restored. The colours are superb and show how churches must have looked when these monuments were new. In the north aisle is a large painting of the Last Supper by Francis Slater, the eighteenth-century artist who painted the ceilings of nearby Mereworth Castle. Hanging on the front of the west gallery are the outstanding Royal Arms of James II, of carved and painted wood. The twentieth-century rebuilding of the church was financed by the sale of an Elizabethan stoneware jug (now in the British Museum), the transaction being recorded on an inscribed stone in the north porch.

 

www.kentchurches.info/church.asp?p=West+Malling

 

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WESTWARD from East Malling lies the town and parish of West Malling, now most commonly called Town Malling.

 

It is written in Domesday, MALLENGETIS, and in the Textus Roffensis, MELLINGES. In many deeds after the conquest, it is stiled MILLINGES PARVA, to distinguish it from East Malling, then the larger and more noted village of the two.

 

The town and parish of West Malling, excepting the borough of St. Leonard, which is under the jurisdiction of the constables of the hundred of Larkfield, is under the jurisdiction of its own constables, of which there are two chosen yearly.

 

THE PARISH of Town Malling, as it is usually called, is situated equally pleasant and healthy. It lies on high ground, and though dry is well watered, the soil of it being in the northern part a sand, the rest of it a loam, covering the quarry rock, which is very fertile, as has been frequently noticed before in the like situations. The high road from London through Wrotham to Maidstone, at the twenty-ninth mile stone leads along the northern boundaries of the parish, being called in king Edmund's grant of this place to the bishop of Rochester, the military way, no doubt from its having been used as such by the Romans, southward of it the ground gently rising; at less than a quarter of a mile's distance is the town of Malling, which is well built, having many genteel houses in it, the streets of a handsome width, and well paved. At the east end of it is the abbey, to which the approach is by a venerable antient gateway. Although the house itself was almost all of it pulled down and rebuilt by Mr. Honywood, yet many of the antient buildings and offices be longing to it are still remaining, and are made use of as such at present. A handsome tower of the church, the front of which is decorated with intersecting arches and zig-zag ornaments, similar to those on the west front of Rochester cathedral, built by the same founder, bishop Gundulph, is still remaining, as is an antient chapel or oratory, now made use of as a dwellinghouse.

 

From the foundations discovered in levelling the ground by Mr. Honywood, it appears, that this abbey consisted of two quadrangles or courts, with cloysters, and a spacious hall; and that the church had another tower, of the like size to that now standing. The burying-place seems to have been on the south side of the church, as in digging there, great quantities of human bones have been thrown up, and two stone coffins with skeletons in them, the lids of them had no inscriptions on them, but were ornamented each with a cross, having a quaterfoil pierced at the upper end, the stem of which was crossed more than once with foliage, several rings and trinkets, and some old coins have likewise been found at different times in cleaning away the rubbish.

 

Over the west end of the grand gateway, which stands at the entrance into the precinct of the abbey from the town, at the west end of the building, there is carved in stone, a heart distilling drops of blood, and on the other side, in a shield, Ermine, a crozier in bend sinister, on a chief three annulets.

 

In the meadows above the gardens, are large square excavations still visible, where the fish ponds of the aunnery formerly were.

 

The precinct of this monastery is washed by a rivulet of excellent clear water, which rising in the hamlet of St. Leonard, runs by the house, and through the gardens of it, whence gushing through the wall with a cascade, it crosses the road towards the Rev. Mr. Brooke's gardens. There is a view of this abbey in its present state published by Mr. Grose, in his Antiquities of England.

 

Near the abbey gate there is a good house, with a large garden, canal, and pleasure grounds, behind it, reaching down to the London road. It has been many years the residence of the Brooke's, from whom it passed by the will of Joseph Brooke, esq. who died in 1792, after the decease of his widow in 1796, to the Rev. John Kenward Shaw, brother of Sir John Gregory Shaw, bart. who has since, in pursuance of the above will, and by the king's licence, taken the name of Brooke, and now resides in it. A little further westward there is a very antient stone building, called the Old Gaol, having narrow gothic windows, and the walls of great thickness. It is reported to have been the prison belonging to the abbey, and is now used as an oast for the drying of hops. About the middle of the street stands the church, and a little distance from it a good house, late the residence of Benjamin Hubble, esq. whose family have been inhabitants of this town for some length of time, several of them lying buried in this church. He died in 1780, leaving his widow, sister of Richard Savage, esq. of Boughton Monchelsea, surviving, and two daughters, his coheirs, one of whom having married Thomas Augustus Douce, esq. he now resides in it; further southward is the hamlet of St. Leonard, now making part of the town, and called St. Leonard's-street, in which is an antient seat, some years ago the residence of Charles Stewart, esq. whose father admiral Stewart purchased it of judge Twisden. This district had once a cell in it, belonging to the abbey, with a chapel. It was given at the time the manor and church was to it, as has been already mentioned. The whole of it has been long since desecrated, and in ruins; the square tower of the chapel which stands in the next field south-west from the late Mr. Stewart's house, is all that remains of it. It was purchased by him some years ago, of Sir John Honywood, in exchange for other premises near the abbey, and is now made use of as a stowage for hops. Mr. Stewart died in 1780, and was buried near his father in this church, and he was succeeded here by the hon. admiral John Forbes, who lately died posfessed of it. A market is held in the principal highstreet every Saturday, which is plentifully supplied and well frequented. There are three fairs, which are held by the alteration of the stile on August 12, October 2, and November 17, yearly, for horses, cattle, toys, &c. The whole town is excellently well watered with fine springs, which having supplied the town and abbey, collect themselves into one stream, and passing northward through Mr. Brooke's grounds, cross the high Maidstone road, and runs from thence into the Addington brook, just above Leyborne mill.

 

About half a mile south-east from the abbey there is a good modern-built house, called New Barne, which formerly belonged to Mr. Alchin, from whom it passed to Graham, the present possessor, who resides in it.

 

Above St. Leonard's street is the high road from Teston over East-Malling-heath, and through this parish to Offham, southward of which this parish extends into the large tract of coppice woods which reach to West Peckham and Mereworth.

 

Dr. William Briggs, an eminent physician, resided at the latter end of the last century at Town Malling, where he died, Sept. 1704, æt. 64, and was buried in this church, He was a great traveller into foreign countries, and was greatly esteemed for his skill in his profession, as well as for his learning, of which the several writings he published are sufficient testimonies. He was physician in ordinary to king William, and to St. Thomas's hospital, and bore his arms, Gules, three bars gemelles, or, a canton sable. (fn. 1)

 

THIS PLACE was given, about the year 945, by Edmund, king of the Angles and of Mercia, to Burhric, bishop of Rochester, by the description of a small portion of his land, called Meallingas, containing three plough lands; and he granted it to him, for the good of his soul, in perpetual inheritance, in augmentation of the revenues of his monastery of St. Andrew, with all its rights, liberties, members, and appurtenances, and this he did with the consent of his nobles and princes, whose names were subscribed to it. After the names of king Edmund, Edred his brother, and Eadgife his mother, are those of the archbishops and bishops, and then that of Ælgifu, the king's concubine, Ego Ælgifu Concubina Regis affui, and after her the dukes, &c. The bounds of this land are thus described in Saxon, viz. from the south part of it to the king's plaine, and from thence to the bounds of the parish of Offaham, and thence to the military way, and so along the said way over Lilleburne to the bounds of the parish of Est Meallinges, and so directly southward from the east of the cross or gallows to the broad way towards the south, in a direct line along the said way to the king's plaine. To which the king added certain denberies for the pannage of hogs.

 

This land did not continue long in the possession of the church of Rochester, being wrested from it in the time of the Danish wars; and when William the Conqueror had attained the crown, he gave it to Odo, bishop of Baieux, his half brother, from whom it was recovered, together with the church of Mallinges, in the solemn assembly of the whole county held on this occasion, by the king's command, at Pinenden heath, in 1076, by archbishop Lanfrance, who afterward restored it to bishop Gundulph, and the church of St. Andrew; which gift was confirmed by archbishops Anselm and Boniface. (fn. 2)

 

In the survey of Domesday, taken about four years afterwards, this manor is thus described, under the general title of the bishop of Rochester's lands:

 

The same bishop (of Rochester) holds Mellingetes, it was taxed, in the time of king Edward the Confessor, at three sulings, and now at one and an half. The arable land is three carucates. In demesne there is one, and five villeins, with fix borderers, having two carucates. There is a church, and one mill of two shillings, wood for the pannage of twenty hogs. In the time of king Edward the Confessor, and afterwards, it was worth forty shillings, and now four pounds.

 

Bishop Gundulph, in the 4th year of the reign of king William Rufus, anno 1090, having founded an abbey of Benedictine nuns in this parish, to the honor of the Virgin Mary, gave this manor and church to it, with other possessions for the endowment of it; (fn. 3) and although it was, about one hundred years after its being first erected, with the adjoining village, destroyed by fire, yet it was again soon afterwards re-edified, and continued to increase in a flourishing state.

 

In the 7th year of king Edward I. anno 1278, the abbess of Malling claimed sundry liberties in this parish, by grant from king Henry III. and a market weekly throughout the year on a Saturday and Wednesday; and she claimed by grant from king John to have warren in all her lands at Malling, by grant from king Henry, from time beyond memory; and to have fairs in the parish on the eve, day, and morrow of St. Matthew the apostle, and the like on the eve, and day of St. Leonard, and the like on the eve, and day of St. Peter, ad vincula.

 

By which, and such like favours granted to it, this place, which at the first foundation of the monastery was plain fields, and almost without an inhabitant, became notwithstanding its former calamity mentioned before, exceedingly populous from the numbers who flocked to it from all parts, who building themselves houses here, increased the village to a large size, well suited for trade, to the no small emolument of the nuns; whence it soon lost its name of Malling Parva, which was for some time transferred to the neighbouring parish of East Malling, as appears by some grants, &c. of this time, and king Edward III. (fn. 4)

 

In the 15th year of king Edward I. the temporalities of the abbess of Malling in this parish and East Malling were valued at forty-five pounds.

 

There was an annual pension of ten pounds of wax, and one boar, paid by the abbess to the bishop of Rochester, as an acknowledgment of her subjection to that see.

 

In the year 1321, the bishop of Rochester, at the king's request, to whom the nuns had made a complaint, that their monastery was ruined by the bad management of their abbess, sister of Bartholomew de Badlesmere, visited it, and heard the complaints against her; in consequence of which she resigned, and the lady Agnes de Leyborne, was chosen in her room. Three years after which she died, and the bishop, at the unanimous request of the nuns, appointed Lora de Retling abbess here, though much against his will, knowing her to be very ignorant, and unfit for the office. However, he inhibited her giving a corredy to her maid servant, as had been the custom, and sequestered their common seal, inhibiting her from using it without his licence.

 

A great pestilence raging in the year 1348, the bishop made two abbesses here, who presently died; nor were there more than four nuns professed, and four not professed, remaining in this monastery; and he com mitted the custody of the spirituals and temporals to two of them, as there was not a proper person for the office of abbess.

 

In the year 1493, anno 9 Henry VII. Joane Moone was abbess of this monastery. (fn. 5)

 

This abbey was surrendered into the king's hands, with all its possessions, (fn. 6) among which were the manors of East and West Malling, with the precincts of Ewell and Parrock annexed to the latter, by Margaret Vernon, abbess, and the convent of it, in the 30th year of king Henry VIII. at which time it was valued at 245l. 10s. 2½d. annual rent, according to Speed, and 218l. 4s. 2½d. clear value, according to Dugdale, and there was granted to the abbess a pension of forty pounds yearly, and to eleven nuns from 31. 6s. 8d. down to 2l. 13s. 4d. yearly pensions, each for their lives.

 

After which that king, by his letters patent, in his 31st year, granted and sold, in exchange, among other premises, to Thomas Cranmer, archbishop of Canterbury, the scite of the abbey, with the precinct and circuit of it, and the manors of West Malling, Ewell, and Parocke, and the parsonage of West Malling, late appropriate to it, excepting to the king all advowsons, presentations, &c. to hold by knight's service, at the yearly rent therein mentioned; and as the king was entitled to the tenths of these premises, he discharged the archbishop of them, and all other outgoings whatsoever, except the rent therein mentioned. Which grant was in consequence of an indenture made between the king and the archbishop, inrolled in the Augmentation-office.

 

These manors and premises were again exchanged with the crown in the beginning of the reign of queen Elizabeth, in the 12th year of which she granted them in lease to Sir Henry Brooke, alias Cobham, fifth son of Sir George Brooke, lord Cobham; after which they were held by the same possessors, as the manor of East Malling before described, till at length, after the death of Sir Robert Brett, anno 1621, king James granted the manor of West, alias Town Malling, with the precinct of Ewell annexed, the scite of the late monastery, with the house, buildings, and ground within the precinct of it with all their appurtenances, late parcel of the possessions of the late monastery, in fee, to John Rayney, esq. which was further confirmed to Sir John Rayney, his eldest son, in the 2d year of king Charles I. He was of Wrothamplace, in this neighbourhood, and was created a baronet of Nova Scotia, in 1641, and his son of the same name, about the time of the restoration, conveyed these premises to Isaac Honywood, gent. of Hampsted, Middlesex, who was the only son of Edward, third son of Sir Thomas Honywood, of Elmsted, ancestor likewise of the present Sir John Honywood, of Elmsted, baronet, and he continued to bear the same coat of arms; whose second son, Isaac Honywood, esq. of Hampsted, succeeded him in this manor and estate. Frazer Honywood, esq. of Hampsted and London, his only son and heir, rebuilt the abbey house of Malling in the antient gothic taste, at a very great expence, making it one of the seats of his residence, and having thus greatly improved it, he died possessed of this seat and manor, with the estate belonging to it, in 1764, leaving no issue by his wife, the daughter of Abraham Atkins, of Clapham. He gave them, as well as the rest of his estates here and elsewhere, by will, to his kinsman, Sir John Honywood, bart. of Elmsted, and his heirs male, with divers remainders over to the family of Honywood. Sir John Honywood, bart. is since deceased, and his grandson of the same name is the present owner of this manor, with the precinct of Ewell annexed, and the seat of Malling abbey, with the lands and appurtenances in this parish belonging to it, but Mr. Foote resides in it.

 

The family of Say antiently possessed THE MANOR of CLEMENTS IN EWELL, in this parish. Geoffry de Say held it in the 7th year of king Edward II. as half a knight's fee. His son, Geoffry de Say, paid aid for it in the 20th year of king Edward III. as half a knight's fee, which John at Forde held before in Ewell, in Malling, of the bishop of Rochester. This manor was afterwards in the name of Coveney, (fn. 7) and in the latter end of king Henry VIII. it was in the possession of Mr. William Fowle. Since which it has sunk into such obscurity, that neither the scite nor the owners of it can be traced out even by the most diligent enquiries.

 

CHARITIES.

 

THERE is a lecture founded in this church of a sermon every fortnight, on the Saturday; two of the preachers to be the ministers of East and West Malling, who are to be paid 10s. for every sermon they preach; the other preachers are appointed at the will of the trustees.

 

FRANCIS TRESSE, gent. of this town, who died in 1632, by his will gave a piece of land, and 40l. towards the building of a free school in this parish; and he charged one of his houses in Town Malling with the sum of 13s. 4d. per annum, for the keeping of it in repair; and appointed that four principal freeholders of this parish should be trustees for the execution of this part of his will for ever. This school was accordingly erected, and was made use of for the teaching of boys writing and arithmetic. The charity is veisted in the minister and tour substantial freehold inhabitants, and the estate out of which it is paid in Mr. Robert Sutton, of this parish, but there being no master, the school-house is at present let to the late master's widow at 2gs. perannum, which with the 13s. 4d. is applied towards the maintaining of the building. He also gave two silver cups for the use of the holy communion, and 6s. 8d. payable yearly out of a piece of land, called Cousin's Plat, now vested in Mary Brome, widow.

 

SIR ROBERT BRETT, by will in 1620, gave land sufficient to pay yearly 10s. per week, to be bestowed in bread and meat to twenty poor persons, or else to be distributed in money to them. His executors accordingly conveyed lands in Tewksbury, in Gloucestershire, for this purpose, which is now vested in lord Romney, and twenty-three others, trustees, of the annual produce of 26l. but of late years the annual produce has been but 19l. 14s.

 

TOWN MALLING is within the ECCLESIASTICAL JURIDISCTION of the diocese of Rochester, and gives name to the deanry of Malling, in which it is situated.

 

The church, which is a handsome building, with an elegant spire steeple, is dedicated to St. Mary.

 

At the latter end of the year 1778, some of the main pillars of the body of it giving way, the whole roof of it fell in, leaving only the steeple and chancel at the two extremities of it standing. It has since been repaired, and thoroughly finished by a brief, which was obtained for that purpose.

 

The church of West Malling was given, with the manor, to the church of Rochester, by king Edmund, in 945; and having afterwards been taken from it, was again restored by archbishop Lanfranc to bishop Gundulph, in the time of the Conqueror, who gave it to the monastery here, at his foundation of it, and this gift was confirmed by several succeeding kings, archbishops of Canterbury, bishops of Rochester, &c. as has been already mentioned.

 

It was appropriated to the abbess and convent by bishop Gundulph, at the time it was given to them; which appropriation was specially confirmed by Simon, archbishop of Canterbury, in the year 1351.

 

In the reign of king Edward III. great discutes arising between the abbess and nuns of this monastery, and Robert de Beulton, perpetual vicar of this church, especially concerning the receiving of the tithes of flax and hemp, and the payment of archidiaconal procurations, they were at last settled by Hamo, bishop of Rochester, who in the year 1339, decreed, that, saving the due and accustomed portion of the prebend of the great mass in the conventual church of Malling, and the portion of the vicar, as undermentioned, the religious should take all tithes of corn within the parish, and all oblations and obventions belonging to their conventual church, and the cell of St. Leonard; and that they should not be bound to pay to the vicar the tithes of their hay, woods, or mills. And whereas the bishop was informed, and it was allowed, that the above-mentioned prebendary, and other domestics, serving in the monastery, or in the houses of the prebendary, or perpetual chaplain, celebrating for the dead, as also the brothers and sisters, and other persons dwelling in the monastery, or house of the prebendary, who, when they were without the monastery and houses, were not housekeepers in the parish, were wont to receive the sacraments and sacramentals, in life and in death, and to be buried there, if they happened to die within the monastery or houses, unless by chance they chose to be buried elsewhere; in which case, the religious had the first mass for the body before them, in their monastery, and received all the oblations then and there made, so that no portion was left for the vicar of the parish church. And further, that the prebendary for the time being had been used to receive antiently, and to that time, in part of the portion due to him, all the great and small tithes of the demesne lands of the religious, and of the food of their cattle, and also the great tithes arising from many of the crofts of their tenants situated in the said parish, and also the small tithes of his house, and of the house and land of the perpetual chaplain aforesaid, and all the predial tithes arising from the houses or messuages, curtilages and gardens, late of Thomas atte Shoppe and William Cake, in the street, called Holirode-strete, of this parish of Malling, situated above the house of the prebendary; and of all the houses, messuages, curtilages, and gardens whatsoever, from thence towards the east and north in Holirode-street, and in the street, called Tan-street, as far as the end of the parish of Malling on that side; and that the religious and prebendary had possessed all and singular the premises aforesaid, in certain distinct portions, peaceably and without contradiction, from the time beyond memory. (fn. 8)

 

The bishop, therefore, that none of the premises should be altered, decreed, saving all and every matter as aforesaid, that the vicar should receive for his portion all other small tithes, oblations, obventions and profits belonging to the parish church more especially, viz. the tithe of herbage, silva cedua, apples, pears, flax, hemp, wool, milk, cheese, calves, lambs, pigs, pidgeons, geese, ducks, bees, eggs, merchandizings, fowlings, fishings, swans, pulse, and other fruits, and also of corn growing in orchards or gardens, as he had-been accustomed to receive them.

 

¶And that the vicar should also receive the personal tithes of the inhabitants of the houses or messuages of Thomas atte Shoppe and William Cake, and of others, inhabiting in the houses or messuages situated in the streets, called Holirode-strete and Tan-strete, and the oblations due and accustomed to the parish church, and should administer ecclesiastical rights to them, and should have the burial of them in the parish church; and that the vicar should have for his habitation, as assigned to him by the religious, the dwelling with its precinct, which the vicar then inhabited, and his predecessors used to inhabit, which he should repair at his own expence, and preserve in a decent state, and should pay the yearly rents and services, due and accustomed from thence; all which the bishop adjudged to be a sufficient portion for the vicar for the time being. And he further decreed, that the vicar should cause the books to be bound, the vestments to be washed; and the same, and the rest of the ornaments of the parish church, which belonged to the religious to find, as often as need should require, to be repaired, and should cause them to be safely and honestly kept; and that he should provide and find bread, wine, processional tapers, and other lights necessary and accustomed in the chancel, the necessary and accustomed ministers, rochets, surplices, napkins, unconsecrated vessels, basons, and also green rushes to strow the church, if they had been so accustomed, and did not belong to the parishioners to find; and that he should pay the dues to the bishop, and the archidiaconal procurations, and that the vicar should acknowledge and undergo, according to the rate of the taxation of his portion as under-mentioned, all ordinaries and extraordinaries, which, although it might amount to five marcs, being near the moiety of the value of the whole church, according to the estimation then had, he decreed should remain according to the antient taxation of it, as often as burthens of this kind were to be borne, and paid from small benefices. And he decreed, that the religious should acknowledge and undergo all and singular other burthens happening to the parish church, by reason of their portion, which he estimated at twelve marcs, according to the antient taxation of it, notwithstanding this assignation, which was made with the consent of both parties, and which by his episcopal authority, he corroborated and confirmed, &c. and that it might not be called in doubt in future times, or be litigated, he had caused it to be entered in his register, and to be reduced into three different writings, of which he decreed one to remain in the hands of the religious, another in the hands of the vicar, and the third in the hands of the prebendary aforesaid, to perpetuate the memory of it, and had caused it to be authenticated with his seal, &c.

 

This parsonage, prebend, and the advowson of the vicarage, were, on the dissolution of the abbey in the 30th year of king Henry VIII. surrendered into the king's hands. After which the king, next year, granted this parsonage, with the manor of West Malling, and other premises, to Thomas Cranmer, archbishop of Canterbury, to hold by knight's service, at the yearly rent therein mentioned. After which it passed, with the manor of West Malling, in a like succession of ownership, down to Sir John Rayney, bart. who sold these premises, about the time of the restoration, to judge Twisden, and his descendant, Sir John Papillon Twisden, bart. is the present possessor of this parsonage, and the advowson of the vicarage of West or Town Malling.

 

The vicarage is valued in the king's books at ten pounds, and the yearly tenths at one pound.

 

www.british-history.ac.uk/survey-kent/vol4/pp518-533

Everyday Transaction, Chinatown

www.etsy.com/transaction/79778684?transaction_id=79778684

 

SOLD

 

www.bibliographica.etsy.com

Shot this on an evening in Kuala Lumpur right after heavy rain.

 

From left: Mamiya RB67, Mamiya 645, and the Mamiya C22.

 

Shot with Kiev 6C + expired Kodak Portra 160VC rated at 400.

By mistake I ended up in West Malling, but it was a good thing, as the village is chocolate box pretty, and the church very fine indeed. The only church I visited that had no wardens to welcome (I think, sorry if I have mis-remembered). Anyway, a fine church, amazing coat of arms, and glad I visited.

 

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A story of all's well that ends well. A Norman tower and thirteenth-century chancel are linked by a twentieth-century nave that had in its turn replaced one erected to replace its medieval predecessor in the eighteenth century! The west window and those in the south aisle are by C.E. Kempe and Co. Ltd, and of special note is the one depicting the Three Kings. On the south side of the chancel, backing on to a medieval lean-to vestry, is the splendid tomb of Sir Robert Brett (d. 1620), which has recently been restored. The colours are superb and show how churches must have looked when these monuments were new. In the north aisle is a large painting of the Last Supper by Francis Slater, the eighteenth-century artist who painted the ceilings of nearby Mereworth Castle. Hanging on the front of the west gallery are the outstanding Royal Arms of James II, of carved and painted wood. The twentieth-century rebuilding of the church was financed by the sale of an Elizabethan stoneware jug (now in the British Museum), the transaction being recorded on an inscribed stone in the north porch.

 

www.kentchurches.info/church.asp?p=West+Malling

 

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WESTWARD from East Malling lies the town and parish of West Malling, now most commonly called Town Malling.

 

It is written in Domesday, MALLENGETIS, and in the Textus Roffensis, MELLINGES. In many deeds after the conquest, it is stiled MILLINGES PARVA, to distinguish it from East Malling, then the larger and more noted village of the two.

 

The town and parish of West Malling, excepting the borough of St. Leonard, which is under the jurisdiction of the constables of the hundred of Larkfield, is under the jurisdiction of its own constables, of which there are two chosen yearly.

 

THE PARISH of Town Malling, as it is usually called, is situated equally pleasant and healthy. It lies on high ground, and though dry is well watered, the soil of it being in the northern part a sand, the rest of it a loam, covering the quarry rock, which is very fertile, as has been frequently noticed before in the like situations. The high road from London through Wrotham to Maidstone, at the twenty-ninth mile stone leads along the northern boundaries of the parish, being called in king Edmund's grant of this place to the bishop of Rochester, the military way, no doubt from its having been used as such by the Romans, southward of it the ground gently rising; at less than a quarter of a mile's distance is the town of Malling, which is well built, having many genteel houses in it, the streets of a handsome width, and well paved. At the east end of it is the abbey, to which the approach is by a venerable antient gateway. Although the house itself was almost all of it pulled down and rebuilt by Mr. Honywood, yet many of the antient buildings and offices be longing to it are still remaining, and are made use of as such at present. A handsome tower of the church, the front of which is decorated with intersecting arches and zig-zag ornaments, similar to those on the west front of Rochester cathedral, built by the same founder, bishop Gundulph, is still remaining, as is an antient chapel or oratory, now made use of as a dwellinghouse.

 

From the foundations discovered in levelling the ground by Mr. Honywood, it appears, that this abbey consisted of two quadrangles or courts, with cloysters, and a spacious hall; and that the church had another tower, of the like size to that now standing. The burying-place seems to have been on the south side of the church, as in digging there, great quantities of human bones have been thrown up, and two stone coffins with skeletons in them, the lids of them had no inscriptions on them, but were ornamented each with a cross, having a quaterfoil pierced at the upper end, the stem of which was crossed more than once with foliage, several rings and trinkets, and some old coins have likewise been found at different times in cleaning away the rubbish.

 

Over the west end of the grand gateway, which stands at the entrance into the precinct of the abbey from the town, at the west end of the building, there is carved in stone, a heart distilling drops of blood, and on the other side, in a shield, Ermine, a crozier in bend sinister, on a chief three annulets.

 

In the meadows above the gardens, are large square excavations still visible, where the fish ponds of the aunnery formerly were.

 

The precinct of this monastery is washed by a rivulet of excellent clear water, which rising in the hamlet of St. Leonard, runs by the house, and through the gardens of it, whence gushing through the wall with a cascade, it crosses the road towards the Rev. Mr. Brooke's gardens. There is a view of this abbey in its present state published by Mr. Grose, in his Antiquities of England.

 

Near the abbey gate there is a good house, with a large garden, canal, and pleasure grounds, behind it, reaching down to the London road. It has been many years the residence of the Brooke's, from whom it passed by the will of Joseph Brooke, esq. who died in 1792, after the decease of his widow in 1796, to the Rev. John Kenward Shaw, brother of Sir John Gregory Shaw, bart. who has since, in pursuance of the above will, and by the king's licence, taken the name of Brooke, and now resides in it. A little further westward there is a very antient stone building, called the Old Gaol, having narrow gothic windows, and the walls of great thickness. It is reported to have been the prison belonging to the abbey, and is now used as an oast for the drying of hops. About the middle of the street stands the church, and a little distance from it a good house, late the residence of Benjamin Hubble, esq. whose family have been inhabitants of this town for some length of time, several of them lying buried in this church. He died in 1780, leaving his widow, sister of Richard Savage, esq. of Boughton Monchelsea, surviving, and two daughters, his coheirs, one of whom having married Thomas Augustus Douce, esq. he now resides in it; further southward is the hamlet of St. Leonard, now making part of the town, and called St. Leonard's-street, in which is an antient seat, some years ago the residence of Charles Stewart, esq. whose father admiral Stewart purchased it of judge Twisden. This district had once a cell in it, belonging to the abbey, with a chapel. It was given at the time the manor and church was to it, as has been already mentioned. The whole of it has been long since desecrated, and in ruins; the square tower of the chapel which stands in the next field south-west from the late Mr. Stewart's house, is all that remains of it. It was purchased by him some years ago, of Sir John Honywood, in exchange for other premises near the abbey, and is now made use of as a stowage for hops. Mr. Stewart died in 1780, and was buried near his father in this church, and he was succeeded here by the hon. admiral John Forbes, who lately died posfessed of it. A market is held in the principal highstreet every Saturday, which is plentifully supplied and well frequented. There are three fairs, which are held by the alteration of the stile on August 12, October 2, and November 17, yearly, for horses, cattle, toys, &c. The whole town is excellently well watered with fine springs, which having supplied the town and abbey, collect themselves into one stream, and passing northward through Mr. Brooke's grounds, cross the high Maidstone road, and runs from thence into the Addington brook, just above Leyborne mill.

 

About half a mile south-east from the abbey there is a good modern-built house, called New Barne, which formerly belonged to Mr. Alchin, from whom it passed to Graham, the present possessor, who resides in it.

 

Above St. Leonard's street is the high road from Teston over East-Malling-heath, and through this parish to Offham, southward of which this parish extends into the large tract of coppice woods which reach to West Peckham and Mereworth.

 

Dr. William Briggs, an eminent physician, resided at the latter end of the last century at Town Malling, where he died, Sept. 1704, æt. 64, and was buried in this church, He was a great traveller into foreign countries, and was greatly esteemed for his skill in his profession, as well as for his learning, of which the several writings he published are sufficient testimonies. He was physician in ordinary to king William, and to St. Thomas's hospital, and bore his arms, Gules, three bars gemelles, or, a canton sable. (fn. 1)

 

THIS PLACE was given, about the year 945, by Edmund, king of the Angles and of Mercia, to Burhric, bishop of Rochester, by the description of a small portion of his land, called Meallingas, containing three plough lands; and he granted it to him, for the good of his soul, in perpetual inheritance, in augmentation of the revenues of his monastery of St. Andrew, with all its rights, liberties, members, and appurtenances, and this he did with the consent of his nobles and princes, whose names were subscribed to it. After the names of king Edmund, Edred his brother, and Eadgife his mother, are those of the archbishops and bishops, and then that of Ælgifu, the king's concubine, Ego Ælgifu Concubina Regis affui, and after her the dukes, &c. The bounds of this land are thus described in Saxon, viz. from the south part of it to the king's plaine, and from thence to the bounds of the parish of Offaham, and thence to the military way, and so along the said way over Lilleburne to the bounds of the parish of Est Meallinges, and so directly southward from the east of the cross or gallows to the broad way towards the south, in a direct line along the said way to the king's plaine. To which the king added certain denberies for the pannage of hogs.

 

This land did not continue long in the possession of the church of Rochester, being wrested from it in the time of the Danish wars; and when William the Conqueror had attained the crown, he gave it to Odo, bishop of Baieux, his half brother, from whom it was recovered, together with the church of Mallinges, in the solemn assembly of the whole county held on this occasion, by the king's command, at Pinenden heath, in 1076, by archbishop Lanfrance, who afterward restored it to bishop Gundulph, and the church of St. Andrew; which gift was confirmed by archbishops Anselm and Boniface. (fn. 2)

 

In the survey of Domesday, taken about four years afterwards, this manor is thus described, under the general title of the bishop of Rochester's lands:

 

The same bishop (of Rochester) holds Mellingetes, it was taxed, in the time of king Edward the Confessor, at three sulings, and now at one and an half. The arable land is three carucates. In demesne there is one, and five villeins, with fix borderers, having two carucates. There is a church, and one mill of two shillings, wood for the pannage of twenty hogs. In the time of king Edward the Confessor, and afterwards, it was worth forty shillings, and now four pounds.

 

Bishop Gundulph, in the 4th year of the reign of king William Rufus, anno 1090, having founded an abbey of Benedictine nuns in this parish, to the honor of the Virgin Mary, gave this manor and church to it, with other possessions for the endowment of it; (fn. 3) and although it was, about one hundred years after its being first erected, with the adjoining village, destroyed by fire, yet it was again soon afterwards re-edified, and continued to increase in a flourishing state.

 

In the 7th year of king Edward I. anno 1278, the abbess of Malling claimed sundry liberties in this parish, by grant from king Henry III. and a market weekly throughout the year on a Saturday and Wednesday; and she claimed by grant from king John to have warren in all her lands at Malling, by grant from king Henry, from time beyond memory; and to have fairs in the parish on the eve, day, and morrow of St. Matthew the apostle, and the like on the eve, and day of St. Leonard, and the like on the eve, and day of St. Peter, ad vincula.

 

By which, and such like favours granted to it, this place, which at the first foundation of the monastery was plain fields, and almost without an inhabitant, became notwithstanding its former calamity mentioned before, exceedingly populous from the numbers who flocked to it from all parts, who building themselves houses here, increased the village to a large size, well suited for trade, to the no small emolument of the nuns; whence it soon lost its name of Malling Parva, which was for some time transferred to the neighbouring parish of East Malling, as appears by some grants, &c. of this time, and king Edward III. (fn. 4)

 

In the 15th year of king Edward I. the temporalities of the abbess of Malling in this parish and East Malling were valued at forty-five pounds.

 

There was an annual pension of ten pounds of wax, and one boar, paid by the abbess to the bishop of Rochester, as an acknowledgment of her subjection to that see.

 

In the year 1321, the bishop of Rochester, at the king's request, to whom the nuns had made a complaint, that their monastery was ruined by the bad management of their abbess, sister of Bartholomew de Badlesmere, visited it, and heard the complaints against her; in consequence of which she resigned, and the lady Agnes de Leyborne, was chosen in her room. Three years after which she died, and the bishop, at the unanimous request of the nuns, appointed Lora de Retling abbess here, though much against his will, knowing her to be very ignorant, and unfit for the office. However, he inhibited her giving a corredy to her maid servant, as had been the custom, and sequestered their common seal, inhibiting her from using it without his licence.

 

A great pestilence raging in the year 1348, the bishop made two abbesses here, who presently died; nor were there more than four nuns professed, and four not professed, remaining in this monastery; and he com mitted the custody of the spirituals and temporals to two of them, as there was not a proper person for the office of abbess.

 

In the year 1493, anno 9 Henry VII. Joane Moone was abbess of this monastery. (fn. 5)

 

This abbey was surrendered into the king's hands, with all its possessions, (fn. 6) among which were the manors of East and West Malling, with the precincts of Ewell and Parrock annexed to the latter, by Margaret Vernon, abbess, and the convent of it, in the 30th year of king Henry VIII. at which time it was valued at 245l. 10s. 2½d. annual rent, according to Speed, and 218l. 4s. 2½d. clear value, according to Dugdale, and there was granted to the abbess a pension of forty pounds yearly, and to eleven nuns from 31. 6s. 8d. down to 2l. 13s. 4d. yearly pensions, each for their lives.

 

After which that king, by his letters patent, in his 31st year, granted and sold, in exchange, among other premises, to Thomas Cranmer, archbishop of Canterbury, the scite of the abbey, with the precinct and circuit of it, and the manors of West Malling, Ewell, and Parocke, and the parsonage of West Malling, late appropriate to it, excepting to the king all advowsons, presentations, &c. to hold by knight's service, at the yearly rent therein mentioned; and as the king was entitled to the tenths of these premises, he discharged the archbishop of them, and all other outgoings whatsoever, except the rent therein mentioned. Which grant was in consequence of an indenture made between the king and the archbishop, inrolled in the Augmentation-office.

 

These manors and premises were again exchanged with the crown in the beginning of the reign of queen Elizabeth, in the 12th year of which she granted them in lease to Sir Henry Brooke, alias Cobham, fifth son of Sir George Brooke, lord Cobham; after which they were held by the same possessors, as the manor of East Malling before described, till at length, after the death of Sir Robert Brett, anno 1621, king James granted the manor of West, alias Town Malling, with the precinct of Ewell annexed, the scite of the late monastery, with the house, buildings, and ground within the precinct of it with all their appurtenances, late parcel of the possessions of the late monastery, in fee, to John Rayney, esq. which was further confirmed to Sir John Rayney, his eldest son, in the 2d year of king Charles I. He was of Wrothamplace, in this neighbourhood, and was created a baronet of Nova Scotia, in 1641, and his son of the same name, about the time of the restoration, conveyed these premises to Isaac Honywood, gent. of Hampsted, Middlesex, who was the only son of Edward, third son of Sir Thomas Honywood, of Elmsted, ancestor likewise of the present Sir John Honywood, of Elmsted, baronet, and he continued to bear the same coat of arms; whose second son, Isaac Honywood, esq. of Hampsted, succeeded him in this manor and estate. Frazer Honywood, esq. of Hampsted and London, his only son and heir, rebuilt the abbey house of Malling in the antient gothic taste, at a very great expence, making it one of the seats of his residence, and having thus greatly improved it, he died possessed of this seat and manor, with the estate belonging to it, in 1764, leaving no issue by his wife, the daughter of Abraham Atkins, of Clapham. He gave them, as well as the rest of his estates here and elsewhere, by will, to his kinsman, Sir John Honywood, bart. of Elmsted, and his heirs male, with divers remainders over to the family of Honywood. Sir John Honywood, bart. is since deceased, and his grandson of the same name is the present owner of this manor, with the precinct of Ewell annexed, and the seat of Malling abbey, with the lands and appurtenances in this parish belonging to it, but Mr. Foote resides in it.

 

The family of Say antiently possessed THE MANOR of CLEMENTS IN EWELL, in this parish. Geoffry de Say held it in the 7th year of king Edward II. as half a knight's fee. His son, Geoffry de Say, paid aid for it in the 20th year of king Edward III. as half a knight's fee, which John at Forde held before in Ewell, in Malling, of the bishop of Rochester. This manor was afterwards in the name of Coveney, (fn. 7) and in the latter end of king Henry VIII. it was in the possession of Mr. William Fowle. Since which it has sunk into such obscurity, that neither the scite nor the owners of it can be traced out even by the most diligent enquiries.

 

CHARITIES.

 

THERE is a lecture founded in this church of a sermon every fortnight, on the Saturday; two of the preachers to be the ministers of East and West Malling, who are to be paid 10s. for every sermon they preach; the other preachers are appointed at the will of the trustees.

 

FRANCIS TRESSE, gent. of this town, who died in 1632, by his will gave a piece of land, and 40l. towards the building of a free school in this parish; and he charged one of his houses in Town Malling with the sum of 13s. 4d. per annum, for the keeping of it in repair; and appointed that four principal freeholders of this parish should be trustees for the execution of this part of his will for ever. This school was accordingly erected, and was made use of for the teaching of boys writing and arithmetic. The charity is veisted in the minister and tour substantial freehold inhabitants, and the estate out of which it is paid in Mr. Robert Sutton, of this parish, but there being no master, the school-house is at present let to the late master's widow at 2gs. perannum, which with the 13s. 4d. is applied towards the maintaining of the building. He also gave two silver cups for the use of the holy communion, and 6s. 8d. payable yearly out of a piece of land, called Cousin's Plat, now vested in Mary Brome, widow.

 

SIR ROBERT BRETT, by will in 1620, gave land sufficient to pay yearly 10s. per week, to be bestowed in bread and meat to twenty poor persons, or else to be distributed in money to them. His executors accordingly conveyed lands in Tewksbury, in Gloucestershire, for this purpose, which is now vested in lord Romney, and twenty-three others, trustees, of the annual produce of 26l. but of late years the annual produce has been but 19l. 14s.

 

TOWN MALLING is within the ECCLESIASTICAL JURIDISCTION of the diocese of Rochester, and gives name to the deanry of Malling, in which it is situated.

 

The church, which is a handsome building, with an elegant spire steeple, is dedicated to St. Mary.

 

At the latter end of the year 1778, some of the main pillars of the body of it giving way, the whole roof of it fell in, leaving only the steeple and chancel at the two extremities of it standing. It has since been repaired, and thoroughly finished by a brief, which was obtained for that purpose.

 

The church of West Malling was given, with the manor, to the church of Rochester, by king Edmund, in 945; and having afterwards been taken from it, was again restored by archbishop Lanfranc to bishop Gundulph, in the time of the Conqueror, who gave it to the monastery here, at his foundation of it, and this gift was confirmed by several succeeding kings, archbishops of Canterbury, bishops of Rochester, &c. as has been already mentioned.

 

It was appropriated to the abbess and convent by bishop Gundulph, at the time it was given to them; which appropriation was specially confirmed by Simon, archbishop of Canterbury, in the year 1351.

 

In the reign of king Edward III. great discutes arising between the abbess and nuns of this monastery, and Robert de Beulton, perpetual vicar of this church, especially concerning the receiving of the tithes of flax and hemp, and the payment of archidiaconal procurations, they were at last settled by Hamo, bishop of Rochester, who in the year 1339, decreed, that, saving the due and accustomed portion of the prebend of the great mass in the conventual church of Malling, and the portion of the vicar, as undermentioned, the religious should take all tithes of corn within the parish, and all oblations and obventions belonging to their conventual church, and the cell of St. Leonard; and that they should not be bound to pay to the vicar the tithes of their hay, woods, or mills. And whereas the bishop was informed, and it was allowed, that the above-mentioned prebendary, and other domestics, serving in the monastery, or in the houses of the prebendary, or perpetual chaplain, celebrating for the dead, as also the brothers and sisters, and other persons dwelling in the monastery, or house of the prebendary, who, when they were without the monastery and houses, were not housekeepers in the parish, were wont to receive the sacraments and sacramentals, in life and in death, and to be buried there, if they happened to die within the monastery or houses, unless by chance they chose to be buried elsewhere; in which case, the religious had the first mass for the body before them, in their monastery, and received all the oblations then and there made, so that no portion was left for the vicar of the parish church. And further, that the prebendary for the time being had been used to receive antiently, and to that time, in part of the portion due to him, all the great and small tithes of the demesne lands of the religious, and of the food of their cattle, and also the great tithes arising from many of the crofts of their tenants situated in the said parish, and also the small tithes of his house, and of the house and land of the perpetual chaplain aforesaid, and all the predial tithes arising from the houses or messuages, curtilages and gardens, late of Thomas atte Shoppe and William Cake, in the street, called Holirode-strete, of this parish of Malling, situated above the house of the prebendary; and of all the houses, messuages, curtilages, and gardens whatsoever, from thence towards the east and north in Holirode-street, and in the street, called Tan-street, as far as the end of the parish of Malling on that side; and that the religious and prebendary had possessed all and singular the premises aforesaid, in certain distinct portions, peaceably and without contradiction, from the time beyond memory. (fn. 8)

 

The bishop, therefore, that none of the premises should be altered, decreed, saving all and every matter as aforesaid, that the vicar should receive for his portion all other small tithes, oblations, obventions and profits belonging to the parish church more especially, viz. the tithe of herbage, silva cedua, apples, pears, flax, hemp, wool, milk, cheese, calves, lambs, pigs, pidgeons, geese, ducks, bees, eggs, merchandizings, fowlings, fishings, swans, pulse, and other fruits, and also of corn growing in orchards or gardens, as he had-been accustomed to receive them.

 

¶And that the vicar should also receive the personal tithes of the inhabitants of the houses or messuages of Thomas atte Shoppe and William Cake, and of others, inhabiting in the houses or messuages situated in the streets, called Holirode-strete and Tan-strete, and the oblations due and accustomed to the parish church, and should administer ecclesiastical rights to them, and should have the burial of them in the parish church; and that the vicar should have for his habitation, as assigned to him by the religious, the dwelling with its precinct, which the vicar then inhabited, and his predecessors used to inhabit, which he should repair at his own expence, and preserve in a decent state, and should pay the yearly rents and services, due and accustomed from thence; all which the bishop adjudged to be a sufficient portion for the vicar for the time being. And he further decreed, that the vicar should cause the books to be bound, the vestments to be washed; and the same, and the rest of the ornaments of the parish church, which belonged to the religious to find, as often as need should require, to be repaired, and should cause them to be safely and honestly kept; and that he should provide and find bread, wine, processional tapers, and other lights necessary and accustomed in the chancel, the necessary and accustomed ministers, rochets, surplices, napkins, unconsecrated vessels, basons, and also green rushes to strow the church, if they had been so accustomed, and did not belong to the parishioners to find; and that he should pay the dues to the bishop, and the archidiaconal procurations, and that the vicar should acknowledge and undergo, according to the rate of the taxation of his portion as under-mentioned, all ordinaries and extraordinaries, which, although it might amount to five marcs, being near the moiety of the value of the whole church, according to the estimation then had, he decreed should remain according to the antient taxation of it, as often as burthens of this kind were to be borne, and paid from small benefices. And he decreed, that the religious should acknowledge and undergo all and singular other burthens happening to the parish church, by reason of their portion, which he estimated at twelve marcs, according to the antient taxation of it, notwithstanding this assignation, which was made with the consent of both parties, and which by his episcopal authority, he corroborated and confirmed, &c. and that it might not be called in doubt in future times, or be litigated, he had caused it to be entered in his register, and to be reduced into three different writings, of which he decreed one to remain in the hands of the religious, another in the hands of the vicar, and the third in the hands of the prebendary aforesaid, to perpetuate the memory of it, and had caused it to be authenticated with his seal, &c.

 

This parsonage, prebend, and the advowson of the vicarage, were, on the dissolution of the abbey in the 30th year of king Henry VIII. surrendered into the king's hands. After which the king, next year, granted this parsonage, with the manor of West Malling, and other premises, to Thomas Cranmer, archbishop of Canterbury, to hold by knight's service, at the yearly rent therein mentioned. After which it passed, with the manor of West Malling, in a like succession of ownership, down to Sir John Rayney, bart. who sold these premises, about the time of the restoration, to judge Twisden, and his descendant, Sir John Papillon Twisden, bart. is the present possessor of this parsonage, and the advowson of the vicarage of West or Town Malling.

 

The vicarage is valued in the king's books at ten pounds, and the yearly tenths at one pound.

 

www.british-history.ac.uk/survey-kent/vol4/pp518-533

One of my favourite things about Singapore, they have a pervasive, anonymous, RFID payment system for small items.

 

The EZ Link cards, which are administered through the public transportation system, are most typically used to pay for all the busses and trains. You hop on, swipe your card (can be left in wallet or purse).

 

You can also use the system at soda machines and whatnot. So I can grab a drink or a snack without having small change on me.

 

Best of all, you can fill it up with cash, it doesn't have to be linked to a credit card like the SpeedPass we have in the US.

 

*edit* This picture was used in an article on electronic payment methods in the EU. I am honored and excited!

www.taurillon.org/Un-altra-rivoluzione-europea-in-corso

Co. C, 111th U. S. C. Infantry

South Kansas Tribune, August 4, 1897:

   

Ex-SENATOR McTAGGART SHOT DOWN

 

It is with profound sorrow that we record the shooting of ex-senator Daniel McTaggert of Liberty, and of his death, and that his slayer was Henry Sheesley, a well known miller formerly of this city, and lessee of the McTaggart Mill, five miles from this city.

Differences had arisen between them about the rent of the mill during high and low water, when the mill did not run, and other minor matters, and McTaggart had brought suit in justice’s court and received a judgement for $90 and costs, and had levied upon Sheesley’s flour, grain and other property in the mill, and yesterday was the day of sale.

Mr. Sheesley was very bitter over the transaction, denouncing it as a fraud, and especially so when McTaggart refused to allow the judgment to be credited on a note for $240 which McTaggart had given to Sheesley, but which he claimed was not then due.

The fact that the money in the flour and grain being sold, had been raised by Mrs. Sheesley, by mortgage on her only property in Missouri, also added to the intensity of Mr. Sheesley’s feelings and he brooded over it and became frenzied. Although ordinarily very quiet and retiring in his manner, he has a high temper and is occasionally violent in his expressions.

Yesterday at 10 o’clock Constable C. A. Davis, with Sheesley and his son, McTaggart and his son, and some neighbors went into the mill and the sale was commenced. The constable had sold one lot, and was standing a little in front of Sheesley who stood a few feet distant from McTaggart, he sat on a sack of shorts and his son on the steps near by. As the auctioneer was crying the second lot, a pistol shot was heard and almost instantly a second shot, and as the constable turned Sheesley’s revolver was pointed toward him, he grappled with him, as Mr. Riley and others jumped forward and got the revolver.

Capt. McTaggart attempted to rise but fell forward towards the door from loss of blood. He was assisted out in the shade, placed on a cot in a wagon to be hauled home, about half a mile, but suffered so that he had to be taken out and place in the shade of a tree by the road side. The ball entered near the left nipple and ranged downward. He suffered intensely and felling that the wound was fatal, set for Rev. Dr. Wright of this city. Later he was removed to his home where he lingered until 2:15 when he died.

The son “Dot” received the second shot, but ran out of the mill before he knew that he was hurt. The ball struck one hand, grazed the breast, and entered the fleshy part of the other arm, but he is not seriously injured.

Dr. Andress was sent for, and a message telephoned to Sheriff Moses, who started at once with Dr. Evans. In the meantime Constable Davis with C. W. Wingate and Tom McGee brought Mr. Sheesley to town and he was placed in jail. Acting county attorney Bertenshaw had him arraigned before Esq. Gilmore, and Hon. A. B. Clark appeared for the defendant. Bond was placed at (unreadable); on the announcement of death, he was again arraigned on charge of murder in the first degree and re-committed to jail. Later in the day the county attorney Bertenshaw, with Drs. Surber and Davis, held a post mortem examination at the McTaggart residence.

Ex-senator Daniel McTaggart was born in Canada, in 1840, came to America in boyhood, and was living in Iowa when President Lincoln called for 300,000 volunteers. McTaggart early in June 1861, at the age of 21, volunteered in Co. B, 7th Iowa Infantry. He was soon sent to the front and was with Gen. Grant in his first big battle at Belmont, Mo., where 36 out of 48 of McTaggart’s company fell dead or wounded. He, with 98 of his regiment was captured and taken to Memphis, and was confined in a loathsome prison four months. After days of starvation and peril he escaped and when 80 miles away, was recaptured, & sent to Jackson, for 27 days. Then he was transferred to Corinth, and during the battle of Shiloh, he escaped from prison, and made his way to Pittsburg Landing where he rejoined the Union army. At the second battle of Corinth, he was captured a third time, but made his escape that night. At Athens, Ga., with 1,200 others he was captured the fourth time, but got away, and helped to retake the city. He raised a Company of colored troops at Pulaski, Tenn., and was made Captain of Co. G, 3rd U S colored troop, and was on many fields of carnage, and always a brave soldier. At the close of the war he was detailed two years as superintendent of National Cemeteries at Murfreesboro, Nashville and New Albany, and with 300 troops re-interred the bodies of 26,000 fallen comrades.

In 1869 he faced westward, and located among the Osages, and in the following year took prominent part in the organization of our county, was appointed treasurer of the county, and made a great fight in ’70 to locate the county seat at Liberty, where they had built a log court house near his 400 acre farm and residence.

The captain came to Liberty with money and a good stock of goods, and prospered. But later lost heavily by crediting the claim takers, and going security, and after the panic of ’73 his own losses, security debts and costs aggregated $17,000, which ex-district clerk Harry Dodd says he paid. When he began to recover, he built the mill which proved unprofitable, and with other security debts coming on, he was swamped the second time. He made heroic struggle to save his home but mismanagement was against him and two years ago the fine farm passed into other hands and he became their tenant. He has been prominent in every public improvement in that part of the county, and a leader in nearly every contest for roads and bridges, and always a good citizen.

Capt. McTaggart was elected by the republicans three times to the House and twice to the Senate, serving for twelve consecutive years in the legislature, and gained wide influence in local and state affairs, and was influential in Grand Army circles. Recently he was appointed Regent of the Hutchinson Reformatory. He leaves a devoted wife, a daughter and three sons—the youngest shot at his side.

Henry Sheesley is aged about 56, is a miller, and an old and respected citizen, quiet and industrious, not taking active part in public affairs.

Both were good citizens, both members of the Masonic lodge, and both with excellent families. Their wives and children have universal sympathy in their deep affliction.

The funeral of Capt. McTaggart tomorrow at 11 o’clock, at Liberty M. E. church in charge of the Masons, the Odd Fellows and Grand Army comrades also attending. Sermon by Rev. Dr. Wright, of Independence.

  

South Kansas Tribune, June 23, 1902:

  

Henry Sheesley at Liberty

 

It is announced that Henry Sheesley who killed Daniel McTaggart in Aug. 1897 will leave the penitentiary today. He was convicted at the November 1897 term of court and on December 15, 1897 was sentenced to five years in the penitentiary. He has received all the commutation allowed by law for good behavior, and with an additional short commutation by Governor Stanley, is now entitled to his liberty. He has been a model prisoner, has had charge of the penitentiary feed mill, and has been allowed to go and come almost at will. His family now lives in Carthage, Mo., where they are doing well and doubtless he will rejoin them at once.

 

Contributed by Mrs. Maryann Johnson a Civil war researcher and a volunteer in the Kansas Room of the Independence Public Library, Independence, Kansas.

 

William Cutler wrote the following about this gentleman:

HON. DANIEL McTAGGART, proprietor of flouring mills, cotton gin, etc., is a native of the Parish of De Henrysville, Canada East, born August 2, 1840; lived in Rock County, Wis., from 1851 to 1852, then in Chickasaw County, Iowa, until July 8, 1861, when he enlisted as a private in Company B, Seventh Iowa Volunteer Infantry, serving in that regiment until January, 1863, being Sergeant of his company, when he was mustered out. He immediately recruited a company of colored troops at Pulaski, Tenn., being commissioned Captain of Company B, third Alabama Colored Infantry, it being changed three months later to the One Hundred and Eleventh United States Colored Infantry, he continued in command of the company until he was mustered out in May 3, 1866. The story of his military career is a very thrilling one. At the Battle of Belmont, November 7, 1861, he was captured by the rebels, and was imprisoned at Memphis, Tenn; about the first of March, 1862, he made his escape, but was recaptured seven days later, having had but two meals and some roasted corn during that time. After twenty-seven day's spent in the dark dungeon at Jackson, Tenn., he was removed to Corinth, escaping from there six hours after his arrival, he reached the Union Army, distant thirty miles, after three days' travel. He was again taken prisoner October 7, 1862, at battle of Corinth, but successfully escaped after two days and one night a prisoner. At Athens, Ala., October, 1864, he was again captured, attempted to escape the first night, but was not successful in effecting his escape until the next night, reaching the Federal lines within a few hours, he guided the course of the Union troops so that Athens was recaptured by our army within two or three days. During the summer of 1865, he was Provost Marshall at Murfreesboro, Tenn., and assisted to make the National Cemetery at that place. He then superintended the arrangement and construction of the National Cemetery at Nashville, and had charged thereof for a period of two years, afterward appointed to superintend and lay out the National Cemetery at New Albany, Ind., finally leaving the Government service January 1, 1869. Having become accustomed to the Southern climate, he determined to locate to Southern Kansas, rather than reside and where he would be exposed to the cold and bleak winters so common in the States further north. In February, 1861, he located on Osage Indian lands, on Section 11, Township 33, Range 16. He now resides on Section 14, adjoining the section where he first settled. In May, 1869, he put up a store about three miles east of the farm; in the following month he built a store at Verdigris City, and carried on both stores for about one year; he then consolidated his mercantile interest and located at Liberty, continuing in trade there till 1872, then moved to the present town of Liberty, two and a half miles distant from the old town, remaining there until 1876, doing nearly all the merchandising at the point, also serving as Postmaster and express agent all the time, and railroad agent from 1872 to 1875. He was the first County Treasurer, being appointed to the office. In November, 1882, he was elected a member of the Kansas House of Representatives, proving to be a valuable and efficient member thereof. Captain McTaggart has evinced such ability and uprightness in his public life as to make his influence potently felt. From the fall of 1869 to the present time, he has owned and lived on the farm where he now resides. In 1875, he erected his flouring mills, capacity sixty barrels per day, on the Verdigris River, near his residence; in 1880, he put up a cotton gin. He estimates that 150 bales of cotton were produced in Montgomery County in 1882. For the last three years he has supplied the Osage Indians, in the Territory, with their flour. The balance of the product of his mills finds sale in the markets of this county. The Captain was elected member of the Legislature in 1882, on the Republican ticket, by a majority of 300. At the same election, George W. Glick, the Democratic candidate for Governor, received a majority of 200. This vote indicated the personal popularity of Capt. McTaggart among his old associates and acquaintances. He was married at Murfreesboro, Tenn., June 4, 1866, to Maggie A. Beigle, a native of Altoona, Pa. They have four children - Hattie, William, Alton Charles and Claude D. The oldest was born at New Albany, Ind., the other three being native born Kansans.

   

By mistake I ended up in West Malling, but it was a good thing, as the village is chocolate box pretty, and the church very fine indeed. The only church I visited that had no wardens to welcome (I think, sorry if I have mis-remembered). Anyway, a fine church, amazing coat of arms, and glad I visited.

 

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A story of all's well that ends well. A Norman tower and thirteenth-century chancel are linked by a twentieth-century nave that had in its turn replaced one erected to replace its medieval predecessor in the eighteenth century! The west window and those in the south aisle are by C.E. Kempe and Co. Ltd, and of special note is the one depicting the Three Kings. On the south side of the chancel, backing on to a medieval lean-to vestry, is the splendid tomb of Sir Robert Brett (d. 1620), which has recently been restored. The colours are superb and show how churches must have looked when these monuments were new. In the north aisle is a large painting of the Last Supper by Francis Slater, the eighteenth-century artist who painted the ceilings of nearby Mereworth Castle. Hanging on the front of the west gallery are the outstanding Royal Arms of James II, of carved and painted wood. The twentieth-century rebuilding of the church was financed by the sale of an Elizabethan stoneware jug (now in the British Museum), the transaction being recorded on an inscribed stone in the north porch.

 

www.kentchurches.info/church.asp?p=West+Malling

 

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WESTWARD from East Malling lies the town and parish of West Malling, now most commonly called Town Malling.

 

It is written in Domesday, MALLENGETIS, and in the Textus Roffensis, MELLINGES. In many deeds after the conquest, it is stiled MILLINGES PARVA, to distinguish it from East Malling, then the larger and more noted village of the two.

 

The town and parish of West Malling, excepting the borough of St. Leonard, which is under the jurisdiction of the constables of the hundred of Larkfield, is under the jurisdiction of its own constables, of which there are two chosen yearly.

 

THE PARISH of Town Malling, as it is usually called, is situated equally pleasant and healthy. It lies on high ground, and though dry is well watered, the soil of it being in the northern part a sand, the rest of it a loam, covering the quarry rock, which is very fertile, as has been frequently noticed before in the like situations. The high road from London through Wrotham to Maidstone, at the twenty-ninth mile stone leads along the northern boundaries of the parish, being called in king Edmund's grant of this place to the bishop of Rochester, the military way, no doubt from its having been used as such by the Romans, southward of it the ground gently rising; at less than a quarter of a mile's distance is the town of Malling, which is well built, having many genteel houses in it, the streets of a handsome width, and well paved. At the east end of it is the abbey, to which the approach is by a venerable antient gateway. Although the house itself was almost all of it pulled down and rebuilt by Mr. Honywood, yet many of the antient buildings and offices be longing to it are still remaining, and are made use of as such at present. A handsome tower of the church, the front of which is decorated with intersecting arches and zig-zag ornaments, similar to those on the west front of Rochester cathedral, built by the same founder, bishop Gundulph, is still remaining, as is an antient chapel or oratory, now made use of as a dwellinghouse.

 

From the foundations discovered in levelling the ground by Mr. Honywood, it appears, that this abbey consisted of two quadrangles or courts, with cloysters, and a spacious hall; and that the church had another tower, of the like size to that now standing. The burying-place seems to have been on the south side of the church, as in digging there, great quantities of human bones have been thrown up, and two stone coffins with skeletons in them, the lids of them had no inscriptions on them, but were ornamented each with a cross, having a quaterfoil pierced at the upper end, the stem of which was crossed more than once with foliage, several rings and trinkets, and some old coins have likewise been found at different times in cleaning away the rubbish.

 

Over the west end of the grand gateway, which stands at the entrance into the precinct of the abbey from the town, at the west end of the building, there is carved in stone, a heart distilling drops of blood, and on the other side, in a shield, Ermine, a crozier in bend sinister, on a chief three annulets.

 

In the meadows above the gardens, are large square excavations still visible, where the fish ponds of the aunnery formerly were.

 

The precinct of this monastery is washed by a rivulet of excellent clear water, which rising in the hamlet of St. Leonard, runs by the house, and through the gardens of it, whence gushing through the wall with a cascade, it crosses the road towards the Rev. Mr. Brooke's gardens. There is a view of this abbey in its present state published by Mr. Grose, in his Antiquities of England.

 

Near the abbey gate there is a good house, with a large garden, canal, and pleasure grounds, behind it, reaching down to the London road. It has been many years the residence of the Brooke's, from whom it passed by the will of Joseph Brooke, esq. who died in 1792, after the decease of his widow in 1796, to the Rev. John Kenward Shaw, brother of Sir John Gregory Shaw, bart. who has since, in pursuance of the above will, and by the king's licence, taken the name of Brooke, and now resides in it. A little further westward there is a very antient stone building, called the Old Gaol, having narrow gothic windows, and the walls of great thickness. It is reported to have been the prison belonging to the abbey, and is now used as an oast for the drying of hops. About the middle of the street stands the church, and a little distance from it a good house, late the residence of Benjamin Hubble, esq. whose family have been inhabitants of this town for some length of time, several of them lying buried in this church. He died in 1780, leaving his widow, sister of Richard Savage, esq. of Boughton Monchelsea, surviving, and two daughters, his coheirs, one of whom having married Thomas Augustus Douce, esq. he now resides in it; further southward is the hamlet of St. Leonard, now making part of the town, and called St. Leonard's-street, in which is an antient seat, some years ago the residence of Charles Stewart, esq. whose father admiral Stewart purchased it of judge Twisden. This district had once a cell in it, belonging to the abbey, with a chapel. It was given at the time the manor and church was to it, as has been already mentioned. The whole of it has been long since desecrated, and in ruins; the square tower of the chapel which stands in the next field south-west from the late Mr. Stewart's house, is all that remains of it. It was purchased by him some years ago, of Sir John Honywood, in exchange for other premises near the abbey, and is now made use of as a stowage for hops. Mr. Stewart died in 1780, and was buried near his father in this church, and he was succeeded here by the hon. admiral John Forbes, who lately died posfessed of it. A market is held in the principal highstreet every Saturday, which is plentifully supplied and well frequented. There are three fairs, which are held by the alteration of the stile on August 12, October 2, and November 17, yearly, for horses, cattle, toys, &c. The whole town is excellently well watered with fine springs, which having supplied the town and abbey, collect themselves into one stream, and passing northward through Mr. Brooke's grounds, cross the high Maidstone road, and runs from thence into the Addington brook, just above Leyborne mill.

 

About half a mile south-east from the abbey there is a good modern-built house, called New Barne, which formerly belonged to Mr. Alchin, from whom it passed to Graham, the present possessor, who resides in it.

 

Above St. Leonard's street is the high road from Teston over East-Malling-heath, and through this parish to Offham, southward of which this parish extends into the large tract of coppice woods which reach to West Peckham and Mereworth.

 

Dr. William Briggs, an eminent physician, resided at the latter end of the last century at Town Malling, where he died, Sept. 1704, æt. 64, and was buried in this church, He was a great traveller into foreign countries, and was greatly esteemed for his skill in his profession, as well as for his learning, of which the several writings he published are sufficient testimonies. He was physician in ordinary to king William, and to St. Thomas's hospital, and bore his arms, Gules, three bars gemelles, or, a canton sable. (fn. 1)

 

THIS PLACE was given, about the year 945, by Edmund, king of the Angles and of Mercia, to Burhric, bishop of Rochester, by the description of a small portion of his land, called Meallingas, containing three plough lands; and he granted it to him, for the good of his soul, in perpetual inheritance, in augmentation of the revenues of his monastery of St. Andrew, with all its rights, liberties, members, and appurtenances, and this he did with the consent of his nobles and princes, whose names were subscribed to it. After the names of king Edmund, Edred his brother, and Eadgife his mother, are those of the archbishops and bishops, and then that of Ælgifu, the king's concubine, Ego Ælgifu Concubina Regis affui, and after her the dukes, &c. The bounds of this land are thus described in Saxon, viz. from the south part of it to the king's plaine, and from thence to the bounds of the parish of Offaham, and thence to the military way, and so along the said way over Lilleburne to the bounds of the parish of Est Meallinges, and so directly southward from the east of the cross or gallows to the broad way towards the south, in a direct line along the said way to the king's plaine. To which the king added certain denberies for the pannage of hogs.

 

This land did not continue long in the possession of the church of Rochester, being wrested from it in the time of the Danish wars; and when William the Conqueror had attained the crown, he gave it to Odo, bishop of Baieux, his half brother, from whom it was recovered, together with the church of Mallinges, in the solemn assembly of the whole county held on this occasion, by the king's command, at Pinenden heath, in 1076, by archbishop Lanfrance, who afterward restored it to bishop Gundulph, and the church of St. Andrew; which gift was confirmed by archbishops Anselm and Boniface. (fn. 2)

 

In the survey of Domesday, taken about four years afterwards, this manor is thus described, under the general title of the bishop of Rochester's lands:

 

The same bishop (of Rochester) holds Mellingetes, it was taxed, in the time of king Edward the Confessor, at three sulings, and now at one and an half. The arable land is three carucates. In demesne there is one, and five villeins, with fix borderers, having two carucates. There is a church, and one mill of two shillings, wood for the pannage of twenty hogs. In the time of king Edward the Confessor, and afterwards, it was worth forty shillings, and now four pounds.

 

Bishop Gundulph, in the 4th year of the reign of king William Rufus, anno 1090, having founded an abbey of Benedictine nuns in this parish, to the honor of the Virgin Mary, gave this manor and church to it, with other possessions for the endowment of it; (fn. 3) and although it was, about one hundred years after its being first erected, with the adjoining village, destroyed by fire, yet it was again soon afterwards re-edified, and continued to increase in a flourishing state.

 

In the 7th year of king Edward I. anno 1278, the abbess of Malling claimed sundry liberties in this parish, by grant from king Henry III. and a market weekly throughout the year on a Saturday and Wednesday; and she claimed by grant from king John to have warren in all her lands at Malling, by grant from king Henry, from time beyond memory; and to have fairs in the parish on the eve, day, and morrow of St. Matthew the apostle, and the like on the eve, and day of St. Leonard, and the like on the eve, and day of St. Peter, ad vincula.

 

By which, and such like favours granted to it, this place, which at the first foundation of the monastery was plain fields, and almost without an inhabitant, became notwithstanding its former calamity mentioned before, exceedingly populous from the numbers who flocked to it from all parts, who building themselves houses here, increased the village to a large size, well suited for trade, to the no small emolument of the nuns; whence it soon lost its name of Malling Parva, which was for some time transferred to the neighbouring parish of East Malling, as appears by some grants, &c. of this time, and king Edward III. (fn. 4)

 

In the 15th year of king Edward I. the temporalities of the abbess of Malling in this parish and East Malling were valued at forty-five pounds.

 

There was an annual pension of ten pounds of wax, and one boar, paid by the abbess to the bishop of Rochester, as an acknowledgment of her subjection to that see.

 

In the year 1321, the bishop of Rochester, at the king's request, to whom the nuns had made a complaint, that their monastery was ruined by the bad management of their abbess, sister of Bartholomew de Badlesmere, visited it, and heard the complaints against her; in consequence of which she resigned, and the lady Agnes de Leyborne, was chosen in her room. Three years after which she died, and the bishop, at the unanimous request of the nuns, appointed Lora de Retling abbess here, though much against his will, knowing her to be very ignorant, and unfit for the office. However, he inhibited her giving a corredy to her maid servant, as had been the custom, and sequestered their common seal, inhibiting her from using it without his licence.

 

A great pestilence raging in the year 1348, the bishop made two abbesses here, who presently died; nor were there more than four nuns professed, and four not professed, remaining in this monastery; and he com mitted the custody of the spirituals and temporals to two of them, as there was not a proper person for the office of abbess.

 

In the year 1493, anno 9 Henry VII. Joane Moone was abbess of this monastery. (fn. 5)

 

This abbey was surrendered into the king's hands, with all its possessions, (fn. 6) among which were the manors of East and West Malling, with the precincts of Ewell and Parrock annexed to the latter, by Margaret Vernon, abbess, and the convent of it, in the 30th year of king Henry VIII. at which time it was valued at 245l. 10s. 2½d. annual rent, according to Speed, and 218l. 4s. 2½d. clear value, according to Dugdale, and there was granted to the abbess a pension of forty pounds yearly, and to eleven nuns from 31. 6s. 8d. down to 2l. 13s. 4d. yearly pensions, each for their lives.

 

After which that king, by his letters patent, in his 31st year, granted and sold, in exchange, among other premises, to Thomas Cranmer, archbishop of Canterbury, the scite of the abbey, with the precinct and circuit of it, and the manors of West Malling, Ewell, and Parocke, and the parsonage of West Malling, late appropriate to it, excepting to the king all advowsons, presentations, &c. to hold by knight's service, at the yearly rent therein mentioned; and as the king was entitled to the tenths of these premises, he discharged the archbishop of them, and all other outgoings whatsoever, except the rent therein mentioned. Which grant was in consequence of an indenture made between the king and the archbishop, inrolled in the Augmentation-office.

 

These manors and premises were again exchanged with the crown in the beginning of the reign of queen Elizabeth, in the 12th year of which she granted them in lease to Sir Henry Brooke, alias Cobham, fifth son of Sir George Brooke, lord Cobham; after which they were held by the same possessors, as the manor of East Malling before described, till at length, after the death of Sir Robert Brett, anno 1621, king James granted the manor of West, alias Town Malling, with the precinct of Ewell annexed, the scite of the late monastery, with the house, buildings, and ground within the precinct of it with all their appurtenances, late parcel of the possessions of the late monastery, in fee, to John Rayney, esq. which was further confirmed to Sir John Rayney, his eldest son, in the 2d year of king Charles I. He was of Wrothamplace, in this neighbourhood, and was created a baronet of Nova Scotia, in 1641, and his son of the same name, about the time of the restoration, conveyed these premises to Isaac Honywood, gent. of Hampsted, Middlesex, who was the only son of Edward, third son of Sir Thomas Honywood, of Elmsted, ancestor likewise of the present Sir John Honywood, of Elmsted, baronet, and he continued to bear the same coat of arms; whose second son, Isaac Honywood, esq. of Hampsted, succeeded him in this manor and estate. Frazer Honywood, esq. of Hampsted and London, his only son and heir, rebuilt the abbey house of Malling in the antient gothic taste, at a very great expence, making it one of the seats of his residence, and having thus greatly improved it, he died possessed of this seat and manor, with the estate belonging to it, in 1764, leaving no issue by his wife, the daughter of Abraham Atkins, of Clapham. He gave them, as well as the rest of his estates here and elsewhere, by will, to his kinsman, Sir John Honywood, bart. of Elmsted, and his heirs male, with divers remainders over to the family of Honywood. Sir John Honywood, bart. is since deceased, and his grandson of the same name is the present owner of this manor, with the precinct of Ewell annexed, and the seat of Malling abbey, with the lands and appurtenances in this parish belonging to it, but Mr. Foote resides in it.

 

The family of Say antiently possessed THE MANOR of CLEMENTS IN EWELL, in this parish. Geoffry de Say held it in the 7th year of king Edward II. as half a knight's fee. His son, Geoffry de Say, paid aid for it in the 20th year of king Edward III. as half a knight's fee, which John at Forde held before in Ewell, in Malling, of the bishop of Rochester. This manor was afterwards in the name of Coveney, (fn. 7) and in the latter end of king Henry VIII. it was in the possession of Mr. William Fowle. Since which it has sunk into such obscurity, that neither the scite nor the owners of it can be traced out even by the most diligent enquiries.

 

CHARITIES.

 

THERE is a lecture founded in this church of a sermon every fortnight, on the Saturday; two of the preachers to be the ministers of East and West Malling, who are to be paid 10s. for every sermon they preach; the other preachers are appointed at the will of the trustees.

 

FRANCIS TRESSE, gent. of this town, who died in 1632, by his will gave a piece of land, and 40l. towards the building of a free school in this parish; and he charged one of his houses in Town Malling with the sum of 13s. 4d. per annum, for the keeping of it in repair; and appointed that four principal freeholders of this parish should be trustees for the execution of this part of his will for ever. This school was accordingly erected, and was made use of for the teaching of boys writing and arithmetic. The charity is veisted in the minister and tour substantial freehold inhabitants, and the estate out of which it is paid in Mr. Robert Sutton, of this parish, but there being no master, the school-house is at present let to the late master's widow at 2gs. perannum, which with the 13s. 4d. is applied towards the maintaining of the building. He also gave two silver cups for the use of the holy communion, and 6s. 8d. payable yearly out of a piece of land, called Cousin's Plat, now vested in Mary Brome, widow.

 

SIR ROBERT BRETT, by will in 1620, gave land sufficient to pay yearly 10s. per week, to be bestowed in bread and meat to twenty poor persons, or else to be distributed in money to them. His executors accordingly conveyed lands in Tewksbury, in Gloucestershire, for this purpose, which is now vested in lord Romney, and twenty-three others, trustees, of the annual produce of 26l. but of late years the annual produce has been but 19l. 14s.

 

TOWN MALLING is within the ECCLESIASTICAL JURIDISCTION of the diocese of Rochester, and gives name to the deanry of Malling, in which it is situated.

 

The church, which is a handsome building, with an elegant spire steeple, is dedicated to St. Mary.

 

At the latter end of the year 1778, some of the main pillars of the body of it giving way, the whole roof of it fell in, leaving only the steeple and chancel at the two extremities of it standing. It has since been repaired, and thoroughly finished by a brief, which was obtained for that purpose.

 

The church of West Malling was given, with the manor, to the church of Rochester, by king Edmund, in 945; and having afterwards been taken from it, was again restored by archbishop Lanfranc to bishop Gundulph, in the time of the Conqueror, who gave it to the monastery here, at his foundation of it, and this gift was confirmed by several succeeding kings, archbishops of Canterbury, bishops of Rochester, &c. as has been already mentioned.

 

It was appropriated to the abbess and convent by bishop Gundulph, at the time it was given to them; which appropriation was specially confirmed by Simon, archbishop of Canterbury, in the year 1351.

 

In the reign of king Edward III. great discutes arising between the abbess and nuns of this monastery, and Robert de Beulton, perpetual vicar of this church, especially concerning the receiving of the tithes of flax and hemp, and the payment of archidiaconal procurations, they were at last settled by Hamo, bishop of Rochester, who in the year 1339, decreed, that, saving the due and accustomed portion of the prebend of the great mass in the conventual church of Malling, and the portion of the vicar, as undermentioned, the religious should take all tithes of corn within the parish, and all oblations and obventions belonging to their conventual church, and the cell of St. Leonard; and that they should not be bound to pay to the vicar the tithes of their hay, woods, or mills. And whereas the bishop was informed, and it was allowed, that the above-mentioned prebendary, and other domestics, serving in the monastery, or in the houses of the prebendary, or perpetual chaplain, celebrating for the dead, as also the brothers and sisters, and other persons dwelling in the monastery, or house of the prebendary, who, when they were without the monastery and houses, were not housekeepers in the parish, were wont to receive the sacraments and sacramentals, in life and in death, and to be buried there, if they happened to die within the monastery or houses, unless by chance they chose to be buried elsewhere; in which case, the religious had the first mass for the body before them, in their monastery, and received all the oblations then and there made, so that no portion was left for the vicar of the parish church. And further, that the prebendary for the time being had been used to receive antiently, and to that time, in part of the portion due to him, all the great and small tithes of the demesne lands of the religious, and of the food of their cattle, and also the great tithes arising from many of the crofts of their tenants situated in the said parish, and also the small tithes of his house, and of the house and land of the perpetual chaplain aforesaid, and all the predial tithes arising from the houses or messuages, curtilages and gardens, late of Thomas atte Shoppe and William Cake, in the street, called Holirode-strete, of this parish of Malling, situated above the house of the prebendary; and of all the houses, messuages, curtilages, and gardens whatsoever, from thence towards the east and north in Holirode-street, and in the street, called Tan-street, as far as the end of the parish of Malling on that side; and that the religious and prebendary had possessed all and singular the premises aforesaid, in certain distinct portions, peaceably and without contradiction, from the time beyond memory. (fn. 8)

 

The bishop, therefore, that none of the premises should be altered, decreed, saving all and every matter as aforesaid, that the vicar should receive for his portion all other small tithes, oblations, obventions and profits belonging to the parish church more especially, viz. the tithe of herbage, silva cedua, apples, pears, flax, hemp, wool, milk, cheese, calves, lambs, pigs, pidgeons, geese, ducks, bees, eggs, merchandizings, fowlings, fishings, swans, pulse, and other fruits, and also of corn growing in orchards or gardens, as he had-been accustomed to receive them.

 

¶And that the vicar should also receive the personal tithes of the inhabitants of the houses or messuages of Thomas atte Shoppe and William Cake, and of others, inhabiting in the houses or messuages situated in the streets, called Holirode-strete and Tan-strete, and the oblations due and accustomed to the parish church, and should administer ecclesiastical rights to them, and should have the burial of them in the parish church; and that the vicar should have for his habitation, as assigned to him by the religious, the dwelling with its precinct, which the vicar then inhabited, and his predecessors used to inhabit, which he should repair at his own expence, and preserve in a decent state, and should pay the yearly rents and services, due and accustomed from thence; all which the bishop adjudged to be a sufficient portion for the vicar for the time being. And he further decreed, that the vicar should cause the books to be bound, the vestments to be washed; and the same, and the rest of the ornaments of the parish church, which belonged to the religious to find, as often as need should require, to be repaired, and should cause them to be safely and honestly kept; and that he should provide and find bread, wine, processional tapers, and other lights necessary and accustomed in the chancel, the necessary and accustomed ministers, rochets, surplices, napkins, unconsecrated vessels, basons, and also green rushes to strow the church, if they had been so accustomed, and did not belong to the parishioners to find; and that he should pay the dues to the bishop, and the archidiaconal procurations, and that the vicar should acknowledge and undergo, according to the rate of the taxation of his portion as under-mentioned, all ordinaries and extraordinaries, which, although it might amount to five marcs, being near the moiety of the value of the whole church, according to the estimation then had, he decreed should remain according to the antient taxation of it, as often as burthens of this kind were to be borne, and paid from small benefices. And he decreed, that the religious should acknowledge and undergo all and singular other burthens happening to the parish church, by reason of their portion, which he estimated at twelve marcs, according to the antient taxation of it, notwithstanding this assignation, which was made with the consent of both parties, and which by his episcopal authority, he corroborated and confirmed, &c. and that it might not be called in doubt in future times, or be litigated, he had caused it to be entered in his register, and to be reduced into three different writings, of which he decreed one to remain in the hands of the religious, another in the hands of the vicar, and the third in the hands of the prebendary aforesaid, to perpetuate the memory of it, and had caused it to be authenticated with his seal, &c.

 

This parsonage, prebend, and the advowson of the vicarage, were, on the dissolution of the abbey in the 30th year of king Henry VIII. surrendered into the king's hands. After which the king, next year, granted this parsonage, with the manor of West Malling, and other premises, to Thomas Cranmer, archbishop of Canterbury, to hold by knight's service, at the yearly rent therein mentioned. After which it passed, with the manor of West Malling, in a like succession of ownership, down to Sir John Rayney, bart. who sold these premises, about the time of the restoration, to judge Twisden, and his descendant, Sir John Papillon Twisden, bart. is the present possessor of this parsonage, and the advowson of the vicarage of West or Town Malling.

 

The vicarage is valued in the king's books at ten pounds, and the yearly tenths at one pound.

 

www.british-history.ac.uk/survey-kent/vol4/pp518-533

Contact me here: butchpetty.com/contactus.html

  

This is a 1958 "Field & Stream" Travel Trailer ( canned ham ). This vintage style of camping trailers were referred to as "car trailers" back when they were being built because of their size, light weight and ease of towing. The cabin part of the trailer is 12' long, the tongue is 2' making the total length only 14'. It pulls beautifully going down the highway, no fish tailing at all. You can forget your pulling a trailer.

 

This trailer is 95% original, no modifications. This trailer has not been restored and I have only made a couple of small repairs. If you are looking for a great platform for making a complete restoration then this would be an absolutely great trailer for such a project.

The interior is all wood, top to bottom and front to back and it is all original wood. I have installed a self-contained 12 volt electrical system and it doesn't need 120 volt. Everything runs off of 12 volts. However all of the original 120 volt wiring is still in place and hasn't been touched, even the original 120v light fixtures are still in place. All of the cabinet hardware is still in place, working and original. All the hinges, handles, and everything is original. The original "icebox" and oven/stove are still in the camper and work great. It also has the original factory installed "Kenmore" cabin heater and it also works great.

 

When I got the trailer someone had changed the paint scheme so I re-painted it to the original design. The rear couch makes into a double bed. Above the rear couch it has a removable bunk bed/hammock that is original factory equipment also. The dinette also makes into a double bed. There is a lot of storage in the camper. It also has a 10 gallon fresh water tank with a manual hand pump.

 

The trailer also comes with 2 30 lb propane tanks, a new spare tire and wheel.

 

The following items are new in the past three months:

New Interior 12 volt light throughout the camper

New 240 watt solar panel

New "Sunforce" 12v, 30 amp charge controller

4 new "Everstart" 750 cold crank amp deep cell marine batteries

New "Cen-Tech" 1500 watt continuous , 3000 surge 120v power inverter (for microwave, etc.)

New Rival 700 watt microwave

New manual water pump for sink

New Shakespeare SeaWatch 15" Marine TV Antenna (model 3015)

Toshiba 17' Flat Screen TV

All new blinds on the windows

New roof top vent

 

This is one great little camper. I bought it for hunting plus the nostalgia. It was used this past hunting season and worked great. However with four adult men it was a little cramped. So I plan to up size for next year. I pulled it off road in BLM land in Teller County and down in the Phantom Canyon area and had no problems at all.

 

Because this trailer is extremely rare there are not many sources of photos to be had but you can follow the link below to another "Field & Stream" trailer. As you can see the interiors are very similar as it is all original like mine: girlcamper.blogspot.com/2015_07_01_archive.html

 

(Update) You can see a video of the interior of my camper here: youtu.be/NA1VfPU8Sd8

 

Now the best part last: YES, I DO HAVE A CLEAN CLEAR TITLE IN HAND, AND CURRENT REGISTRATION ALSO. So unlike most trailers you see of this vintage you will not have a problem with registration and it will be registered as a "Field and Stream" not a home-made trailer as is usually the case with trailers bought without a title.

 

If you have questions please ask. I am asking $5000.00 cash, make offer, no trades. I will sell it to the first person who makes me an agreeable offer with CASH ONLY. I will consider local delivery after the cash transaction.

Through some strange transaction, I found myself on the Bankhead Trail near sunset instead of sunrise yesterday. I thought you might like to see “Oscar” (the rock) in the sweet light. I saw my first flowering plant on the mountain yesterday so we’re a peak bleak. Before you know it, things will be turning green.

 

On the Bankhead Trail in Monte Sano State Park, Huntsville, Alabama.

 

(I don’t have an original bone in my body.) www.youtube.com/watch?v=UyZgzOKyLhw

 

Nikon D7500 — Nikon 18-300mm F6.3 ED VR

32mm

F8@1/200th

ISO 800

Polarizer

White Balance on Flash

 

DSB_3086.JPG

©Don Brown 2025

The Byker Link is an extremely important community asset, enabling access to St Lawrence's Park from the Byker Estate. The gateway to this urban footpath/cycleway is modelled on the iconic cranes which until recently stood on the river, where this ultimately leads to. It is based on the 6½ -mile Riverside branch railway, opened in 1871 because the Newcastle to North Shields line via Wallsend did not serve the rapidly growing communities and industries along the north bank of the River Tyne in the Walker and St Peters areas.

 

The line fell into disuse in the late 1970's but was reopened for pedestrians and cyclists in the early 2000's. It's worth a look if you don't know it, running down to St Peters Marina and joining the Walker Riverside Park.

 

Byker is a district in the east of the city and metropolitan borough of Newcastle upon Tyne, in the county of Tyne and Wear, England. Home to the Byker Wall estate, made famous by TV series Byker Grove, Byker's population was recorded at 12,206 in the 2011 census. Byker is bordered by Heaton to the north and by Shieldfield to the north east. Until 1974 it was in Northumberland.

 

In popular culture

Byker became well known as the setting of the BBC TV series Byker Grove (1989–2006); although set in the ward, the youth club featured in the series was filmed at The Mitre in the Benwell area in the west end of Newcastle.

 

Etymology

The second element in the name Byker is Old Norse kjarr ("marsh"), with the first being either Norse byr ("farmstead") or Old English bi ("by, near")

 

Possibly the earliest form of the visible evidence of development in Byker was by the Roman Emperor, Hadrian. A wall, turrets and mile castles, stretching from the east to the west coast provided a barrier to invading border clans and tribes. Hadrian's Wall lies just south of Shields Road and was excavated in the 1990s. The area was populated by soldiers and their suppliers of foods, livestock and trades, such as weavers, saddlers and blacksmiths amongst others. There are the remains of a mile castle or small fort near Brough Park dog track.

 

Byker first appeared in historical documents in 1198 ‘as the most important Serjeantry in Northumberland’ held by William of Byker, named William Escolland, who was a Norman noble. There were 4 taxpayers in 1296 and 5 recorded in 1312. In 1549 the Mayor and Burgesses of Newcastle sought to extend the borough's boundaries to include part of Byker Township, to take advantage of the land by the river ‘for the dropping of ballast for the coal trade’. The transaction was disputed due to financial disagreements and eventually settled in the House of Commons and the House of Lords in London.

 

Byker was formerly a township, in 1866 Byker became a separate civil parish, on 1 April 1914 the parish was abolished to form Newcastle upon Tyne. In 1911 the parish had a population of 48,709. It is now in the unparished area of Newcastle upon Tyne.

 

Until the 1960s, Byker was a Victorian working-class area of densely built terraces. Much of the housing needed major repair and some was considered unfit for human habitation (many houses lacked bathrooms), yet most residents wanted to stay in Byker, an area close to industry on the riverside. In 1966 Newcastle City Corporation took the decision to redevelop the Byker area. The council aimed to clear the slums but keep the community.

 

Byker was extensively photographed before its demolition, primarily by Sirkka-Liisa Konttinen, who lived in Byker from 1969. The photographs that Konttinen took toured China in 1980 and later appeared in the book Byker.

 

Ralph Erskine was appointed as the architect in 1969 for the new Byker. The development was run as a "rolling programme" so local people could continue living in the area during the building work. Residents were involved in the design process and it is thought the outstanding success of Byker was as much to do with this as its innovative architecture which used a Functionalist Romantic style, differentiating the Estate from the Brutalist approach which was more common at the time.

 

New leisure and shopping facilities have been brought to the Shields Road area, while community led initiatives have encouraged the growth of local enterprise and enriched the social fabric of the estate. Byker and the Ouseburn area to the south have seen investment in recent years, becoming a cultural hub for the city. Byker Estate itself received a Grade II* listing in 2007 due to its architectural significance, and has since undergone a £25 million regeneration with a further £4 million of environmental upgrades to the area taking place in 2020.

 

In 2017 the Byker Wall estate was named as the best neighbourhood in the UK by the Academy of Urbanism's 'The Great Neighbourhood' award.

 

Newcastle upon Tyne, or simply Newcastle is a cathedral city and metropolitan borough in Tyne and Wear, England. It is located on the River Tyne's northern bank, opposite Gateshead to the south. It is the most populous settlement in the Tyneside conurbation and North East England.

 

Newcastle developed around a Roman settlement called Pons Aelius, the settlement became known as Monkchester before taking on the name of a castle built in 1080 by William the Conqueror's eldest son, Robert Curthose. It was one of the world's largest ship building and repair centres during the industrial revolution. Newcastle was part of the county of Northumberland until 1400, when it separated and formed a county of itself. In 1974, Newcastle became part of Tyne and Wear. Since 2018, the city council has been part of the North of Tyne Combined Authority.

 

The history of Newcastle upon Tyne dates back almost 2,000 years, during which it has been controlled by the Romans, the Angles and the Norsemen amongst others. Newcastle upon Tyne was originally known by its Roman name Pons Aelius. The name "Newcastle" has been used since the Norman conquest of England. Due to its prime location on the River Tyne, the town developed greatly during the Middle Ages and it was to play a major role in the Industrial Revolution, being granted city status in 1882. Today, the city is a major retail, commercial and cultural centre.

 

Roman settlement

The history of Newcastle dates from AD 122, when the Romans built the first bridge to cross the River Tyne at that point. The bridge was called Pons Aelius or 'Bridge of Aelius', Aelius being the family name of Roman Emperor Hadrian, who was responsible for the Roman wall built across northern England along the Tyne–Solway gap. Hadrian's Wall ran through present-day Newcastle, with stretches of wall and turrets visible along the West Road, and at a temple in Benwell. Traces of a milecastle were found on Westgate Road, midway between Clayton Street and Grainger Street, and it is likely that the course of the wall corresponded to present-day Westgate Road. The course of the wall can be traced eastwards to the Segedunum Roman fort at Wallsend, with the fort of Arbeia down-river at the mouth of the Tyne, on the south bank in what is now South Shields. The Tyne was then a wider, shallower river at this point and it is thought that the bridge was probably about 700 feet (210 m) long, made of wood and supported on stone piers. It is probable that it was sited near the current Swing Bridge, due to the fact that Roman artefacts were found there during the building of the latter bridge. Hadrian himself probably visited the site in 122. A shrine was set up on the completed bridge in 123 by the 6th Legion, with two altars to Neptune and Oceanus respectively. The two altars were subsequently found in the river and are on display in the Great North Museum in Newcastle.

 

The Romans built a stone-walled fort in 150 to protect the river crossing which was at the foot of the Tyne Gorge, and this took the name of the bridge so that the whole settlement was known as Pons Aelius. The fort was situated on a rocky outcrop overlooking the new bridge, on the site of the present Castle Keep. Pons Aelius is last mentioned in 400, in a Roman document listing all of the Roman military outposts. It is likely that nestling in the shadow of the fort would have been a small vicus, or village. Unfortunately, no buildings have been detected; only a few pieces of flagging. It is clear that there was a Roman cemetery near Clavering Place, behind the Central station, as a number of Roman coffins and sarcophagi have been unearthed there.

 

Despite the presence of the bridge, the settlement of Pons Aelius was not particularly important among the northern Roman settlements. The most important stations were those on the highway of Dere Street running from Eboracum (York) through Corstopitum (Corbridge) and to the lands north of the Wall. Corstopitum, being a major arsenal and supply centre, was much larger and more populous than Pons Aelius.

 

Anglo-Saxon development

The Angles arrived in the North-East of England in about 500 and may have landed on the Tyne. There is no evidence of an Anglo-Saxon settlement on or near the site of Pons Aelius during the Anglo-Saxon age. The bridge probably survived and there may well have been a small village at the northern end, but no evidence survives. At that time the region was dominated by two kingdoms, Bernicia, north of the Tees and ruled from Bamburgh, and Deira, south of the Tees and ruled from York. Bernicia and Deira combined to form the kingdom of Northanhymbra (Northumbria) early in the 7th century. There were three local kings who held the title of Bretwalda – 'Lord of Britain', Edwin of Deira (627–632), Oswald of Bernicia (633–641) and Oswy of Northumbria (641–658). The 7th century became known as the 'Golden Age of Northumbria', when the area was a beacon of culture and learning in Europe. The greatness of this period was based on its generally Christian culture and resulted in the Lindisfarne Gospels amongst other treasures. The Tyne valley was dotted with monasteries, with those at Monkwearmouth, Hexham and Jarrow being the most famous. Bede, who was based at Jarrow, wrote of a royal estate, known as Ad Murum, 'at the Wall', 12 miles (19 km) from the sea. It is thought that this estate may have been in what is now Newcastle. At some unknown time, the site of Newcastle came to be known as Monkchester. The reason for this title is unknown, as we are unaware of any specific monasteries at the site, and Bede made no reference to it. In 875 Halfdan Ragnarsson, the Danish Viking conqueror of York, led an army that attacked and pillaged various monasteries in the area, and it is thought that Monkchester was also pillaged at this time. Little more was heard of it until the coming of the Normans.

 

Norman period

After the arrival of William the Conqueror in England in 1066, the whole of England was quickly subjected to Norman rule. However, in Northumbria there was great resistance to the Normans, and in 1069 the newly appointed Norman Earl of Northumbria, Robert de Comines and 700 of his men were killed by the local population at Durham. The Northumbrians then marched on York, but William was able to suppress the uprising. That same year, a second uprising occurred when a Danish fleet landed in the Humber. The Northumbrians again attacked York and destroyed the garrison there. William was again able to suppress the uprising, but this time he took revenge. He laid waste to the whole of the Midlands and the land from York to the Tees. In 1080, William Walcher, the Norman bishop of Durham and his followers were brutally murdered at Gateshead. This time Odo, bishop of Bayeux, William's half brother, devastated the land between the Tees and the Tweed. This was known as the 'Harrying of the North'. This devastation is reflected in the Domesday Book. The destruction had such an effect that the North remained poor and backward at least until Tudor times and perhaps until the Industrial Revolution. Newcastle suffered in this respect with the rest of the North.

 

In 1080 William sent his eldest son, Robert Curthose, north to defend the kingdom against the Scots. After his campaign, he moved to Monkchester and began the building of a 'New Castle'. This was of the "motte-and-bailey" type of construction, a wooden tower on top of an earthen mound (motte), surrounded by a moat and wooden stockade (bailey). It was this castle that gave Newcastle its name. In 1095 the Earl of Northumbria, Robert de Mowbray, rose up against the king, William Rufus, and Rufus sent an army north to recapture the castle. From then on the castle became crown property and was an important base from which the king could control the northern barons. The Northumbrian earldom was abolished and a Sheriff of Northumberland was appointed to administer the region. In 1091 the parish church of St Nicholas was consecrated on the site of the present Anglican cathedral, close by the bailey of the new castle. The church is believed to have been a wooden building on stone footings.

 

Not a trace of the tower or mound of the motte and bailey castle remains now. Henry II replaced it with a rectangular stone keep, which was built between 1172 and 1177 at a cost of £1,444. A stone bailey, in the form of a triangle, replaced the previous wooden one. The great outer gateway to the castle, called 'the Black Gate', was built later, between 1247 and 1250, in the reign of Henry III. There were at that time no town walls and when attacked by the Scots, the townspeople had to crowd into the bailey for safety. It is probable that the new castle acted as a magnet for local merchants because of the safety it provided. This in turn would help to expand trade in the town. At this time wool, skins and lead were being exported, whilst alum, pepper and ginger were being imported from France and Flanders.

 

Middle Ages

Throughout the Middle Ages, Newcastle was England's northern fortress, the centre for assembled armies. The Border war against Scotland lasted intermittently for several centuries – possibly the longest border war ever waged. During the civil war between Stephen and Matilda, David 1st of Scotland and his son were granted Cumbria and Northumberland respectively, so that for a period from 1139 to 1157, Newcastle was effectively in Scottish hands. It is believed that during this period, King David may have built the church of St Andrew and the Benedictine nunnery in Newcastle. However, King Stephen's successor, Henry II was strong enough to take back the Earldom of Northumbria from Malcolm IV.

 

The Scots king William the Lion was imprisoned in Newcastle, in 1174, after being captured at the Battle of Alnwick. Edward I brought the Stone of Scone and William Wallace south through the town and Newcastle was successfully defended against the Scots three times during the 14th century.

 

Around 1200, stone-faced, clay-filled jetties were starting to project into the river, an indication that trade was increasing in Newcastle. As the Roman roads continued to deteriorate, sea travel was gaining in importance. By 1275 Newcastle was the sixth largest wool exporting port in England. The principal exports at this time were wool, timber, coal, millstones, dairy produce, fish, salt and hides. Much of the developing trade was with the Baltic countries and Germany. Most of the Newcastle merchants were situated near the river, below the Castle. The earliest known charter was dated 1175 in the reign of Henry II, giving the townspeople some control over their town. In 1216 King John granted Newcastle a mayor[8] and also allowed the formation of guilds (known as Mysteries). These were cartels formed within different trades, which restricted trade to guild members. There were initially twelve guilds. Coal was being exported from Newcastle by 1250, and by 1350 the burgesses received a royal licence to export coal. This licence to export coal was jealously guarded by the Newcastle burgesses, and they tried to prevent any one else on the Tyne from exporting coal except through Newcastle. The burgesses similarly tried to prevent fish from being sold anywhere else on the Tyne except Newcastle. This led to conflicts with Gateshead and South Shields.

 

In 1265, the town was granted permission to impose a 'Wall Tax' or Murage, to pay for the construction of a fortified wall to enclose the town and protect it from Scottish invaders. The town walls were not completed until early in the 14th century. They were two miles (3 km) long, 9 feet (2.7 m) thick and 25 feet (7.6 m) high. They had six main gates, as well as some smaller gates, and had 17 towers. The land within the walls was divided almost equally by the Lort Burn, which flowed southwards and joined the Tyne to the east of the Castle. The town began to expand north of the Castle and west of the Lort Burn with various markets being set up within the walls.

 

In 1400 Henry IV granted a new charter, creating a County corporate which separated the town, but not the Castle, from the county of Northumberland and recognised it as a "county of itself" with a right to have a sheriff of its own. The burgesses were now allowed to choose six aldermen who, with the mayor would be justices of the peace. The mayor and sheriff were allowed to hold borough courts in the Guildhall.

 

Religious houses

During the Middle Ages a number of religious houses were established within the walls: the first of these was the Benedictine nunnery of St Bartholomew founded in 1086 near the present-day Nun Street. Both David I of Scotland and Henry I of England were benefactors of the religious house. Nothing of the nunnery remains now.

 

The friary of Blackfriars, Newcastle (Dominican) was established in 1239. These were also known as the Preaching Friars or Shod Friars, because they wore sandals, as opposed to other orders. The friary was situated in the present-day Friars Street. In 1280 the order was granted royal permission to make a postern in the town walls to communicate with their gardens outside the walls. On 19 June 1334, Edward Balliol, claimant to be King of Scotland, did homage to King Edward III, on behalf of the kingdom of Scotland, in the church of the friary. Much of the original buildings of the friary still exist, mainly because, after the Dissolution of the Monasteries the friary of Blackfriars was rented out by the corporation to nine of the local trade guilds.

 

The friary of Whitefriars (Carmelite) was established in 1262. The order was originally housed on the Wall Knoll in Pandon, but in 1307 it took over the buildings of another order, which went out of existence, the Friars of the Sac. The land, which had originally been given by Robert the Bruce, was situated in the present-day Hanover Square, behind the Central station. Nothing of the friary remains now.

 

The friary of Austinfriars (Augustinian) was established in 1290. The friary was on the site where the Holy Jesus Hospital was built in 1682. The friary was traditionally the lodging place of English kings whenever they visited or passed through Newcastle. In 1503 Princess Margaret, eldest daughter of Henry VII of England, stayed two days at the friary on her way to join her new husband James IV of Scotland.

 

The friary of Greyfriars (Franciscans) was established in 1274. The friary was in the present-day area between Pilgrim Street, Grey Street, Market Street and High Chare. Nothing of the original buildings remains.

 

The friary of the Order of the Holy Trinity, also known as the Trinitarians, was established in 1360. The order devoted a third of its income to buying back captives of the Saracens, during the Crusades. Their house was on the Wall Knoll, in Pandon, to the east of the city, but within the walls. Wall Knoll had previously been occupied by the White Friars until they moved to new premises in 1307.

 

All of the above religious houses were closed in about 1540, when Henry VIII dissolved the monasteries.

 

An important street running through Newcastle at the time was Pilgrim Street, running northwards inside the walls and leading to the Pilgrim Gate on the north wall. The street still exists today as arguably Newcastle's main shopping street.

 

Tudor period

The Scottish border wars continued for much of the 16th century, so that during that time, Newcastle was often threatened with invasion by the Scots, but also remained important as a border stronghold against them.

 

During the Reformation begun by Henry VIII in 1536, the five Newcastle friaries and the single nunnery were dissolved and the land was sold to the Corporation and to rich merchants. At this time there were fewer than 60 inmates of the religious houses in Newcastle. The convent of Blackfriars was leased to nine craft guilds to be used as their headquarters. This probably explains why it is the only one of the religious houses whose building survives to the present day. The priories at Tynemouth and Durham were also dissolved, thus ending the long-running rivalry between Newcastle and the church for control of trade on the Tyne. A little later, the property of the nunnery of St Bartholomew and of Grey Friars were bought by Robert Anderson, who had the buildings demolished to build his grand Newe House (also known as Anderson Place).

 

With the gradual decline of the Scottish border wars the town walls were allowed to decline as well as the castle. By 1547, about 10,000 people were living in Newcastle. At the beginning of the 16th century exports of wool from Newcastle were more than twice the value of exports of coal, but during the century coal exports continued to increase.

 

Under Edward VI, John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland, sponsored an act allowing Newcastle to annexe Gateshead as its suburb. The main reason for this was to allow the Newcastle Hostmen, who controlled the export of Tyne coal, to get their hands on the Gateshead coal mines, previously controlled by the Bishop of Durham. However, when Mary I came to power, Dudley met his downfall and the decision was reversed. The Reformation allowed private access to coal mines previously owned by Tynemouth and Durham priories and as a result coal exports increase dramatically, from 15,000 tons in 1500 to 35,000 tons in 1565, and to 400,000 tons in 1625.

 

The plague visited Newcastle four times during the 16th century, in 1579 when 2,000 people died, in 1589 when 1700 died, in 1595 and finally in 1597.

 

In 1600 Elizabeth I granted Newcastle a charter for an exclusive body of electors, the right to elect the mayor and burgesses. The charter also gave the Hostmen exclusive rights to load coal at any point on the Tyne. The Hostmen developed as an exclusive group within the Merchant Adventurers who had been incorporated by a charter in 1547.

 

Stuart period

In 1636 there was a serious outbreak of bubonic plague in Newcastle. There had been several previous outbreaks of the disease over the years, but this was the most serious. It is thought to have arrived from the Netherlands via ships that were trading between the Tyne and that country. It first appeared in the lower part of the town near the docks but gradually spread to all parts of the town. As the disease gained hold the authorities took measures to control it by boarding up any properties that contained infected persons, meaning that whole families were locked up together with the infected family members. Other infected persons were put in huts outside the town walls and left to die. Plague pits were dug next to the town's four churches and outside the town walls to receive the bodies in mass burials. Over the course of the outbreak 5,631 deaths were recorded out of an estimated population of 12,000, a death rate of 47%.

 

In 1637 Charles I tried to raise money by doubling the 'voluntary' tax on coal in return for allowing the Newcastle Hostmen to regulate production and fix prices. This caused outrage amongst the London importers and the East Anglian shippers. Both groups decided to boycott Tyne coal and as a result forced Charles to reverse his decision in 1638.

 

In 1640 during the Second Bishops' War, the Scots successfully invaded Newcastle. The occupying army demanded £850 per day from the Corporation to billet the Scottish troops. Trade from the Tyne ground to a halt during the occupation. The Scots left in 1641 after receiving a Parliamentary pardon and a £4,000,000 loan from the town.

 

In 1642 the English Civil War began. King Charles realised the value of the Tyne coal trade and therefore garrisoned Newcastle. A Royalist was appointed as governor. At that time, Newcastle and King's Lynn were the only important seaports to support the crown. In 1644 Parliament blockaded the Tyne to prevent the king from receiving revenue from the Tyne coal trade. Coal exports fell from 450,000 to 3,000 tons and London suffered a hard winter without fuel. Parliament encouraged the coal trade from the Wear to try to replace that lost from Newcastle but that was not enough to make up for the lost Tyneside tonnage.

 

In 1644 the Scots crossed the border. Newcastle strengthened its defences in preparation. The Scottish army, with 40,000 troops, besieged Newcastle for three months until the garrison of 1,500 surrendered. During the siege, the Scots bombarded the walls with their artillery, situated in Gateshead and Castle Leazes. The Scottish commander threatened to destroy the steeple of St Nicholas's Church by gunfire if the mayor, Sir John Marley, did not surrender the town. The mayor responded by placing Scottish prisoners that they had captured in the steeple, so saving it from destruction. The town walls were finally breached by a combination of artillery and sapping. In gratitude for this defence, Charles gave Newcastle the motto 'Fortiter Defendit Triumphans' to be added to its coat of arms. The Scottish army occupied Northumberland and Durham for two years. The coal taxes had to pay for the Scottish occupation. In 1645 Charles surrendered to the Scots and was imprisoned in Newcastle for nine months. After the Civil War the coal trade on the Tyne soon picked up and exceeded its pre-war levels.

 

A new Guildhall was completed on the Sandhill next to the river in 1655, replacing an earlier facility damaged by fire in 1639, and became the meeting place of Newcastle Town Council. In 1681 the Hospital of the Holy Jesus was built partly on the site of the Austin Friars. The Guildhall and Holy Jesus Hospital still exist.

 

Charles II tried to impose a charter on Newcastle to give the king the right to appoint the mayor, sheriff, recorder and town clerk. Charles died before the charter came into effect. In 1685, James II tried to replace Corporation members with named Catholics. However, James' mandate was suspended in 1689 after the Glorious Revolution welcoming William of Orange. In 1689, after the fall of James II, the people of Newcastle tore down his bronze equestrian statue in Sandhill and tossed it into the Tyne. The bronze was later used to make bells for All Saints Church.

 

In 1689 the Lort Burn was covered over. At this time it was an open sewer. The channel followed by the Lort Burn became the present day Dean Street. At that time, the centre of Newcastle was still the Sandhill area, with many merchants living along the Close or on the Side. The path of the main road through Newcastle ran from the single Tyne bridge, through Sandhill to the Side, a narrow street which climbed steeply on the north-east side of the castle hill until it reached the higher ground alongside St Nicholas' Church. As Newcastle developed, the Side became lined with buildings with projecting upper stories, so that the main street through Newcastle was a narrow, congested, steep thoroughfare.

 

In 1701 the Keelmen's Hospital was built in the Sandgate area of the city, using funds provided by the keelmen. The building still stands today.

 

Eighteenth century

In the 18th century, Newcastle was the country's largest print centre after London, Oxford and Cambridge, and the Literary and Philosophical Society of 1793, with its erudite debates and large stock of books in several languages predated the London Library by half a century.

 

In 1715, during the Jacobite rising in favour of the Old Pretender, an army of Jacobite supporters marched on Newcastle. Many of the Northumbrian gentry joined the rebels. The citizens prepared for its arrival by arresting Jacobite supporters and accepting 700 extra recruits into the local militia. The gates of the city were closed against the rebels. This proved enough to delay an attack until reinforcements arrived forcing the rebel army to move across to the west coast. The rebels finally surrendered at Preston.

 

In 1745, during a second Jacobite rising in favour of the Young Pretender, a Scottish army crossed the border led by Bonnie Prince Charlie. Once again Newcastle prepared by arresting Jacobite supporters and inducting 800 volunteers into the local militia. The town walls were strengthened, most of the gates were blocked up and some 200 cannon were deployed. 20,000 regulars were billeted on the Town Moor. These preparations were enough to force the rebel army to travel south via the west coast. They were eventually defeated at Culloden in 1746.

 

Newcastle's actions during the 1715 rising in resisting the rebels and declaring for George I, in contrast to the rest of the region, is the most likely source of the nickname 'Geordie', applied to people from Tyneside, or more accurately Newcastle. Another theory, however, is that the name 'Geordie' came from the inventor of the Geordie lamp, George Stephenson. It was a type of safety lamp used in mining, but was not invented until 1815. Apparently the term 'German Geordie' was in common use during the 18th century.

 

The city's first hospital, Newcastle Infirmary opened in 1753; it was funded by public subscription. A lying-in hospital was established in Newcastle in 1760. The city's first public hospital for mentally ill patients, Wardens Close Lunatic Hospital was opened in October 1767.

 

In 1771 a flood swept away much of the bridge at Newcastle. The bridge had been built in 1250 and repaired after a flood in 1339. The bridge supported various houses and three towers and an old chapel. A blue stone was placed in the middle of the bridge to mark the boundary between Newcastle and the Palatinate of Durham. A temporary wooden bridge had to be built, and this remained in use until 1781, when a new stone bridge was completed. The new bridge consisted of nine arches. In 1801, because of the pressure of traffic, the bridge had to be widened.

 

A permanent military presence was established in the city with the completion of Fenham Barracks in 1806. The facilities at the Castle for holding assizes, which had been condemned for their inconvenience and unhealthiness, were replaced when the Moot Hall opened in August 1812.

 

Victorian period

Present-day Newcastle owes much of its architecture to the work of the builder Richard Grainger, aided by architects John Dobson, Thomas Oliver, John and Benjamin Green and others. In 1834 Grainger won a competition to produce a new plan for central Newcastle. He put this plan into effect using the above architects as well as architects employed in his own office. Grainger and Oliver had already built Leazes Terrace, Leazes Crescent and Leazes Place between 1829 and 1834. Grainger and Dobson had also built the Royal Arcade at the foot of Pilgrim Street between 1830 and 1832. The most ambitious project covered 12 acres 12 acres (49,000 m2) in central Newcastle, on the site of Newe House (also called Anderson Place). Grainger built three new thoroughfares, Grey Street, Grainger Street and Clayton Street with many connecting streets, as well as the Central Exchange and the Grainger Market. John Wardle and George Walker, working in Grainger's office, designed Clayton Street, Grainger Street and most of Grey Street. Dobson designed the Grainger Market and much of the east side of Grey Street. John and Benjamin Green designed the Theatre Royal at the top of Grey Street, where Grainger placed the column of Grey's Monument as a focus for the whole scheme. Grey Street is considered to be one of the finest streets in the country, with its elegant curve. Unfortunately most of old Eldon Square was demolished in the 1960s in the name of progress. The Royal Arcade met a similar fate.

 

In 1849 a new bridge was built across the river at Newcastle. This was the High Level Bridge, designed by Robert Stephenson, and slightly up river from the existing bridge. The bridge was designed to carry road and rail traffic across the Tyne Gorge on two decks with rail traffic on the upper deck and road traffic on the lower. The new bridge meant that traffic could pass through Newcastle without having to negotiate the steep, narrow Side, as had been necessary for centuries. The bridge was opened by Queen Victoria, who one year later opened the new Central Station, designed by John Dobson. Trains were now able to cross the river, directly into the centre of Newcastle and carry on up to Scotland. The Army Riding School was also completed in 1849.

 

In 1854 a large fire started on the Gateshead quayside and an explosion caused it to spread across the river to the Newcastle quayside. A huge conflagration amongst the narrow alleys, or 'chares', destroyed the homes of 800 families as well as many business premises. The narrow alleys that had been destroyed were replaced by streets containing blocks of modern offices.

 

In 1863 the Town Hall in St Nicholas Square replaced the Guildhall as the meeting place of Newcastle Town Council.

 

In 1876 the low level bridge was replaced by a new bridge known as the Swing Bridge, so called because the bridge was able to swing horizontally on a central axis and allow ships to pass on either side. This meant that for the first time sizeable ships could pass up-river beyond Newcastle. The bridge was built and paid for by William Armstrong, a local arms manufacturer, who needed to have warships access his Elswick arms factory to fit armaments to them. The Swing Bridge's rotating mechanism is adapted from the cannon mounts developed in Armstrong's arms works. In 1882 the Elswick works began to build ships as well as to arm them. The Barrack Road drill hall was completed in 1890.

 

Industrialisation

In the 19th century, shipbuilding and heavy engineering were central to the city's prosperity; and the city was a powerhouse of the Industrial Revolution. Newcastle's development as a major city owed most to its central role in the production and export of coal. The phrase "taking coals to Newcastle" was first recorded in 1538; it proverbially denotes bringing a particular commodity to a place that has more than enough of it already.

 

Innovation in Newcastle and surrounding areas included the following:

 

George Stephenson developed a miner's safety lamp at the same time that Humphry Davy developed a rival design. The lamp made possible the opening up of ever deeper mines to provide the coal that powered the industrial revolution.

George and his son Robert Stephenson were hugely influential figures in the development of the early railways. George developed Blücher, a locomotive working at Killingworth colliery in 1814, whilst Robert was instrumental in the design of Rocket, a revolutionary design that was the forerunner of modern locomotives. Both men were involved in planning and building railway lines, all over this country and abroad.

 

Joseph Swan demonstrated a working electric light bulb about a year before Thomas Edison did the same in the USA. This led to a dispute as to who had actually invented the light bulb. Eventually the two rivals agreed to form a mutual company between them, the Edison and Swan Electric Light Company, known as Ediswan.

 

Charles Algernon Parsons invented the steam turbine, for marine use and for power generation. He used Turbinia, a small, turbine-powered ship, to demonstrate the speed that a steam turbine could generate. Turbinia literally ran rings around the British Fleet at a review at Spithead in 1897.

 

William Armstrong invented a hydraulic crane that was installed in dockyards up and down the country. He then began to design light, accurate field guns for the British army. These were a vast improvement on the existing guns that were then in use.

 

The following major industries developed in Newcastle or its surrounding area:

 

Glassmaking

A small glass industry existed in Newcastle from the mid-15th century. In 1615 restrictions were put on the use of wood for manufacturing glass. It was found that glass could be manufactured using the local coal, and so a glassmaking industry grew up on Tyneside. Huguenot glassmakers came over from France as refugees from persecution and set up glasshouses in the Skinnerburn area of Newcastle. Eventually, glass production moved to the Ouseburn area of Newcastle. In 1684 the Dagnia family, Sephardic Jewish emigrants from Altare, arrived in Newcastle from Stourbridge and established glasshouses along the Close, to manufacture high quality flint glass. The glass manufacturers used sand ballast from the boats arriving in the river as the main raw material. The glassware was then exported in collier brigs. The period from 1730 to 1785 was the highpoint of Newcastle glass manufacture, when the local glassmakers produced the 'Newcastle Light Baluster'. The glassmaking industry still exists in the west end of the city with local Artist and Glassmaker Jane Charles carrying on over four hundred years of hot glass blowing in Newcastle upon Tyne.

 

Locomotive manufacture

In 1823 George Stephenson and his son Robert established the world's first locomotive factory near Forth Street in Newcastle. Here they built locomotives for the Stockton and Darlington Railway and the Liverpool and Manchester Railway, as well as many others. It was here that the famous locomotive Rocket was designed and manufactured in preparation for the Rainhill Trials. Apart from building locomotives for the British market, the Newcastle works also produced locomotives for Europe and America. The Forth Street works continued to build locomotives until 1960.

 

Shipbuilding

In 1296 a wooden, 135 ft (41 m) long galley was constructed at the mouth of the Lort Burn in Newcastle, as part of a twenty-ship order from the king. The ship cost £205, and is the earliest record of shipbuilding in Newcastle. However the rise of the Tyne as a shipbuilding area was due to the need for collier brigs for the coal export trade. These wooden sailing ships were usually built locally, establishing local expertise in building ships. As ships changed from wood to steel, and from sail to steam, the local shipbuilding industry changed to build the new ships. Although shipbuilding was carried out up and down both sides of the river, the two main areas for building ships in Newcastle were Elswick, to the west, and Walker, to the east. By 1800 Tyneside was the third largest producer of ships in Britain. Unfortunately, after the Second World War, lack of modernisation and competition from abroad gradually caused the local industry to decline and die.

 

Armaments

In 1847 William Armstrong established a huge factory in Elswick, west of Newcastle. This was initially used to produce hydraulic cranes but subsequently began also to produce guns for both the army and the navy. After the Swing Bridge was built in 1876 allowing ships to pass up river, warships could have their armaments fitted alongside the Elswick works. Armstrong's company took over its industrial rival, Joseph Whitworth of Manchester in 1897.

 

Steam turbines

Charles Algernon Parsons invented the steam turbine and, in 1889, founded his own company C. A. Parsons and Company in Heaton, Newcastle to make steam turbines. Shortly after this, he realised that steam turbines could be used to propel ships and, in 1897, he founded a second company, Parsons Marine Steam Turbine Company in Wallsend. It is there that he designed and manufactured Turbinia. Parsons turbines were initially used in warships but soon came to be used in merchant and passenger vessels, including the liner Mauretania which held the blue riband for the Atlantic crossing until 1929. Parsons' company in Heaton began to make turbo-generators for power stations and supplied power stations all over the world. The Heaton works, reduced in size, remains as part of the Siemens AG industrial giant.

 

Pottery

In 1762 the Maling pottery was founded in Sunderland by French Huguenots, but transferred to Newcastle in 1817. A factory was built in the Ouseburn area of the city. The factory was rebuilt twice, finally occupying a 14-acre (57,000 m2) site that was claimed to be the biggest pottery in the world and which had its own railway station. The pottery pioneered use of machines in making potteries as opposed to hand production. In the 1890s the company went up-market and employed in-house designers. The period up to the Second World War was the most profitable with a constant stream of new designs being introduced. However, after the war, production gradually declined and the company closed in 1963.

 

Expansion of the city

Newcastle was one of the boroughs reformed by the Municipal Corporations Act 1835: the reformed municipal borough included the parishes of Byker, Elswick, Heaton, Jesmond, Newcastle All Saints, Newcastle St Andrew, Newcastle St John, Newcastle St Nicholas, and Westgate. The urban districts of Benwell and Fenham and Walker were added in 1904. In 1935, Newcastle gained Kenton and parts of the parishes of West Brunton, East Denton, Fawdon, Longbenton. The most recent expansion in Newcastle's boundaries took place under the Local Government Act 1972 on 1 April 1974, when Newcastle became a metropolitan borough, also including the urban districts of Gosforth and Newburn, and the parishes of Brunswick, Dinnington, Hazlerigg, North Gosforth and Woolsington from the Castle Ward Rural District, and the village of Westerhope.

 

Meanwhile Northumberland County Council was formed under the Local Government Act 1888 and benefited from a dedicated meeting place when County Hall was completed in the Castle Garth area of Newcastle in 1910. Following the Local Government Act 1972 County Hall relocated to Morpeth in April 1981.

 

Twentieth century

In 1925 work began on a new high-level road bridge to span the Tyne Gorge between Newcastle and Gateshead. The capacity of the existing High-Level Bridge and Swing Bridge were being strained to the limit, and an additional bridge had been discussed for a long time. The contract was awarded to the Dorman Long Company and the bridge was finally opened by King George V in 1928. The road deck was 84 feet (26 m) above the river and was supported by a 531 feet (162 m) steel arch. The new Tyne Bridge quickly became a symbol for Newcastle and Tyneside, and remains so today.

 

During the Second World War, Newcastle was largely spared the horrors inflicted upon other British cities bombed during the Blitz. Although the armaments factories and shipyards along the River Tyne were targeted by the Luftwaffe, they largely escaped unscathed. Manors goods yard and railway terminal, to the east of the city centre, and the suburbs of Jesmond and Heaton suffered bombing during 1941. There were 141 deaths and 587 injuries, a relatively small figure compared to the casualties in other industrial centres of Britain.

 

In 1963 the city gained its own university, the University of Newcastle upon Tyne, by act of parliament. A School of Medicine and Surgery had been established in Newcastle in 1834. This eventually developed into a college of medicine attached to Durham University. A college of physical science was also founded and became Armstrong College in 1904. In 1934 the two colleges merged to become King's College, Durham. This remained as part of Durham University until the new university was created in 1963. In 1992 the city gained its second university when Newcastle Polytechnic was granted university status as Northumbria University.

 

Newcastle City Council moved to the new Newcastle Civic Centre in 1968.

 

As heavy industries declined in the second half of the 20th century, large sections of the city centre were demolished along with many areas of slum housing. The leading political figure in the city during the 1960s was T. Dan Smith who oversaw a massive building programme of highrise housing estates and authorised the demolition of a quarter of the Georgian Grainger Town to make way for Eldon Square Shopping Centre. Smith's control in Newcastle collapsed when it was exposed that he had used public contracts to advantage himself and his business associates and for a time Newcastle became a byword for civic corruption as depicted in the films Get Carter and Stormy Monday and in the television series Our Friends in the North. However, much of the historic Grainger Town area survived and was, for the most part, fully restored in the late 1990s. Northumberland Street, initially the A1, was gradually closed to traffic from the 1970s and completely pedestrianised by 1998.

 

In 1978 a new rapid transport system, the Metro, was built, linking the Tyneside area. The system opened in August 1980. A new bridge was built to carry the Metro across the river between Gateshead and Newcastle. This was the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge, commonly known as the Metro Bridge. Eventually the Metro system was extended to reach Newcastle Airport in 1991, and in 2002 the Metro system was extended to the nearby city of Sunderland.

 

As the 20th century progressed, trade on the Newcastle and Gateshead quaysides gradually declined, until by the 1980s both sides of the river were looking rather derelict. Shipping company offices had closed along with offices of firms related to shipping. There were also derelict warehouses lining the riverbank. Local government produced a master plan to re-develop the Newcastle quayside and this was begun in the 1990s. New offices, restaurants, bars and residential accommodation were built and the area has changed in the space of a few years into a vibrant area, partially returning the focus of Newcastle to the riverside, where it was in medieval times.

 

The Gateshead Millennium Bridge, a foot and cycle bridge, 26 feet (7.9 m) wide and 413 feet (126 m) long, was completed in 2001. The road deck is in the form of a curve and is supported by a steel arch. To allow ships to pass, the whole structure, both arch and road-deck, rotates on huge bearings at either end so that the road deck is lifted. The bridge can be said to open and shut like a human eye. It is an important addition to the re-developed quayside area, providing a vital link between the Newcastle and Gateshead quaysides.

 

Recent developments

Today the city is a vibrant centre for office and retail employment, but just a short distance away there are impoverished inner-city housing estates, in areas originally built to provide affordable housing for employees of the shipyards and other heavy industries that lined the River Tyne. In the 2010s Newcastle City Council began implementing plans to regenerate these depressed areas, such as those along the Ouseburn Valley.

The payment gateway is an integral feature of counter top credit card terminals and PC based point of sale systems and essentially is software or firmware performing data encryption and communication handshaking.

  

Soekarno-Hatta street is place for some wreckage warehouses, either large storages for business-to-business transaction or direct selling/buying to customers. Despite the lack of city waste management, wreckage business becomes one alternative for household waste dump. Also a cash incentive for people doing garbage separation.

 

A grandma was coming to wreckage store, converting her garbage into money.

Syntactic terms

Transactional messaging

Denoument catalyst

Capt. Katherine Jarmusk (left), Capt. Andrea Johnson (middle), and Maj. Stephen Ramella, all assigned to 593rd Sustainment Battalion, listen to an after action review after convoy live fire training April 11 at YTC. The unit conducted battalion field training at YTC April 7-15. The purpose of the training was to prepare companies and detachments of the 593rd STB for upcoming deployments.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (February 14, 2022) – The JAXPORT Board of Directors today unanimously approved a 20-year, $60 million agreement between Ceres Terminals and JAXPORT for the lease and modernization of the TraPac Jacksonville container terminal in Jacksonville, Florida.

 

In a separate transaction, Ceres will purchase the terminal’s previous leaseholder, terminal operator TraPac Jacksonville, LLC from Mitsui O.S.K Lines, Ltd. (MOL), subject to closing conditions. Details of the private transaction, including purchase price, have not been disclosed.

 

Subject to completion of the sale, Ceres will begin operating the 158-acre container facility located at JAXPORT’s Dames Point Marine Terminal on March 1st.

 

The agreement includes a $45 million lease with JAXPORT. Ceres will also make $15 million in terminal upgrades, including investments in cargo handling equipment and systems.

 

A leading international terminal operator, Ceres has 60 years of experience with operations at many of North America’s largest ports. The company is experienced in terminal development, operations and stevedoring for a variety of cargo types and trade lanes.

“We are excited about our long-term commitment to JAXPORT and the local community. Our significant investment in Dames Point Terminal provides an excellent gateway for South Atlantic-based distribution centers, well into the future,” said Craig Mygatt, Ceres Terminals CEO.

“An investment of this magnitude speaks volumes about the opportunity that exists in Jacksonville,” said JAXPORT Board Chair Wendy Hamilton. “We are grateful to Ceres for their continued investment in our community and look forward to growing this important partnership in the future.”

JAXPORT’s largest single-tenant operated facility by acreage, TraPac Jacksonville features two 1,200-foot-long berths and six post-Panamax container cranes. Along with the existing Asian and South American services, the facility recently accommodated Hapag-Lloyd’s AL3 European container service, which rerouted to JAXPORT for nine weeks to avoid US port congestion.

“The ongoing supply chain disruption underscores the significance of this agreement and the importance of the capabilities offered by the TraPac Jacksonville facility,” said JAXPORT CEO Eric Green. “When we put together JAXPORT’s Strategic Master Plan, our focus was growing cargo volumes and the private sector jobs they support. This agreement is a major step forward in the evolution of that plan. We thank MOL for their partnership over the years and look forward to growing the economic impact this facility has on our community under its new ownership with Ceres.”

An existing JAXPORT tenant, Ceres has also operated the JAXPORT intermodal yard (ICTF) at Dames Point, adjacent to the TraPac terminal, since it opened in 2016.

Operations and ocean carrier services will remain the same, ensuring a seamless transition for customers.

Located just minutes from major interstates, TraPac Jacksonville offers direct containership service to ports throughout Asia and South America through THE Alliance.

About Ceres

Ceres is a leader among marine terminal operators and stevedores in North America. Operating in many of North America’s major marine ports, the Company provides terminal management as well as services for all types of cargo, including container, bulk, breakbulk, automotive, project, military, cruise, intermodal facilities, RO/RO operations, and M&R services. Ceres is wholly owned by a fund managed by Macquarie Asset Management.

About JAXPORT

JAXPORT is Florida’s largest container port and one of the nation’s top vehicle-handling ports. Located in the heart of the Southeast U.S., Jacksonville offers same-day access to 98-million US consumers via 40 daily trains and more than 100 trucking firms. Cargo activity through Jacksonville’s port supports 138,000 jobs and $31 billion in annual economic output for the region and state.

 

  

As our helicopter approaches Leer in northern South Sudan, all one can see is eerily empty, dry, sun-stricken land. The people we meet on the ground, however, have a different story to tell. It is one of human suffering on an unimaginable scale. Escalating fighting and brutality in the area may compromise the next, widely believed to be decisive, round of peace talks in Addis Ababa.

 

“The peace talks have not been successful, and I guess most disappointingly the cessation of hostilities [agreement] that was signed at the end of last year which most people felt was a step in the right direction is not working either, and the intensification of the conflict on the ground has a huge human impact,” says UNMISS Chief David Shearer, keen to talk to the warring parties in the hope they will lay down their weapons and build durable peace.

 

On arrival, we are greeted not by one but two typhoons, as the armed personnel carriers used by the Ghanaian peacekeepers are called.

 

And the 126 West African blue helmets making up the robust base in Leer have indeed gotten used to vicious, destructive whirlwinds in their immediate vicinity. Recent, frequent clashes between government and opposition troops have seen several humanitarian actors forced to leave the area.

 

But Leer has witnessed numerous arrivals, albeit involuntary ones, too. Over the last week, a steady stream of approximately 600 displaced persons have been scrambling for a place to temporarily settle down in a tiny protection area next to the base of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan.

 

They are joining another 500 or so displaced and disillusioned individuals, most of whom may smile wryly at the somewhat euphemistically named Temporary Protection Area.

 

“I have been here for three years by now, because of the crisis and all the cases of rape going on outside of here, in the villages. Staying here is not easy, but at least it is better and safer than in a village,” says Nyalui Yor. “Many people were being killed outside, and if you survive and if you are a woman, they rape you.”

 

Or worse, her fellow protection area resident Nyakui Kong, might add. She arrived just three days ago, with horror scenes still haunting her mind.

 

“People were killed, houses were burnt, food was taken away. Someone tried to hang me, but luckily I fell down and ran to the UN base. This is the only place I can go,” she says.

 

The utter lack of available food has also contributed to the decision of the desperate to seek shelter in the protection area, and judging by what precious little can be purchased in Leer’s town centre, real scarcity persists.

 

Cooking oil is sold in minuscule plastic bags, garlic is bought, or at least on offer, by the clove. Purchasing power is so limited and customers so few and far between that an elderly, near-toothless man fails to fetch a paltry 5 dollars for his two cute baby goats. Two armed young men of unknown affiliation grin grimly, puffing away on their cigarettes as they watch the non-unfolding of the business transaction.

 

James Gatdit, in the protection area, is also having a feeling that nothing positive is happening. He and his six brothers, three sets of twins, no less, were somehow separated from their parents about two years ago. His mother and father live in the UN Mission protection site in Bentiu, while James and his brothers are mostly idle in Leer.

 

“Life is no good here. We have no proper accommodation, there is not enough food and nobody is going to school. Why? There are no teachers and no books,” says James, who would like to become a doctor “to give medicines to people who need them”.

 

James Gatdit seems sadly resigned to his fate.

 

“How can I be optimistic? The future is no good. There is no future. I don’t believe that our leaders have it in their hearts to make peace.”

 

Sporting a Liverpool FC football shirt, he cannot even follow his favourite club’s amazing Champions League campaign on TV. Yet Champions League football provides a rare distraction for James and his peers.

 

“We can’t watch the games, but we play them ourselves,” he says with a hint of a smile.

 

So, who is to blame for the dire circumstances found in Leer and its surroundings? That, it turns out, depends on whom you are asking.

 

John Matip Gatluak, governor of Southern Liech, talks of “rebel” attacks “on a daily basis” and about the difficulties of “youth management”.

 

“The government is doing what it can to contain the situation, but management of youths is difficult, actually. We can’t really control our youth. The security situation is normal, except for the youth, who are out there fighting far from Leer”, Mr. Gatluak says as he steps out from his bullet-ridden office. He and his advisors hint that the conflict is not “tribal”, but “all political” and also driven by cattle raids and subsequent revenge attacks.

 

His is a lone voice of optimism:

 

“There is no point that we fight ourselves. President Salva Kiir is declaring a ceasefire and we have to respect it, although rebels continue to attack us. But peace will come. We will manage to bring peace to our people.”

 

In Dablual in Northern Liech, ten minutes north by helicopter, the tune is different.

 

“The security situation here is very bad. Government forces have been stealing in this area for almost ten days now. The soldiers come and look for the IO [in opposition] soldiers. They come and kill the old women, the children, the old men. They destroy everything, including houses and even the bore hole, which is now broken,” Major General Joseph Nhial, acting governor in the opposition-controlled area, laments. He mentions numerous places where fighting is ongoing, but maintains that his troops are just defending themselves.

 

“We [the opposition] are in a position of peace. We follow the cessation of hostilities [agreement] we signed last year.”

 

In the meantime, a majority of the local population, mostly women and children, are surviving on wild vegetables and fruits, in the bush or on fragile islands in the swamps surrounding the area.

 

Later this month, the next round of the High Level Revitalization Forum, already postponed twice, is expected to take place. Several stakeholders believe that these talks are crucial, and possibly the last chance to mend the broken seams of this young, war-torn country.

 

Optimism is hard to come by.

 

“I know that we are making a difference. I know that people are alive today because of what we do. It is what gets me up in the morning and keeps me going, but you are not seeing the longer term process panning out and that is really depressing. After a day like today, I feel pretty dispirited, to be perfectly honest,” Mr. Shearer said.

 

In an attempt to mitigate these bleak circumstances, UNMISS is intensifying its patrols to protect civilians and to monitor and report human rights violations. The Mission is also supporting the safe delivery of humanitarian aid and will continue to work alongside local communities to end the hostilities and build durable peace for the sake of the people.

 

But as we leave Leer heading for Juba, the Ghanaian typhoons remain. So does the uncertainty of what the future holds.

 

Photo: UNMISS / Eric Kanalstein

To the surprise of.... well, probably nobody, during my travels I came across another piece of Road Swag to add to my collection. But, not just any Road Swag... this is a piece that honestly, I'm surprised didn't turn up sooner. Sort of. It wasn't like I hadn't been trying, just circumstances always seemed to make it such that a successful transaction was just beyond my grasp. Well, finally broke that streak of losing.

 

Presenting S.H. Figuarts Sailor Chibi Moon.

 

In my mind, I would describe Sailor Moon as not only the first major Magical Girl anime I ever watched parts of in English back in the 90s, but in the grand scheme of things, it would be the Dragon Ball Z of anime geared towards girls. Immensely popular, with a cast that kept growing as the series went on and on. I know more about Sailor Moon than most of the other properties that I've purchased from, but like with Dragon Ball, for me to try to explain it would be quite the disservice.. I'm just gonna stick to Transformers for my lore discussions, thank you. All you need to know is that a bunch of high school girls transform and beat the crap out of a monster-of-the-week.

 

Much like Dragon Ball, Bandai eventually released a series of Figuarts based on the characters from both the Sailor Moon and Sailor Moon S lines, with the latter giving the Sailor Scouts their Super forms, along with an actual effect, making those a better deal, as it were. If I were going to get a set of the girls, I'd naturally gun for those. I really haven't been able to find any of those for relatively cheap.. or any of the regular line either, for that matter. Further complicating matters is that like with Sentai, it seems that the ball was dropped somewhere and not everyone got a Super figure. I think I'm using too much brain power thinking about this.

 

Anyway, I finally found a reasonably priced Sailor Moon Figuarts, which just happened to be Sailor Chibi Moon.

 

In the unlikely event you, my dear reader, have never watched any of Sailor Moon, the story starts getting complicated with the appearance of Chibi Moon here. So, based on my memory and internet research, Sailor Chibi Moon is better known as Chibiusa in her civilian form (Rini in the 90s dub I watched). the daughter of Usagi and Endymion (Serena and Darien). She sent back into the past to prevent the forces of evil from corrupting her in the future. In the past, she basically discovers who her parents are, that they have the ability to Henshin into super heroes, and eventually gains the ability to change into one herself, calling herself Sailor Chibi Moon.

 

Yeah, told you.. I'd be butchering any explanations.

 

Chibi Moon is probably the most visually diverse of the group, being full on anime in terms of her colouring (predominately pink). She is also living her own gimmick (Chibi refers to short and cute) being a kid pretty much throughout the entire series (except for the dark future arcs, but that's another story for a different figure). Much like a child, she's initially portrayed as a brat, always getting on her mothers nerves, fighting for the affection of her father, but she does eventually mature.. somewhat. But that wouldn't for another series or two, I believe. But enough about that - let's move on to the figure.

 

Seeing how this is my first Sailor Moon Figuarts, I don't know how she scales in terms of accessories, but I think they gave her a little something extra to compensate for the smaller size. Oh, Pro-Tip... keep an eye on EVERYTHING when you're changing parts and what not, because these things are tiny and they fall to the ground, well good luck finding it.

 

There's the figure itself, four total expressions (neutral, happy, attacking, determined) which I think is one more than normal, an addition hair piece featuring her Wing Hairclips, her Pink Moon Rod weapon, a variety of hands including some moulded in the various gang signs that the Sailor Scouts are known for, and, dare I say it.. an actually freaking stand. And due to the weight imbalance of her giant head, you're probably going to be using the heart shaped base quite a bit.

 

For those keeping score at home, Dragon Ball, a series known for its flying characters, gigantic Ki blasts, and insane battle scenes, has figures that don't come with a stand. Magical girl anime.. yes, lets throw in a stand. You can probably see that Bandai wanted to make sure the Sailor Moon line sold, and wasn't worried about the Dragon Ball line in the slightest.

 

Lets talk appearance. There is no doubt that this is Chibi Moon. Everything including her hair and outfit, her silhouette, and the shape of her face and expressions - pretty much ripped right out of the anime and made into 3D. The face plates really are what sells this figure (as with most figures, really) as the sculptors captured her expressions quite accurately and with the right pose, just oozes personality. One face plate that I would expected to see with Chibi Moon is a winking one, which sadly is not present.

 

The nitpicky part of me has to mention that the face does seem a tiny bit off, being sharper around the jaw and chin whereas it seems more rounded in the anime (the 90s one anyway), but it's nothing I'd lose sleep over. Bandai even went to duplicated those two curly hairs that Chibi Moon has near her bangs. Detailing of the sculpt itself is pretty solid, and includes things like ruffles on the skirt and her Choker and Pendant. Sculpting on the hair is a bit on the rough side, and is noticeable crude compare to the Figma on my shelves and, to be honest, even the Figuarts that I have. It's pretty much Kobobukiya levels here... it's not the end of the world, but it certainly is underwhelming. Tolerances on the face plate are a bit on the "meh" side, with the head and face not meshing properly, leaving a visible gap.

 

Paint work is somewhat of a mixed bag. I appreciate the fact that rather than using matte paints all over, the pink paints on her outfit are all pearl infused, and the tiara is painted with a metallic gold. Her Pink Moon Rod also features some metallic and pearl based paints. Furthermore, what is nicely done is the addition of some white streaks in the hair to simulate that 2D anime shading. Decal work on the eyes is spot on and sharp. Paint masking can be on the rough side though, and the paint work on the Rod just looks sloppy. surprisingly, the paint masking for all the other fine details are, well fine. It also seems to me that her bare skin areas (thighs, arms, face) could have used a coat of flesh colour as the finish of the base plastic really stands out.

 

Articulation is somewhat limited, which in some ways is understandable, and others just poor design choices. I'm guessing due to the smaller body, the overall number of articulation points is lower than that of a full size Figuarts. You get ankles, knees with some rotation, hips with extension capabilities for increased range of motion, mid torso, shoulders with some collapse, elbows with rotation, limited wrist articulation, head, and limited articulation for her hair. Most notable amongst the missing points of articulation are the neck and waist. I get the neck, probably due to the small size, but I don't get the lack of a waist. As mentioned, the hip extension does technically allow for more range of motion of the legs, allowing for a proper sitting position, but her skirt gets in the way and Chibi Moon always leans backwards when she's sitting down. Special note on the wrists - they're kind of fragile, though fortunately it's more of an FYI as opposed to a precautionary tale. You see, unlike the more recent Figuarts/Figma, Chibi Moon's wrist are just simple pegs with a ball joint on the end of it. There's no additional bending joint on the wrists, hence my mentioning they are limited in motion. Press to hard, and you might snap it off, rendering the figure effectively crippled until you can get a new arm.. if you can at all. Furthermore, because the forearms and peg are one piece of plastic, you get the deal with the fun of QC. My right arm is fine, but my left arm has a ball joint which is JUST too small, and as a result any attached hands have a rather easy time of falling off, resulting in my angry, curse laden searches of the floor. The sheer bulk of the bow on her dress also limits the range of motion you can get out of her arms as well.

 

In conclusion, not the strongest product I've seen from the Figuarts line, but still nowhere near the low quality to price ratio that figures like the PAK line offer. Flaws and all, there is no mistaking that this is a very good representation of Sailor Chibi Moon, and I'm sure if I ever get my hands on the rest of the Sailor Scouts, those will also follow suit in being the defacto action figures for this property.. just hopefully with fewer QC issues.

 

Finding this merch at good prices, however, is tough, probably tougher than finding Dragon Ball stuff as everyone generally just keeps getting the upgraded form like they do with Iron Man figures. It's just that there's nothing for the Sailor Moon crowd to upgrade to.

 

Until next time, Sailor Moon says.... SEE YA!

To the surprise of.... well, probably nobody, during my travels I came across another piece of Road Swag to add to my collection. But, not just any Road Swag... this is a piece that honestly, I'm surprised didn't turn up sooner. Sort of. It wasn't like I hadn't been trying, just circumstances always seemed to make it such that a successful transaction was just beyond my grasp. Well, finally broke that streak of losing.

 

Presenting S.H. Figuarts Sailor Chibi Moon.

 

In my mind, I would describe Sailor Moon as not only the first major Magical Girl anime I ever watched parts of in English back in the 90s, but in the grand scheme of things, it would be the Dragon Ball Z of anime geared towards girls. Immensely popular, with a cast that kept growing as the series went on and on. I know more about Sailor Moon than most of the other properties that I've purchased from, but like with Dragon Ball, for me to try to explain it would be quite the disservice.. I'm just gonna stick to Transformers for my lore discussions, thank you. All you need to know is that a bunch of high school girls transform and beat the crap out of a monster-of-the-week.

 

Much like Dragon Ball, Bandai eventually released a series of Figuarts based on the characters from both the Sailor Moon and Sailor Moon S lines, with the latter giving the Sailor Scouts their Super forms, along with an actual effect, making those a better deal, as it were. If I were going to get a set of the girls, I'd naturally gun for those. I really haven't been able to find any of those for relatively cheap.. or any of the regular line either, for that matter. Further complicating matters is that like with Sentai, it seems that the ball was dropped somewhere and not everyone got a Super figure. I think I'm using too much brain power thinking about this.

 

Anyway, I finally found a reasonably priced Sailor Moon Figuarts, which just happened to be Sailor Chibi Moon.

 

In the unlikely event you, my dear reader, have never watched any of Sailor Moon, the story starts getting complicated with the appearance of Chibi Moon here. So, based on my memory and internet research, Sailor Chibi Moon is better known as Chibiusa in her civilian form (Rini in the 90s dub I watched). the daughter of Usagi and Endymion (Serena and Darien). She sent back into the past to prevent the forces of evil from corrupting her in the future. In the past, she basically discovers who her parents are, that they have the ability to Henshin into super heroes, and eventually gains the ability to change into one herself, calling herself Sailor Chibi Moon.

 

Yeah, told you.. I'd be butchering any explanations.

 

Chibi Moon is probably the most visually diverse of the group, being full on anime in terms of her colouring (predominately pink). She is also living her own gimmick (Chibi refers to short and cute) being a kid pretty much throughout the entire series (except for the dark future arcs, but that's another story for a different figure). Much like a child, she's initially portrayed as a brat, always getting on her mothers nerves, fighting for the affection of her father, but she does eventually mature.. somewhat. But that wouldn't for another series or two, I believe. But enough about that - let's move on to the figure.

 

Seeing how this is my first Sailor Moon Figuarts, I don't know how she scales in terms of accessories, but I think they gave her a little something extra to compensate for the smaller size. Oh, Pro-Tip... keep an eye on EVERYTHING when you're changing parts and what not, because these things are tiny and they fall to the ground, well good luck finding it.

 

There's the figure itself, four total expressions (neutral, happy, attacking, determined) which I think is one more than normal, an addition hair piece featuring her Wing Hairclips, her Pink Moon Rod weapon, a variety of hands including some moulded in the various gang signs that the Sailor Scouts are known for, and, dare I say it.. an actually freaking stand. And due to the weight imbalance of her giant head, you're probably going to be using the heart shaped base quite a bit.

 

For those keeping score at home, Dragon Ball, a series known for its flying characters, gigantic Ki blasts, and insane battle scenes, has figures that don't come with a stand. Magical girl anime.. yes, lets throw in a stand. You can probably see that Bandai wanted to make sure the Sailor Moon line sold, and wasn't worried about the Dragon Ball line in the slightest.

 

Lets talk appearance. There is no doubt that this is Chibi Moon. Everything including her hair and outfit, her silhouette, and the shape of her face and expressions - pretty much ripped right out of the anime and made into 3D. The face plates really are what sells this figure (as with most figures, really) as the sculptors captured her expressions quite accurately and with the right pose, just oozes personality. One face plate that I would expected to see with Chibi Moon is a winking one, which sadly is not present.

 

The nitpicky part of me has to mention that the face does seem a tiny bit off, being sharper around the jaw and chin whereas it seems more rounded in the anime (the 90s one anyway), but it's nothing I'd lose sleep over. Bandai even went to duplicated those two curly hairs that Chibi Moon has near her bangs. Detailing of the sculpt itself is pretty solid, and includes things like ruffles on the skirt and her Choker and Pendant. Sculpting on the hair is a bit on the rough side, and is noticeable crude compare to the Figma on my shelves and, to be honest, even the Figuarts that I have. It's pretty much Kobobukiya levels here... it's not the end of the world, but it certainly is underwhelming. Tolerances on the face plate are a bit on the "meh" side, with the head and face not meshing properly, leaving a visible gap.

 

Paint work is somewhat of a mixed bag. I appreciate the fact that rather than using matte paints all over, the pink paints on her outfit are all pearl infused, and the tiara is painted with a metallic gold. Her Pink Moon Rod also features some metallic and pearl based paints. Furthermore, what is nicely done is the addition of some white streaks in the hair to simulate that 2D anime shading. Decal work on the eyes is spot on and sharp. Paint masking can be on the rough side though, and the paint work on the Rod just looks sloppy. surprisingly, the paint masking for all the other fine details are, well fine. It also seems to me that her bare skin areas (thighs, arms, face) could have used a coat of flesh colour as the finish of the base plastic really stands out.

 

Articulation is somewhat limited, which in some ways is understandable, and others just poor design choices. I'm guessing due to the smaller body, the overall number of articulation points is lower than that of a full size Figuarts. You get ankles, knees with some rotation, hips with extension capabilities for increased range of motion, mid torso, shoulders with some collapse, elbows with rotation, limited wrist articulation, head, and limited articulation for her hair. Most notable amongst the missing points of articulation are the neck and waist. I get the neck, probably due to the small size, but I don't get the lack of a waist. As mentioned, the hip extension does technically allow for more range of motion of the legs, allowing for a proper sitting position, but her skirt gets in the way and Chibi Moon always leans backwards when she's sitting down. Special note on the wrists - they're kind of fragile, though fortunately it's more of an FYI as opposed to a precautionary tale. You see, unlike the more recent Figuarts/Figma, Chibi Moon's wrist are just simple pegs with a ball joint on the end of it. There's no additional bending joint on the wrists, hence my mentioning they are limited in motion. Press to hard, and you might snap it off, rendering the figure effectively crippled until you can get a new arm.. if you can at all. Furthermore, because the forearms and peg are one piece of plastic, you get the deal with the fun of QC. My right arm is fine, but my left arm has a ball joint which is JUST too small, and as a result any attached hands have a rather easy time of falling off, resulting in my angry, curse laden searches of the floor. The sheer bulk of the bow on her dress also limits the range of motion you can get out of her arms as well.

 

In conclusion, not the strongest product I've seen from the Figuarts line, but still nowhere near the low quality to price ratio that figures like the PAK line offer. Flaws and all, there is no mistaking that this is a very good representation of Sailor Chibi Moon, and I'm sure if I ever get my hands on the rest of the Sailor Scouts, those will also follow suit in being the defacto action figures for this property.. just hopefully with fewer QC issues.

 

Finding this merch at good prices, however, is tough, probably tougher than finding Dragon Ball stuff as everyone generally just keeps getting the upgraded form like they do with Iron Man figures. It's just that there's nothing for the Sailor Moon crowd to upgrade to.

 

Until next time, Sailor Moon says.... SEE YA!

Sign with for sale written on red surface

To the surprise of.... well, probably nobody, during my travels I came across another piece of Road Swag to add to my collection. But, not just any Road Swag... this is a piece that honestly, I'm surprised didn't turn up sooner. Sort of. It wasn't like I hadn't been trying, just circumstances always seemed to make it such that a successful transaction was just beyond my grasp. Well, finally broke that streak of losing.

 

Presenting S.H. Figuarts Sailor Chibi Moon.

 

In my mind, I would describe Sailor Moon as not only the first major Magical Girl anime I ever watched parts of in English back in the 90s, but in the grand scheme of things, it would be the Dragon Ball Z of anime geared towards girls. Immensely popular, with a cast that kept growing as the series went on and on. I know more about Sailor Moon than most of the other properties that I've purchased from, but like with Dragon Ball, for me to try to explain it would be quite the disservice.. I'm just gonna stick to Transformers for my lore discussions, thank you. All you need to know is that a bunch of high school girls transform and beat the crap out of a monster-of-the-week.

 

Much like Dragon Ball, Bandai eventually released a series of Figuarts based on the characters from both the Sailor Moon and Sailor Moon S lines, with the latter giving the Sailor Scouts their Super forms, along with an actual effect, making those a better deal, as it were. If I were going to get a set of the girls, I'd naturally gun for those. I really haven't been able to find any of those for relatively cheap.. or any of the regular line either, for that matter. Further complicating matters is that like with Sentai, it seems that the ball was dropped somewhere and not everyone got a Super figure. I think I'm using too much brain power thinking about this.

 

Anyway, I finally found a reasonably priced Sailor Moon Figuarts, which just happened to be Sailor Chibi Moon.

 

In the unlikely event you, my dear reader, have never watched any of Sailor Moon, the story starts getting complicated with the appearance of Chibi Moon here. So, based on my memory and internet research, Sailor Chibi Moon is better known as Chibiusa in her civilian form (Rini in the 90s dub I watched). the daughter of Usagi and Endymion (Serena and Darien). She sent back into the past to prevent the forces of evil from corrupting her in the future. In the past, she basically discovers who her parents are, that they have the ability to Henshin into super heroes, and eventually gains the ability to change into one herself, calling herself Sailor Chibi Moon.

 

Yeah, told you.. I'd be butchering any explanations.

 

Chibi Moon is probably the most visually diverse of the group, being full on anime in terms of her colouring (predominately pink). She is also living her own gimmick (Chibi refers to short and cute) being a kid pretty much throughout the entire series (except for the dark future arcs, but that's another story for a different figure). Much like a child, she's initially portrayed as a brat, always getting on her mothers nerves, fighting for the affection of her father, but she does eventually mature.. somewhat. But that wouldn't for another series or two, I believe. But enough about that - let's move on to the figure.

 

Seeing how this is my first Sailor Moon Figuarts, I don't know how she scales in terms of accessories, but I think they gave her a little something extra to compensate for the smaller size. Oh, Pro-Tip... keep an eye on EVERYTHING when you're changing parts and what not, because these things are tiny and they fall to the ground, well good luck finding it.

 

There's the figure itself, four total expressions (neutral, happy, attacking, determined) which I think is one more than normal, an addition hair piece featuring her Wing Hairclips, her Pink Moon Rod weapon, a variety of hands including some moulded in the various gang signs that the Sailor Scouts are known for, and, dare I say it.. an actually freaking stand. And due to the weight imbalance of her giant head, you're probably going to be using the heart shaped base quite a bit.

 

For those keeping score at home, Dragon Ball, a series known for its flying characters, gigantic Ki blasts, and insane battle scenes, has figures that don't come with a stand. Magical girl anime.. yes, lets throw in a stand. You can probably see that Bandai wanted to make sure the Sailor Moon line sold, and wasn't worried about the Dragon Ball line in the slightest.

 

Lets talk appearance. There is no doubt that this is Chibi Moon. Everything including her hair and outfit, her silhouette, and the shape of her face and expressions - pretty much ripped right out of the anime and made into 3D. The face plates really are what sells this figure (as with most figures, really) as the sculptors captured her expressions quite accurately and with the right pose, just oozes personality. One face plate that I would expected to see with Chibi Moon is a winking one, which sadly is not present.

 

The nitpicky part of me has to mention that the face does seem a tiny bit off, being sharper around the jaw and chin whereas it seems more rounded in the anime (the 90s one anyway), but it's nothing I'd lose sleep over. Bandai even went to duplicated those two curly hairs that Chibi Moon has near her bangs. Detailing of the sculpt itself is pretty solid, and includes things like ruffles on the skirt and her Choker and Pendant. Sculpting on the hair is a bit on the rough side, and is noticeable crude compare to the Figma on my shelves and, to be honest, even the Figuarts that I have. It's pretty much Kobobukiya levels here... it's not the end of the world, but it certainly is underwhelming. Tolerances on the face plate are a bit on the "meh" side, with the head and face not meshing properly, leaving a visible gap.

 

Paint work is somewhat of a mixed bag. I appreciate the fact that rather than using matte paints all over, the pink paints on her outfit are all pearl infused, and the tiara is painted with a metallic gold. Her Pink Moon Rod also features some metallic and pearl based paints. Furthermore, what is nicely done is the addition of some white streaks in the hair to simulate that 2D anime shading. Decal work on the eyes is spot on and sharp. Paint masking can be on the rough side though, and the paint work on the Rod just looks sloppy. surprisingly, the paint masking for all the other fine details are, well fine. It also seems to me that her bare skin areas (thighs, arms, face) could have used a coat of flesh colour as the finish of the base plastic really stands out.

 

Articulation is somewhat limited, which in some ways is understandable, and others just poor design choices. I'm guessing due to the smaller body, the overall number of articulation points is lower than that of a full size Figuarts. You get ankles, knees with some rotation, hips with extension capabilities for increased range of motion, mid torso, shoulders with some collapse, elbows with rotation, limited wrist articulation, head, and limited articulation for her hair. Most notable amongst the missing points of articulation are the neck and waist. I get the neck, probably due to the small size, but I don't get the lack of a waist. As mentioned, the hip extension does technically allow for more range of motion of the legs, allowing for a proper sitting position, but her skirt gets in the way and Chibi Moon always leans backwards when she's sitting down. Special note on the wrists - they're kind of fragile, though fortunately it's more of an FYI as opposed to a precautionary tale. You see, unlike the more recent Figuarts/Figma, Chibi Moon's wrist are just simple pegs with a ball joint on the end of it. There's no additional bending joint on the wrists, hence my mentioning they are limited in motion. Press to hard, and you might snap it off, rendering the figure effectively crippled until you can get a new arm.. if you can at all. Furthermore, because the forearms and peg are one piece of plastic, you get the deal with the fun of QC. My right arm is fine, but my left arm has a ball joint which is JUST too small, and as a result any attached hands have a rather easy time of falling off, resulting in my angry, curse laden searches of the floor. The sheer bulk of the bow on her dress also limits the range of motion you can get out of her arms as well.

 

In conclusion, not the strongest product I've seen from the Figuarts line, but still nowhere near the low quality to price ratio that figures like the PAK line offer. Flaws and all, there is no mistaking that this is a very good representation of Sailor Chibi Moon, and I'm sure if I ever get my hands on the rest of the Sailor Scouts, those will also follow suit in being the defacto action figures for this property.. just hopefully with fewer QC issues.

 

Finding this merch at good prices, however, is tough, probably tougher than finding Dragon Ball stuff as everyone generally just keeps getting the upgraded form like they do with Iron Man figures. It's just that there's nothing for the Sailor Moon crowd to upgrade to.

 

Until next time, Sailor Moon says.... SEE YA!

Payment processing in business is a crucial thing and needs expert and immaculate handling. Not only this, the payment processing organization and the system that it uses should be reliable and complied with security features. The company offers services including debit and EBT card processing, currency conversion, ACH transfers and electronic check facility, virtual merchant cloud based terminal, transcription services and so on. To learn more about the company and its functioning, browse through its official site www.nationaltransaction.com/.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (February 14, 2022) – The JAXPORT Board of Directors today unanimously approved a 20-year, $60 million agreement between Ceres Terminals and JAXPORT for the lease and modernization of the TraPac Jacksonville container terminal in Jacksonville, Florida.

 

In a separate transaction, Ceres will purchase the terminal’s previous leaseholder, terminal operator TraPac Jacksonville, LLC from Mitsui O.S.K Lines, Ltd. (MOL), subject to closing conditions. Details of the private transaction, including purchase price, have not been disclosed.

 

Subject to completion of the sale, Ceres will begin operating the 158-acre container facility located at JAXPORT’s Dames Point Marine Terminal on March 1st.

 

The agreement includes a $45 million lease with JAXPORT. Ceres will also make $15 million in terminal upgrades, including investments in cargo handling equipment and systems.

 

A leading international terminal operator, Ceres has 60 years of experience with operations at many of North America’s largest ports. The company is experienced in terminal development, operations and stevedoring for a variety of cargo types and trade lanes.

“We are excited about our long-term commitment to JAXPORT and the local community. Our significant investment in Dames Point Terminal provides an excellent gateway for South Atlantic-based distribution centers, well into the future,” said Craig Mygatt, Ceres Terminals CEO.

“An investment of this magnitude speaks volumes about the opportunity that exists in Jacksonville,” said JAXPORT Board Chair Wendy Hamilton. “We are grateful to Ceres for their continued investment in our community and look forward to growing this important partnership in the future.”

JAXPORT’s largest single-tenant operated facility by acreage, TraPac Jacksonville features two 1,200-foot-long berths and six post-Panamax container cranes. Along with the existing Asian and South American services, the facility recently accommodated Hapag-Lloyd’s AL3 European container service, which rerouted to JAXPORT for nine weeks to avoid US port congestion.

“The ongoing supply chain disruption underscores the significance of this agreement and the importance of the capabilities offered by the TraPac Jacksonville facility,” said JAXPORT CEO Eric Green. “When we put together JAXPORT’s Strategic Master Plan, our focus was growing cargo volumes and the private sector jobs they support. This agreement is a major step forward in the evolution of that plan. We thank MOL for their partnership over the years and look forward to growing the economic impact this facility has on our community under its new ownership with Ceres.”

An existing JAXPORT tenant, Ceres has also operated the JAXPORT intermodal yard (ICTF) at Dames Point, adjacent to the TraPac terminal, since it opened in 2016.

Operations and ocean carrier services will remain the same, ensuring a seamless transition for customers.

Located just minutes from major interstates, TraPac Jacksonville offers direct containership service to ports throughout Asia and South America through THE Alliance.

About Ceres

Ceres is a leader among marine terminal operators and stevedores in North America. Operating in many of North America’s major marine ports, the Company provides terminal management as well as services for all types of cargo, including container, bulk, breakbulk, automotive, project, military, cruise, intermodal facilities, RO/RO operations, and M&R services. Ceres is wholly owned by a fund managed by Macquarie Asset Management.

About JAXPORT

JAXPORT is Florida’s largest container port and one of the nation’s top vehicle-handling ports. Located in the heart of the Southeast U.S., Jacksonville offers same-day access to 98-million US consumers via 40 daily trains and more than 100 trucking firms. Cargo activity through Jacksonville’s port supports 138,000 jobs and $31 billion in annual economic output for the region and state.

 

To the surprise of.... well, probably nobody, during my travels I came across another piece of Road Swag to add to my collection. But, not just any Road Swag... this is a piece that honestly, I'm surprised didn't turn up sooner. Sort of. It wasn't like I hadn't been trying, just circumstances always seemed to make it such that a successful transaction was just beyond my grasp. Well, finally broke that streak of losing.

 

Presenting S.H. Figuarts Sailor Chibi Moon.

 

In my mind, I would describe Sailor Moon as not only the first major Magical Girl anime I ever watched parts of in English back in the 90s, but in the grand scheme of things, it would be the Dragon Ball Z of anime geared towards girls. Immensely popular, with a cast that kept growing as the series went on and on. I know more about Sailor Moon than most of the other properties that I've purchased from, but like with Dragon Ball, for me to try to explain it would be quite the disservice.. I'm just gonna stick to Transformers for my lore discussions, thank you. All you need to know is that a bunch of high school girls transform and beat the crap out of a monster-of-the-week.

 

Much like Dragon Ball, Bandai eventually released a series of Figuarts based on the characters from both the Sailor Moon and Sailor Moon S lines, with the latter giving the Sailor Scouts their Super forms, along with an actual effect, making those a better deal, as it were. If I were going to get a set of the girls, I'd naturally gun for those. I really haven't been able to find any of those for relatively cheap.. or any of the regular line either, for that matter. Further complicating matters is that like with Sentai, it seems that the ball was dropped somewhere and not everyone got a Super figure. I think I'm using too much brain power thinking about this.

 

Anyway, I finally found a reasonably priced Sailor Moon Figuarts, which just happened to be Sailor Chibi Moon.

 

In the unlikely event you, my dear reader, have never watched any of Sailor Moon, the story starts getting complicated with the appearance of Chibi Moon here. So, based on my memory and internet research, Sailor Chibi Moon is better known as Chibiusa in her civilian form (Rini in the 90s dub I watched). the daughter of Usagi and Endymion (Serena and Darien). She sent back into the past to prevent the forces of evil from corrupting her in the future. In the past, she basically discovers who her parents are, that they have the ability to Henshin into super heroes, and eventually gains the ability to change into one herself, calling herself Sailor Chibi Moon.

 

Yeah, told you.. I'd be butchering any explanations.

 

Chibi Moon is probably the most visually diverse of the group, being full on anime in terms of her colouring (predominately pink). She is also living her own gimmick (Chibi refers to short and cute) being a kid pretty much throughout the entire series (except for the dark future arcs, but that's another story for a different figure). Much like a child, she's initially portrayed as a brat, always getting on her mothers nerves, fighting for the affection of her father, but she does eventually mature.. somewhat. But that wouldn't for another series or two, I believe. But enough about that - let's move on to the figure.

 

Seeing how this is my first Sailor Moon Figuarts, I don't know how she scales in terms of accessories, but I think they gave her a little something extra to compensate for the smaller size. Oh, Pro-Tip... keep an eye on EVERYTHING when you're changing parts and what not, because these things are tiny and they fall to the ground, well good luck finding it.

 

There's the figure itself, four total expressions (neutral, happy, attacking, determined) which I think is one more than normal, an addition hair piece featuring her Wing Hairclips, her Pink Moon Rod weapon, a variety of hands including some moulded in the various gang signs that the Sailor Scouts are known for, and, dare I say it.. an actually freaking stand. And due to the weight imbalance of her giant head, you're probably going to be using the heart shaped base quite a bit.

 

For those keeping score at home, Dragon Ball, a series known for its flying characters, gigantic Ki blasts, and insane battle scenes, has figures that don't come with a stand. Magical girl anime.. yes, lets throw in a stand. You can probably see that Bandai wanted to make sure the Sailor Moon line sold, and wasn't worried about the Dragon Ball line in the slightest.

 

Lets talk appearance. There is no doubt that this is Chibi Moon. Everything including her hair and outfit, her silhouette, and the shape of her face and expressions - pretty much ripped right out of the anime and made into 3D. The face plates really are what sells this figure (as with most figures, really) as the sculptors captured her expressions quite accurately and with the right pose, just oozes personality. One face plate that I would expected to see with Chibi Moon is a winking one, which sadly is not present.

 

The nitpicky part of me has to mention that the face does seem a tiny bit off, being sharper around the jaw and chin whereas it seems more rounded in the anime (the 90s one anyway), but it's nothing I'd lose sleep over. Bandai even went to duplicated those two curly hairs that Chibi Moon has near her bangs. Detailing of the sculpt itself is pretty solid, and includes things like ruffles on the skirt and her Choker and Pendant. Sculpting on the hair is a bit on the rough side, and is noticeable crude compare to the Figma on my shelves and, to be honest, even the Figuarts that I have. It's pretty much Kobobukiya levels here... it's not the end of the world, but it certainly is underwhelming. Tolerances on the face plate are a bit on the "meh" side, with the head and face not meshing properly, leaving a visible gap.

 

Paint work is somewhat of a mixed bag. I appreciate the fact that rather than using matte paints all over, the pink paints on her outfit are all pearl infused, and the tiara is painted with a metallic gold. Her Pink Moon Rod also features some metallic and pearl based paints. Furthermore, what is nicely done is the addition of some white streaks in the hair to simulate that 2D anime shading. Decal work on the eyes is spot on and sharp. Paint masking can be on the rough side though, and the paint work on the Rod just looks sloppy. surprisingly, the paint masking for all the other fine details are, well fine. It also seems to me that her bare skin areas (thighs, arms, face) could have used a coat of flesh colour as the finish of the base plastic really stands out.

 

Articulation is somewhat limited, which in some ways is understandable, and others just poor design choices. I'm guessing due to the smaller body, the overall number of articulation points is lower than that of a full size Figuarts. You get ankles, knees with some rotation, hips with extension capabilities for increased range of motion, mid torso, shoulders with some collapse, elbows with rotation, limited wrist articulation, head, and limited articulation for her hair. Most notable amongst the missing points of articulation are the neck and waist. I get the neck, probably due to the small size, but I don't get the lack of a waist. As mentioned, the hip extension does technically allow for more range of motion of the legs, allowing for a proper sitting position, but her skirt gets in the way and Chibi Moon always leans backwards when she's sitting down. Special note on the wrists - they're kind of fragile, though fortunately it's more of an FYI as opposed to a precautionary tale. You see, unlike the more recent Figuarts/Figma, Chibi Moon's wrist are just simple pegs with a ball joint on the end of it. There's no additional bending joint on the wrists, hence my mentioning they are limited in motion. Press to hard, and you might snap it off, rendering the figure effectively crippled until you can get a new arm.. if you can at all. Furthermore, because the forearms and peg are one piece of plastic, you get the deal with the fun of QC. My right arm is fine, but my left arm has a ball joint which is JUST too small, and as a result any attached hands have a rather easy time of falling off, resulting in my angry, curse laden searches of the floor. The sheer bulk of the bow on her dress also limits the range of motion you can get out of her arms as well.

 

In conclusion, not the strongest product I've seen from the Figuarts line, but still nowhere near the low quality to price ratio that figures like the PAK line offer. Flaws and all, there is no mistaking that this is a very good representation of Sailor Chibi Moon, and I'm sure if I ever get my hands on the rest of the Sailor Scouts, those will also follow suit in being the defacto action figures for this property.. just hopefully with fewer QC issues.

 

Finding this merch at good prices, however, is tough, probably tougher than finding Dragon Ball stuff as everyone generally just keeps getting the upgraded form like they do with Iron Man figures. It's just that there's nothing for the Sailor Moon crowd to upgrade to.

 

Until next time, Sailor Moon says.... SEE YA!

To the surprise of.... well, probably nobody, during my travels I came across another piece of Road Swag to add to my collection. But, not just any Road Swag... this is a piece that honestly, I'm surprised didn't turn up sooner. Sort of. It wasn't like I hadn't been trying, just circumstances always seemed to make it such that a successful transaction was just beyond my grasp. Well, finally broke that streak of losing.

 

Presenting S.H. Figuarts Sailor Chibi Moon.

 

In my mind, I would describe Sailor Moon as not only the first major Magical Girl anime I ever watched parts of in English back in the 90s, but in the grand scheme of things, it would be the Dragon Ball Z of anime geared towards girls. Immensely popular, with a cast that kept growing as the series went on and on. I know more about Sailor Moon than most of the other properties that I've purchased from, but like with Dragon Ball, for me to try to explain it would be quite the disservice.. I'm just gonna stick to Transformers for my lore discussions, thank you. All you need to know is that a bunch of high school girls transform and beat the crap out of a monster-of-the-week.

 

Much like Dragon Ball, Bandai eventually released a series of Figuarts based on the characters from both the Sailor Moon and Sailor Moon S lines, with the latter giving the Sailor Scouts their Super forms, along with an actual effect, making those a better deal, as it were. If I were going to get a set of the girls, I'd naturally gun for those. I really haven't been able to find any of those for relatively cheap.. or any of the regular line either, for that matter. Further complicating matters is that like with Sentai, it seems that the ball was dropped somewhere and not everyone got a Super figure. I think I'm using too much brain power thinking about this.

 

Anyway, I finally found a reasonably priced Sailor Moon Figuarts, which just happened to be Sailor Chibi Moon.

 

In the unlikely event you, my dear reader, have never watched any of Sailor Moon, the story starts getting complicated with the appearance of Chibi Moon here. So, based on my memory and internet research, Sailor Chibi Moon is better known as Chibiusa in her civilian form (Rini in the 90s dub I watched). the daughter of Usagi and Endymion (Serena and Darien). She sent back into the past to prevent the forces of evil from corrupting her in the future. In the past, she basically discovers who her parents are, that they have the ability to Henshin into super heroes, and eventually gains the ability to change into one herself, calling herself Sailor Chibi Moon.

 

Yeah, told you.. I'd be butchering any explanations.

 

Chibi Moon is probably the most visually diverse of the group, being full on anime in terms of her colouring (predominately pink). She is also living her own gimmick (Chibi refers to short and cute) being a kid pretty much throughout the entire series (except for the dark future arcs, but that's another story for a different figure). Much like a child, she's initially portrayed as a brat, always getting on her mothers nerves, fighting for the affection of her father, but she does eventually mature.. somewhat. But that wouldn't for another series or two, I believe. But enough about that - let's move on to the figure.

 

Seeing how this is my first Sailor Moon Figuarts, I don't know how she scales in terms of accessories, but I think they gave her a little something extra to compensate for the smaller size. Oh, Pro-Tip... keep an eye on EVERYTHING when you're changing parts and what not, because these things are tiny and they fall to the ground, well good luck finding it.

 

There's the figure itself, four total expressions (neutral, happy, attacking, determined) which I think is one more than normal, an addition hair piece featuring her Wing Hairclips, her Pink Moon Rod weapon, a variety of hands including some moulded in the various gang signs that the Sailor Scouts are known for, and, dare I say it.. an actually freaking stand. And due to the weight imbalance of her giant head, you're probably going to be using the heart shaped base quite a bit.

 

For those keeping score at home, Dragon Ball, a series known for its flying characters, gigantic Ki blasts, and insane battle scenes, has figures that don't come with a stand. Magical girl anime.. yes, lets throw in a stand. You can probably see that Bandai wanted to make sure the Sailor Moon line sold, and wasn't worried about the Dragon Ball line in the slightest.

 

Lets talk appearance. There is no doubt that this is Chibi Moon. Everything including her hair and outfit, her silhouette, and the shape of her face and expressions - pretty much ripped right out of the anime and made into 3D. The face plates really are what sells this figure (as with most figures, really) as the sculptors captured her expressions quite accurately and with the right pose, just oozes personality. One face plate that I would expected to see with Chibi Moon is a winking one, which sadly is not present.

 

The nitpicky part of me has to mention that the face does seem a tiny bit off, being sharper around the jaw and chin whereas it seems more rounded in the anime (the 90s one anyway), but it's nothing I'd lose sleep over. Bandai even went to duplicated those two curly hairs that Chibi Moon has near her bangs. Detailing of the sculpt itself is pretty solid, and includes things like ruffles on the skirt and her Choker and Pendant. Sculpting on the hair is a bit on the rough side, and is noticeable crude compare to the Figma on my shelves and, to be honest, even the Figuarts that I have. It's pretty much Kobobukiya levels here... it's not the end of the world, but it certainly is underwhelming. Tolerances on the face plate are a bit on the "meh" side, with the head and face not meshing properly, leaving a visible gap.

 

Paint work is somewhat of a mixed bag. I appreciate the fact that rather than using matte paints all over, the pink paints on her outfit are all pearl infused, and the tiara is painted with a metallic gold. Her Pink Moon Rod also features some metallic and pearl based paints. Furthermore, what is nicely done is the addition of some white streaks in the hair to simulate that 2D anime shading. Decal work on the eyes is spot on and sharp. Paint masking can be on the rough side though, and the paint work on the Rod just looks sloppy. surprisingly, the paint masking for all the other fine details are, well fine. It also seems to me that her bare skin areas (thighs, arms, face) could have used a coat of flesh colour as the finish of the base plastic really stands out.

 

Articulation is somewhat limited, which in some ways is understandable, and others just poor design choices. I'm guessing due to the smaller body, the overall number of articulation points is lower than that of a full size Figuarts. You get ankles, knees with some rotation, hips with extension capabilities for increased range of motion, mid torso, shoulders with some collapse, elbows with rotation, limited wrist articulation, head, and limited articulation for her hair. Most notable amongst the missing points of articulation are the neck and waist. I get the neck, probably due to the small size, but I don't get the lack of a waist. As mentioned, the hip extension does technically allow for more range of motion of the legs, allowing for a proper sitting position, but her skirt gets in the way and Chibi Moon always leans backwards when she's sitting down. Special note on the wrists - they're kind of fragile, though fortunately it's more of an FYI as opposed to a precautionary tale. You see, unlike the more recent Figuarts/Figma, Chibi Moon's wrist are just simple pegs with a ball joint on the end of it. There's no additional bending joint on the wrists, hence my mentioning they are limited in motion. Press to hard, and you might snap it off, rendering the figure effectively crippled until you can get a new arm.. if you can at all. Furthermore, because the forearms and peg are one piece of plastic, you get the deal with the fun of QC. My right arm is fine, but my left arm has a ball joint which is JUST too small, and as a result any attached hands have a rather easy time of falling off, resulting in my angry, curse laden searches of the floor. The sheer bulk of the bow on her dress also limits the range of motion you can get out of her arms as well.

 

In conclusion, not the strongest product I've seen from the Figuarts line, but still nowhere near the low quality to price ratio that figures like the PAK line offer. Flaws and all, there is no mistaking that this is a very good representation of Sailor Chibi Moon, and I'm sure if I ever get my hands on the rest of the Sailor Scouts, those will also follow suit in being the defacto action figures for this property.. just hopefully with fewer QC issues.

 

Finding this merch at good prices, however, is tough, probably tougher than finding Dragon Ball stuff as everyone generally just keeps getting the upgraded form like they do with Iron Man figures. It's just that there's nothing for the Sailor Moon crowd to upgrade to.

 

Until next time, Sailor Moon says.... SEE YA!

To the surprise of.... well, probably nobody, during my travels I came across another piece of Road Swag to add to my collection. But, not just any Road Swag... this is a piece that honestly, I'm surprised didn't turn up sooner. Sort of. It wasn't like I hadn't been trying, just circumstances always seemed to make it such that a successful transaction was just beyond my grasp. Well, finally broke that streak of losing.

 

Presenting S.H. Figuarts Sailor Chibi Moon.

 

In my mind, I would describe Sailor Moon as not only the first major Magical Girl anime I ever watched parts of in English back in the 90s, but in the grand scheme of things, it would be the Dragon Ball Z of anime geared towards girls. Immensely popular, with a cast that kept growing as the series went on and on. I know more about Sailor Moon than most of the other properties that I've purchased from, but like with Dragon Ball, for me to try to explain it would be quite the disservice.. I'm just gonna stick to Transformers for my lore discussions, thank you. All you need to know is that a bunch of high school girls transform and beat the crap out of a monster-of-the-week.

 

Much like Dragon Ball, Bandai eventually released a series of Figuarts based on the characters from both the Sailor Moon and Sailor Moon S lines, with the latter giving the Sailor Scouts their Super forms, along with an actual effect, making those a better deal, as it were. If I were going to get a set of the girls, I'd naturally gun for those. I really haven't been able to find any of those for relatively cheap.. or any of the regular line either, for that matter. Further complicating matters is that like with Sentai, it seems that the ball was dropped somewhere and not everyone got a Super figure. I think I'm using too much brain power thinking about this.

 

Anyway, I finally found a reasonably priced Sailor Moon Figuarts, which just happened to be Sailor Chibi Moon.

 

In the unlikely event you, my dear reader, have never watched any of Sailor Moon, the story starts getting complicated with the appearance of Chibi Moon here. So, based on my memory and internet research, Sailor Chibi Moon is better known as Chibiusa in her civilian form (Rini in the 90s dub I watched). the daughter of Usagi and Endymion (Serena and Darien). She sent back into the past to prevent the forces of evil from corrupting her in the future. In the past, she basically discovers who her parents are, that they have the ability to Henshin into super heroes, and eventually gains the ability to change into one herself, calling herself Sailor Chibi Moon.

 

Yeah, told you.. I'd be butchering any explanations.

 

Chibi Moon is probably the most visually diverse of the group, being full on anime in terms of her colouring (predominately pink). She is also living her own gimmick (Chibi refers to short and cute) being a kid pretty much throughout the entire series (except for the dark future arcs, but that's another story for a different figure). Much like a child, she's initially portrayed as a brat, always getting on her mothers nerves, fighting for the affection of her father, but she does eventually mature.. somewhat. But that wouldn't for another series or two, I believe. But enough about that - let's move on to the figure.

 

Seeing how this is my first Sailor Moon Figuarts, I don't know how she scales in terms of accessories, but I think they gave her a little something extra to compensate for the smaller size. Oh, Pro-Tip... keep an eye on EVERYTHING when you're changing parts and what not, because these things are tiny and they fall to the ground, well good luck finding it.

 

There's the figure itself, four total expressions (neutral, happy, attacking, determined) which I think is one more than normal, an addition hair piece featuring her Wing Hairclips, her Pink Moon Rod weapon, a variety of hands including some moulded in the various gang signs that the Sailor Scouts are known for, and, dare I say it.. an actually freaking stand. And due to the weight imbalance of her giant head, you're probably going to be using the heart shaped base quite a bit.

 

For those keeping score at home, Dragon Ball, a series known for its flying characters, gigantic Ki blasts, and insane battle scenes, has figures that don't come with a stand. Magical girl anime.. yes, lets throw in a stand. You can probably see that Bandai wanted to make sure the Sailor Moon line sold, and wasn't worried about the Dragon Ball line in the slightest.

 

Lets talk appearance. There is no doubt that this is Chibi Moon. Everything including her hair and outfit, her silhouette, and the shape of her face and expressions - pretty much ripped right out of the anime and made into 3D. The face plates really are what sells this figure (as with most figures, really) as the sculptors captured her expressions quite accurately and with the right pose, just oozes personality. One face plate that I would expected to see with Chibi Moon is a winking one, which sadly is not present.

 

The nitpicky part of me has to mention that the face does seem a tiny bit off, being sharper around the jaw and chin whereas it seems more rounded in the anime (the 90s one anyway), but it's nothing I'd lose sleep over. Bandai even went to duplicated those two curly hairs that Chibi Moon has near her bangs. Detailing of the sculpt itself is pretty solid, and includes things like ruffles on the skirt and her Choker and Pendant. Sculpting on the hair is a bit on the rough side, and is noticeable crude compare to the Figma on my shelves and, to be honest, even the Figuarts that I have. It's pretty much Kobobukiya levels here... it's not the end of the world, but it certainly is underwhelming. Tolerances on the face plate are a bit on the "meh" side, with the head and face not meshing properly, leaving a visible gap.

 

Paint work is somewhat of a mixed bag. I appreciate the fact that rather than using matte paints all over, the pink paints on her outfit are all pearl infused, and the tiara is painted with a metallic gold. Her Pink Moon Rod also features some metallic and pearl based paints. Furthermore, what is nicely done is the addition of some white streaks in the hair to simulate that 2D anime shading. Decal work on the eyes is spot on and sharp. Paint masking can be on the rough side though, and the paint work on the Rod just looks sloppy. surprisingly, the paint masking for all the other fine details are, well fine. It also seems to me that her bare skin areas (thighs, arms, face) could have used a coat of flesh colour as the finish of the base plastic really stands out.

 

Articulation is somewhat limited, which in some ways is understandable, and others just poor design choices. I'm guessing due to the smaller body, the overall number of articulation points is lower than that of a full size Figuarts. You get ankles, knees with some rotation, hips with extension capabilities for increased range of motion, mid torso, shoulders with some collapse, elbows with rotation, limited wrist articulation, head, and limited articulation for her hair. Most notable amongst the missing points of articulation are the neck and waist. I get the neck, probably due to the small size, but I don't get the lack of a waist. As mentioned, the hip extension does technically allow for more range of motion of the legs, allowing for a proper sitting position, but her skirt gets in the way and Chibi Moon always leans backwards when she's sitting down. Special note on the wrists - they're kind of fragile, though fortunately it's more of an FYI as opposed to a precautionary tale. You see, unlike the more recent Figuarts/Figma, Chibi Moon's wrist are just simple pegs with a ball joint on the end of it. There's no additional bending joint on the wrists, hence my mentioning they are limited in motion. Press to hard, and you might snap it off, rendering the figure effectively crippled until you can get a new arm.. if you can at all. Furthermore, because the forearms and peg are one piece of plastic, you get the deal with the fun of QC. My right arm is fine, but my left arm has a ball joint which is JUST too small, and as a result any attached hands have a rather easy time of falling off, resulting in my angry, curse laden searches of the floor. The sheer bulk of the bow on her dress also limits the range of motion you can get out of her arms as well.

 

In conclusion, not the strongest product I've seen from the Figuarts line, but still nowhere near the low quality to price ratio that figures like the PAK line offer. Flaws and all, there is no mistaking that this is a very good representation of Sailor Chibi Moon, and I'm sure if I ever get my hands on the rest of the Sailor Scouts, those will also follow suit in being the defacto action figures for this property.. just hopefully with fewer QC issues.

 

Finding this merch at good prices, however, is tough, probably tougher than finding Dragon Ball stuff as everyone generally just keeps getting the upgraded form like they do with Iron Man figures. It's just that there's nothing for the Sailor Moon crowd to upgrade to.

 

Until next time, Sailor Moon says.... SEE YA!

To the surprise of.... well, probably nobody, during my travels I came across another piece of Road Swag to add to my collection. But, not just any Road Swag... this is a piece that honestly, I'm surprised didn't turn up sooner. Sort of. It wasn't like I hadn't been trying, just circumstances always seemed to make it such that a successful transaction was just beyond my grasp. Well, finally broke that streak of losing.

 

Presenting S.H. Figuarts Sailor Chibi Moon.

 

In my mind, I would describe Sailor Moon as not only the first major Magical Girl anime I ever watched parts of in English back in the 90s, but in the grand scheme of things, it would be the Dragon Ball Z of anime geared towards girls. Immensely popular, with a cast that kept growing as the series went on and on. I know more about Sailor Moon than most of the other properties that I've purchased from, but like with Dragon Ball, for me to try to explain it would be quite the disservice.. I'm just gonna stick to Transformers for my lore discussions, thank you. All you need to know is that a bunch of high school girls transform and beat the crap out of a monster-of-the-week.

 

Much like Dragon Ball, Bandai eventually released a series of Figuarts based on the characters from both the Sailor Moon and Sailor Moon S lines, with the latter giving the Sailor Scouts their Super forms, along with an actual effect, making those a better deal, as it were. If I were going to get a set of the girls, I'd naturally gun for those. I really haven't been able to find any of those for relatively cheap.. or any of the regular line either, for that matter. Further complicating matters is that like with Sentai, it seems that the ball was dropped somewhere and not everyone got a Super figure. I think I'm using too much brain power thinking about this.

 

Anyway, I finally found a reasonably priced Sailor Moon Figuarts, which just happened to be Sailor Chibi Moon.

 

In the unlikely event you, my dear reader, have never watched any of Sailor Moon, the story starts getting complicated with the appearance of Chibi Moon here. So, based on my memory and internet research, Sailor Chibi Moon is better known as Chibiusa in her civilian form (Rini in the 90s dub I watched). the daughter of Usagi and Endymion (Serena and Darien). She sent back into the past to prevent the forces of evil from corrupting her in the future. In the past, she basically discovers who her parents are, that they have the ability to Henshin into super heroes, and eventually gains the ability to change into one herself, calling herself Sailor Chibi Moon.

 

Yeah, told you.. I'd be butchering any explanations.

 

Chibi Moon is probably the most visually diverse of the group, being full on anime in terms of her colouring (predominately pink). She is also living her own gimmick (Chibi refers to short and cute) being a kid pretty much throughout the entire series (except for the dark future arcs, but that's another story for a different figure). Much like a child, she's initially portrayed as a brat, always getting on her mothers nerves, fighting for the affection of her father, but she does eventually mature.. somewhat. But that wouldn't for another series or two, I believe. But enough about that - let's move on to the figure.

 

Seeing how this is my first Sailor Moon Figuarts, I don't know how she scales in terms of accessories, but I think they gave her a little something extra to compensate for the smaller size. Oh, Pro-Tip... keep an eye on EVERYTHING when you're changing parts and what not, because these things are tiny and they fall to the ground, well good luck finding it.

 

There's the figure itself, four total expressions (neutral, happy, attacking, determined) which I think is one more than normal, an addition hair piece featuring her Wing Hairclips, her Pink Moon Rod weapon, a variety of hands including some moulded in the various gang signs that the Sailor Scouts are known for, and, dare I say it.. an actually freaking stand. And due to the weight imbalance of her giant head, you're probably going to be using the heart shaped base quite a bit.

 

For those keeping score at home, Dragon Ball, a series known for its flying characters, gigantic Ki blasts, and insane battle scenes, has figures that don't come with a stand. Magical girl anime.. yes, lets throw in a stand. You can probably see that Bandai wanted to make sure the Sailor Moon line sold, and wasn't worried about the Dragon Ball line in the slightest.

 

Lets talk appearance. There is no doubt that this is Chibi Moon. Everything including her hair and outfit, her silhouette, and the shape of her face and expressions - pretty much ripped right out of the anime and made into 3D. The face plates really are what sells this figure (as with most figures, really) as the sculptors captured her expressions quite accurately and with the right pose, just oozes personality. One face plate that I would expected to see with Chibi Moon is a winking one, which sadly is not present.

 

The nitpicky part of me has to mention that the face does seem a tiny bit off, being sharper around the jaw and chin whereas it seems more rounded in the anime (the 90s one anyway), but it's nothing I'd lose sleep over. Bandai even went to duplicated those two curly hairs that Chibi Moon has near her bangs. Detailing of the sculpt itself is pretty solid, and includes things like ruffles on the skirt and her Choker and Pendant. Sculpting on the hair is a bit on the rough side, and is noticeable crude compare to the Figma on my shelves and, to be honest, even the Figuarts that I have. It's pretty much Kobobukiya levels here... it's not the end of the world, but it certainly is underwhelming. Tolerances on the face plate are a bit on the "meh" side, with the head and face not meshing properly, leaving a visible gap.

 

Paint work is somewhat of a mixed bag. I appreciate the fact that rather than using matte paints all over, the pink paints on her outfit are all pearl infused, and the tiara is painted with a metallic gold. Her Pink Moon Rod also features some metallic and pearl based paints. Furthermore, what is nicely done is the addition of some white streaks in the hair to simulate that 2D anime shading. Decal work on the eyes is spot on and sharp. Paint masking can be on the rough side though, and the paint work on the Rod just looks sloppy. surprisingly, the paint masking for all the other fine details are, well fine. It also seems to me that her bare skin areas (thighs, arms, face) could have used a coat of flesh colour as the finish of the base plastic really stands out.

 

Articulation is somewhat limited, which in some ways is understandable, and others just poor design choices. I'm guessing due to the smaller body, the overall number of articulation points is lower than that of a full size Figuarts. You get ankles, knees with some rotation, hips with extension capabilities for increased range of motion, mid torso, shoulders with some collapse, elbows with rotation, limited wrist articulation, head, and limited articulation for her hair. Most notable amongst the missing points of articulation are the neck and waist. I get the neck, probably due to the small size, but I don't get the lack of a waist. As mentioned, the hip extension does technically allow for more range of motion of the legs, allowing for a proper sitting position, but her skirt gets in the way and Chibi Moon always leans backwards when she's sitting down. Special note on the wrists - they're kind of fragile, though fortunately it's more of an FYI as opposed to a precautionary tale. You see, unlike the more recent Figuarts/Figma, Chibi Moon's wrist are just simple pegs with a ball joint on the end of it. There's no additional bending joint on the wrists, hence my mentioning they are limited in motion. Press to hard, and you might snap it off, rendering the figure effectively crippled until you can get a new arm.. if you can at all. Furthermore, because the forearms and peg are one piece of plastic, you get the deal with the fun of QC. My right arm is fine, but my left arm has a ball joint which is JUST too small, and as a result any attached hands have a rather easy time of falling off, resulting in my angry, curse laden searches of the floor. The sheer bulk of the bow on her dress also limits the range of motion you can get out of her arms as well.

 

In conclusion, not the strongest product I've seen from the Figuarts line, but still nowhere near the low quality to price ratio that figures like the PAK line offer. Flaws and all, there is no mistaking that this is a very good representation of Sailor Chibi Moon, and I'm sure if I ever get my hands on the rest of the Sailor Scouts, those will also follow suit in being the defacto action figures for this property.. just hopefully with fewer QC issues.

 

Finding this merch at good prices, however, is tough, probably tougher than finding Dragon Ball stuff as everyone generally just keeps getting the upgraded form like they do with Iron Man figures. It's just that there's nothing for the Sailor Moon crowd to upgrade to.

 

Until next time, Sailor Moon says.... SEE YA!

Colors transaction

To the surprise of.... well, probably nobody, during my travels I came across another piece of Road Swag to add to my collection. But, not just any Road Swag... this is a piece that honestly, I'm surprised didn't turn up sooner. Sort of. It wasn't like I hadn't been trying, just circumstances always seemed to make it such that a successful transaction was just beyond my grasp. Well, finally broke that streak of losing.

 

Presenting S.H. Figuarts Sailor Chibi Moon.

 

In my mind, I would describe Sailor Moon as not only the first major Magical Girl anime I ever watched parts of in English back in the 90s, but in the grand scheme of things, it would be the Dragon Ball Z of anime geared towards girls. Immensely popular, with a cast that kept growing as the series went on and on. I know more about Sailor Moon than most of the other properties that I've purchased from, but like with Dragon Ball, for me to try to explain it would be quite the disservice.. I'm just gonna stick to Transformers for my lore discussions, thank you. All you need to know is that a bunch of high school girls transform and beat the crap out of a monster-of-the-week.

 

Much like Dragon Ball, Bandai eventually released a series of Figuarts based on the characters from both the Sailor Moon and Sailor Moon S lines, with the latter giving the Sailor Scouts their Super forms, along with an actual effect, making those a better deal, as it were. If I were going to get a set of the girls, I'd naturally gun for those. I really haven't been able to find any of those for relatively cheap.. or any of the regular line either, for that matter. Further complicating matters is that like with Sentai, it seems that the ball was dropped somewhere and not everyone got a Super figure. I think I'm using too much brain power thinking about this.

 

Anyway, I finally found a reasonably priced Sailor Moon Figuarts, which just happened to be Sailor Chibi Moon.

 

In the unlikely event you, my dear reader, have never watched any of Sailor Moon, the story starts getting complicated with the appearance of Chibi Moon here. So, based on my memory and internet research, Sailor Chibi Moon is better known as Chibiusa in her civilian form (Rini in the 90s dub I watched). the daughter of Usagi and Endymion (Serena and Darien). She sent back into the past to prevent the forces of evil from corrupting her in the future. In the past, she basically discovers who her parents are, that they have the ability to Henshin into super heroes, and eventually gains the ability to change into one herself, calling herself Sailor Chibi Moon.

 

Yeah, told you.. I'd be butchering any explanations.

 

Chibi Moon is probably the most visually diverse of the group, being full on anime in terms of her colouring (predominately pink). She is also living her own gimmick (Chibi refers to short and cute) being a kid pretty much throughout the entire series (except for the dark future arcs, but that's another story for a different figure). Much like a child, she's initially portrayed as a brat, always getting on her mothers nerves, fighting for the affection of her father, but she does eventually mature.. somewhat. But that wouldn't for another series or two, I believe. But enough about that - let's move on to the figure.

 

Seeing how this is my first Sailor Moon Figuarts, I don't know how she scales in terms of accessories, but I think they gave her a little something extra to compensate for the smaller size. Oh, Pro-Tip... keep an eye on EVERYTHING when you're changing parts and what not, because these things are tiny and they fall to the ground, well good luck finding it.

 

There's the figure itself, four total expressions (neutral, happy, attacking, determined) which I think is one more than normal, an addition hair piece featuring her Wing Hairclips, her Pink Moon Rod weapon, a variety of hands including some moulded in the various gang signs that the Sailor Scouts are known for, and, dare I say it.. an actually freaking stand. And due to the weight imbalance of her giant head, you're probably going to be using the heart shaped base quite a bit.

 

For those keeping score at home, Dragon Ball, a series known for its flying characters, gigantic Ki blasts, and insane battle scenes, has figures that don't come with a stand. Magical girl anime.. yes, lets throw in a stand. You can probably see that Bandai wanted to make sure the Sailor Moon line sold, and wasn't worried about the Dragon Ball line in the slightest.

 

Lets talk appearance. There is no doubt that this is Chibi Moon. Everything including her hair and outfit, her silhouette, and the shape of her face and expressions - pretty much ripped right out of the anime and made into 3D. The face plates really are what sells this figure (as with most figures, really) as the sculptors captured her expressions quite accurately and with the right pose, just oozes personality. One face plate that I would expected to see with Chibi Moon is a winking one, which sadly is not present.

 

The nitpicky part of me has to mention that the face does seem a tiny bit off, being sharper around the jaw and chin whereas it seems more rounded in the anime (the 90s one anyway), but it's nothing I'd lose sleep over. Bandai even went to duplicated those two curly hairs that Chibi Moon has near her bangs. Detailing of the sculpt itself is pretty solid, and includes things like ruffles on the skirt and her Choker and Pendant. Sculpting on the hair is a bit on the rough side, and is noticeable crude compare to the Figma on my shelves and, to be honest, even the Figuarts that I have. It's pretty much Kobobukiya levels here... it's not the end of the world, but it certainly is underwhelming. Tolerances on the face plate are a bit on the "meh" side, with the head and face not meshing properly, leaving a visible gap.

 

Paint work is somewhat of a mixed bag. I appreciate the fact that rather than using matte paints all over, the pink paints on her outfit are all pearl infused, and the tiara is painted with a metallic gold. Her Pink Moon Rod also features some metallic and pearl based paints. Furthermore, what is nicely done is the addition of some white streaks in the hair to simulate that 2D anime shading. Decal work on the eyes is spot on and sharp. Paint masking can be on the rough side though, and the paint work on the Rod just looks sloppy. surprisingly, the paint masking for all the other fine details are, well fine. It also seems to me that her bare skin areas (thighs, arms, face) could have used a coat of flesh colour as the finish of the base plastic really stands out.

 

Articulation is somewhat limited, which in some ways is understandable, and others just poor design choices. I'm guessing due to the smaller body, the overall number of articulation points is lower than that of a full size Figuarts. You get ankles, knees with some rotation, hips with extension capabilities for increased range of motion, mid torso, shoulders with some collapse, elbows with rotation, limited wrist articulation, head, and limited articulation for her hair. Most notable amongst the missing points of articulation are the neck and waist. I get the neck, probably due to the small size, but I don't get the lack of a waist. As mentioned, the hip extension does technically allow for more range of motion of the legs, allowing for a proper sitting position, but her skirt gets in the way and Chibi Moon always leans backwards when she's sitting down. Special note on the wrists - they're kind of fragile, though fortunately it's more of an FYI as opposed to a precautionary tale. You see, unlike the more recent Figuarts/Figma, Chibi Moon's wrist are just simple pegs with a ball joint on the end of it. There's no additional bending joint on the wrists, hence my mentioning they are limited in motion. Press to hard, and you might snap it off, rendering the figure effectively crippled until you can get a new arm.. if you can at all. Furthermore, because the forearms and peg are one piece of plastic, you get the deal with the fun of QC. My right arm is fine, but my left arm has a ball joint which is JUST too small, and as a result any attached hands have a rather easy time of falling off, resulting in my angry, curse laden searches of the floor. The sheer bulk of the bow on her dress also limits the range of motion you can get out of her arms as well.

 

In conclusion, not the strongest product I've seen from the Figuarts line, but still nowhere near the low quality to price ratio that figures like the PAK line offer. Flaws and all, there is no mistaking that this is a very good representation of Sailor Chibi Moon, and I'm sure if I ever get my hands on the rest of the Sailor Scouts, those will also follow suit in being the defacto action figures for this property.. just hopefully with fewer QC issues.

 

Finding this merch at good prices, however, is tough, probably tougher than finding Dragon Ball stuff as everyone generally just keeps getting the upgraded form like they do with Iron Man figures. It's just that there's nothing for the Sailor Moon crowd to upgrade to.

 

Until next time, Sailor Moon says.... SEE YA!

To the surprise of.... well, probably nobody, during my travels I came across another piece of Road Swag to add to my collection. But, not just any Road Swag... this is a piece that honestly, I'm surprised didn't turn up sooner. Sort of. It wasn't like I hadn't been trying, just circumstances always seemed to make it such that a successful transaction was just beyond my grasp. Well, finally broke that streak of losing.

 

Presenting S.H. Figuarts Sailor Chibi Moon.

 

In my mind, I would describe Sailor Moon as not only the first major Magical Girl anime I ever watched parts of in English back in the 90s, but in the grand scheme of things, it would be the Dragon Ball Z of anime geared towards girls. Immensely popular, with a cast that kept growing as the series went on and on. I know more about Sailor Moon than most of the other properties that I've purchased from, but like with Dragon Ball, for me to try to explain it would be quite the disservice.. I'm just gonna stick to Transformers for my lore discussions, thank you. All you need to know is that a bunch of high school girls transform and beat the crap out of a monster-of-the-week.

 

Much like Dragon Ball, Bandai eventually released a series of Figuarts based on the characters from both the Sailor Moon and Sailor Moon S lines, with the latter giving the Sailor Scouts their Super forms, along with an actual effect, making those a better deal, as it were. If I were going to get a set of the girls, I'd naturally gun for those. I really haven't been able to find any of those for relatively cheap.. or any of the regular line either, for that matter. Further complicating matters is that like with Sentai, it seems that the ball was dropped somewhere and not everyone got a Super figure. I think I'm using too much brain power thinking about this.

 

Anyway, I finally found a reasonably priced Sailor Moon Figuarts, which just happened to be Sailor Chibi Moon.

 

In the unlikely event you, my dear reader, have never watched any of Sailor Moon, the story starts getting complicated with the appearance of Chibi Moon here. So, based on my memory and internet research, Sailor Chibi Moon is better known as Chibiusa in her civilian form (Rini in the 90s dub I watched). the daughter of Usagi and Endymion (Serena and Darien). She sent back into the past to prevent the forces of evil from corrupting her in the future. In the past, she basically discovers who her parents are, that they have the ability to Henshin into super heroes, and eventually gains the ability to change into one herself, calling herself Sailor Chibi Moon.

 

Yeah, told you.. I'd be butchering any explanations.

 

Chibi Moon is probably the most visually diverse of the group, being full on anime in terms of her colouring (predominately pink). She is also living her own gimmick (Chibi refers to short and cute) being a kid pretty much throughout the entire series (except for the dark future arcs, but that's another story for a different figure). Much like a child, she's initially portrayed as a brat, always getting on her mothers nerves, fighting for the affection of her father, but she does eventually mature.. somewhat. But that wouldn't for another series or two, I believe. But enough about that - let's move on to the figure.

 

Seeing how this is my first Sailor Moon Figuarts, I don't know how she scales in terms of accessories, but I think they gave her a little something extra to compensate for the smaller size. Oh, Pro-Tip... keep an eye on EVERYTHING when you're changing parts and what not, because these things are tiny and they fall to the ground, well good luck finding it.

 

There's the figure itself, four total expressions (neutral, happy, attacking, determined) which I think is one more than normal, an addition hair piece featuring her Wing Hairclips, her Pink Moon Rod weapon, a variety of hands including some moulded in the various gang signs that the Sailor Scouts are known for, and, dare I say it.. an actually freaking stand. And due to the weight imbalance of her giant head, you're probably going to be using the heart shaped base quite a bit.

 

For those keeping score at home, Dragon Ball, a series known for its flying characters, gigantic Ki blasts, and insane battle scenes, has figures that don't come with a stand. Magical girl anime.. yes, lets throw in a stand. You can probably see that Bandai wanted to make sure the Sailor Moon line sold, and wasn't worried about the Dragon Ball line in the slightest.

 

Lets talk appearance. There is no doubt that this is Chibi Moon. Everything including her hair and outfit, her silhouette, and the shape of her face and expressions - pretty much ripped right out of the anime and made into 3D. The face plates really are what sells this figure (as with most figures, really) as the sculptors captured her expressions quite accurately and with the right pose, just oozes personality. One face plate that I would expected to see with Chibi Moon is a winking one, which sadly is not present.

 

The nitpicky part of me has to mention that the face does seem a tiny bit off, being sharper around the jaw and chin whereas it seems more rounded in the anime (the 90s one anyway), but it's nothing I'd lose sleep over. Bandai even went to duplicated those two curly hairs that Chibi Moon has near her bangs. Detailing of the sculpt itself is pretty solid, and includes things like ruffles on the skirt and her Choker and Pendant. Sculpting on the hair is a bit on the rough side, and is noticeable crude compare to the Figma on my shelves and, to be honest, even the Figuarts that I have. It's pretty much Kobobukiya levels here... it's not the end of the world, but it certainly is underwhelming. Tolerances on the face plate are a bit on the "meh" side, with the head and face not meshing properly, leaving a visible gap.

 

Paint work is somewhat of a mixed bag. I appreciate the fact that rather than using matte paints all over, the pink paints on her outfit are all pearl infused, and the tiara is painted with a metallic gold. Her Pink Moon Rod also features some metallic and pearl based paints. Furthermore, what is nicely done is the addition of some white streaks in the hair to simulate that 2D anime shading. Decal work on the eyes is spot on and sharp. Paint masking can be on the rough side though, and the paint work on the Rod just looks sloppy. surprisingly, the paint masking for all the other fine details are, well fine. It also seems to me that her bare skin areas (thighs, arms, face) could have used a coat of flesh colour as the finish of the base plastic really stands out.

 

Articulation is somewhat limited, which in some ways is understandable, and others just poor design choices. I'm guessing due to the smaller body, the overall number of articulation points is lower than that of a full size Figuarts. You get ankles, knees with some rotation, hips with extension capabilities for increased range of motion, mid torso, shoulders with some collapse, elbows with rotation, limited wrist articulation, head, and limited articulation for her hair. Most notable amongst the missing points of articulation are the neck and waist. I get the neck, probably due to the small size, but I don't get the lack of a waist. As mentioned, the hip extension does technically allow for more range of motion of the legs, allowing for a proper sitting position, but her skirt gets in the way and Chibi Moon always leans backwards when she's sitting down. Special note on the wrists - they're kind of fragile, though fortunately it's more of an FYI as opposed to a precautionary tale. You see, unlike the more recent Figuarts/Figma, Chibi Moon's wrist are just simple pegs with a ball joint on the end of it. There's no additional bending joint on the wrists, hence my mentioning they are limited in motion. Press to hard, and you might snap it off, rendering the figure effectively crippled until you can get a new arm.. if you can at all. Furthermore, because the forearms and peg are one piece of plastic, you get the deal with the fun of QC. My right arm is fine, but my left arm has a ball joint which is JUST too small, and as a result any attached hands have a rather easy time of falling off, resulting in my angry, curse laden searches of the floor. The sheer bulk of the bow on her dress also limits the range of motion you can get out of her arms as well.

 

In conclusion, not the strongest product I've seen from the Figuarts line, but still nowhere near the low quality to price ratio that figures like the PAK line offer. Flaws and all, there is no mistaking that this is a very good representation of Sailor Chibi Moon, and I'm sure if I ever get my hands on the rest of the Sailor Scouts, those will also follow suit in being the defacto action figures for this property.. just hopefully with fewer QC issues.

 

Finding this merch at good prices, however, is tough, probably tougher than finding Dragon Ball stuff as everyone generally just keeps getting the upgraded form like they do with Iron Man figures. It's just that there's nothing for the Sailor Moon crowd to upgrade to.

 

Until next time, Sailor Moon says.... SEE YA!