Parish of wadhurst

For the records of the Wadhurst United Charities (mainly Whitfield's Charity), 1580-1905 see AMS 5813; for a list of muniments in the parish chest, mainly relating to the charity lands, c1850 see XA 38

By his will of 30 November 1670, William Kitchenham charged an annuity of 20 shillings on his lands called Sledenfields, later part of a farm called Foxes. Ten shillings was to be paid to the 'ancientest poor' of the parish and ten shillings to the vicar to preach a sermon on Ascension day.

William Courthope states that Kitchenham died in 1676, but that no trace of the will could be found either in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury or in the Deanery of South Malling: PAR 498/7/2/4.

leaving a rent charge of 20s on lands called Sledenfeilds in Wadhurst, half to be used for the ancient poor of Wadhurst and half for the preaching of a sermon on Ascension Day; 30 Nov 1670.

of the £22 received by the feoffees of Rowfant (Roughfant) Lands and other lands given by the ancestors of Mr Whitfield, £18 3s 0d has been allowed against the costs of recovery of the trust and £3 17s 0d bestowed on the poor; the deficit of £7 17s 0d has been taken from last year's poor rate

Wace - Luck, [1895]-1927; includes plan of The Manor House and land (5a), occupied by Vaughan and Ford

Mrs Mary Salt (wife of Meredith Salt of Windyhaugh, Hook Hill, Sanderstead in Surrey, shipping manager) and Alice Elizabeth Luckey (wife of George Edward Luckey of Okolochs, Hook Hill, Sanderstead, surveyor) to the Rev Lilford Jervoise Causton of Wadhurst and other trustees

plot of land (plan) on the corner of Gloucester Road and George Street

watermark 1874

stating the endowment of the Church Lands Charity and requesting a statement of account; adequate statements have been received for Playsted's and Kitchenham's charities

The sole item in this subseries is a file maintained by the PCC treasurer Neil Rose, and deals with the termination of the charity, and the merger of its assets with those of the PCC, in 1995. In the course of that process information was gathered on the history of the charity, and this introduction is based upon it.

The Church Lands were apparently given by John a Berry, but the first document that could be found by the Commissioners of Enquiry into Charitable Lands in the 1830s was a feoffment to new trustees of 1699 and a map of the previous year (ACC 6077/15/70). That land, the history of which to 1832 is given by the printed report, consisted of an almshouse and 28 acres. When William Courthope examined the contents of the parish chest in about 1843, it contained deeds of the Parish Lands from 1605 to 1814, consisting of leases, appointments of new trustees and the map previously mentioned. It is clear from the map that the endowment of the charity lay near Scrag Oak. That land was exchanged, by an order of the Enclosure Commissioners, for Hunters Hall, a cottage and 37½ acres of land near Cousley Wood. Hunters Hall, which might have been identical to the estate of the same name purchased by George Courthope in 1824 (AMS 6387/1/1), was sold in 1888 and stock purchased from the proceeds.

The funds of the Charity had always been used to reduce the poor rate rather than for any specific object. In 1992, in the absence of trustees or records, the PCC began to investigate the possibility of transferring the assets of the Charity to itself, and succeeded in terminating the Charity in 1995.

For William Courthope's list of documents in the Wadhurst parish chest, c1843, including the deeds of the Church Lands, 1605-1814, and of other charity lands, 1637-1819, see XA 38/1; for a map of Church Lands, surveyed by order of the churchwardens by John Walker of Rotherfield, 1698, see ACC 6077/15/70; for other files of the PCC treasurers, see PAR 498/16/8

Includes copies of a report on Hunters Hall, the endowment of the Charity, by Daniel Smith Son and Oakley, with plan and schedule, Jan 1888; letter from the trustees requesting sale, 27 Apr 1888; a Charity Commission Scheme permitting its sale, 20 Jul 1888; notification of sale to Frederick Wilkin (one of the trustees), 27 Sep 1888

For the records of Wadhurst CE School, 1840-1979 see ESC 155 and EMA 167

For accounts Apr 1789 - Dec 1825, see PAR 498/2/1

Documents having no apparent connection with the administration of the parish

Robert Newnham of Wadhurst, salesman, to Robert Wood of Ticehurst, husbandman

messuage in Wadhurst Town in two dwellings, with the close and backside, occupied by RN and Thomas French

W: Samuel Newington, Thomas Shorte

Endorsed: receipts for interest, 1699-1723

Goodgift Sims of Ticehurst, widow of John Sims of Ticehurst, victualler, and daughter and administratrix de bonis non of Robert Newnham of Ticehurst, to Robert Newnham of Maidstone, salesman (one of the sons and heir at law of RN of Wadhurst, salesman) and his trustee John Weekes the younger of Maidstone, gent

arranging a meeting of the trustees in London, giving an account of the history and aims of the charity, details of the 1408 women assisted (with names of ship, status and whether literate), and a list of questions for determination

[Barclay was a solicitor in practice in Mayfield and his firm may have acted for the parish; a parishioner may have served as one of the charity's trustees].

For similar vouchers made out to the churchwardens, see PAR 498/9/1/1-3

the churchwardens and constables of Wadhurst to reimburse Henry Hasling and Thomas Sanders, both of Wadhurst, gents, 20s 4d expended in discharging an indictment against the parish; Thomas Lee, clerk of assize

includes the sums to be raised by Mayfield, Wadhurst and Lamberhurst towards the £11 5s 6d charged on the hundred of Loxfield Baker

for returning from her place of last legal settlement to which she was sent by order

as putative father of the bastard child of Martha Clapson

for being delivered of a child likely to become chargeable

for running away and leaving his wife and family chargeable

Endorsed: allowed by Samuel Boys to be executed in Kent by William Skinner

for leaving his family chargeable

for being delivered of a bastard child in Wadhurst and refusing to be examined as to the father

to help in the stricter enforcement of the laws against neglect of worship, blasphemy, swearing, excessive drinking and lewdness, to be distributed to each alehouse in the parish

Endorsed: distribution-list of [sacrament money as PAR 498/2/1/1 and 9/2]; 2 Jul 1797

For poor rates, 1759-1761, 1771-1773 see AMS 6784/1

at back: copy of a form of a settlement certificate according to Act of Parliament in force 24 Jun 1730

Thomas Johnson and William Johnson to the parish officers

endorsed: accounts for sums owing by TJ on account of his bastard daughter born to Eliza Reeves

For a bastardy bond, see PAR 498/34/3/22

received 8 May 1752

received by George Bishop

John Newington, William Noakes and Robert Walter to Benjamin Brown of Boughton [Monchelsea] in Kent, weaver, 'provided his now intended apprentice [Peter Drawbridge] shall be then living'

For the apprenticeship, see PAR 498/33/28

for the conveyance of a messuage called the Old Vine in Wadhurst from John Newington to the parish officers, to be enrolled in Chancery; Jun 1778

For a copy of the enrolled conveyance, see PAR 498/10/7/1