— BEKESBOURNE COMMUNITY CAROLS A very pleasant evening was spent at the Village Hall on Friday 17th December. Our grateful thanks to Mr.H.S. Shorey for bearing the cost of the hall also to everyone who contributed to make the evening a success. *************** We should also like to express our thanks to Miss Marion Hawkins for the gift to our church of I new English Bible. Also to Miss Douglas who presented us with a new cloth for the Vestry table. **************** FROM THE PARISH REGISTERS .St. Peter's Bridge Holy Baptism 28th November 1971 Katherine Ann Stokes 12th December 1971 Christopher James Tamsitt 19th December 1971 Simon John William Irvine MAY THEY BEST IN PEACE 22nd December 1971 Henry George Linkins at Barham Crematorium‘ \_ **************** Notes on the History of Bekesbourne THE MANOR OF BEKESBOURNE Bekesbourne takes its name from the Bourne or stream which flows through the valleyo Originally the place was called Bourne. It is so called in Domesday; and in Assize Roll the Church is spoken of as the Church of St. Peter de Bourne as late as 1313. There were however two adjacent villages also named Bourne, (8) The Manor of Bekesbourne §cont'd) and to distinguish them each was named after its proprietor. One became Bishopsbourne, one Patrixbourne, and the village before us became Livingsbourne after Levine a Saxon who held the manor. This name continued as an alternative title as late as the Commonwealth, 1655. Later, when the Beke family came into possession, the place came into its present name of Bekesbourne. Our story begins then with Levine the Saxon, nearly 900 years ago, in the reign of Edward the Confessor. we can imagine Levine living in his manor house, probably a wooden building, presumably on the site of the present "Old Palace," his people's houses cluste-- ing near him in the neighbourhood of Bekesbourne Street, and with a little wooden Church in which to worship. Then came the evil day for them when William the Conqueror landed, Levine was driven out, and his estate handed over to Odo, Bishop of Bayeux, who was half-brother to the Conqueror. Miserable days for the parish they must have been, with Levine their country- man gone, and Normans living in the manor house and talking a strange language. For these Normans they had henceforth to toil. Odo, though a Bishop, living the life of a warrior and statesman was rewarded by the gift of large estates in Kent. He would not probably have lived in Bekesbourne but would have put some Norman to reside in the place. Now at this point we have accurate information which shews us what the village was like at this period." In 1080 william the Conqueror made his great Domesdr" Book, in which is set down all the Estates in England, who held them, and what people lived on them. we will see what it tells us about this village. To begin with there were 25 Villeins. A villein was a small farmer cultivating about 30 acres. This land he held from the Lord of the Manor on condition that he worked without payment so many days on the Lord's land. He had not only to work but also to provide his own plough with eight oxen. He must do extra days in harvest, take loads as far away as a hundred miles, mend ploughs, do hedging and ditching and go sheep- (9) “L BARHAM CREMATORIUM shearing. It was a hard life, and one wonders how they found time at all to work their strips of land. Besides these 25 villeins, Domesday tells of 4 Borderers, who one might call smallholders. They held about five acres, and were in the same kind of position as the villeins, only humblero they supplied no oxen for the plough, but worked so many days for the Lord, and from them the shepherds and bee keepers were takene On this estate too were 6 slaves or serfs who could be bought and sold in the market. ~ As to the actual village, Domesday speaks of a _ .urch, probably a wooden Saxon buildingo It also speaks of a Mill. windmills were apparently not introduced into England till the time of the Crusaders. The mills of Domesday are watermills, where all the village corn would be brought to be groundo This reminds us of the fact that the river then must have been far larger than now- indeed small ships came up to Bekesbourne till the year 1400, if not latero In addition to the mill was another possesion, of great value in early days, that is a saltpit, or, as we take it to be, a saltpan, where salt was derived from sea water: It may be suggested that, when Thanet was still an island, the tide ran up to this villagee /To be continuede The Beautiful Garden of Remembrance (overlooking Broome Park) is open to visitors daily. C. W. LYONS & SON LTD. ~”~<—**— FUNERAL SERVICE e ST.GREGORY5. MILITARY ROAD. CANTERBURY. — TELEPHONE 63508 DENNIS WILLIAMS VANITY FAIR RADIO TELEVISION AND HAIR STYLISTS ELECTRICAL ENGINEERS ’ 4 WESTERN AVENUE, BRIDGE . STYLING, PERMING, TINTING, H1_p1 SALES AND SERVICE MANICURES, HAIRPIECES O . Open 9 a.m.-6 pan. Tuesday-Saturday Late Night Friday - Closed Monday High Street, Bridge Tel.: Bridge 585 Bridge 565 ~_ A. J. BUCKMASTER, M.R.P.A. MEMBER OF F.M.B. BUILDING AND DECORATING CONTRACTORS “JONETTE,” PATRIXBOURNE ROAD, BRIDGE 239 BURTON TAILORING FOR TOWN AND COUNTRY WEAR ALSO MR. BURT FASHIONS FOR THE YOUNG MAN Subscription and Account Facilities available ‘r’ 16 The Parade, Canterbury ‘ 60 East Kent Packers Limited I \ @ FAVERSHAM. KENT. Telephone: Faversham 2227/2265 Telex 96152 DENNIS WILLIAMS VANITY FAIR RADIO TELEVISION AND HAIR STYLISTS ELECTRICAL ENGINEERS ' 4 WESTERN AVENUE, BRIDGE . STYLING, PERMING, TINTING, HLF1 SALES AND SERVICE MANICURES. HAIRPIECES O . Open 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday Late Night Friday - Closed Monday High Street, Bridge TeI.: Bridge 585 Bridge 565 ¥ 7 A. J. BUCKMASTER, M.R.P.A. MEMBER OF F.M.B. BUILDING AND DECORATING CONTRACTORS “JONETTE,” PATRIXBOURNE ROAD, BRIDGE 239 BURTON TAILORING FOR TOWN AND COUNTRY WEAR ALSO MR. BURT FASHIONS FOR THE YOUNG MAN Subscription and Account Facilities available 16 The Parade, Canterbury 60 East Kent Packers Limited I \ w FAVERSHAM. KENT. Telep}1one:Faversham 2227/2265 Telex 96152 ‘R 323 Part II (Cont'd. same time to the Shrine of St. Thomas a pax of the purest gold (b). So the Manor came into the hands of the Church. There was never a Monastery here, but a Manor House with a bailiff in charge. And the Prior would no doubt come over from time to time for audits and other bus- iness. He had his private rooms in the house and a little Chapel. Hasted tells us that Prior Goldston (K. Henry VII) rebuilt the Prior's apartment here, and the Chapel adjoining, dedicating it to the Annun- ,iation and the Patron of the Church. He likewise built the hall adjoining the Prior's dormitory and all the buildings there except the lodge and the two barns. /To be continued.. From a pedigree supplied by Mrs. F. A. Sawyer. From a M.S. in the Library of the Dean and Chapter, Canterbury. /3 /\ 0'’ 9.9 I \/ \/ . \ BARHAM CREMATORIUM The Beautiful Garden of Remembrance (overlooking Broome Park) is open to visitors daily. C. W. LYONS & SON LTD. FUNERAL SERVICE e ST. GREGORY’S. MILITARY ROAD, CANTERBURY. TELEPHONE 63508 IMPORTANT NOTICE - CHURCH ELECTORAL ROLL, 1222 Under the Church's new form of Synodical Government it becomes necessary this year for our Electoral Roll to have an entire and complete revision, which means that all whose names appear on our present roll have to re- register. May enrolment forms be completed and re- turned not later than 21st February with which request we hope ALL will comply. A person shall be entitled to have his or her name on the Electoral Roll if he or she is: Sag baptised a member of the Church of England or another Church of the Anglican Communion, and is not a member of any other religious body which is not \¥rv in communion with the Church of England. (c) of seventeen years or upwards, (d) resident in the parish, or, if not so resident, has habitually attended public worship in the parish during a period of six months prior to enrolment, and (e) has signed the form of enrolment. There was never a time when it was more essential than the present, that those who profess and call themselves Christians should boldly align themselves on the Church's side as its members. Synodical government means a greater participat- ion hy the laity in church affairs. By enrolling you become a voting member of the Church and so help to ensure that all the Councils of the Church, including the parochial church council, the deanery synod, and the diocesan and general synods, are fully represent* ative of its members. ‘\ \_ Enrolment forms are available at the west end of the churches, from the Vicar, or the Electoral Offic- ers, Mrs. Po Hulyer, 8 Bridgedown or Mrs. D. Sandal, School House, Bekesbourne. C.E.P. JUNIOR CHURCH Junior Church will meet on Sunday February 13th, 20th and 27th at 11 a.m. _ 10 _ Notes on the Histor of Bekesbourne Part II - The Manor of Bekesbourne 7Cont'd. There was also half a fishery, which was valuable in the days when fas s were strictly kept. Outside the arable land were pastures where cattle and sheep would be turned out onto common land. And in the woods there was pasture for six and a half hogs we read. There we have a sketch of the parish in the year 1080. The people clustered together round the manor house, round the houses the arable land, beyond that .stures and wood, while the little river provided its »mill and saltpan and carried small ships to the sea, The community would be practically self-contained, All food came from within its borders, it ground its own corn, it made clothing from its own wool, and found its firing in the woods. Four years later, in 108M, Odo being djsgraced, this manor became confiscated to the Crown. Six years later again, in 1090, we find a new name in the Village which has been connected with it ever since, "Hugh Beke (a) of Livingsbourne" appears on the scene. Three others of the same name followed him. The fourth was the celebrated William de Beke, who, in the reign of Henry III, held this place in grand Sergeanty for the service of finding one ship for the King when he passed the seas, and a present to him three marcs. In time the Manor passed out of the hands of the Beke family and after various changes was purchased by John Brown early in the fifteenth century John Brown was plumber to Canterbury Cathedral, and seems to have made money in that position. He paid 200 mares for the estate, which he held for some years. Finally he gave the Manor to the Monks of Christ \ Church,‘Canterbury in order to secure their prayers [for the souls of his wife and himself - giving at the _ 11 _ y that we have enqu ries of other r a Girls Football '5-a~side' League. This has been successful and plans are made at a higher level ill al ball. amour tha the king 3! Our neXt'disco' will be mid-March — make a da ea B. To Kingsnorth Any, or all, of such punishments would have been used in Bekesbourn if it "p eased” Hastings, and we can well imagine that such penal- ties were from time to time put in force. we must turn, however, to a more romantic subject. The highest office connected inque Ports is tha of the i.\_] .s Association o Canterbur Two Bekesbourne Land owners have held this office, which is a crown appointment. In l559 Queen Elizabeth preferred William Lord Cobham, Lord Chamberlain of Her Majesty's Household, to this office, which he held for 38 years, He was succeed- ed by his son, Henry Lord Cobham, in IS97, who held office till the first year of King James, In that year’he was arraigned for participation in the Raleigh Conspiracy, and spent the rest of his life in prison, where he died in l6l8. with him the title expired, his estate, according to Hasted, being forfeited to the Crown. x, This Henry brought about an event which must long have been remembered in the Village, when he‘ took the oath on his appointment to the Office of Lord warden, he had a Court of Shepway, called for that purpose, held at Bekesbourne. The Court of Shepway is the highest of.all the Cinque Port Courts_ and till then had always been held in the open air at Shepway Cross near Lympne. This breach of tradition caused a good deal of stir in the Confederacy, but for Bekesbourne it must have been a great and memorable day when all the great men of the Ports in their sdendid attire assem- bled at Cobham Court in the parish, a house which had been in the possession of the Cobham family since the beginning of the reign of King Edward III. A few years ago there came to light a little relic, which may possibly date from this occasior In the garden of the Old Palace a silver button was turned up by the spade, with the Cinque Port Arms\/ upon it, dropped no doubt by some official or servant. Other names connected with the Cinque Ports are those of three of the Old Deputy Mayors which have survived, The old Vestry Book in the Church Chest records that Robert Peckham (who lived at the Old Palace) was Deputy Mayor from l778—l779. He was succeeded by Robert Potter (who lived at Howletts} while Thomas Southee (of Cobham Court) held the Office in 1788' lg To be contd/...