r^rx [^vr^i^^ >rsr\ [mrTi PS^^- ^5-- in^on"^:^' f/VJ/ S^"^-^ m ■id 5^ ^ ' ^. '-'- ^^^=^ ^0^r^ Ifi^ ^ ^ t^•^^•^^r^-;. ,/T r W¥l n^^.^ Cr^STBWtujttso f ^ EX LIBRIS KNO 1 DR.G.PUCHINGER '^M a^J^, \\ I 111 'Um fit l^- a^- .^ V-^' ■*jj^ <^^ ti/a,^^ c ''^^^ bot, the north prospect of St. Augustine's monas- tery, [and a view of St. George's steeple.] In consuhing authors, as often as I found their accounts inconsistent with my observations, I have made no scruple to differ from them, whether monkish writers or modern ones, but have shown my reasons, hoping that any who shall think tit to criticise on me, will do it with candour ; and when I mention evidences on which most of my conjectures are founded, as still to be seen, either believe that I have represented them fairly, or examine them with their own eyes. Not that I offer this as a faultless per- formance ; old age and gout have been great hindrances to that. Sometimes I have not been able to hold a pen for weeks or months together ; sometimes the press has been otherwise engaged, till I could hardly tell what had passed it ; but my memory, I thank God, is pretty good, and some of my friends, who thought it a pity my observations should be forgotten, so soon as I am likely to be, have not only verified them by walks taken on purpose, but by adding such curious ones of their own, as I was ill Vlll capable of making in the more active part of my life. Thus far therefore my reader is a gainer by my infirmities. If any hints I give lead the curious to happier conclusions than I have been able to form ; if I point out any thing to them, which without my help they would have overlooked; if by any evidences, which I produce, I correct errors in those who have treated on this subject before me, (the most approved of whom have made some mistakes,) I should not think my labour lost. If any little anecdotes, which I have thrown in from my own memory or that of others, are received as embellishments of a dry subject, that is the reason of my giving them : if any make a jest of them as Canterhury stories, such they certainly are, and no extraor- dinary capacity is required to find that out. Wits of this kind may divert them- selves with my title page, and laugh at my undertaking the office of a guide and companion, if they are told I have been confined to my bed and my chair for some years past, and they are heartily welcome to be as arch on me as they please. To think of the pleasure I have IX formerly enjoyed in that cliaraeter gives me pleasure still ; and (to borrow a hint from one of our best poets) — " My limbs, tho' they are lame, I find *' Have put no fetters on my mind." That, God be praised, is still at liberty, and rejoices at the thought of a little ramble. A good natured reader will in- dulge this fancy in an old man. On such a one I gladly Avait to the utmost of my ability : let us then set out upon our ima- ginary w alk without delay, and I hope it will prove an entertaining one.* * In 1801, " A Journey from London to the Isle of Wight," in two quarto volumes, with plates, was published from observations made by the celebrated antiquary, Thomas Pennant, esq. He travelled by the way of Dover ; in his account of Canterbury he says, " It is with pleasure I men- tion tlie helps I have received in my account of this city from the Walk round Cauterbnri/, published by the good old man [IVIr. Gostling] in his 81st year. I cannot but admire his case of mind that could be collected enough for such a labour at so very advanced a period." Vol. i, p. 164, TABLE OF THE PLATES. PLATE. PAGE. 1 Head of Mr. Gostling to face the Title 2 Plan of Canterbury (Introduction) 1 3 Riding Gate 6 4 Westgate and Holy Cross Church 12 5 'Westgate without, with intended improvements . . 13 G Arches in the Town Wall 14 7 * The Castle and ancient Worthgate 22 8 * St. Martin's Church 32 9 * Seal of the convent — St. Augustine's 41 10 *St. Augtistine's 45 11 * High Altar Piece of ditto 46 12 *St. George's Gate 53 13 * New Corn and Hop exchange 50 14 * Philosophical Institution and Museum 65 15 All Saints Church 67 16 Christ Church Gate, Canterbury 83 17 South Prospect of the Cathedral 91 18 * Second Seal — of the Priory of Christ Church . . 93 19 Capitals in Grymbald's, &c. &c 98 20 Vaults allotted to the first Prebendary 153 21 Deanery 163 22 The King's School 177 23 Green Court Gate 193 24 The Inside of the Baptistry 203 25 Baptistry 204 26 The Font 222 27 The Screen and North Window of the Dean's Chapel 229 28 The East Window of the Dean's Chapel 230 29 Screen 243 30 Becket's Crown and Tomb 272 31 * Dean Wotton's Monument 279 32 Patriarchal Chair 287 33 * Old Corn Market 354 34 Chart of East Kent 355 35 Map of Sandwich 358 N. B. — The plates marked with * have appeared in no former Edition of this work. SUBSCRIBERS. A Mr. William Adley, Ramsgate Mr. Benjamin Adnara, Buckingham, Bucks. L. Allan, Esq. Rochester Messrs. T. and J. Allman, Great Queen Street, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London. Two copies Mr. Thomas Andrews, Canterbury Messrs. S. and A. Arch, Cornhill, London. Large paper R. G. Ayerst, Esq. Bath. Large paper B George Baker, Esq. Canterbury Mr. William Baines, Canterbury W. H. Baldwin, Esq. R. T. Bargrave, Esq. Canterbury. Large paper Admiral Sir Robert Barlow, K. C. B. Canterbury Rev. William Barlow, Canterbury I. J. Barnes, Esq. London. Large paper Thomas Barrett, Esq. Lee Priory, Ickham Mr. James Batt, Ightham Mr. William Batcheller, Library, Dover. Two copies Mr. James Bate, Sittingbourne Messrs. W. Baynes and Son, London. Two copies George Beckett, Esq. Faversham Mr. James Beer, Canterbury Mr. T. M. Beer, Canterbury Mr. William Beer, Canterbury a2 XII. Mr. William Best, Canterbury Mr. S. Bettison, Library, Margate Mr. W. G. Bettison, Library, Margate Rev. Dr. Birt, Canterbury John Blake, Esq. Canterbury Mr. John Blackley, jun. Canterbury Mr. Richard Cowley Blackley, Canterbury Rev. Thomas Blackley, Vicarage, Rotherham, Yorkshire Rev. James Blomfield, Basingstoke, Hants. Large paper Mr. William Bonython, Library, Dover. Two copies Mrs. Boys, St. George's Place, Canterbury Mr. Thomas Boorman, Canterbury. Large paper John Brent, Esq. Canterbury. Large paper Sir Brook W. Bridges, Bart. Goodnestone Rev. W. G. Broughton, M. A. Hartley Wespall, Hampshire John Buckton, Esq, Canterbury Mr. John Bumpus, London. Two copies Rev. John B. Bunce, Harbledown Mr. Jonathan Bundock, sen. Canterbury Mr. Thomas L. Burch, Canterbury Messrs Burgess and Hunt, Library, Ramsgate. Eive copies Joseph Butterworth, I:]sq. London, M. P. Large paper Mrs. Turner Browne, Margate Rev. C. J. Burton, M. A. Lydd. Large paper C Mr; W. P. Callaway, Canterbury H. W. Carter, M. D. F. R. S. E. Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians London, Canterbury Mr. J. (J. Chaplin, London Mr. John Charles, Canterbury R. Chisholm, M. D. Canterbury. Large paper Mr. Jeremiah Chittenden, Canterbury Mrs. Anthony X^lark, Canterbury Mr. John Clements, Canterbury The Rt. Hon. Lord Clifton, M. P. for Canterbury. Large paper Mr. Robert Colegate, Canterbury. Twa copies Xlll. Thomas Colloy, Esq. Bobbing Place, near Sittiniil)ournn Mr. George Cooper, Canterbury Alderman Henry Cooper, Canterbury Mr. C. Cottrell, Canterbury Mr. J. Coulter, Faversham Mr. Mawer Cowtan, Canterbury. Six copies Mr. George Cramp, Canterbury. Three copies Mr. Edward Cresey, Dartford Mr. Thomas Cubing, Canterbury .fosiah Curling, Esq. Ramsgate Mr. George Curteis, Canterbury Rev. Joseph Cusworth, Canterbury D The Right Honourable the Earl ot Dandey, Cobham Mull Large paper Charles Dawes, Esq. Boughton. Large paper William Delraar, Esq. Kenlield George Delmar, Esq. London Denne Denne, Esq. Ellbridge Mr. H. Denne, Wingham Mr. Denne, Library, Margate. Two copies Mr. Joseph Dewhirst, Canterbury Mr. William Dombrain, Canterbury E The Honourable and Reverend William Eden, Patrixbourno The Most Noble the Marquis of Ely, Bifrons. Large paper F Mr. Robert Fenner, London Mr. Peter Fisenden, Chilham Mr. Charles Fisher, Ramsgate. Large paper Captain John Fletcher, London Mr. B. T. Flint, Canterbury Thomas Foord, Escj. Canterbury Rev. John F'ordred, Colchester Rev. John Francis, M. A. Canterbury Large paper Alderman George Frend, Escj. Canterbury. Large paper John Friend, Esq. Birchington, Thanet John Furley, Esq. Canterbury XIV. G Mr. Gambier, Ctintcrbiiry Mrs. Gillow, St. George's Place, Canterbury Rev. G. R. Gleig, Ash John Godfrey, Esq. Stattenborough, near Eastry Mr. Henry Goldfinch, Canterbury Thomas Grayling, Esq. Canterbury Rev. John Gregory, Preston, near Wingham Mr. John Greenstreet, Dover H Mr. Frederick Hacker, Canterbury Sir Edward Hales, Bart. Hales Place, near Canterbury. Large paper Richard Halford, Esq. Canterbury. Large paper Rev. Charles Hughes Hallett, Higham Mr. Odden Hambrook, Dover Rev. James Hamilton, St. Stephen's, near Canterbury Rev. Charles Handley, Heme Hill Mr. Thomas Hart, Canterbury Rev. William M. Harvard, Ramsgate Rev. Edward Hasted, HoUingbourne Mr. R. Hatch, Dover Mr. John Headdy, Canterbury Lieut. James Hesleden, R. N. Two copies Stanley B. Hodges, Esq. Canterbury. Large paper Rev. W. Hodgson, Preston, Lancashire Mr. John Holdstock, Canterbury Mr. Edward Holtum, Canterbury. Large paper Mr. Thomas Homewood, Canterbury William Philip Honeywood, Esq. M. P. Marks Hall, Es- sex Mrs. Hore, Canterbury. Large paper Mrs. Hudson, N/ewington, near Sittingbourne. Large paper H. Hughes, Esq. Piccadilly, London I Mr. May Ingle, Littlebourne Mr. John Jell, Dover Rev. W. P. Jones, Canterbury XV. K Mr. Henry Keen, Selling Mr. John Kemp, Boughton Mr. Thomas Kennett, Canterbury Edward Kingsford, Esq. Canterbury. Large paper Mr. R. C, Kingsford, Littlebourne Sampson Kingsford, Esq. Sturry Sir Edward Knatchbull, Bart. M. 1*. Mersham Hatch. Large pai>er Thomas Knocker, Esq. Dover L Mr. Laming, Canterbury Mr. Landsberry, Canterbury Mr. R. W. Lavender, Canterbury John Legrand, Esq. Canterbury Mr. H. W. Lepine, London Mr. T. P. Lewis, Canterbury Mrs. Loftie, St. Dunstan's, Canterbury Mrs. Lucas, Chesterfield M Rev. G. P. Marsh, Boughton Mr. John Marsh, Dover Mr. T. Mears, London, Large paper Mr. George Miller, Dover Mr. John Miller, Canterbury Keith Milnes, Esq. Edinburgh R. V. Minty, Esq. Westgate Court, Canterbury Mr. George Moss, Canterbury Mr. J. N. Moses, Canterbury Rev. Robert Moore, Precincts, Canterbury Thomas Moulden, Esq. London. Large paper Mr. R. M. Mount, Canterbury. Largo paper Rev. Stephen Mummery, Edmonton N Mr. George Neame, Canterbury Right Honourable and Rev. Earl Nelson, D. D. Precincts^ Canterbury. Large paper Mr. Henry Nisbctt, Canterbury XVI. Mr. Norwoofl, Surgeon, Dover Mr. C. Y. Norwood, Willcsboroiigii P Thomas Pain, Esq. Canterbury Deane John Parker, Esq. Canterbury Mr. John Parren, Canterbury Mr. James Parton, Canterbury John Partridge, Esq. Canterbury llev. Thomas Pearce, Eolkstone Mr. Thomas Penny, Canterbury Mr. John Petman, Ramsgate Mr. Richard Petman, Canterbury Mr. William Philpot, Canterbury Mr. S. Philpot, Sturry Mr. John Plummer, Jun. Canterbury John Phnnptre, Esq. Fredville Mr. Joseph Potter, Canterbury John P. Powell, Esq. Quex, near Birchington, Thanet Rev. John Poore, Murston, near Sittingbourne Mr. T. Pratt, Canterbury. Large paper Mr. H, Pratt, Canterbury, Large paper Mr. Thomas Pritchard, Deal Captain J. Pudner, E. I.C. Chatham Q Mr. John Quaife, London. Large paper R Mr. Stephen Ratclifl^, Ash Mr. James Reader, Canterbury. Large paper Mr. H. T. Reakes, Ramsgate. Large paper S. Richards, Esq. Chancery-lane, London. Large paper Mr. Thomas Ridout, Canterbury John Rigden, Esq. Favershara. Large paper Mr. Thomas Rigden, Library, Dover. Two copies Mr. James Robertson, Canterbury. Large paper Mr. George Rowe, Cheltenham Ralph Royle, Esq. Canterbury. Large paper S Mr. S. Sackett, Library, Ram^ate XVll. Mr. Sanders, Whitstable Mr. Edmund Saxby, Canterbury Mr. George Scott, Canterbury Senior's Library, Sittingbourne Miss Senior, Sittingbourne Samuel Sharwood, Esq, Ramsgale Mr. Francis Smith, Canterbury Mr. John Smith, Library, Maidstone. Two copies Mr. Charles Smith, Canterbury Alderman Osborne Snoulton, Esq. Canterbury Mr. George Snowdon, Surgeon, Ramsgate. Large paper The Right Honourable Lord Sondes, Lees Court, near I'aver- sham. Large paper Mr. Edward Southee, Canterbury. Six copies Mr. Edward Stacey, Canterbury Thomas Starr, Esq. Canterbury W. Stringer, Esq. New Romney T G. M. Taswell, Esq. Canterbury Mr. Thomas Taylor, Canterbury Mr. J. Thornton, Surgeon, Canterbury Henry Tiddeman, Esq. Canterbury J. Tillard, Esq. Street End, near Canterbury Mr. Charles Townson, Chatham Mr. John Tucker, Ramsgate Mr. J. T. Tyson, Canterbury V Rev. W. Vallance, Milton, near Sittingbourne AV Mr. N. Waite, Canterbury Mr. H. Ward, Canterbury Mr. John AVarren, Canterbury Mr. Z. Warren, Library, Faversham J. T. Watts, Esq. 1 Mecklenberg Street, Mecklcnberg Square, London. Large paper Colonel Webb, Harbledown Rev. W. AVelfitt, D. D. Canterbury Miss Whitaker, Reigate XVlll. Miss C. AVhitaker, Reigato G. Whitaker, Esq. Pembury Mr, White, Canterbury Mr. John White, Canterbury E. B. Wilbraham, Esq. M. P. Lathom House, Lancashire Mr. D. Wildish, Canterbury Mr. Thomas Williams, Library, Dover Mr. George Witherden, Library, Margate. Two Copies Willes, Esq. Littlebourne Mr. Wiltshire, Harbledown Mr. George Wood, Canterbury. Six Copies Rev. John Woodcock, Canterbury Mr. Joseph Wrightson, Canterbury MEASUREMENT OF CHRIST-CHURCH, CANTERB UR Y. FEET. Length from east to west, within side, about 514 Length of the choir 180 Breadth of ditto before the new wainscotting 40 As contracted by that, from door to door 38 Length of the body to the steps 178 From the first step to that at the choir door 36 Breadth of the body ^nd its side aisles 71 Height of ditto to the vaulted roof 80 Lower cross aisle from north to south 124 Upper ditto 154 Height of the Oxford steeple 130 Height of the Arundel steeple 100 Height of the spire which stood on that 100 Height of the great tower called Bell- Harry steeple . 235 Height of ditto within to the vaulting 130 Area of ditto about 35 by 35 Vaulting of the choir from the pavement 71 Of the chapel behind the altar 58 The square of the cloisters 131 by 134 CONTEiNTS. chap. page, Introduction 1 I. Of the Situation, Antiquity, and Names of Canterbury 4 II. Of the City Walls and Gates 6 III. Of the Castle 22 IV. Of the Suburbs 28 V. Of St. Martin's Church 32 VI. Suburbs continued 34 VII. Of St. Augustine's Monastery 41 VIII. Of St. Georges Gate and the City 53 IX. Digression 85 X. The Description resumed 91 XI. Conjectural History of the Cathedral at Canterbury, from the earliest Accounts of it, to the Fire in 1174 106 XII. Notes on the Conjectural History Ill XIII. Of the Fire 1174 124 XIV. Description resumed 132 XV. Of the Chapel of the Holy Trinity, some- times called that of St. Thomas Becket . . 136 XVI. Of the Precincts of the Cathedral and the Archbishops Palace 141 XXI. CMAP. PAGE. XVn . Of tlie Arundel Steeple 147 XVIII. Of the inside of the Precinct 149 XIX. Of the fine Vaults allotted to the first Prebendary 155 XX. Precinct continued IGO XXI. Of the Deanery and Green Court. . . . 163 XXII. Of the Strangers' House and Hall, Domus Hospitum IGG XXIII. Of the Almonry or Mint Yard 172 XXIV. Digression 174 XXV. Of the King's School 177 XXVI. Benefactions to the King's School .... 184 XXVII. Description of the Precinct continued.. 192 XXVIII. Of the Dortors 198 XXIX. Of this Way to the Church and to the Cloisters 203 XXX. Of the Cloisters 207 XXXI. Of the Chapter or Sermon House .... 211 XXXII. Of the inside of the Church 219 XXXIII. Of the French Church 233 XXXIV. Of the rest of the Undercroft 236 XXXV. Of the Great Tower called Bell Harry Steeple 248 XXXVI. Continuation of our Walk among the Monuments 251 XXXVII. Of the Chapel of the Holy Trinity, and BeckeVs Crown 268 XXXVIII. Of the Monuments in the eastern part of the Church 274 XXXIX. Of the Shrine of St. Thomas Becket and his Jubilee 282 XL. Of the Patriarchal Chair and the place it stands in 287 XLI. Of the North-side Aisle and the rooms adjoining 291 XXll. CHAP. PAGE. XLII. Of the Pall and Pastoral Staff 298 XLITI. The North-side Aisle continued 302 XLIV. Of the Choir 305 XLV. The Altar 309 XLVI. Of the Windows 31G XLVII. Concluding Summary 346 APPENDIX. The Tour of East Kent, with a Map of the same. . . . 355 ERRATA. Page 5, line 20, for " Cacr-Chent" read Caer Kent. Page 49, first line of the Note, for " 1824 " read 1822. REFERENCES TO THE PLAN OF CANTERBURY. Precinct of the Archbishop's Palace bounded by a strong black line. A Tlie great gate. B The great hall, now a garden. C The porch, now a dwelling-house. ^ The old French church, after- wards a Methodist Meeting-house, and now used as a Carpenter's shop. Precinct of the cathedral bounded by •«- D Deanery. i I II III IV V VI VII f VIII I IX X XI XII E Bowling green. F The cloister. G Sermon -house. H Library. I Plumbcrry, once the old gram- mar school. K Cathedral church yard. L Cemetery-gate. M Oaks. N Green-court. O Green-courl-gatc. Prcbcndal houses, according to the number of their respective stall.s. P Christ-Church-gate. Q Strangers* house and hall, after- wards two preachers' houses, and the auditor's, used for the late register -office. R Water-house. S Stable yard. {a School & house, b Under - master's house. U Mint-yard-gate, c Old Mint. * Preachers' houses. -|- Minor-canons' houses. Precinct of St. Augustine's monas- tery bounded by a strong black line. V Great gate and fore court. W Cemetery gate. X St. Pancras's chapel. Y Ethelbert's tower, CITY AND SUBURBS. 1 Riding gate. 2 Dungil-hill. 3 Wincheap-gap. 4 Castle. ."> Postern. fi Breaches in the wall. 7 Westgate and Bridge. 8 Postern. y Breach where three arches in the wall were demolished in 1769, and new bridge over the Stour. XXIV. 10 North-gate and church. 1 1 North-gate burying ground. 12 Postern. 13 Burgate*. 14 St. George's gate*. l.T Harris's alms houses. 1() City boundary. 17 St. Paul's church. 18 St. Paxil's burying ground. ' 19 St. Martin's church and yard. 20 St. Thomas's chapel. 21 Jesus (or Boy's) hospital. 22 St. John's hospital. 23 St. Radegund's bath. 24 St. Dunstan's church and yard. 2.T National Schools. 26 St. George's church and yard. 27 White friars-gate. 28 New corn and hop exchange, with shambles, and fruit and vegetable market. 2!) Old Corn Market. 30 Church of St. Andrew. 31 Assembly-rooms. 32 St. Mary Bredman's, or Little Lady High- street church. 33 The old chequer inn. 34 Town-hall. 35 All Saints church and yard. 36 East Bridge and hospital. 37 East or King's Bridge & Mill*. 38 Cogan's hospital. 39 St. Peter's church and yard. 40 Canterbury wells. 41 Holy Cross church and yard. 42 St. Alphage church and yard. 43 Butter market. 44 Fish market. 45 St Margaret's church and yard. 46 Chapel church-yard. 47 Worthgate*, and the late coun- ty sessions house. * These are 48 St. Mildred's church and yard. 49 Maynard's hospital. 50 Work-house. 51 Particular Baptists' meeting- house. 52 General Baptists' ditto. 53 Quakers' meeting house. 54 St. Mary Magdalen's, or Bur- gate church. 55 St. Mary Bredin's, or Little Lady Dungil. 56 Dancing-sc'nool yard. 57 Presbyterian meeting-house. 58 Rodau's town. 59 Place of Dungil, or Dane John manor-house. 60 Abbots mill. 61 Cattle-market. 62 Borough of Staple-gate. 63 Jews' Synagogue. 64 Jews' Synagogue. 65 Cock mill*. 66 Doge's chantry. 67 Theatre. 68 Lady Wotton's green. 69 Black Friars. 70 Grey Friars. 71 Smith's alms-houses. 72 King's Arms Printing-Office. 73 Miss Bridger's alms-houses. 74 Kent and Canterbury hospital. 75 Public Walks in Dungil field. 76 New Wesleyan Methodist cha- pel. 77 New county goal and sessions house. 78 Philosophical Institution and Museum. 79 East Kent and Canterbury Eco- nomic Fire Office. 80 Residence of R. Halford, esq. now demolished. . u* y /0^"y^^ jQ e:^-**^ A WA LK IN AND ABOUT CANTERBURY, ^c INTRODUCTION. The traveller who visits Canterbury, and is curious to see wliat is worthy of notice here, may ])e |2,lad of a ])0cket companion to attend him in his walks, as well as to let him know beforehand, what entertainment such walks may afford him. If husbandry and agriculture are his taste, our extensive ^ hop-gardens, and the management of them, may be an agreeable amusement, and a novelty too, if he come from any of the counties which have no such plantations. 1 In 1773 the hop duty of the whole kingdom amounted to 45,8471. 18s. lOd. of which the eastern division of Kent paid at Canterbury, 10,7371. Os. Gd. ; the western, at Rochester, 14,!)r)81. .'is. 4d. In 1778, the total amount of the duty was l.'J!),8;)l 1. 2s. 10:{d. of which tlie eastern part of Kent paid 30,8(121. 3s. Gd.; the western, 42,04G 1. Os. lid. In 1794, it was 203,0631. 2s. 0|d. when the Kent collections amounted to upwards of 90,0001. But in 1824, it amounted to 258,8381. 5s. 35d. of whicir 5G,3y41. 18s. 4d. was paid in the Canterbury collection, and 95,1G91. 17s. in that of Rochester. i: It' alls aiul mecbanisni are more so, the (Janter- bury worsted lias lor many years been in mreat request among knitters, and is so still; but most of the wool our county proiluces is bought up, and wrought in other parts. Some, indeed, is combed here, and some brought from London prepared for sjjinning, to be sent, when spun, into the counties more considerably engaged in the hosiery way, the Canterbury yarn and worsted being excellent for their purpose. But our silk- weavers " are certainly worth his visiting, not only for the beauty of their works, and the curious contrivances of the looms for making them in such perfection, but because the clearness of the air is an advantage our weavers have over those of Spital-lields, in respect of such (;olours as suffer by the smoke of London. Brawn is also in its season a considerable artich.' in the trade of our 2 Silk-weaving was brought into England by Flemish and Walloon pro- testants, who fled from the i)ersecution of the Spaniarda in Edward VI. and Q. Elizabeth's time, and were first settled at Canterbury. Many French artists have since been driven hither by the cruelty of Lewis XIV. and, as their numbers increased, removed from hence to Spitalfields, whose de- scendants still continuing their relation to us, come down at our elections to vote for our representatives in Parliament. Some of the richest silks that this country has produced, have been wove in Canterbury ; but as brocade and enamelled silks, for which our silk- weavers were most celebrated, are now little used, the trade has of course fallen off. The manufacture of worsted has likewise much declined. To supply the loss of the silk trade, the late Mr. John Callaway, an industrious and ingenious silk manufacturer, introduced in 1789, looms in the cotton branch, and erected mills for the purpose of carding and spinning the wool into yarn; which by a mixture of silk in the fabric, he converted into the light and elegant piece goods, known by the name of Canterbury and Chamberry muslins, Canterbury damasks, &c. These articles were so well received by the public, as to induce many manufacturers in other parts of the kingdom to imitate them, to the injury of (he original inventor. They have not been made now for several years, and the mills have been pulled down. Our silk-weaving is still carried on, though on a sm.ill scale; but it has revived considerably within the last two years, and affords every prospect of its increasing to a much greater extent. city, not only for the supply of the most elegant tahles in these parts, hut of those in Lourlon also, whither great quantities of it are sent, and sold at the highest price. If antiquity and architecture be his favourite studies, here he will have a more ample field to range in. They who stay only an hour or two in Can- terbury, generally choose to see our venerable cathedral. It will take more time to visit the ruins of St. Augustine's monastery, and the little cluirch of St. Martin without our walls. These, and some other particulars I shall treat of here, may help to employ those hours to his satisfaction, which he does not choose to spend at an Inn. B 2 CHAP. T. Of the Situation, Antiquity, and Names of CANTERBURY. Canterbury lies in latitude -51 tleg. 17 min. N. longitude 1 deg. 5 min. E. from Greenwich o])servatory. It is seated in a pleasant valley, about a mile wide, between hills of a moderate height, and easy ascent, with fine springs rising from them ; besides which, the river Stour runs through it, whose streams, by often dividing and meeting again, water it the more plentifully ; and, forming islands of various sizes, (in one of which, formerly called Binnowith, the western part of our city stands,) make the air good, and the soil rich. Such a situation could hardly wnnt inhal>itants, while these parts had any inhabitants at all ; nor was any spot more likely to unite numbers in forming a neighbourhood, or a city, than one so well pre- pared by nature for defence, and cultivation, l^his, perljaps, is the most authentic voucher in favour of their opinion, who make it a city almost 900 years before the coming of our Saviour. Tokens of this high antirpiity are hardly to be found, unless Druids' beads, and the ancient brass weapons called celts, which have been dug up hereabouts, may be looked on as such ; but of Roman remains we have abundance. For, besides gates of their building, to be taken notice of in the walk, many oihvr memorials of them are dis- covered by digging- from time to time ; as Mosaic and other pavements, curious earthen ware, and coins innumerable; some preserved in collections, others sold to the goldsmiths and braziers. It is highly probable, that the Romans at their iirst arrival in Britain, found Canterbury a place of consequence : they seem even to have formed a Latin name for it from the language of the inhabitants ; the Durovenmm of Antoninus's Itin- erary, their Doroberma, and other names of like sound, being naturally enough derived from the JBrltish Dtirwherii, signifying the swift stream which runs by and through it. ' Cantuaria (a name perhaps of later date) and Canterbury may as easily be derived from the English Saxon Cantivarabyrig, the city of the men of Kent. These names, and that of Cuer-Chent, the city of Kent, are the earliest we meet with; and if Caer or Cair signified a tvalled town, when ours was distinguished by that title, there is little room to doubt of its being so befoie the arrival oi the Romans in our island. 6 CHAP. IL Of the City Walls arid Gates. Were I to bring my traveller from Dover, as we come over Barham Down * I should take notice of the remains of the Roman encampment there, and the Watling-street, or Via Originaria, their military way extending from Dover to West Ches- ter ; and, instead of turning off as the common road does within a quarter of a mile of Canter- bury, keep still on this Watling-street, and enter the city through Ridingate, after showing him that the Roman gate here had two contiguous arches, turned with the large and thin bricks of those times, remains of which are still to be seen ; but the ground has been so raised,, that the top of a stone pier from which one of those arches sprung, is but breast high from the road, and the arch itself cut away, to give the necessary height to the present gate, of later construction. - Within it at forty feet west, on a square stone in the wall, was the date 1586, and Ijelow, the letters I. E. M. for John Eastday, Mayor, whose ' Barham and the Down, some have supposed to have been called so from the multitude of barrows, or burying-places of the old Romans there, several of which have been opened, and some things of great value dug up lately. 2 To render the entrance to the city more convenient for carriages, this gate was taken down many years since, and a gap remained in the wall till 1/90, when the adjoining houses on the east side made way for the erection of the present spacious arch, with the terrace-walk over it ; and in 1802, an arch way was made through the eastern side, for the convenience of foot pp,sscngers. By these alterations, the Roman v/orks arc entirely hidden piihlic sj)iriL Mi'. Soitiikm- nu'iitions v(M'v lionour- al>ly ior this his icpair of iUv city wall, at his '^vent cost though a man of l)iit iudificrciit estate, in hopes of setting a good example. But this hint is lately stolen away, and his examph^ never likely to he followed. Two or three hundred yards from tlience is a Danish mount, giving its name to the manor, - from whence we have a j^leasant })ros})ect of the city and the country round about it. It is com- uionly called i)ungil, or Dane John hill, some suppose from being thrown up by John,* a Dane; others from the French word dotijon, or dongeon, a high tower in old fortifications. This, and two smaller mounts not far from it, are looked on as works of the Danes when they besieged oin* city in King Ethelbert's time. The city wall was afterwards carried round so as to take in this high one for its defence. [This mount stands in a tract of land enclosed on the south by the city wall, extending between Ridingate and Wincheap gaji, and bounded on the east by Watling Street, and on the west by the old Ashford road. Till 1790 it remained an uneven and rugged piece of pasture ; when James Sim- mons, esq. one of the aldermen of the city, began ^ Henry Lee Warner, esq. of Walsinghani Abbey in Norfolk, Lord of this manor, liavinc: removed liis residence, and the house being in such re- pair as not to invite a good tenant, it was piiUed down some years since. Yet, from its insuhited situation, and extent of the grounds and buihlings, it is not to be doubted, was in former times tlie seat of feudal granck-ur and hospitality ; as, according to Hasted, Thomas Chiche, who was sheritf of Kent in the 15ili year of King Richard the II. 's reign, kept his slnievalty at the Dunjcon. 'I Qucri/, Whether, if the Danish invaders were I';igans, the nanie of ^ohu AVas likely to be known aniong thcui ? 8 his great improvements here, solely for the recre- ation and amusement of the public. After immense labour, and tiie expense of more than loOOl. it became an exceedingly pleasant and greatly frequented promenade for the inhabitants. To maintain the plantations therein, support the M'alks and fences, and other necessary repairs, this zealous and public-spirited citizen also appro- priated an annual salary ; to whom the corporation, sensible of the improved value of their estate by these alterations, very generously and properly, granted the ground, rent-free, for the term of his life. But owing to a disagreement with the guard- ians of the poor, Mr. Simmons surrendered up his lease: in consequence of which, this pleasant and much frequented spot fell so rapidly to decay, through petty thefts and wanton mischief, that the corporation in 1800 voted lOOl. for its repair ; but this not being found sufficient, a farther sum of 1201. was voted in 1802, and under the ju- dicious direction and management of Mr. Alder- jnan Bunce, it was restored to its former beauty. The walks throughout are gravelled, and those round tlie lower part of the enclosure shaded with poplar trees, and detached plantations of shrubs. A delightfully pleasant walk, 13 feet wide and n.30 in length, extends between two rows of limes, forming a communication at each end, and in the centre, with the hill and the surrounding- walks. The terrace, 12 feet wide and 1840 long, is formed on the top of the rampart within the wall, which has been repaired and raised into a parapet the whole length, and contiiuied from within a few paces of St. Georges-gate (over the 0 lofty :»nfl s[)a(i(His arch, on the s|>ot whereon stood Hi(liin;ate) to tlie opcniiijj^ at the entraiiee into VViiicheap : passing in its course the old watch- towers, four of the areas of which are planted with trees and flowering shrubs, enclosed witli commodious seats, and defended by palisades. From the hnvn are serpentine walks, bordered with quick thorn, and fenced by posts and chains, 480 feet in ascent on each side, to the summit of the mount ; which, by these improvements, was heightened aljout 18 feet. On its side is a circular walk, having seats, which command uninterrupted views of the city and adjacent country. Upon the top, a round gravelled plat, 26 feet in diameter, a stone pillar, having in its base four semicircular niches, fronting the cardinal points of the com- pass, surmounted with a shaft, terminating with an ornamental urn, was erected by a subscription of the inhabitants in 1803; at the same time a neat cottage was built for the constant residence of a gardener, and 60£. per annum voted in perpetuity by the corporation as his salary, for keeping the whole in repair. On three of the four marble tablets of the pillar are the following inscriptions : EAST TABLET. "This Field and Hill were improved, and " these terraces, walks, and plantations made in " the year 1790, for the use of the public, at the "sole expense of James Simmons, esq. of this " city, alderman and banker. T(» perpetuate the " memory of which generous transaction; and as a " mark of gratitude for his other public services ; 10 " this j)illar was erected, by voiuiitiiry siibsciip- " tion, in the year 1803." WEST TABLET. "The Mayor and Commonalty of this ancient " City, in consideration of the expensive improve- " ments lately made in this Field, unanimously " resolved, in the year 1802, to appropriate the " same in perpetuity to the nse of the public ; and *' to endow it with sixty pounds a year for the " maintenance and support of the terraces, walks, " and plantations, payable out of their chamber." SOUTH tablet. " At a Court of Burghmote, holden on Tuesday, " the 26th day of April, 1825, the Mayor and " Commonalty of this City, unanimously passed " a vote of thanks to Sir Robert Townsend " Farquhar, Bart, in consideration of his having " generously presented, for the protection of the " public, the valuable iron railing, placed instone- " work, upon the terrace leading over the Riding- " gate into this field." From hence the prospects of the city, the sur- rounding villages, and the gentle rising hills, form a most beautiful and pleasing landscape. In tilling up the broad and deep ditch, which encompassed about two thirds of the base of this hill, some an- cient brass or bell-metal spurs, the head of a spear, and several Roman and other old coins, were discovered. The grounds have likewise received further ornament from the handsome houses which have lately been erected round about.^] •'' The two smaller mounts, bctvvecn which and the larger one called the Dunjeon-hill, the high road round the city wall now runs, are situated in a ■^ 11 Not lar iVom iience stood Wincheap-gate, in our way to the castle, within the bounds of which is the sessions-house of the county of Kent,*' re- built, in 1730. Here we see the old arch of Worthgate, " of the same structure as Riding-gate ai)pears to have been, but with one arch only, which was preserved by Dr. Gray, a late eminent physician of our city. More of this when we come to describe the castle, to the west of which is the way from Wincheap to Castle-street, by a postern in St. Mildred's church-yard, where a branch of the river enters the city through a breach in the wall. The other branch, aftei" some winding, approaching the river again, ])e- comes an additional defence to the city as far as Westgate and farther, as in the plan. This will also shew several other breaches in the wall hereal)outs, which a stranger may wonder at, and think a besieger would hardly choose to field belonging to the before-mentioned manor. The opinions respecting the cause of tlieir being thrown up are various and contradictory : antiqua- rians viewing thcni with the traditionary and generally received opinion of our author, and since adopted by Mr. Hasted, conjecture the whole to have been the work of the Danes, when they besieged the city, as above stated. — Military men, applying to them the tactics of the present rcra, designate the larger mount as originally constructed for the defence of the city, being- situated so as to form the salient angle of a bastion, and the two smaller ones as otitworks for its defence, but added at a nmch later period. — An opinion not improbable, and evidently apparent, each having its face towards the country in the form of a lunette, or half moon, with a higli ridge of ground in the rear, to keep up the communication with the ditch. *> The city of Canterbury was made a county of itself by King Edward IV. but has several places within its walls exempt from its jurisdiction, one of which is the castle and its precinct. The sessions house is now turned into a private dwelling, a new one having been built in the dissolved monastery at St. Augustine's. " This arch, built entirely of Roman or Iirilish bricks, wa.^ in ITltO re- moved, as entire as possible, into the garden of Mr. .lohn Reader, Lamb- lane ; but was afterwards purchased by the late Thomas Barrett, Esq. and removed to his scat at I>ee Priory, and now forms the arched uratrwav leading into the grounds of that deliclitful 'osidence. 12 make his a[)proaches ^vhere tlie city was doubly (lefeudetl by tiie river.*^ To satisfy his curiosity 1 shall iut'orm him, that on Christmas-day, 1648, Michael Page the jjuritanical Mayor, by abusing those who were going to observe the festival at church, raised some tumults which were with difficulty appease;d by Sir William Man, Alderman Sabine, and Mr. Lovelace,a lawyer. On this the committee of th(" county sent forces in form to attack the city, who, though they heard by the way that all was quiet, chose to march in as conquerers, and finding the gates open, took them down and burned them, threw down part of the wall, and committed many to prison upon suspicion, among whom were the three peace-makers. The history of Independency, printed that year, tells this more at large. Westgate, the next we come to, is the largest and best built of any the city has, and is now the only perfect one standing ; which, though plain, makes a very handsome appearance, stand- ing between two lofty and spacious round towers, founded in the river at the western corners, em- battled, portcullised, '^ and machecollated, ^" and a bridge of two arches over the western branch of the Stour at the foot of it. 8 In 1787, when the city was new paved, the wall in this part was further demolished, for the use of the materials. 9 The portcullis was a grate s{)iked at the bottom, to let fall in case of surprize, with opposite grooves in the stone work of the gate, to direct its fall, and keep it in its place. "* This is another old defence, being a parapet carried from tower to tower on stone brackets, projecting from the wall between them, so as to leave openings, through which the defendants might pour down scalding water, or other annoyances, on those who shoidd attempt to force or fire the port- rullis or grate, without being themselves exposed to danger or view. 13 Tlie .ii'aU' lias also the advantag'e of standinji' opt'ii to a very loiii^: and wide strett, beinjj^ on tlit* road to I^ondon, both lor those who travel ])y land, and surh as go by Whitsta])le six miles off, and take their ))assa!2,e on board the hoys, which sail every week or oftener, with such heavy and bulky lading- as would come too dear by land carriage, which on this road is remarkably ex- pensive. This gate is now the c^ity prison, both for delators and criminals, with a large and high pitched room over the gateway, and others in the towers. The way up to them is through a grated cage " in the gate, level with the street, where the prisoners, who are not more closely confined, may discourse with passengers, receive their alms, and warn them (by their distress) to manage their liberty and proj)erty to the best advantage, as well as to thank God for whatever share of those blessings he has bestowed on them. ^^ Archbishop Sudbury is recorded as builder of this gate, and of the wall called the long wall, which runs northward from it a great way with the river, parallel to the foot of it, till at an angle of each, it turns off roinid a small meadow to a mill, where it divides again, and one of the branches aj^proaching the wall near a postern, turns eastward as in the plan, and soon receives that channel which entering the city at St. Mildred's, makes this west part of Canterbury an 1 ' '^riiis comfort tlic poor prisoners ;ue now deprived of, the cage havin? being taken down in 1775. 12 In 1794, the large room over the gate of the city prison was divided into three apartments ; a square lantern erected upon the platform for giving more light, and other repairs took place amounting to nearly 4001. 14 island, and ran till very lately under three port- t'ullised arches of uncommon construction, above which the old wall afforded the only dryshod communication between the east and western parts of tlie city, when the river overflowed its banks at Iving's-bridge, in High-street. But this wall was suffered to run to ruin ; the way above it was stopped up some years ago, and in widening the passage over King's-bridge in 1769, somebody found out it would be good economy to demolish those curious arches, as the materials mi^ht |)erhaps save some expense in the new work : the experiment therefore was tried accordingly. [In 1792, the stone facings on each side of this opening in the wall, were also taken away, and the eastern watch-tower, heretofore a magazine for gunpowder, pulled down and the materials used in the foundation of the adjoining capital flour mill ; which for its masterly construction, and prodigi- ously powerful operation, by so small a head of water, the traveller will find worth visiting. This mill was built nearly on the same spot whereon stood Brown's mill, but somewhat more to the north, probably on the scite of the very ancient one, formerly denominated Abbot's Mill, from its belonging to the abbot and monastery of St. Au- gustine. What strengthens this conjecture is, that in digging for the foundation of the present edifice, at the depth of several feet under ground, were discovered many piles, and the frame of a mill- apron, of oak timber, the whole as black as ebony; a great quantity of brass wire, and other pieces of metal — undoubtedly parts of a mill in very early times. Its ancient name, therefore, was restored 1 15 by Messrs. Siininons aiitl lloyk', who held the premises under tlie mayor and corporation of Can- terbury, at a rental of 40£. per annum, and who, in 1791, ijjave a premium of £.2450 for a tliirty years lease of this, and Kiui* s mill, and they ex- pended, in the building and other imj)roYements of tliis part of the estate, nearly £.8000. It is now in the possession of John Brent, Esq. who holds it under the same corporation, having purchased tlie share which tlie last lessees, Messrs. VVoolley and Large, had in it. From plans furnished by the late ingenious Mr. John Smeaton, this building and its machinery were constructed, but who, unhaj)j>ily, did not survive to see the work com- pleted. Its form is a quadrangle of seventy-two feet by fifty-two feet five inches ; the height, from the foundation to the vane, about one hundred feet ; and contains six working-floors, besides the observatory, an octagon of sixteen feet, on the centre of the roof. To the grinding-floor, the walls are substantially l)nilt of brick and stone ; from thence to the eaves the building is continued witli massy timber, covered with planed weather- boarding, terminated on the four sides, handsomely and uniformly sashed, with a bold block cornice ; and the whole roof covered with slates. The wheel thoroughs are accurately curved and lined with jointed l^ortland stone. The two water-wheels, whicli j)ut tile whole macliinery in motion, are sixteen feet diameter and seven feet wide ; the spur-wheels, whose nuts, arms, and shafts, are iron, carry eight pair of stones. From the spur- wheels, by a continuation of uprigiit iron sliafts, motion is given to the complicated machinery for 16 « leaiiinti the com, dressing the riour, and lastly to the lifting-tackle npon the npper floor. The mill- works, which are distinct for each water-wheel, are of iron, where it conld he properly substituted for wood ; and the whole finished with a mechan- ical accuracy so much to the credit of the several artists employed in tlieir construction, that though the greatest fall of water here never exceeds five feet tliree inches, this mill is so powerful as to be capable of grinding and dressing into flour two hundred and fifty quarters of corn weekly. " There the vast mill-stone with inebriate whirl, " On trembling floors his forceful fingers twirl, " Whose flinty teeth the golden harvests grind, " Feast without blood ! and nourish human kind."] From this new breach the wall goes (as in the plan) to Northgate, on the road to Reculver and Thanet, over which is a church of uncommon length and narrowness, which takes its name from the gate. At this gate the Mayor and Corporation used to receive the king in their formalities, when he passed through, after landing in the Isle of Thanet, from foreign parts, and present him the keys ; but the gates are now taken away.^^ '3 In the plan of the City given in this edition, the line representing the walls has not been altered from that which appeared in the edition of 1777, but several parts of the walls have been since removed. In 1787, the parts of the wall between St. Mildred's church yard and the angle next the branch of the river passing on to Westgate were entirely taken away, and the ma- terials used in paving the City. Part of the wall in Poiind-lane has been taken down to make room for the erection of dwelling-houses, and the wall between the two towers westward of the scite of the three curious arches mentioned above, is quite gone. Eastward of the river the wall has been destroyed to make room for stables, and from thence to Knot's-lane, it has l)ecn lately taken down and a brick wall built in its stead. A convenient wooden bridge was made over the stream at the mill, for foot passengers, in 1821, in tlic place of one which had become very dilapi- Next to the eastward, was Queninp^ate, of whicJi a part of Ihc Roman airli may yet he discovered on the outside of the wall. Mr. Somner says, it was named from Queen Bertha's goini^ through it to perform her devotions at St. Martin's, as Ethelhert did at St. Panerase's Near this is a postern, opened occasionally for the con\ enience of the deanery, and some of the prehendal houses. Queningate-lane, within the wall from Northgate to Burgate, being' become part of the cathedral precinct, by grant of king Henry 11. conlirmed by king Henry IV. This postern is over against the front gate of St. Augustine's monastery, as Blirgate, to which we come next, is to the cemetery-gate of it, to be spoken of in its place, Burgate is on the road to Sandwich, Deal, and the Downs ; new built, says Somner, about 1475, with the names o( John Franingam, John IVethersole, and Edmund Minot, upon it, as prin- cipal benefactors to the work; but they are not legible from the ground.'^ From hereabouts the wall has been strengthened by a bank of earth, cast up to the height where the defendants stood, which first appears in the garden of the third prehendal house, and slopes to the level of the street at Burgate rising again on dated and dangerous. At the same time, a brick arcli was turned over the mill stream for horses and carts, wlilcli might pass through the shallow ford by the waste water. On the west side of the .stream, close by the foot bridge, part of the groove of one of the port-cuUised arches, mentioned above, is still to be seen. 11 'i'he north tower of tliis gate, which projected into the .street, re- maincl till 1822, when it was taken down, and the street widened. The three stonin, bearing the names of the |>ersons mcntiond above, are pre- served, .ind placed in the wall opi)Osite the spot where the gate stood C 18 the opposite side of the way, and in tlie same manner at St. George's toward Ridingate ; and here it has the name of Little Dungil, and thus far is enclosed between the parapet (where that remains standing) on one hand, and liouses or walls on the other, to the gate and Watling-street; but afterwards ceases to be so, the parapet being mostly ruinous, as is part of the wall itself, on the outside, and an open Held of some breadth within (as in the plan) till we come to the high Ar ay at Wincheap-gap.^^ St. George's-gate'*' is also called Newingate, and gives that name to the ward in which it stands, as do the other five gates to theirs respectively. It is built in imitation of Westgate, as Mr. Som- ner observes, and fortified in the same manner; but when he says Burgate was also portcullised, he seems mistaken, for there is no appearance of that.'^ !■> Such was the state of these parts (hiring the life-time of our venerable gnide : but since then, considerable alterations and improvements have taken place. The old buildings and parapet on the Little Dungil, have been removed, and have made way for a handsome terrace, enclosed on - the one side by an iron railing, and on the other by some commodious dwelling houses, lately erected. This fine terrace leads immediately from St. Georsre's street, in a direct line to those delighful plantations already described. On the north side of the walk, over Riding-gate, a handsome iron railing has recently been placed, at the expense of SirR.F.Farquhar,bart. 16 Westgate, Burgate, and St. George's gate, (the latter demolished in 1801,) had the arms of Archbishop Juxon on them, with those cf the Archbishopric, to which he succeeded at the restoration, and with these new gates repaired the damage done by the Puritan.*, when they burnt the old ones in 1648. '7 In 1790 an act of parliament was obtained, for making a new road from St. George's- gate to Guttcridge bottom, and for improving the old road from thence over Barham- downs towards Dover. In consequence of which, some houses in this part of the .suburbs were taken down, and the road opened, nearly in a strait line, partly through the hop plantations m Barton-field till it joins the old highway at the turnpike, about a mile and a half from the city gate. The good air and pleasant situation of this new aveime, has occasioned the building of sever.al handsome 'dwellings on it. 19 Thv: reason of this name, Newingate, I hope to account for when I come to it aj^ain, but now hasten to conchule tliis chapter of walls and i^ates, with some general observations concerning the antiquity, structure, and extent of them. 1 have already observed, that as Caer Kent was the name of our city before the arrival of tlie Ro- mans in Britain, it is highly probable they found it fortified with a wall, and full as probable, that if it was not so when the Romans built gates to it, they also added walls, but few of their remains appear, except some near the castle, about St. Mildred's and those old gates, which are undoubt- edly their work. The present walls are of chalk, faced and lined w ith flints, except the few Roman remains already mentioned, ^^ and that part pulled down in 1769,^^ toward the improvement of King's-bridge. The thickness, by measures taken breast-high at the postern at St. Mildred's, and that near the three ruined arches, is about six feet, and the parapet and embattlements were well coped with ma- son's work of hard stone, as were the tops and for the genteel and middle ranks of life ; who find the markets for pro visions at Canterbury as good, plentiful, and, upon the whole, as cheap, as in most towns in the kingdom. 18 In one of the breaches near St. Mildred's, the destroyers seem to have been stopped by a course of Roman brick quite through the wall, still to be seen. At the west end of the south isle of that church too, is a fair Roman arch over the window. [Our author will be found to have erred, in supposing the walls to be generally built with chalk, though they appear to have been so near Abbot's mill. In some parts they are flint throughout ; and in others, pieces of brick of various thicknesses arc to be found, but whether tlu-y be Roman or no, admits of a doubt.] 1^ The facing of the wall from tower to tower without Westgate, is of squared stones, as is the lining of it from tower to tower, at that part of the three portcuUised arches through which the river ran from the Iomu. c 2 20 loopholes, of twenty-one square or semirircnlar towers, built at proper places, to command the ditch, which was 150 feet wide, as Mr. Somner says, most distinguishable from Queningate-pos- tern to the castle. The whole measurement of the wall, as taken by Thomas Ickham, in the time of Henry III. amounted to more than a mile and three quarters ; but William and Henry Doidge, in 1752, make it less. Their account perhaps is most accurate : it is as follows in the next page. The long wall from Westgate ends at a postern and a large square tower near the bank of the river. Near the opposite bank is such another tower, from whence the wall, which Ickham calls the Waterlock, is continued to Northgate.**^ The wall crossing the river from one of these towers to the other, I take to have been built in the reign of Henry IV. when the whole city was taxed and assessed to the repair of its walls. The King (Mr. Somner says), towards the sustaining this cliarge, both for the present and future, and the citizen's encouragement to proceed in this worthy undertaking, by his writ of Privy Seal, gave them both a licence of mortmain for the purchasing of twenty pounds of lands per annum to the city for ever, and also grants them all waste grounds and places lying within the city, to use and dispose of for their best advantage, likewise in perpetuity: to this he adds a translated copy of the writ, from the records of the chamber -'J See Note 13, page 16. 21 IMEA.SUUK.MENT AliOl I IHI. rlTV WALLS, ByTHOMAS ICKHAM, about 1 »01. ■from Mr. SOMNEK. Pari,,.: IVoni Qiiyningatc to Burgatc . . 38 Tfu' (rate 1 I'roiii Burf!:ate to Ncviiigati- . . 37 The ^ate 1 Eroiu Newiiigate to llidingatc . 18 The ffate 1 Erom Ridingate to ^Vorgate* . . 83 The gate 1 From Worgate to the Water \ ... behind St. Mildred's church / The bank of the river - 4 Prom lliat bank to Westgate . . 118^ The yate 1 rromWcstgatetotheendof the 1 rgi Wall, called the Long Wall/ ^^ The Slour from that Wall, to\ .qt the wall called Watcrlock / *°* From thence to Nortligate .... 40 The gate 1 From Northgate to Quyningate 6!) 582i Which is 9607 feet, or I mile, 6 fur- longs, 22 perches, four feet, which is 486 feet more than the measure- ment by W. and H. Doidge. *Worgate Mr. Somncr takes to be the gate u'hich went through the can tic yard. But the distaiui frotn Ridingate differs vtri/ little frum Doidjjc's. By Wm. and Hen. DOIDGE, 17.52. Feet. Per. Feet From middle of Bur- ~| gate to the middle J> or of Newingalef.. J 460 27 14^ To Ridingate t .... 7yj ToW' inchea]! gatcf. . l.UiS To Westgate 2880 To Northgate 1 !)00 To Burgatet 1754 9121 Which is 1 niilc, 5 furlongs, 32 per- ches, 13 feet. 46 — 82 15 174 9 U;-) 2i 106 5 552 13 •f These gates are now pulled down. n CHAP. 111. Of I he Castle. Though what we now call the castle has mi appearance of Roman antitpiity, yet that the Ro- mans had a castle here can hardly be doubted, if we consider that four of their Castra Iliparensia (as Mr Somner calls their several forts on our coast) are within a few hours march of our city. Antoninus's Itinerary, in Camden, gives these distances of three of them from Durovenium, [Canterbury,] ad portum Ritupas^ [to Richbo- rough] ten miles; ad portum Dubris' [to Dover] fourteen miles; ad portum Lemauis^ [to Stulfall] *( Auciistine. kept their court here. When the / //,v..V //,, ^( '„.,//, ^,///„ ,1"'""/ ll"''///'/»/. ,r/ ^,..//,y//.y. 23 mentioned . Three of llieif military ways met here, where the chief of them (the Wal ling-street) crosses tlie river Stour.' As I his must have J)een the most convenient situation for the residence of the Comes Littoris S(Lvonici, Count of the Saxon shore, whose par- ti(;uhir business it was to fix garrisons u|)on the sea co^st, in phices convenient, and who had tlie command of 2200 foot and horse for that purpose, as Mr. Camden says. Reason itself will tell us, an officer of such rank and conserjiience, at such a post, wouUI have a fortified quarter for himselt^ and his commanti, while the Romans kept their footing here; though it is not mentioned in the history of the Danish invasions, hetween three and four hundred years after the Romans had left Britain. By that time their military discipline might have been forgot, and their castles rnn to ruin : if ours here was in no condition to resist those destroyers, there could be no occasion to mention it ; and in such scenes of horror and military discretion, it is no wonder if history is imperfect, especially in those days of ignorance and barbarity. The present building appears to have been the keep or donjon of a fortress, within which it stood, (hiimu'l Wantsum, between Thanet and the main, was sea, as the Swale which makes Sheppy an island is now, Richboroiigh and Reculver eastles commanded the two months of it, and the plural name Riitupia; was com- mon to both. This channel was probably the Fundus Ru/upuiux, the bed ot oysters so much admired at Rome. The inground oysters of the Swak were no less admired in Holland, from whence ships, within the recollection of many, used, formerly, to come and lie near Fa versham during the ti.shing season, contracting for all they could gel to the value of some thousand pounds in a year; but instead of coming to Faversham, they now go to Burnham, in Essex. '' For a further account of tliesc forts, sec the Appendix 24 111(1 ol \vliicli tliH Ixjiimls iire still discoverable; lik(^ that at tlie castles of Dover, Rochester, and the white tower at London ; and as it is built in much the same style with them, may be about the same age. Mr. Somner's opinion is, that it was built before the conquest, because Domesday book mentions the concjueror's having Canterbury cas- tle, l)y exchange made with the Archl)ishop and Abl)ot of St. Augustine's. It is plain, therefore, that Canterbury had a castle on his arrival, and that he got possession of it, but whether thibj tower was or was not standing at the time of his exchange, does not appear from what that record says ; lior perhaps should we find any better grounds on which to determine its antiquity, than thecomparison between this and others which most resemble it. In one circumstance (whether very particular I cannot say) it agrees with those of Dover and Rochester, in having a well from the top of the tower: tliis is seen from the west side, Mhere the wall is ruinous. Tliat in the keep of Dover being in a dark cornei', was walled u\} many years ago to prevent accidents. That at Rochester is also stopped iqj at some depth, and ours is choaked up witii rubl)ish. Whether there was such a one at the white tower of London, perhaps cannot be known, but in one or more of the corrier turrets of that, is a very capacious cistern, kept iilled from the Tliames, by the water-mill at Traitors-bridge. The yards and dykes about the castle, Mr. Battely says, contain four acres and one rood of hud T{i!^ jdan :Ih)v, >; what could be traced of 25 the old iurtie.ss in l7-3*2, bill some ul its vvallf^' have been lately taken down, to prevent the mis- chief threatened by the fall : ^ for by the account of a workman employed on this occasion, these outworks were never so well built as the tower itself, being- become rubbishly and rotten, while that remains firm as a solid stone. Through this castle yard and Worthgate, already mentioned, was once the communication lietwcen Castle-street in Canterbury, and Winchea[) w ith- out it/ a suburb longer than the |)lan has room foi-, and the road to Chartham, Chilham, Ashford, and tiie Weald of Kent. This sulnirl) is mcU built, and of a good breadth; and if my stranger be curious enough to gb to it by Wincheap gap, he will then see the full dimensions of this fine old gate, preserved by Ur. Grey's generosity, tlu^ most entire, perhaps, of any in the kingdom. The castle had, no doubt, other buildings in it beside the keep. History does not say how, or when, they were demolished ; but we may well believe that, by the ruins of tliem, the ground has been raised so many feet since the way into the city could be through the old Worthgate, that it is now almost level with llie spring of the arch williin side. On this occasion, probably, the way into the •• In 171)2, almost the whole of Uic hoiindiuy wall which icinained was deinolibhed, and an extensive malt-house erected on the scite, with other buildings on dill'erent parts of the enclosure. The moat or ditch, which extended round the castle, is now mostly filled up ; the only part which can be traced is in tlic garden between the new road and St. Mildred's church. " In 171)0, this road was aftain opened, by public subscription, from the end of Castle street, across the Castle precinct, through the city wall, where the ancient gale of Worthgate stood, and over the ditch into the Ashford xiad in AVinchean, 20 €ity, where Wiiicheap-gak' slooil, wasopenetl, as that might he a work of less expense than ch^aring away all that rnhhish, and prevent all disputes ahout whose business it was to do so, by making this new entrance within the liberty of the city. It makes the traveller, indeed, fetch a compass to come from the suburb of Wincheap through this gap into the line formed by that suburb and Cas- tle-street, but deviates from that line as little as possible, without encroaching on the boundaries of the Castle, and (as the plan shows) as soon as it has passed those bounds brings him into the old road again ; and this might seem attended Avith fewer inconveniences than restoring the former way.*^ [The castle is now made use of, as a repository, by the gas and water- works company, for the stowage of their gas and water apparatus. Near the castle several good houses have been erected, besides the gassometers and gas-works, for the supply of the city ; and on the west of these works, adjoining St. Mildred's church yard, a number of small houses have been built for poor families.] MEASURES TAKEN OF WORTHGATE. IN THE INSIDE. Feet. In. The diameter of the arch is 12 3| Its springs from the piers (> 0| Th«^ piers above ground ^ . 1 6 ON THE DITCH SIDE. JHeight of the plinth 1 0 ^ See abovp, p. 9. — ^The anliciuary will also experience disappointment in the appearance of the castle itself ; which has lately sutrered much by 'lilnpidation, and its ancient visible boundaries being almost annihilated. 27 Feet. In, From that to the bpring of the arch (! (> Breadth of the gate way from pier to pier 12 (J Height of the gate in the middle Hi 7§ The thickness of the arch 2 4 The earth raised on the castle side (> 0 Wiiicheap-gate had no appearance of any an- tiquity ; its form, as well as the placing of it, seeming to show it of mucli later building than most of the other gates of otir city. We arc now got into the suburbs, witli an ac- count of which I shall begin another chapter, reserving that of the city and cathedral for the sequel of this little treatise. m CHAP. IV. Oj' the Suburb}/ ~ This ot Wincheap has little observable in it, except that the city liberty, after being interrupted by the scite of the castle, begins here again, ex- tending on one side of the way, as in the plan : the other (beyond the extent of it) is bounded by the wall of Jacob's hospital.^ Here are also some alms-houses built, by Mr. Harris, in 172G, for five poor families. Going from Wincheap eastward without the city wall, we see the two little mounts mentioned in chapter ii. behind one of which is a range of buildings, once the out-houses to the old capital mansion of Dane John. Proceeding hence towards Ridingate, we pass by a little cluster of buildings, called Rodau's town, and soon arrive at Watling-Street, with houses on the north side of it, till we come to a corner, where, at a turning to the left from the ancient highway, the present road leads by Oaten- hill," into the city through St. George's gate. At ' The hospital of St. James or St. Jacob, for leprous women, Mr. Lam- bard says, was built by Q. Eleanor, wife to Henry HI. Mr. Somncr shows that it was founded sooner, and under the protection of the prior and convent of Christ-church ; he gives a little history of it, and says its clear revenue amounted to 461. (is. 3d. All that remains of this ancient building are the stone walls that enclose an orchard, and the lower part of the front of the house : that part which is now called the hospital being of a much more modern d.ite. -' Where malefactors, convicted by our city pf capital crimes, were executed, till 1799, when Margaret Hughes, for the murder of her husband by poison, sutTered on a temporary scatfold erected between the gaoler's house and the gaol of ^Vestgatc ; in 1802, (icorgc Madeish and Thomas Dumoline, for highway robbery, were abo executed there; and in 181.5 Nicholas Noland, for the .same crime 29 tins turning stood the nunnery of St. SepuKlire, uliicli, as Mr. Soinner s;ivs, \vislioj) Ansclin, A. I). I l()U,an(l was a corporal ion, consistini;- of a lady prioress, and five veiled black nuns, so called from the colour of their lial)its and veils. One of these was Elizabeth Barton, called theHoly Maid of Kent, in kinii' Henry the EightlTs time, who being- tutored by some monks, pretended to inspiration, and prophesied destruction to those who were opening a way to the reformation. For this she and seven of her accomplices suffered d(»ath ; among whom was Richard Dering, the tellarer of the cathedral monastery, and Hugli Rich, guardian of the Franciscans : six others of them were [)unished by fine and imprisonmenl. The revenue of this nunnery, at the dissolution, was 2.91. 12s. 5d. [On part of the scite of it some handsome houses have recently been erected. Till lately, some of the ruins were remaining : but are now entirely removed ; the stones of w hich were used in building the walls of the new houses.] East of St. Sepulchre, on the old road to Dover, is St. Laurence^ mentioned by Somner as in the suburbs of Canter})ury, but not connected to it by buildings, nor within the plan. On one of the flinty piers of the old gate, [though now almost obliterated by time,] a figure of St. Lau- rence on the gridiron may be discovered, with a man standing at his head, and another at his feet. •' Formerly the seat of the family of Rookc and of Lord Viscount Dudley and Ward. It was afterwards possessed by Mrs. Graham, widow of the late Colonel John Graliani, and, at her decease, was sold by the ex- ecutors to Milles, Ks<|. of Nackinsfton, whoa few years since had it ()ulled down. Tlie ground on which it stood was sown with grass seed, and turned into a meadow 30 This was also an hospital for lepers, founded by Hugli, tlie second abbot of St. Augustine's of that name, in 1137, tliat if any professed monk of that monastery should be infected with any contagious disease, but above all the leprosy,'* so thathecould not, without prejudice or scandal, stay within its ])recincts, he should be as well provided for here, as those who lived in the monastery. The governor of this (called Custos Hospitalis) was always one of the monks of St. Augustine's abbey. Return we from hence to St. George's, or New- ingate, after observing that this part of the suburbs is well inhabited, and furnished with several good shops.^ Proceeding northward [through Bridge street,] with the city wall on our left hand, we soon arrive at Burgate, opposite to which is the cemetery-gate of St. Augustine's monastery (which will make a chapter by itself) Church-street being between them, so named from the parish church of St. Paul, on one side of it, where the last males of the knightly family of Rooke are buried. The high road to Sandwich, Richborough, East Kent, and the Downs, was carried in a strait line from Burgate, through the ancient burying-place, till the monks of St. Augustine's contrived to get that within their walls, by turning the road aside 4 Whether it was dedicated to St. Laurence, in allusion to the distemper, may be discussed by those who think leprosy and brenning, or burning, were the old names of that disease, which is now more fashionable as a French one — Becket, in the Philosophical Transactions, No. 365, has pro- duced a great many curious reasons to prove it was so, and even the institution mentions the distemper as a scandalous one. •'' Returning from Dover-lane, on the left hand towards Ridingate, are six small tenements, built in 1778, at the request of tlie late Mrs. Bridger, of this city (for which purpose she left a suflScient sum of money) for six unmarried women, with an endowment of 61. a year each, the preference to be given to such as belong to St. George's, or Burgate parish. 10 llu- ljoiuu,i>,li ui \ A)niX\)oit , wlure hetweeii llit- houses on the south sido, and the monastery wall on th(^ north, it is of a Aery good breadtli, and well inhabited, till we eome to the ehureh-yard, ur l>u lying -ground of 8t. Paul's parish, and this adjoins, on its east side, to the enclosures and gardens of Barton farm, now converted into a handsome mansion-house. It was some years ago remarkable for its two very large barns ; the smaller of the two, which was by the road side, has been pulled down, and part of the other, ])ut what remains is a curiosity, both for the spacious- ness and strength of the building/' Opposite to this, the road recovers its straight course, at an angle in the monastery wall, where an arched gateway has been I)ricked up within these few years. A little farther east, are alms-houses for foui poor men and four poor women, called Smith's hospital, from the name of the founder, who laid loOOl. in purchasing an estate for this and other charitable uses. Thus far have we had the boundary of St. Au- gustine's monastery on our left hand, but here it strikes off to the northward, oj)posite to the corner liouse' of St. Martin's street, so called from its parish church just by, which, on account of its great anticpiity, may be thought worthy of a chapter by itself. << Tliis was pulled down many years since, and the niaterials employed in erecting a barn, on Little Barton Farm, a short distance from Canterbury. ' This and the adjoining houses being in a ruinous state, were taken down in 1802, and six tenements or cottages, for the labouring class of the community, erected by Alderman Simmons. CHAP. V. Of St. Martins Church. This cliurcli is not seen from the road, but a turning at the south-east corner of the monastery soon brings us to it. It stands on the side of a hill, named from it, about a quarter and a half quarter of a mile from the wall of the city. This and another church, where our cathedral now stands, are supposed to have been built by the Christians of the Roman soldiery, in the se- cond century, and the time of Lucius, the first Christian king, who lived in 182, so tliat it is looked on as one of the oldest structures of that kind, still in constant use, now^ in the kingdom : and, indeed, nothing appears in the materials or architecture, to contradict this opinion, for its walls seem to have been built (those of the chancel at least) entirely of Roman brick, and the struc- ture is the most simple that is possible.' If the church, built by those Christians in the east part of the city, was larger and more mag- nificent, (as Mr. Battely seems to believe,) this might tempt the Danish invaders to make a ruin of that, but they had no provocation here. It is not unreasonable to suppose, that Queen Bertha might find it more convenient to pay her devotions " ' / I St. Martin was Bishop of Tottrs, and died 395. This church, therefore, could not be built at first in honour of him, but might afterwards be dedi cated to him by Luidhard, who was himself a French Bishop. 33 in such an obscure chapel, than to c:et one, more suitable to her rank, erected, wliile her husband, king- Etlielbert, and his subjects were idolaters. Here, therefore, was a Christian churcli and congregation settled, with a queen and her chap- lain, Luidhard, bishop of Soisson.^, at the head of it, before St. Augustine and his monks made their appearance in England, in 597, and hither (as Mr. Somner tells us from Bede) did he and his fellow labourers resort to their devotions, on their lirst arrival, by the licence of king Etlielbert in favour of his queen. At this place, he tells us also, was for 349 years, the see of a bishop, who, always remaining in the country, supplied the place of the archbishop, who, for the most part, followed the court, and that as well in governing the monks as in perform- ing the solemnities of the church, and exercising the authority of an archdeacon. Mr. Battely dis- putes this, for reasons foreign to the design of this book ; so I shall only add, that the font in this little church is itself deserving some notice, as a venerable piece of antiquity, and proceed on my walk. u u CHAP. VI. Suburbs continued. From St. Martin's we may go with tlie mo- nastery wair close on our left hand, with two or three pleasant fields on the right, called the North Holmes, to a lane, one end of which leads to Broad-street, under that part of the wall which encloses both the city and the cathedral from Northgate to Burgate ; and the other going round tlie liberty of St. Gregory's priory, by crossing tlie New Military Road, will bring us into North- gate-street, at the end of which is Jesus hospital, more commonly called Boys's, from Sir John Boys the founder of it, who died in 1612, and whose monument we shall see in the cathedral. Sir John endowed this hospital for eight poor men, and four women, viz. a warden, who has a house to himself, seven brothers, of whom one is claviger, or porter, with 40s. addition to his salary, and four sisters. Their apartments form three sides of a little scpiare, on a bank close by the much frequented road from Canterbury to Thanet, and the coast from thence to Hearn. The entrance is by a gate four steps above the road, in the middle of a dwarf wall, which com- pletes the square, and gives the fraternity a near 1 In 1808, part of this wall was taken down, and a morJorn brick one (erected round the new County Sessions house nnd jraol. Ethelred. ^n^^-zl^anM ^f^^/fy'ria Z^^^^hm/^^, t^/Ar/tr^/ /f^n*i: nau/ f/u//i.'ay 35 view of all that passes. Tlie warden aiul brothers ■^Iioidd attend the catliedral in govvns every Sun- day morning-. Sir Jolin, in liis book of ordinances of this hospital, directs that the \\arden shall be appointed by such of the surname of the founder, as shall be owner of Betteshanger (if not inider age) or, in default of them, by such of the same name as shall be owner of Fredville, [these were two of the numerous seats of that ancient family in our neighbourhood ;] in default of these, by the dean of Canterbury for the time being ; if no dean, by the mayor of the city; if these fail to nominate in two months, then, after proper no- tification, by the archdeacon. The seats being now in other names and families, our deans have for many successions been mastei's here, and as such, on any vacancy of brethren or sisters places, nominate two persons statutably qualified to the mayor, who chooses one of them. This is near the extremity of the plan. Farther on, and within the city liberty, is Barton mill, on the river a little way from the road. Some re- mains of flint walls by the way-side thither, and a chapel near the mill, pretty entire, seem to show there was once a considei-able enclosure ; but nei- ther the Canterbury antiquarians, nor common tradition, give any history of it. [North of St. John's hospital, on our right, there are extensive ranges of barracks for the military; considerable sums of money having been spent during the late war, both by government and private individuals, in erecting elegant and extensive buildings, for the reception of both horse and foot regiments. At the back of the D 2 36 infantry Ijarracks, but at a consitlerable distance from them, or any other building-, stands a spa cious edifice which was erected in 1811, as a general infirmary for the sick and invalids of the various regiments, that might be stationed in this city or its envirojis : and it forms not only an elegant superstructure to the eye of the observer, but is placed on one of the most salubrious spots that could be pointed out for the purpose for which it was designed.] Returning from Barton mill, we leave the bar- racks on our left hand, and in proceeding towards the city, about the middle of Northgate, we ob- serve, on the same side of the way, a long range of old buildings with a passage through the middle of it into St. Gregory's priory, founded by arch- bishop Lanfranc, in 1084, and which was a large and handsome house of stone ; to which he also added several dwellings, well contrived for tlie wants and conveniences of those who should live there, with a spacious court adjoining. This palace (for so Eadmer calls it) he divided into two parts, one for men labouring under various dis- tempers, the other for women who had ill health ; providing them with food and clothing at his own expense, appointing also officers and servants, who should by all means take care that nothing should be wanting, and that the men and women should be kept from communication with each other. He built also, on the opposite side of the way, a church, to the honour of St. Gregory, where he placed canons regular, who should ad- minister spiritual comfort and assistance to the infirm people above mentioned, and take the care 37 of their funerals, for which he provided them with such an income as was thought sufficient.- Part of this priory is still standing, [and many fine old arches and windows of the Saxon and Gothic order, may be seen. The belfry is also still re- maining ; but the whole seems from time and desolation, sinking " in ruinous decay." It is now made use of as a pottery and tobacco pipe manufiictory. The ground belonging to its precincts, was formerly almost entirely laid out in gardens for the supply of our markets; but since the commencement of the late war, build- ings have been erected on it, for the accommoda- tion of the military, called St. Gregory's barracks.] The chapel of St. Thomas (whose ruins were till within these few years remaining) had over the door, at the west end of it, a handsome old arch, which the archbishop's lessee took down some years since, to make a portal to his own dwelling house, at St. Thomas's hill ; but that being sold and rebuilt, the Rev. Mr. Brockman, by adapting the front of one of his out-buildings to it, has preserved this piece of antifpiity, and added to the beauties of his seat at Beachborough, near Hythe. Opposite to this priory is St. John's hospital,^ and the cliurch, dedicated to St. Gregory, is now 2 Bishop Tanner says, Lanfranc founded tliis for secular priests, 1084, but Archbishop William made it a priory of black canons, teynp. Henry 1. 3 St. John's hospital was founded by archbishop Lanfranc, in 1084, for the lame, weak, and infirm, and contains (with a master and a reader) 18 in-brothers, (one of whom is annually chosen prior,) 20 in-sisters, and the like number of out-brothers and out-sistcrs. 38 the chapel * of that hospital, but both have suf- fered much since Mr. Somner and Mr. Battely described them ; the bells having been sold, the steeple and north aisle taken down, as were many of the old houses, and smaller and less convenient ones erected in their room. A stone wall was also taken away, which sheltered the whole from the cold north-west wind blowing over the river and the meadow land, and being pentised over head, was called by the poor people their cloisters, under which they used to walk, or sit and con- verse with each other on the benches. — All this was done by way of improvement, about eighty years ago, [in 1747.] We now have nothing to attract our notice till we come to Northgate, except that we cross a street parallel to the city wall, which on the right hand, is continued almost to the bank of the river, and, on the left quite as far as the castle and St. Mil- dred's postern. That part on the right hand is called Duck-lane, and leads to St. Radegund's bath, a fine spring, built over, and fitted for cold bathing ; the basin or bath itself being twenty feet long, eleven feet wide, and from three to four feet deep.^ A dwelling-house adjoins to it of 4 In this chapel were the remains of a very fine window of painted glass, said to have been given by John Roper, gent, but they have been lately re- moved and sold. ■> This estate being part freehold and part held by city lease, was pur- chased by the corporation in 1793 ; who then leased the whole for 28 years to Messrs. Simmons and Royle. In 1794 they re-edified the bath house, and at a great expense deepened and enlarged the basin of the spring, and divided it into two reservoirs, each forming a very commodious cold bath ; one 18 feet by 16, the other 18 feet by 6 feet 6 inches ; containing a depth of fine spring water from 4 feet and a half to 5 feet ; covered with arched roofs, and lighted only from the top by turrets. Annexed are separate dressing-rooms, 12 feet by 8, and a waiting-room, 14 feet by 14. By those 39 modern stnichin', l)iit in altt'iiii;; Ji wry ancient one, near the halli, some hollows or pipes were discovered, carried along in the thickness of an old stone wall, which seemed a contrivance lor heating the room in former times, and making II sudatory or sweating room of it. Some years ago, this house being a pu])lic house, and the ow ner of it a city magistrate, a new pos- tern was broken through the city wall for a way to it, which is not mentioned in my survey of the wall, because the bath house being in the suburb, and this postern made i)urely for the convenience of it, this seems the most proper place to mention it. The city wall here is seven feet thick.'' About the beginning of this century, [1700,] an attempt was made to render the river navigable from Fordwich, which succeeded so far, that lighters brought coals up to this part of it ; but when the undertaker had run out his fortune in making the experiment, he found that the Ford- wich waggons could deliver their loading here, as cheap or cheaper than he could, and the design came to nothing.' If we turn to the left, without Northgate, into improvements, the delightful and wholesome exercise of cold bathing might be enjoyed by the inhabitants, of either sex, with privacy and the utmost conveniency. They arc now in a dilapidated state and not much used, though some persons occasionally bathe in them. <5 In \7[)4, another opening was made in the city wall, close on the western side of the watch-tower, for a more direct way to the baths, above-mentioned ; when the name of the passage from Northgate church to the river, formerly called the Long wall, was changed to St. Uadegund's-lane. ' [An act of parliament has just been obtained (June, 1825) to widen and deepen the river Stour, from Canterbury to Sandwich, and from thence to cut a canal to communicate with the sea near Sanduwn castle. This im- portant undertaking is to be commenced immediately ; a further account of which will be found in the chapter, embracing a Sitmmaiy Account.} 40 tlie street that runs near the town wall, this will bring us to the most considerable object ot- cu- riosity in the whole suburb, and show us the great gate of St. Augustine's monastery, to which we go through a little square, called Lady Wot- ton's Green. 41 CHAP. VJJ. Of St. Augustine s MoiLastcry. Mr. Somner says, Augustine the monk, the Apostle of the English, obtained from Ethelhert, the first Christian king of Kent, a certain piece of ground, on which, with the king's help, he huilt this abbey, and dedicated it to St. Peter and vSt. Paul ; but St. Dunstan afterwards dedicated it anew, to the honour of those apostles, and of St. Augustine, in the year 978 ; and from thence it was called St. Augustine's. Here we should observe, that when the Papists call Augustine the Apostle of the English, it is not that they look on him as the first preacher of Christianity in our island. In their service for May 26, the festival of St. Eleutherius, one of the lessons says, Lucius, a British king, wrote to him, desiring that lie and his might be numbered among the Christians. Who had converted him so far as to occasion this request, is not said ; but tliat he sent the learned and pious Fugatius and Damian into Britain, by whom the king and the rest received the truth.' Eleutherius was elected pope about 177, at whicli time this lesson supposes the gospel know n I Sec I'opc Taul's Breviary for the Bencdklines, priiUed at Pari? 1^)71. page 1)70. 42 ill Britain, as it i)ro}>ci!)ly was hnvj; before: for though the legend of Joseph of Ariniathea, and Giastonbury thorn, be ahnost exploded, many learned iren see, at least, as much reason to believe, that the apostle of the Gentiks visited Britain, as that the apostle of the Circumcision was ever bishop of Rome. Both these were preachers of Christianity. The apostleship of Augustine appears to have been of a very different kind : he was sent to teach, that the bishop of Rome had supreme authority over the whole church of Christ ; a doctrine not heard of in England till his arrival, some hundreds of years after Christianity was planted here. For though Saxon idolatry then prevailed in Kent, he found two ohl churches, built by Christians, standing at Can- terbury, and one of them, that of St. Martin, in use ; Bertha, king Ethelbert's queen, having it assigned to her for Christian worship, with Luid- hard, a French bishop, for her chaplain ; and here Augustine is said to have first entered on his office. Ethelbert was soon converted to Christianity; but it is not at all unlikely, that in politics Luid- liard and Augustine might differ, for the pope's supremacy was not then acknowledged in Gaul, and this might occasion the conferences with the old Christians of Britain, who, by king Ethelbert's assistance, were brought to consult with him. He only desired, says the writer of the lives of the British Saints, (printed 1745,) that they would conform to the catholic church (by which he means the church of Rome) in the celebration of Easter, and in the manner of the administration of baptism, and join with him in preaching the '...lliiil.:, ,i,li,linl!h«,i;ili,llll Mil r[|/ 43 woitl of God to the Engiisli nation. Eutreatie.s, exhortations, and representations, had no weight with them, nor could a miracle (said to be wrought by him) persuade them to quit the religion of their fathers, without a second meeting ; where seven bishops of the Britons, and a number of the learned monks of Bangor, with their prior, Dilnoth, attended, with much the same success. The haughtiness w itli w hich he received them, and proposed the conditions on which they might become subject to the pope, and the governors and laws he w ould give them, defeated his sclieme; and Dilnoth let him know, that as far as Christian love and charity obliged, they were ready to do all n for their country and Christianity ; the church of Rome takes no notice of their martyrdom in its kalen- dars or legends ; and the popish author of the lives of the British Saints, gives a reason for it worthy of such a writer, and says, ''These monks, dying by tlie hands of infidels, while they were praying for the success of (heir Christian brethren, tuiglil wrl! !>( ranki'd aiiiojig I lie martyrs, if there 44 could hv injutyrs Mithoiit rharity, or if there couid l>c charity, joined with an obstinate refusal of imparting the liglit of faith (of faith in the j)ope) to those who were in the way of perishing eternally for want of it." The reader will excuse the length of this re- mark : it shows what made Augustine a saint, as well as with what insolence he treated those })rimitive Christians, who preferred the light of the gospel, and subjection to the proper superior, to the new lights and the new sovereigns he would have imposed on them. It shows also what the charity of Papists is in comparison with that of the old British Pro- testants, as professed by Dilnoth, and laid down by our Saviour himself, as the rule by which men may know who are his disciples. But to return from this digression, and speak of the monastery itself. Mr. Somner ascribes the situation of it without the city walls, to its being designed by the king and archbishop, as a place of sepulture for them and their successors. By very ancient cnstom,the sepulchres of the dead, were placed by the sides of the highways, of which we have examples without number in our neighbourhood. Accordingly, the cemetery here was on the straight road from our Burgate to llichborough (Ritupis.) The monks, as already observed, had turned that road aside to Longport, in order to secure that burying-place witliin their own enclosure.'^ A common footway lay through 2 Mr. Somner, page 34, represents the enclosing this burying-place within their walls as owing to the policy of the monks, and it might be so, not only for the supposed holiness of the ground, but because some of our churches have no church-yards adjoining them. b i^\ 1 ■ D r S TUN E "S 'U ATE , =1: A2^ TZEJB T 3iX, Kent. nibli.'7tfdivV:BUcUi-f 45 it for iimiiy }Tars, even till Mr. Soiniier's iiuiuory ; luit the t>;reat gate of tlie cemetery, toward the town, is lately turned into a dwelling house, and that which came into the road near St. Martin's walled up. The front of the abbey was to the west, and before the principal gate of it is a small square towards Broad-street and the cathedral. From hence may be seen what the city wall would be, if kept in due repair ; and on a tower of it near the postern are three escutcheons of stone, on which are carved the arms of England, with those of the city and cathedral. At the dissolution, king Henry VIII. seized this as a palace for himself. The site of it was granted to cardinal Pole for life, second and third Philip and Mary. In 1573, queen Elizabeth kept her court here, in a royal progress ; she attended di- vine service at the cathedral every Sunday during her stay at Canterbury, and was magnificently entertained, with all her attendants, and a great concourse of other company, by archbishop Par- ker, on her birth-day, kept at his palace. The site of this monastery having been afterwards granted to Henry Lord Cobham, on his attainder, in 1003, it was granted to Robert Cecil, lord Essenden, (afterwards earl of Salisbury,) by letters^ patent, third James I. It was soon after in the possession of Thomas lord Wotton, of Marley. Here king Charles I. consummated his marriage with the princess Henrietta, of France, on June 13, 162'), whom he met at Dover, and married at Canterbury that day. Mary, the dowager of lord Wotton, made this place her residence during the 46 great rebellion, when she was plundered and cruelly treated by the usurping powers. King- Charles II. lodged liere also, on his passage tiirough this city at his restoration. It has ever since that, retained the name of Lady Wotton's palace, and the square is called Lady Wotton's Green. She died there about the time of the re- storation, and left four daughters, co-heiresses, the youngest of whom, Anne, w^as married to Sir Ed- ward Hales, of Wood-church, in Kent, bart. and brou"ht her husband this estate. In their de- scendants it was continued to Sir Edward Hales, of St- Stephen's, (or Hackington,) the present owner. Dugdale's 3Ionasiicon, published in 1655, gives a print of it, as it was in his time.^ The view was taken from the high tower of our cathedral, and shows that whatever was demolished of this monastery at the suppression, a considerable part of it remained standing when this drawing was made. Ethelbert's tower was then nearly com- plete, and the apartments such as might and did serve for a palace. The print observes, that the wall of the mo- nastery encloses about sixteen acres of ground ; besides which it had an almonry without its gate, which still retains its name, and some tokens of 3 Bishop Kennet, in his life of Mr. W. Somner, says, that he furnished Sir William Dugdale with the ichnography of the cathedral, the draught of the monastery, and other sculptures ; which being designed for a folio vo- lume, we find only one of them in Somner's quarto of the Antiquities of Canterbury, and that twice folded to get room. It is there called a map, lyepresenting the high altar of St.Augustine's with the chapels behind it, &c. Mr. Rattely had it copied for his edition of Somner, in which are also some prints of Hollar's etchings for Sir W. Dugdale's work. 47 its aiiti«iuity : what lias broiigiit llu' monastery to its present eonditn^n, let us trace ii' we can/ " When we enter the sei)t, (says Mr. Soniner) (he first thinjj: o))serval)le (except the fair hall, the hite refectory of the monks) is Ethelbert's tower." But of this fair hall it is now difhcult to find the place : perhaps it was pulled down to furnish ma- t(M"ials for the lied Lion Inn, in our High-street, (which belongs to the owner of the monastery,) lor the wainscotting of the great parlour is said to have been brought from the hall of St. Augus- tine's, and very probably was so, having been painted with pieces of scripture history, as hang- ing up in frames ; but some years ago an attempt to clean and recover one of these pictures having failed, the whole was battened to resemble pannel work, and painted over of one colour.^ Ethelbert's tower, which, in the print, appears pretty entire, has since that view was taken, lost its whole north side down to the ground. Mr. Somner su[)poses it built about the year 1047, and gives his reasons for thinking so ; but when, on his second thoughts and more exact survey (as Mr. Battely fpiotes him from his own manuscri])t additions,) he calls it a hollow piece throughout, and unvaidted, or without any arch cast over 4 It is saiil lliat when Ilcnry VHI. seized the rerigious houses, the gates of St. Augfustine's monastery were shut against him, till two pieces of can- non placed on a hill just by, made the monks hasten to deliver up tlieir keys. What damage they did, and whatever else it might suffer from the reformation, and the going through so many hands as above mentioned, enough remained to receive king (Charles I. at his wedding, and king Charles II. at his restoration. •'• 'riiis inn was taken down some few years since to make room for the new street, which connects the High-street with that of Palace-street, the direct road to the Isle of TLanet, of which further mention will be made. 48 iVoni the bottom to the top, he is strangely mis- taken ; for there is certainly an arched vault at this day, about twenty-five feet from the ground, and, to all appearance, as old as the rest of the building. Above this we see, that each of the corner towers on the north side, had a fair newel staircase at the top of the tower, and that corbels were left for flooring at different stories of the building. What the dimensions of the old abbey church were can hardly be traced with any degree of certainty : the west side of Ethelbert's tower, be- ing adorned with little pillars, from the top almost to the ground, seems to shew that here never was any cross isle, nor a body continued in a line from the church. At sixty-six feet south of this tower, is a very massive ruin, ^ of a threatening appearance, which has some tokens of its having been built at the south-west corner of the church, to answ er that of Ethelbert at the north-w est ; if so, we may believe this was the west front of the church, possibly with a handsome porch, of which nothing is now to be seen. On viewing carefully the east side of Ethelbert's tower, two grooves, or chasings, are to be seen, (one thirty, the other forty-two feet from the ground,) cut in stone work, to receive the skirts, or flashings of the lead when the roof was covered : the first determines, very exactly, the height and breadth of the north side isle, and some of the north wall is standing, to a height above that of the old arches. The angle of the other chasings shews exactly what was the pitch of the main roof; and from these circum- <■' Taken Inindred and lift\ f«^ct, and tlu' wails \\lii• ■n V ,140 icJi,. regi^. Iiodie irivat.u- converi«, Ctrmiteri, in hoAinn mine- Irinliiti' porta Occid|ntilu\ Muriu Genobi, (.Asm omf,ent intra, qutm. i^aul eo circUel tcna- ^xi^n moliia,, EcckUi ..fKirlmi, jj Onfn. Ccenoki, ?l»Iea ib Vrte tjuccn^ J. c»nobiuai. Xieemohiiaiiumi t'ceuobii. AT/:. .m-.ir-i'.,r, ,y-«(. Bi;,rr ^/ J-''-/i rr:-'/.. J) SrSl^t/l'ir*, X-h;,- O A Cha/itl n.if ,„ 'aj.Hr^i fiat/ If ir Sf ^ancr,i.tt.' C/i, £ ^ /ioyr Jfa/i ,./ Jt,„n. .,„/,/,'..;/ ,.. b'^fn part oi' u .'u; »!.• M: ./>,/. 51 look siicli state tij)oii liini, that \vljeii, on liis election, he was to receive tlie benediction of the arclihishop, he would not wait on him for it, but the arclibishop was to go to him. His monastery had also the ri;i;ht of the aldermanry of Westi^ate, in tiie city of Canterbury, wliich, in the year 1278, was let at lOl.^ At the dissolution, the revenues of this monas- tery were valued at 14121. 4s. 7d. [Within the enclosure of the monastery, upon the ground of the cemetery or burying-place, near the south-east corner of St. Ethelbert's towei, the foundation of a handsome and commodious buildinp: ^vas laid in 1791, called the Kent and Canterbury hospital, for the reception and relief of such sick and lame j^oor, from any part of tlie county, as require the aid of medicines, or advice. It was erected by a public subscription of 44961. of which sum 40501. were paid for the buildinj;, exclusive of the furniture. With the surplus in iiand, and some additional subscriptions, it was furnished, and opened on April 26, 1793: since which time its principal support has been by 9 Wc find in Dcr. Scrip, page 1915, that till Henry the Third's time, thr monks here used to shave one another, but, it seems, pretty roughly sonu'- timcs ; for abbot Roger then ordained, with consent of the body, that to prevent the hurts and dangers often owing to the clumsy and ignorant in that business, secular or lay barbers should have a room near the bath room, for shaving upon occasion ; when tliree coUects were to be said in memory of this benefaction, and for the soul of Roger the abbot. Leland says, " The whole space of ground from the two gates of the mo nastcry, to the ditch without tlie city wall, was once a cemetery, thougli now a great many houses are built there." And that, not long before he wrote, an urn had been found there, whicli, by an inscription on it, ap- peared to have once contained a body. He also mentions another foimd near St. I'ancrase's chapel, willi a heart in it; so tlia) this part of our suburb appears to have been n pl.irc of buri.il, loiip- before the bnildini; of tlie monastery itself. 52 volniitary contriliutions, which it is siiirerely hoped will continue to increase, and finally place this charitable institution upon such a permanent establishment, that accident and sickness may at all times find its gates open for their relief and comfort. Its usefulness in lesseninii, tlie miseries of human infirmity, has been eminently conspi- cuous; 22,104 in and out-patients having been relieved from 1793 to 1824. A little to the east of the hospital, and within the precincts of the abbey, stand the new sessions house, gaol, and house of correction for the eastern division of the county. These buildings were erected in 1808, and are much larger, and far more convenient than the former ones.] ^ 53 (HAP VIU Oj tSi. Ocori>e\s Gate and I he City. In my ( hapter of the walls and _i>atcs, that of ■St. (Jeoigc I left to be treated of, when 1 shoiid there begin my w alk in the city ; but before I enter, it will be proper to consider the placing of il, and its first name. Tlie name Newingate seems to distinguish it from the live other gates of the city, in point of age ; and it being placed at so small a distance from Burgate, shows that it was opened when this part of the city was become more frequented than formerly. Mr. Somner fancies it built as a more direct way into the heart of the city, from the Dover road : but the way is far from being a direct one, having four turnings between the Watling- street and the gate ; and if we place the heart of the city in the middle of it, this is vastly out of the way. Watling-street leads much more directly towards it ; and while the Romans had their garrison in the castle, the centre of the city was, probably, the centre of business. But when tliey had left Britain, and the Saxon kings of Kent had their palace in the north part of the city, this must make a difference, whicii grew still greater, when the two rich monasteries, flourishing in this fpiarter, drew votaries to them in swarms. Tliiit where St. Augustine, the pope's apostle, 54 and so many holy and eminent persons, lay buried, could vie with that of our Saviour, till the f;uue of St. Thomas Becket, the pope's martyr, put the matter out of dispute, and carried the whole tide of superstition before it. Then here was the centre of business, wliich attracted not only the trade of the city to it, but the city itself; leaving the southern parts very thin of inhabitants. Then a new gate hereabouts might become quite neces- sary : for pilgrims from foreign countries, as well as all parts of our own, flocked to the shrine of St. Thomas, in such numbers, that a hundred thousand of them are said to have visited it in one year. To this, therefore, I suppose, we may impute the opening and name of Newingate ; which at first, perhaps, was but an ordinary building, and of such mean appearance, as occasioned the pre- sent one to be erected, about the year 1470, much after the model of Westgate, but not so large or so lofty. Just without it, under the city wall, to the southward, is kept a market for live cattle every Saturday.^ In each tower of this gate is a cistern, from whence the city is supplied with excellent Avater, 1 In the 41st of the reign of George HI. an act of parliament passed, for " Enlarging, improving, and regulating the Cattle Market, within the city and county of the city of Canterbury." Under this act tlie corporation, at a very heavy expense, converted the whole of the ground lying between the site of St. George's and Riding-gates, (except a small part near the latter,) into the present commodious market, for the reception of all kinds of live stock : at the same time they erected some brick buildings at the entrance, for the residence of a tollinger and other purposes relating to the market, which have since been removed. In 1822, the tolls were let by auction, under a least for seven years, at the annual rent of 1071. 55 hy pipes, wilh puhlic ( «icks to every one of its niarkels, as well as (o the town hall, where thi« eireuinstaiiee will he meiilioned again. TIh^ parish ehur3, and a new one iaiilt by parish rate and voluntary gifts, in a quieter and more convenient situation just by, opened for the per- formance of divine service, by licence of the archbisliop, Dec. 26, 1773, and consecrated the ith day of Jidy following. The west end of St. Andrew's church stood where the way between Northgate and the castle crosses the walk we are now taking towards Wc^stgate. Here begins our High-street ; on the south sitle of which, and not far from the corner, is the church of St. Mary Bredman's parish, (united to that of St. Andrew,) against the wall of which a stone sliews it is fifty-six miles from London ; but some late improvements of that road have been made, which, if a new survey of the roads was taken, would remove this considerably to the eastward." •'' Sec further slatcmcnt in tlic Siatnnnn/ .tccuant in the last Cliapter. '•■ Tho lVu)giai)Iiia Uritannica, i)iiblishcil in 1717, under the article Abbot, page Ifi, says; " He built a fair conchiit in the city of Canterbury, for the " use of the inhabitants. He likewise intended to have left a yearly le- '■ venue for the support of that conduit, if lie had not been . By his will, dated ^0 April, 170*8, he gave to the mayor and commonalty of this city loOOl. to be invested in the funds, and the interest divided half-yearly by the mayor, rtcorder, and aldermen (who have been mayors) among the resident brothers and sisters in tin hospitals of Eastbridge, and St. John's-, and MaynardJs Spital. in or near (his city. On the left hand of the J)1. 60 JNext to luni is tlie portrait oi John Watson, with this inscription : John Watson, mayor, A. D. IGIJ, gave Iwo tenements and one meadow to the poor of this city, lie died in the 7&th year of his age, A. D. 1633. Immetliately adjoining the above, is a portrait of Leonard Cotton, bearing the following : Leonard Cotton, mayor of this city, A, D. 1500, gave (hrcc tenements to Maynard's Spital. He died in the BOth year of his age, the 24th of April, in 1G05. Underneath the portrait of Mr. Cotton, is one of Richard Halford, esq. who was 33 years chamberlain of this city. He died 2G, Nov. 1823, aged 69. Behind the bench, on the right and left of the chief magistrates' chair, are whole length portraits of Charles Robinson, esq. who represented the city in two successive parliaments, and who was recorder of Canterbury and the Cinque-ports, forty-three years: and of James Simmons, esq. embracing a distant view of the Dane John hill, which he munificently improved for the accom- modation of the public ; and bearing in his hand a plan of an intended navigation to the sea, in which he felt a deep interest, and for the accom- plishment of which he made great exertions. On the right hand side of the hall, from the chair, is a portrait of Joseph Colfe, esq. alder- man of the city of Canterbury, who died 24th of June, 1620, aged 62 years. Adjoining the above, on the same side, is the portrait of John Cooan, with the following words : > 61 John Cogan, ot Cantdbury, i;«iit. y,avi by his will, Jatiil July "27, A. D. Miol , bis house in St. Peter's, and lauds else- where, to six niinisterr.' poor widows: l-'il. annually to three maid servants : clothiup^ six girls, and keeping the house re- paired. On the o{)pnsiU' side is a portrait of Henry IvoiiiNsoN of thiscity, whohydwd, April28, J(J42, i;ave lOOl. the interest of which is yearly to l)e paid (o a young freeman, who was put out by the over- seers of the poor. And near the above hangs a portrait, supposed to be that of Sir John Boys.] To these I sliall add some benefactions h'ft to the freemen of the city of Canterbury for tlte encouragement of industry antl track', by persons who have not portraits here, as well as fiu'ther explain the donations of those who have. Sir Thomas White (who has a portrait here) gave nine hundred pounds for the profit of young beginners, freemen, and traders in the city ; to be lent out to them in parcels of twenty-five pounds, lo each poor freeman for the space of ten years, without interest, and to give their own bond, and such other security as the court of biughmote shall think proper and surticient ; to re])ay the saitl twenty-five poimds, after tlic ten years are expired, into tiie chairl)er of tlie city, to be lent out again to the same intt^nt and purposi' as afore- said. N. 13. Tit tailers of woollen clotli to be })referred befor(> all otliers.' "•' The tullowing account of Sir Thomas White 't; donation is given by the Rev. R. Warnner, in the history of Hath : — " The patrioti.sni of private peopU^ was not waiitinj,' (touanls the close of the KJtli eentiiry) to second the elForts of (he national synod, and to jrive visrour and extension to the clothing manufacture by individual niunilicencc. 62 Mr. JojinWiiitfielu, (l)ofore-meiitioiied,) gave one liiuidred ajid fifty pounds to be lent out to poor tradesmen, freemen ol' the said city, in par- ceh of five-and-twenty pounds a piece, 2;ratis, for five years, but no longer, nor twice to one man, upon such security as the house of burghmote slrall (H'der, direct, and approve of, and so to be lent out and taken in for ever. And when any sum of twenty-five pounds shall be repaid into the chamberlain's hands, he shall give notice thereof at the next court of burghmote after tlie payment, iliat it may be known for some other freeman to Sir Thomas Wiitc, who had been himself a clothier, and lord mayor of London, in the year 1354, made a deed of settlement (dated the 1st of July, 1566,) to the corporation of Bristol, liy which he c^ave the sum of 2,0001. for the following purposes : — In the first place, an estate was to be purchased with the same as speedily as convenient, out of the rents and profits of which the sum of 1001. was to be i-esorved aunually for the first eight years, and the sum of 8001. accumulated : this was then to be divided into sixteen portions of 501 each, and lent, in that portion, to sixteen young- men of good name and character, in the clothing line, free from all interest, for the term of ten years. At the expiration of this term the proportions were to be returned, and again lent to other young men for the same period, and upon similar conditions ; and so on in succession for ever. The rents and profits of the ninth and tenth years were to raise a fund of 2001. to be expended in the purchase of corn, again to be retailed out to the poor of the city of Bristol, for ready money, but without any advance of price. Out of the rents of the eleventh j'car, the sum of 1041. was to be raised, and given to the city of York, to be lent to such artisans or manufacturers of the said city, (clothiers to be preferred,) as were about to set up their trades, for the term of ten years, without interest ; and at the expiration of this period to be lent to others with equal advantages. Two and twenty other corporate bodies were named to receive the same beneficial donation in annual succession for ever, preserving their turns according to the following list : — 1577 York 1585 West Chester , 151)3 Shrewsbury 1578 Canterbury 1586 Northwich 1594 Lynn 157!) Reading 1587 Southamton 1595 Bath 1580 Merchant Taylors 1588 Lincoln 1596 Derby 1581 Gloucester 1589 Winchester 1597 Ipswich 1582 Worcester 1590 Oxenford 1598 Colchester 1583 Exeter 1591 Hereford East 1599 Newcastle." 1584 Salisbury 1^92 Cambridge 63 pcliiion for it, irrul i\\v chanihorlain, ortown-clcrk, may y;\\e a noAc to i\w cxiTutors oli" the said Mr. \Vliitli('l(l, to iiiibrm him, Ik»^v ami to whom the money i« hnt. And, tliat once in three or four vears, such |)ersons as siiall have the tVeeliold aniiug man, who Mas 64 \}uiu ill the city, and who lias served seven years apprenticeship to some tratle in the same, being- bound thereunto by*the churchwardens and over- seers of some parish witliin tlie said city, towards the stocking- or setting liim up in his said trade. The said young man is from time to time, to be chosen and nominated by the mayor, recorder, and al- dermen of the said city, whereof the mayor or recorder always to be one : and whoever receives the said money, shall enter into bond with one or more securities, to be approved of by the mayor, recorder, and aldermen (of the penalty of ten pounds) to be paid to the chamberlain for the repayment of the said money, in case that he shall give over or leave off his trade, within two years after receiving the said money. And provided, that no young man, answering- the above descrip- tion, applies for the said hve pounds, then it may be given to any other young man who was born in the city, and has served his apprenticeship to jsome trade in the same, he giving security as aforesaid. Behind the court is a large and handsome par- lour, for withdrawing into occasionally, and over it a room, in which the chamberlain keeps the standards for weights and measures, with the books and accounts of the city business. Near the door of the Court-hall, is one of the public water-cocks before mentioned, and in the wall above it, a stone brought hither from arch- bishop Abbot's conduit, when that was pulled down, on which is the following inscription : " Sir John Hales, bart. brought his excellent water from St. Austin's into tliis city at his own Designed by Fredi Hack fErerfr,/ Afi'AJ inUrbury. FuHishidi ■ 65 expense, ajino dom. 1733 ; which noble benefac- tion is here gratefully remembered by the mayor and commonalty of the said city." And on another stone under it : " N. B. The above generous benefaction is still continued by Sir Edward Hales, liart. 8th May, 1754/' '' [On the north side of High-street, and immedi- ately adjoining the Guild-hall, is Guild-hall-street, which was cut in 1806 ; for which an act of parlia- ment had previously been obtained. This street im- mediately leads to Palace-street, the direct road to Margate and Ramsgate, by which travellers to that part of the coast avoid not only the narrow and dangerous turning of Mercery-lane, through which they were formerly obliged to pass, but save a considerable distance in their journey. In this street stands the Independent or Presbyterian cha- pel, erected in 1696, but which, at the time the new street was cut, underwent much alteration, and was new fronted. On the opposite side of the way, in the same street, stands the Philosophical and Literary Institution, erected in 1825, the front of w hich is ornamented with four columns, similar to those of the Ionic Temple on the river Ilis- sus, at Athens. It has an exhibition room, 45 feet by 30, surmounted by a domical ceiling of ingenious construction, the height of which is 27 feet from the floor. On the top of the dome is a skylight, which throws an efjual light over the room. There is a lecture room capable of con- taining 200 persons ; and also a committee room, 10 This stone has long since been removed, and the water is now, and has been for some time, continued by the corporation. 66 library, and four convenient rooms on the base- ment floor. This elegant building was erected by the members of the institution, aided by a liberal subscription from the inhabitants of the city and neighbourhood, for the purpose of af- fording accommodation for the delivery of public lectures, the exhibition of a curious and extensive Museum, and for other objects connected with scientific and literary pursuits. An association, under the title of the Historical or Friendly So- ciety, was established so long back as 1769 ; but it never rose to much importance till very lately, when through the exertions of a few public spi- rited and literary young men, the institution was reorganised, and the whole establishment placed on a footing, at once consistent with the impor- tance of its object, as well as creditable to the city itself. The number of members is consi- derable, and comprises the names of many re- spectable and intelligent individuals. Lectures on science and general literature, are delivered alternately, with discussions on moral and histo- rical subjects.] Proceeding still westward, on the left hand, is Jury, or rather Jewry-lane, for the Jews were formerly settled here, and had a school, or syna- gogue, till they were expelled the kingdom by king Edward I. and their houses seized by him. Several old vaults hereabouts are supposed by Mr. Somner, to be the remainder of their build- ings ; but in digging a cellar within these twenty years, a curiosity of another kind was found, not above three or four feet below the level of the street : it was a fair mosaic pavement of a carpet >o J3ft* ■Htti 67 . |);)tt(M'n, llic frssalla^ of l)uint oartli, red, yellow, l)la('k, and white ; their shapes and sizes difll'erent, some nearly an inch over, others very small, laid on a bed of mortar, of snch hardness, and so thick, that with care it might have been preserved entire, but for want of that, was broken into three or four pieces, some of which were afterw ard carried away and joined. What was saTed of it was, perhaps, three feet broad and five long' ; but party-walls prevented the size of the whole from being ascertained.'^ Jewry-lane, making an elbow, leads to Lamb- lane : we leave the end of both on our left hand, and that of Best's-lane, with All Saints church on the right, and so come to King's-ljridge (called sometimes East-bridge, to distinguish it from tliat witliout Westgate) and the hospital of the same name, which crosses the river with it on the left hand. East-bridge hospital, Mr. Somner says, was erected and endowed by St. Thomas Becket, for which he quotes the preamble of those ordinances or statutes, which arch])ishop Stratford gave for the good government of it, in 1342 ; where it is said to have been founded for the receiving, lodg- ing, and sustaining of poor ])ilgrims, for one night (mly, if in health, witii right of burial in Christ church-yard, for such of them as should happen to die within the hospital. A master, in priest's orders, and a vicar under him, had the care of this, in which were to be 1 1 In (liffD:ing the foundation of sonic houses, in 1824, a continuation of this pavement was discovercil, wliich has been jirescrvccl by Mr. James llcarter, of High-street, in whose possession it now remains. 1-2 68 twelve lieds, with an a£!;e(l woman to look after them, and provide all necessaries for the pilgrims. The present building' is ancient, and has a de- cent hall and chapel, where a schoolmaster (who has a good apartment in the house, and is called the reader) instructs thirty boys, gratis, in reading, writing, and arithmetic. There are rooms also for five in-brothers, and five in-sisters ; but some of these rooms are subject to be flooded in very wet seasons, a mill just below the bridge so in- cumbering the channel of the river, that the part of St. Peter's-street, next the bridge, is at such times under water. ^- William Cokyn, citizen of Canter])ury, built an hospital in St. Peter's-street about the year 1200, on the south side, almost opposite to the Black Friars gate, near a lane, called Cokyn's- lane, now shut up and built upon ; and dedicated it to St. Nicholas and St. Catharine the Virgin and Martyr. Many lands were given by other persons to this hospital before its founder united it to East- bridge, about 12.30. Not long after this union, the brethren and sisters of this hospital were removed to that of East-bridge, and the mansion-house leased to a tenant. Cogan's hospital is also in St. Peter's-street, on the soutl* side. Mr. Cogan, of the city of Canterbury, gave by will, dated July 27, 1057, his mansion-house in St. Peter's, Canterbury, in trust to the mayor and corporation, for the habitation of six poor widows of clergymen of the diocese of Canter- bury, and endowed it with the lands of the late '- This mill is now taken away, and a lianilsonie dwellirif!: house ei-ected on the site. GO arclibisliop, lyin^ in Littlebourn ; Imt tliese being resLimt'd at ttit' restoration, the house only re- mained unendowed. This was, however, in \(VJ(), in some measure compensated by the benefaction of Dr. Aucher, a prebendary of the cathedral, who vested an estate in trustees for the payment of ten pounds a year to six clergymen's widows, j^iving; a preference to those in Cogan's house. This house was, some time since, put into sub- stantial repair from private subscriptions.^^ The way over King's-bridge wanting convenient breadth, was widened in 17(j9, on which occasion it was found necessary to take down tlie steeple of All Saints church, which stood quite into the street. The bridge brings us into that part of the city which, by the branching of the river, stands in an island, formerly known by the name Binnewith, now almost forgotten. The street from lience to Westgate takes its name from St. Peter's cliurch, whicli stands a litttle way out of the street to the northward, at about the mi(hlle of its length ; but before we get so far, we pass by an entry on the left, which leads to the ruins of tiie Fianciscan or Grey Friars' monastery, and Cokyu's h(>spitai ; on the right, l)y the gateway of the Jilack or Dominican ones. This is faced with scjuare Hints, but not Discovered in 1()1);>, ;uul described liy Doctor Stijiio dcs Monlitis, in the I'liilobophical Transactions, No. 312. 73 shoiild l)t' (Imnk on tlic spot, to he srrviceable. Aiiother peculiarity is, that cliirin*;- the severest seasons tliese waters never have tlie sliglitest ten- dency to become frozen. Evejy morning- durinp,- the summer months, a j)erson is in attenchmce to wait on those who drink the waters, and the eflect of the medicine may he considerably auj^mented l)y the exercise of walking in the nursery, which is tilled with beautiful and rare exotics.] We have now the church yard wall of Holy Cross, ^'' Westgiite, on our left hand, where we see the church too, just as we arrive at the gate- house. Westgate and its bridge are the boundary here l>otii of Canterbury and its jurisdiction; the broad street without being in the county of Kent, and at St. Dunstan's church, ^^ a quarter of a mile from the gate, it is divided into two roads, one turning to the south to get into the line of Watling-street, from London ; the other proceeding, as in the plan, for Whitstable. By the side of this is a place of burial for Jews, and another not far front it for Quakers. [In 8t. Dunstan's-street stands a long range of building, converted into school rooms for theedu- l*"' In the time of kiup; llicliiird the Second, Holy Cross ehureli was (as is now Northg-ate) over the cjate, which when archhishoj) Siulhury took down and rcl)iiilt, he erected the present church, and a(hleears to have been above it, but it is now become jjart of the several houses which wanted the room these galleries took up. From Mercery-lane we cross High-street into St. Margaret's, the corner of which, on our right I'J This pump has been long rciiiovod, cxcejit as a sign, which is preserved by a respectable tradesman adjoining. ^" This staircase has given way to nuKlern improvements, and the only one now remaining on the left is that which belongs to the adjoining house, and which is ()f modern construction. 76 liand, has, perhaps, the largest and most elegant assembly room, built by a private owner, in the whole kingdom."^ A little beyond this is our Fish-market, (rebuilt in 1822,) near enough to the sea to be served with fish, from Folkstone and other places on our coast, in a few hours after they are landed. The east end of St. Margaret's church"^ is on the same side, a little farther, the street reaching to Watling-street ; and here Castle-street begins, which has nothing remarkable in it, unless Chapel church-yard be so, for being the burying place of three parishes in the city, distant from it, (but without church yards of their own,) and of St. Mildred's near it, which has one. The plan will shew what a round-about way we take by Wincheap-gap, to get to the line from Castle-street to that of Wincheap, througli the old Worthgate. Crossing this line without the wall, and passing by that gate and the castle, we are soon at the postern opening into St. Mildred's church- yard. Hereabouts, as I have already observed, are some remains visible of the Roman wall, and a very fair arch of Roman brick, at the west end of the south isle of that church. Possibly the Christians of the Roman garrison, 21 At the corner of St. Margaret's, under the assembly room, is a public bank, and a few paces higher, another. -2 Here is an ecclesiastical court, in which the archbishop once in four years visits the clergy of the neighbouring part of his diocese. Two other visitations are annually held here by the archdeacon or his official, one for his clergy, the other for churchwardens only ; the parishes exempt from his jurisdiction being visited by the commissary, at the time he is pleased to appoint. Here also, and in a court he has in the body of the cathedral, causes of fornication, defamation, and other ecclesiastical disputes, are tried before surrogates appointed to that office. 77 at the rastlc, had a rlinpol tlirre, for tliey wriv a lonj"' way fVom St. Martin's, and the phice where the cathedral now stands. From St. Mildred's church-yard we enter Stour-street, parallel to the river, and at no ij;reat distance from it. Some little lanes cross it, one of which, on the right, is called Spital-lane, from Maynard's hospital there. "^ This street is also called St. Mildred's, till we come to another crossing; it, called Beercart-lane, from Brewer's drays usually standing" there, but indeed, a con- tinuation of Watling-street, leading down to the waterlock, a name given to those places \^here horses can go down to drink at the river. At the corner here is the City Workhouse, for- merly an hospital for poor priests."* 1 From the workhouse we go by Lamb-lane to King's-bridge, leaving Ilawk's-lane, and one end of .lewry-lane on the right hand, the bridge and 23 By Mr. Somner's account, Maynard, or Mayner, was called the rich. Flc dedicated iiis hospital to the Blessed Virgin, and endowed it with rents in the city, to the value of ;U. 7s. per annum, and six acres of wood, in tlie parish of Fordwich. lnscri[)tion on Maynard's hospital : " This house and chapel was founded hy John Maynard, for three bro- tliers and four sisters, j-lntio Domini, 1317, in the 12th year of the reign of Kintc I'^dward the Second." " This work was finislu'd, and tlie cliapel rejiaired, in the year of our Lord 1(»17, l)y .loseph Coif, esquire, .ilderinan of the city of Canterbury and M. of this hospital." Cotton's hospital, adjoininf,' to it, was erected by Leonard Cotton, who was mayor of C'anlerbury, l.'iSO. 24 Granted by (jueen ICli/abcth in ir)74, to the Mayor and Commonalty of the city, who make use of it for the maintenance and lodging of several poor boys and as a house of correction, called the Bridewell ; the boys are called Bridewell-boys, or Blue-coat boys, from their dress, in which they usually attend the Mayor, when he goes in his formalities to the cathedral or his own parish church. In 1728, it was, by :ict of parlianu^nt, a]ipointed to be the workliouse, for the maintenance and employment of the poor of the city, under gu.-irdians, incorporated for th.at purjjosc. 78 All Saints cluirch (after crossinp: Hi^h-street at the lower end) on the left, where we enter Best's- lane, and soon see the river again, and another waterlock, with Prince of Orange-lane coming- down to it from the Red Pump. At this water- lock a narrow stone bridge leads us southerly to St. Peter's-street, by the boundary of the Black Friars that way. The east one is by the street side, and just within it is a Meeting-house, erected in 17G4 [by the Wesleyan Methodists, who occupied it till they built a new one in St. Peter's-street, in 1811. This old chapel has lately been purchased by the Particular Baptists, who have gone to a con- siderable expense in altering and improving it.] A little further is another turning into this friary, where the General Baptists have a burying place and also a meeting-house, the western walls of which towards the river, have much the appear- ance of an old chapel : a wooden bridge here,*^ crossing the river, gives a view of them on one hand, and on the other, of some old Gothic arches, supported by pillars in the river, over which was once a pretty spacious building, per- haps a kitchen, or some other convenient office. Best's-lane, [King's-street] continued a little farther, brings us to a crooked lane, on the north side of this friary, leading ns to a large water-mill, for grinding and dressing of wheat, below which is another waterlock, where the curious old arches were destroyed in 17G9, and in our way, near the mill, we see an ancient stone door-case, ~'^ There is no bridge at the present time, neither has there been for several years, but it is very desirable that one should be placed here, as it would be a considerable accommodation to the neighbourhood. 79 [)(Tlia|)S a hack door to tlic honse of the Knii^lits TenipJars, l)Jit no ivniains ol' that arc now to he seen in Bests-lane, [Kings-street] wlierc probably Avas the front of it. This lane ends here, aj^ainst another ancient door way of stone, where tlie priests of the Black Prince's chantery had once their honse, and the {)lac(! is still, or was some years ago, privileged under the Board of Green Cloth. We are now got round to the borough of Staplegate again, and in sight of the Greencourt- gate, but shall not enter the precinct of the cathedral there, Burgate-street, one of the most frequented, l)eing yet unnoticed, the west end of which will bring us to Christ church-gate, the j)rincipal one of its precinct, and answering the most populous part of the city. The houses on the north side of this street, range along the south boundary of the church precinct, and are so situated, that most of tlient have their fronts in the city liberty, and their ])ack rooms not so: in consequence of which, the chil- dren of the freemen dwelling here, have or have not a right to take out their freedom as native citizens, according to which part of the house they are born in.^'' The street is almost parallel to that of St. George, and several lanes commu- nicate witii both. That nearest the city wall has an ancient stone building on the west side of it, about the middle of its length. The next is called Canterbury-lane, from a family of that name, in which is a meeting-house -'' This is an error lately exploded, as the children of freemen are ad- milted to their freedom born in any part of those houses. 80 for tlie Quakers. lronl)ar-lane, the next to tliis, has nothing: remarkable in it ; hut between these and by the street side, is Burgate parish church, dedicated to St. Mary Magdalen. Butchery-lane (so called from the chief trade of it) is tiie next we come to, and presently after we see our But- ter-market, "^ with a house over it, supported by handsome pillars of oak. 27 Mr. J. Somner's donation of the rooms over the butter-market, is contained in a little tract of his own, of which this is the title : A true RAu- tion or Accompt of the whole Procedure hetween the corporation of Cniilirhiiry, tend Air. John Somner, concerning the new market-house there — .London, printed 1666. Mr. John Somner was brother to William Somner the antiquarian, and seems to have been no less studious of the welfare and improvements of his native place, than his brother was of its history and antiquities. But the returns he met with from the corporation pi-ovokedliim to publish this little pamphlet of two sheets, as a mirrour (to use his own woi'ds in the preface) " representing not the ill requital and unworthy usuage of Archbishop Abbot, the founder of their noble conduit, by a prevailing faction among their predecessors, (see note, chap, viii.) but the unworthy entertainment of a new piece of beneficence by a like faction in the present corporation ; not- withstanding that foundation of gratitude, and better usuage from them, but newly laid by the benefactor, as being chiefly active and instrumental in procuring new gates for the city, impiously robbed of their old by the rebels, from the late Archbishop Juxon." (See note, chap, ii.) In this book he tells us, that after a long and tedious expectation that some who were better able would have accommodated the city with so use- ful and ornamental a building, rather than the place of his nativity should any longer suffer under the reproach of so great a defect, and not doubting of the encouragement of the virtuous undertaking by the courteous accept- ance of it from his fellow citizens, by the city's free permission, and with the expense of four hundred pounds and upwards, he erected and completed a market house (a piece of such elegancy as much commends the architect) consisting of a double story, divided into two fair rooms a piece, with a pavement of stone underneath, very useful for walking out of market time; and all this, says he, (in my intentions) dedicated to public and pious uses, without any jot of profit or advantage, reserved either for me or mine. His proposals to the mayor and court of burghmote, on their sealing his lease, were on his part so far to renounce his own interest in that part of the superstructure which looketh westward, as freely to admit them to a parti- cipation with him of the use of the chamber there, at all times when they, or any six of them, should have occasion to meet there on any public ac- compt ; and that during his life, and the life of Mr. William Somner, his 81 Tilt' market days are Wednesday and Saturday, supplying the town plentifully (on the latter day brother, if he should survive : secondly ; to permit the use of it to the six companies of the city, viz. the Drapers,* Taylors, Mercers, Grocers, Car- penters, Smiths, and Shoemakers (these are his words) for their meetings on their companies' affairs, for the same term ; and, after his and his bro- ther's decease, to give the said room in perpetuity for the uses and pur- poses abovesaid. Tiiirdly ; he presently j^ives up to them (tlie mayor and burphmote) and their successors, the garret over the chamber at the east end of the market house, for a store-house for a stock of corn for the poor of the six out- parishes of the city, Westgate, St. Dunstan's, Northgate, St. Paul's, St. Mildred's, and St. George's, and that of St. Alphage, an in-parish, (because he was born there) and to handsel the place, and set an example of charity to others, engages to lay in there at his own charge for that use, twenty seams of wheat, as soon as the room can be fitted to receive it ; to be kept there against a time of dearth, and then be delivered out at such price as the stock may thereby be renewed, with such advantage as the mayor and aldermen for the time being shall think fit : and hopes, the room being of a capacity to hold twice as much, his example will excite others of more ability to add to the stock : promising, if it should please God to stir u]) such a number of benefactors as might require it, that he would freely part with the other garret or store-house for the same use. Fourthly ; he gives them a room under the first staircase, as the rent of it may pay for cleaning the market and turning the corn. On the part of city he requires, that the mayor and aldermen may be obliged to perform their part as touching the ordering and managing the stock of corn for the poor. Secondly ; that both they and the companies shall engage for keeping the whole market house from time to time in needful repair, at their own costs and charge. Thirdly ; that the door-keeper of the chamber, &c. shall be left to the nomination of himself or brother during their life time. Fourthly ; that the market should be made for ever a free market botli for town and country. Fifthly ; that no huckster be permitted to buy any thing there to sell there again. Sixthly ; that the country people coming with provisions to sell in the market may have what room the place will afford, and not be turned out by those who sell herbs, roots, or other huckstry ware. To which he adds, that to clear himself of all suspicion of self ends, he is willing to forego the benefit of the eastern chamber, to be let by himself or the mayor, &C. and the rent to go to the relief of the ten in-brothers and in sisters of East-])ridge hospital. .\t first, he says, these proposals were received with unanimous approba- • Tin- Di.ipcis ami Tajlors :iio one Coiiipiiin , G 82 especially) with all articles of the poultry kind, as well as garden stuff, and the fruits of the sea- son, from the country round us, (particularly from Sandwich,) beside what is brought every day in the week by the gardeners in and about the city. Many of the buildings in this neighbourhood seem to have been great inns, for receiving the sM^arms of pilgrims who visited our cathedral. How many of our present shops and tenements were once one house, can best be judged by th(3 roofs, several of which are of great extent and age. The north corners of Butchery-lane have this appearance ; so have those of Mercery-lane, and several others, under which the spacious vaults show, that if they were not built for inns, they were very fit for that purpose ; and their tion and applause, and a committee appointed for settling the affair, which was afterwards propounded in burghmote, where after thanks returned to him, writings were ordered to be drawn up for that purpose, to which on perusal he made some exceptions ; but, when he had been so far satisfied concerning them by the recorder, that he was ready to close with them on tlieir own terms, another burghmote was called ; when it was determined, that as the repairs were to be cast on the corporation, they would none of it; they would not take a house to keep it in repair for him and his brother to walk in. On this he tells us, he^lropped his design, so far as to take what he in- tended for the public good to his own house, all but the corn, which he should bestow where it would be better accepted. This also, he says, changed the minds of many gentlemen and others who had declared their forwardness in such a bountiful way of contribution, as probably would soon have filled both the storehouses, and laid in four- score quarters of corn. If to this, and what has been said above, I add, tliat till Mr. Somner's market house was erected, the place was called the bull-stake (from baiting bulls there) and that his lease expired at Michaelmas, 1764, the reader has the completcst account that I can give him of this building, and the magni- ficent design of its founder. [In 1789, the building over the butter market, which had been many years used as a theatre, was pulled down, many of the timbers being much decayed, and another building erected by the corporation, at the expense of 4.^)01. In 1821 it was again repaired and entirely new roofed.] ( 'HRl ST ( 'HFR (J I ( v\TE C'ATTEIi ]JrRY *HOCOln'S CO^STR^-CTVW esT ANN06OMIIMI h1II,L6SlMOQVlNGeMTe:SIHO vSeClhrlO .vepTiwo lTi.irr//if/,'n i>fi //if C/'f/z/tv orvr //ir (T^/(-//'t/// 83 sifnation was certainly the more commodious for beiii^- near the gate of the monastery, where so many paid their vows and offerings. Bnt before we enter tliis, it may not be amiss to mention two or three particuhirs, which have not fallen in our way. One of these is the church of St. Mary Bredin, or Little Lady Dungil, not far from Ridingate, w ith very few habitations near it."*^ [Another is the Theatre, erected in 1700, (when the building over the Butter-market, before used for that purpose, was taken down) adjoining an entrance leading into a small court, calleil the Dancing School yard ; the buildings round which, now used as a wool warehouse, were formerly the mansion and residence of Sir Thomas More, lord chancellor of England, who was beheaded in the reign of king Henry VIII. and another is the neat chapel in Watling-street, lelonging to the connexion of the late countess of Huntingdon.] These are in the city ; and without it, in a lane leading from St. Sepulchre's nunnery to Longport, is an ancient house, called the Cliantry, giving name to the lane it stands in. I come now to survey our cathedral and its precinct, entering at its principal gate, "A very goodly, strong, and beautiful structure, and of excellent artifice, (says Mr. Somner,) built in the year 1517, as appears by this now scarcely legible inscription : Hoc opus constructum est anno Do- mini millesimo quingentesimo [decimo] scptimo.'' — How the word decimo came to be overlooked by him, we can only guess, for the words are all at -"' Since the- above was written the population of this nciu;hbourhood has imich increased, particularly during the last few years. ci 2 84 length in capitals, a s}ian lone,-, taking up the depth and almost tlie length of a rornice a little above the ai'ch, which rnns along the front of the building, and turns round the two octagonal tow- ers, at the corners of it. Age indeed has made the cornice and inscrip- tion pretty nearly of the same colour,"'^ so that it does not take the eye, though it is legilile enough Avith a little attention ; l)ut however it ha})pened, Mr. Somner m-ade the mistake, and Mr. Battely continued it. 29 Time has also dissolved most of its beautiful ornaments ; it was other- wise so much decayed, that in 1803 it was partly rejiairt'd with I'ortlanc! stone, nearly jilain. 85 (JHAJV 1\. lyigrcssion. Many writers think tliry do justice to their siihject and their readers, if they i)id)lish iiothiiii;- hilt what they can quote authors of credit tor, or report from tlie mouth of eye witnesses/ How greatly they are mistaken, appears in al- most every descriptive publication we can meet with, if an opportunity oft'ers of comparing* what we read with what we see; and a careless eye witness may he worse than none. Mr, Dart came to see our cathedral, and did see it most certainly ; hut it is one thin,i>; to see, and another to observe. In pa.2;e .30 he mentions Nevil's chapel as a "dark'' one : had he got the wooden shutters opened, he would have found tli;»t almost the whole south side of it is window. In s[)eaking of King Henry's monument, he says, tliat "at the feet of it is an ancient painting of Becket's murder." Tlie picture at the feet is a crowned angel, holding a tabh't or escutcheon of arms. The picture of the murth'r is lived to two pillars, near the head of the tomb, which support I Al)iii\ury any thing like what it is described in Camdens Britannia.^ 3 In 178", an act of luuliamcnt was passed, for (lavinp, liplitin;r, watdi- iiig, and othcrwibc improving this ancient city ; under wliith, in the space 88 Our parish churches too are small and low, few of them rising so as to be seen above the roofs of the houses, except by their steeples, which are mostly square towers, without spires, and of a moderate height. The number of the parish churches, in the city and suburbs, is fifteen. How can we account for such a misrepresenta- tion of our city, but by supposing Mr. Camden trusted for his description to some native of it, who was resolved it should make a pompous figure in a work which would be read by many who might never see the place ; and to this end, imposing his own inventions on a person who depended on his knowledge and veracity, led that eminent historian to publish an account which has hardly a word of truth in it. Mr. Camden's capacity and diligence were cer- tainly very great, but his undertaking was greater than any one man w as erpial to without assistance: by this, without doubt, he might be deceived, and in this instance it is evident that he was so. To the same cause we may impute his placing our cathedral in the heart of the city, \^In medio of two years, the whole was new paved, the carriage ways in the principal streets with Guernsey pebbles, and the footpaths, iu all, with Yorkshire squared stone, defended by a strons; kirb, of Scotch granite. The streets now, instead of being dark and dirty, and encumbered with signs' bulks, posts, spouts, and other encroachments and annoyances, are open and airy, clean swept, and nightly guarded by able watchmen. And in addition to the above act, by which the city was lighted by a number of oil lamps, one has since been obtained by which it is now liglitedwith gas. Other improvements have been adopted, and arc still further extending, both in the city and the suburbs For his zealous and successful endeavours in promoting public improvements, and his patriotic conduct as treasurer to the commissioners iif the pavement, the court of burghmote, in 178t), unanimously voted their public thanks, acc()nii)anying the same with a piece of plate of the value of '>01. to Mr AMernuin Simmons. 89 fHiasi urbis sinu,^ which is just as false, i lul will be a disf'Tace to his Uriltmuia, tliough it siiould |l;o through ever so many editions, unless the eilitors bestow part of their labour in correcting, as well as enlarging it. But this could not be Mr. Battely's case ; his work lay within a small compass ; his residence was in our neighbourhood ; his brother's was in his prebendal house. No. 1. so situated, that part of it lies parallel to the cathedral, and the rest oi it extends more eastward, to within one hundred yards of the city wall. See the plan. Yet he was so biassed in favour of Mr. Camden, as to copy his mistakes, and say, in contradiction to Mr. Somner, "the church which St. Augus- tine found, on his first arrival, in the east part of the city, was St. Martin's church ; for the church dedicated to our Saviour, stands not in the east part, but as it were in the middle of the city." See Buttely's Somner, page 84. But, indeed, St. Martin's is not in the city at all, nor within three furlongs of it ; the whole precinct of St. Augustin(;'s monastery lying be- tween them, besides other buildings and roads, "^riiis, the map he has copied from Mr. Somner, as well as the prospect of St. Augustine's monastery from the toj) of our great tower, both whicli he gave to Dugdale's Monasticon, sliew very })lainly ; and also, that the cathedral is as certainly in tlic east part of the city, as that it is the "Ciirist Church" of which lie published the descri})tion. I have thought it necessary to say all this, in order to prepare my reader ior the liberty 1 siiall 90 take of paying, just the same regard to the old monkish writers, as to those of later times, and, perhaps, of offering conjectures of my own, when their histories appear inconsistent with such evi- dences as may be appealed to at this day. -^ ^ ^ N^ ^^^ 91 CHAP. X. The Descrijition resumed. 1 RETURN now to Clirist-Chuich-gatc, wheiv i'liteiing its i)recinct, we find some shops on each hand, tlio place ])eing; well situated for trade, and particularly to such as are not frtxnnen of the city.' But our attention is more strongly attracted by a lofty tower, at the south-west corner of the body, with foui- handsome pinnacles, very strongly built and buttressed from the ground to the top, in which is a ring of ten bells,- and a clock which strikes the quarters on two of them, as it does the hours on one much larger than any of the peal, (l)eing 7,500 weight,) which hangs above the leaden platform under a shed. At the foot of this steeple is the south porch, very rich in carved work, in four niches, in which statues of the four murderers of St. Thomas Becket are said to have stood. The steeple has l>een called Bell Dunslansteeph', from a bell of that name ; or the Oxford steeple, from Archbishop Chicheley, who built the greatest |)art of it, but dying, left the finishing to Prior Cioldstone, about 1453. 1 The number of shops in this part has gradually decreased, and it is now by no means considered so eligible for general business as when the above was penned. - The tenor of this peal, which was recast in 1778, weighs 3.'i cwt. T^vo new bells were added to the peal in 1802. Mr. I'einianl, in liis journey fioni London to Dover, vol> 1, p. 157, mistakes this tower for Bell Ilnrti/. 92 Possibly Archbishop Chicheley mi<2,hi liinssclt' name this the Oxford steeple for the h)ve lie l)or«' to that University, where All Souls College ho- nours him as its founder. Some call it the chimes, as the bells which chime to service hang- here : others name it from Bell Dunstan, given by Prior Molasch, and ])aptized by that name. Mr. Battely, in page '24, gives the Latin record of that ceremony, which some of my readers may be glad to see in English. "The great Bell at Canterbury. "A. D. 1459, June 14, Richard, Lord Bishop of Rochester, " in the body of the church blessed the great Bell in honour of St. Dunstan with much solemnity ; the prior robed m pontijicalibus attending. "This bell was cast in London, 1430, in the time of William Molasch." How often it has been new cast, I need not en- (piire : when cracked in 1758, an attempt was made to repair it by soldering, and a great deal of rubbish was hoisted up the bell-loft to prevent danger of lire. The experiment failed, and the rubbish, to save trouble, was thrown down on the west side. This demolished the key stone of the great window here; which was the head of an up-hooded monk, well carved, and in good preservation ; but now all that remains of it is a scrap of the drapery. It has been called the head of Prior Chillenden, who died in 1411. But if •' There seeins to be sonii^ error in tlie dates ; W. Molasch was elected ))iio)', 1428, and died, 14;}7. John Lowe was bislu)]) of Rochester in 1459. Kichard F^itzjanies (the only bishop whose name was Richard in that cen- tury) jiad licence ol" consecrati(>n siraiiLed, 1 1'.l/. the build ino; of tliis stooplc was in Imml at Arcli- hislioj) C'liicholey's death in 1 143, I should rather tliink it is that of William Molasch, who appears lo have studied architecture under Chillenden, (as will he mentioned hereafter,) or of Thomas Goldstone the elder, who finished this tower. As we proceed, the view of the church opens finely upon ns : we see the south side of the body, u ith part of the western cross aisle, and that stately tower called Bell Harry stee})le, which for the elegant proportions of the building itself, and of its ornaments, is perhaps the completest beauty of that kind any where to be seen. This noble 1)uilding was begun by Prior Selling, and finished by his successor Prior Thomas Gold- stone, the second of that name, assisted by the great Archbishop Morton. The devices of both these are among its ornaments, so is that of Arch- bishop Warham. — Arch])ishop Morton died in }i)(H), and Prior Goldstone in 1517. At the entrance into the church, in this cross aisle, usually called the south door, six steps show how much the ground has 1)een raised here from time to time. Over against the south door was a gate, which Mr. Battely tells us, had the appearance of luing as old as the wall itself; for remains of it were to be seen in his time, and since, though not so now, the house on that spot being new built. In old charters, he says, it is called the old gate of tlic cemetery, and was a communication between this ])art of the church-yard and Sj. Andrew's ))arish, whose iuiiabitants periiaj)s had a riglit, or at least permission, to bury iiere. 94 Tlie rectors of tliat parish, from Dr. Cox, in 1544, to Mr. Paris, who died in 1709, both in- clusive, were mostly buried in their church, and had mural monuments there, which are put up in the new one. Among these were two ancestors of the famous dean of St. Patrick's, Thomas Swift, his great-great-grandfather, and William, his son, whoweresuccessively rectors of St. Andrew's from 1569 to 1624, the former of them having expressly desired in his w ill, that " his bones should rest in that church where his people so entirely loved him," The wife of William is buried with him, but the " wife of Thomas lieth within the cathedral church-yard, against the south door, with nine of her children," as is recorded on his monument. The western cross isle of the cathedral is said to have been rebuilt from the very foundation, by Archbishop Sudbury, at his own proper costs and charge ; but the tomb of Archbishop Peckham, (who lived long before him,) in the north wing, and a very plain old stair-case just by it, which could not be made to suit the rest of his work, without violating that monument, shows that great part of what he did was only casing ; so does that projection (still to be seen) over the portico of St. Michael's chapel, in the south wing, which the monk Gervase mentions as what had once supported an organ. " Ubi organa solent esse" are his words, and a curious eye may discover a small part of the old wall on the outside, still uncased. I venture to mention one more proof of my opinion, though not to be seen, unless when the cloister-leads are repairing in that part, which is 95 a very fair cirrnlar window iVame of stone, on tlio outside of tlie wall, over the door from the cloister into the martyrdom, of which nothing*- is to be seen on the inside. Archbishop Sudbnry designed to rebuild the body, and had taken tlie old one down with tiiat view, when he fell into the hands of the mob, imder Jack Straw and Wat Tyler, who beheaded him on Tower-hill, in 1381. This threw the expense of it on his successors, Courtney and Arundel, and on the convent, by whom it was rebuilt in the present magnificent manner. It was about thirty years in building, and w as finished about 1411. From hence, eastward, the structure has the appearance of much greater antiquity, greater, indeed, than what is generally allowed to it, and perhaps not easily to be ascertained. When historians tell us, " the ciiurch has been several times consumed by fire," we must under- stand this of what was combustible only, and that stone walls are not so, I shall not spend time in proving.^ " This cluirch," Mr. Battely says, " was the very same fabric that was built by the believing Romans," but shows no autho- rity for it. He adds too, that " it was very large," and so it might be, but the })assage he Accordingly the Danes, to destroy tlie roof with which Odo had covered in his diiirch, after repairing the walls of it, three or four score years- before their coinintr, set lire to it, by pilinar up wooden vessels for that pur- pose. This shows, that if, before the Norman invasion, most of ouv monasteries and churches were of wood, all were certainly not so. 96 Danes had done, and, l)y the royal munificence of King Canute, completed iiis desig^n : but about 10()7, in Archbisliop Stigamrs time, that church was much defaced by fire, and no account ap- pears of any thing more being done till the time of Lanfranc, who, it is said, pulled it down to tiie very foundation, in order to build one entirely new on the same ground, and re-edified the whole church from the foundation, with the palace and monastery, in seven years ; this must have been after lOTO.*^ How probable it is that Lanfranc could ex- ecute so great a work as the cathedral, the palace, and the monastery, in so little time, I shall not presume to determine ; but if it was done so on a sudden, it is no wonder his immediate successor should have a great deal of it to do over again. It is said that Sir Chistopher Wren, on hearing the words " church- work " applied to the slow- ness with which the building of St. Paul's was carried on, replied, that " the proverbial expres- sion was very just ; that, if required, he could finish the church in seven years, but in seven years more it would want rebuilding; for if walls of such thickness as he was raising, were carried up, without allowing the mortar time to dry, the weight of the upper works would soon crush the lower ones to pieces." ''' Mr. Battely says, it was pulled down by Anselin, who succeeded Lanfranc, and Prior Ernulpli, who reared it again in a more stately and splendid manner ; but was finished by Ernulph's successor, Conrad, so sumptuously, that it was called the iflorious choir of Conrad, till destroyed by the fire in 1174. Tliis T^e find in the second and third chapters of his supplement to Mr. Somner, and in the fourth, that it was rebuilt in ten years. 97 That till' accounts we have of our cathedral l»eing- rebuilt from the foundation are false, I think the ()resent structure has very sufficient proofs. I shall therefore give such a description of what is now to be seen as I can, with some conjectures of my own, which may lead abler judges toward the correction of this part of its history. To this end, I shall call this part Lanfranc's church, without pretending to adjust who was really the builder of it, or taking notice either of that body, which Mr. Battely's plan of Lanfranc's cJHU'ch gives, or of the additional chapel added to* it in honour of St. Thomas Becket. The outside of it, from St. Michael's chapel, eastward, is adorned with a range of small pillars, about six inches diameter, and three feet high, some with fantastic shafts and capitals, some with ))lain ones. These support little arches, which intersect each other, and this girdle, if I may be allowed the expression, is continued round a stair- case tower, the eastern cross aisle, and the chapel of St. Anselm, to the new building, added in honour of the Holy Trinity and Thomas Becket. The casing of St. Michael's chapel has none of them ; but the chapel of the Virgin Mary, answer- ing to this on the north side of the church, not being so fitted to the wall, shows some of them behind that ; so, in all probability, they were at first continued quite round the whole building of Lanfranc's church, unless perhaps at the west end of it. Our church yard has been so raised from time to time, that there is no guessing at what height this girdle at first stood from the ground; but the H 9H pillars rise iVom alxjiit the level of tiu- floor within. iThe Walls abo\G them are reiTiarka})ly bare of ornaments, bnt the staircase tovvet just mentioned ; and its opposite, as soon as they rise clear of the l)uildin2^, are enriched with stories of this colo- nade, one above another, up to the platfomi from whence their spires arise, and the remains of tln^ two larger towers to the east, that called St. An- selm's chapel, and that which answers to it on the north side of the church, are decorated much aftei* the same manner as high as they rise at present. The arches, on w hich the floor of our choir is raised, are supported by pillars of proj:>er substance, whose capitals are as various and fantastical as those of the little ones I have been describing, and so are their shafts, some being roimd, others canted, twisted, or carved, so that hardly tw o of them are alike, except such as are quite plain. These, I suppose, we may conclude of tlie same age, and if buildings in the same style may be supposed so, here we may find grounds from whence to judge of the antiquity of this part of of the church, though its historians have left us in the dark. In Leiand's Collectanea, we have the history and description of a vault imder the ancient church of St. Peter in Oxford, called " Gry mbald's Crypt.'' Grymbald was one of those great and accomplished men whom king Alfred invited into England, about the year 900, to assist him in restoring Christianity, learning, and the liberal arts. This crypt, or vault, is allowed to be of his building, and he is said here to have erected a monument for himself, which, on some disagreement between him and the Oxonians, he removed to Winchester. Those who compare the vault under our choir, with the description and prints given of Grymbald's crypt, will easily see, that the same designers, and the same workmen, could hardly have erected tAvo buildings more strongly resembling each other than these, except that ours at Canterbury is larger, and more profusely decorated with variety of fancied ornaments ; the shafts of several of our pillars being twisted, or otherwise varied, and many of the capitals just in such grotesque taste as the four given us in the print of Grymbald. If any thing can ascertain the age of that part of the church of which I am now speaking, this, I think, bids fairest for that purpose. And, as those who built this vault may be supj)osed to have raised the walls also, let us see how far the appearance of the present ones may contribute to that end. Though we find them so void of ornament, they are not without a subject for our curiosity, which is a number of arches, now^ walled up, which could never be designed for discharging the weight over windows so disposed as those ^ve see at present, plainly appearing to have been broken out at some other time than when the walls themselves were built. This leads me to a conjecture which I submit to my reader : it is, that as Lanfranc's coming was about two hundred years after Grymbald's time, he might find those walls very fit to make use of in his grand repair of the church, and its offices ; and save a vast deal of time, labour, and expense. The windows of this ohl building hv h2 100 might stop up, and make new ones, in what phices and of wliat forms he pleased, and leave the walls, as we see them, without regarding the irregular appearance they make on the outside, even to this day. It may not only account for these irregularities, but give an air of credibility to Edmer's assertion, " That the work of Lanfranc was performed in seven years." Mr. Battely is not of this opinion, and trans- lates Edmer's words, \_a fundament is fernie totam perfectam reddidit] " he almost entirely completed the work from the very foundation thereof." When we are told in what time it was " almost done," we are led to ask what prevented its being quite so, and how much time it took in the whole ; but if we translate the passage that (in seven years) " he completed the whole almost from the foundation ; " this will not only render his story more probable, but make better sense of the words immediately following, "which being so perfected, prol)ably he innovated the name and title of it, dedicating the same to the Holy Trinity." That the church was twice rebuilt after this time, I can see no reason to believe. That Anselm pulled down and rebuilt all that Lanfranc had done not twenty years before, seems highly improbable. Mr. Somner never mentions it. Mr. Battely himself shows how little occasion there could be for it, as well as the difficulties Anselm had to encounter in his possession (if we may call it so) of the archbishoprick. lie tells us that, "when the prelate came to it, 101 he found the hinds and revenues of it so miserably wasted, that there was not enough left for his bare subsistence. In the first year he struggled with want, poverty, and the king's displeasure : then spent three years in banishment, borrowing money for his maintenance. " When recalled, and labouring to pay his debts, he was within two years banished again, and the king (Henry I.) seized upon all the revenues of the archbishoprick, and retained them in his own hands for four years." However, we find he lived to get over these difficulties, to be a benefactor to this cathedral, by enlarging and beautifying its choir, and to found and endow the n»imnery of St. Sepulchre, in the neighbourhood of our city. The authors I quote agree, that Edmer says, "the oratory, or choir, as far as from the great tower from the east end, was, by the care of Archbishop Anselm, enlarged, and that Ernulph rebuilt the fore part [priorem partem] of the church which Lanfranc had erected ; " but as to the word [dejectam] they disagree : Mr. Som- ner seems to understand it as "of a part fallen to decay;" and Mr. Battely, "that Ernulj)h pulled down a new structure in order to rebuild it." T'liis difference perhaps is a triHe : but Mr. Battely's sense of the expression [priorem partem] the "fore part," is by no means so. In his edition of Soniner, page 87, he says, "by the fore part of the church, the reader must understand the whole, quite from the great tower, now called Bell Harry steeple, to the east end." And in the supi)lement, page 11, "going on still toward the east, beyond the patriarchal chair, 102 we come to a chapel in the front of the whole church, in which was an altar dedicated to the Holy Trinity." And again, page 13, "this fore part of the church here spoken of, was all that part of the church from the great tower to the east end." By this singularity, he carries his fore part into the innermost recesses of the building, and seem& not aw are, that the front and the fore part of a build- ing are almost synonimous terms. See Chap. XII. (c) [Before the reader enters the following chapter, the editor presumes it will not be improper to introduce, from Biblio. Topograph. Brit. No. xlii, the following " Letter from the late ingenious Mr. Essex to Dr. Ducarel, containing observations on Canterl)ury Cathedral. Cambridge, Feb. I, 1760 " Sir, "If I may judge by the question you proposed to me (in your letter to Mr. Webb) concerning the different thickness of the outer walls of the choir at Canterbury, you have some suspicion that those walls have been altered since they were • milt, which alterations may have been the cause of their extraordinary thickness. If this is your opinion, as it is rimie, then I fancy we are both of the same opinion about other particulars relating to this church, though the short opportunity I had of seeing it, did not furnish me with all the materials to support my opinion. " Soon after my return from Canterbury, I took an opportunity of examining my memoranda made in and about that cathedral ; and upon com- 103 parinj; wluit J ihciv obsol•^('(l with Gervasc's ciccoiint ol" tlio biiniiiig and rebitildiu^ the choir of Conrad, (as it is published, with Edwin's plan, by the Antiquarian Society,) 1 had some reason to doubt whether that account mijj^ht be entirely depended upon. " In the description which he j^ives us of Con- rad's choir, and in Mr. Battely's plan made from that description, there Mere 24 columns in that choir, 0 of which stood in a direct line on each .side, and (j more which formed a semicircle. 1 doubt not but he is very right in his account of those that stood in direct lines; but, if my ob- servations are not wrong', there were no more than 4 in the semicircle, which makes the number of columns in Conrad's choir but 22 in all. I have reiison to believe that this was not Gervase's mis- take, but in the copying his manuscript where IV might easily be taken for VI. " After describing the church, he says, in the year 1 174, the glorious choir of Conrad was con- sumed by fire ; and thai this choir teas rebuilt from the very Joundalion, which work was under- taken by William of Sens, a French architect, who was a whole year in taking it down. "Now I have some reason to doubt wliether" this account is altogether true ; for by my obser- vations it seems that as much of the present choir as is covnprise/ 1 I fi .' /i>:iO'. ^' /itu> I'u^rieti af fh//r//,,>/i /-. 109 taste, and tlion.i;lit it l)etter to make liis new work comply Avitli the old, than to pull all down and rebuild from the foundations. This I think will fairly account for the fabric, even in our days, being- not so straight as it should be, and make it appear of greater antiquity than many suppose it. Therefore when I speak of this as Lanfranc's work, it is to distinguish it from other parts of the building; but much of it I take to be of a (hite prior to his time by many years. It begins at the west door of the choir, to which we go up by many steps, for it is raised high on vaults and pillars, not of the Norman taste, but that of King Alfred's time, about the year 900, [See Chap. X.] the east end being finished (as in Mr Battely's plan of Conrad's church) in a cir- cular form, between the tower of St. Andrew, and that of St. Peter and St. Paul. The floor of this, as it is raised on vaults of the same height, was at first, I suppose, level, or nearly so, for its whole length, and that Lanfranc made little or no alteration in this particular. (/) Anselm, who succeeded Lanfranc, made great improvements to this choir, and designed more tlian he lived to finish, (g-) Prior Ernulph, while he stayed here, assisted greatly in these works, and so did Conrad, who succeeded him, and lived so long after Anselm, as to finish the whole in so grand and magnificent a manner, that all the honour of it was ascribed to him : the names of Lanfranc and Anselm were forgotten, and the choir was called Conrad's glo- rious choir, (h) After this, according to Gervase, a chapel was 110 built ill honour of the Holy Trinity, adjoining to the east end of the church, (which he calls the front of it) but without side of the wall, through which a door of communication was opened into it. This, I suppose, was finished at such a time, that Archbishop Becket consecrated it, and said the first mass there. His words are, ubl heatus martyr Thomas die co7isecrationis suce pri- mam missam celehravit, (i) Ill CHAP. XII. Notes OH the Conjectural History. (a) Some mistakes of Mr. Camtlen and Mr. Battely, in rcjuard to these churches, I have taken notice of in Chaf. IX. (h) Mr. Battely, in page 6, would prove tlm cliurch a very large one, froin the following pafi- sage in Osborn's Life of Arciihishop Odo; Tantce magiiitudinis temphim non reperieh(itin\ qnce ml c((piciidwm numeros(B plehis multitudirum vitlcretnr, which he translates, "at that time there was no othei^ church in these parts big enough to hohl the vast numljei's of people that did resort to it." But if we leave out the word other, (an addition j)urely his own,) the passage only saj^s, here was no church capable of receiving such multitudes as followed St. Augustine. Mr. Battely says also, that the fabric which Odo repaired was that built by the believing Romans; but quotes no authority for this. He adds too from Osborn, " that while this church lay uncovered, at the prayer of Odo there was neither wind nor rain within i\\v walls of it, to hinder the clergy from celel)rating the divine offices ; nor yet within the walls of the city, to hinder .the full and constant resort of people to the clmrch ; tliough all the same time it Avas a more than f>rdinary wet season round about.' 112 (c) How large this fabric was when Augustine took it in hand, does not appear : but that con- siderable additions have been made to it, of which history gives no account, the building itself proves very strongly ; and shows, that the director of the new work was so careless or ignorant in plan- ning it, as not to carry it on in a right line with the old ; so that the church is too crooked to seem the design of one architect. This fault is easily discovered, by a view from the west door of the choir toward the altar, as well as by observing the pavement of the eastern cross where the angle is made ; for when that came to be laid, the stones did not fit as they should have done, and the irregularity was reme- died (if we may call it so) by cutting many of them out of square in some places, and botch- ings of plaister in others. These, a few years ago, were repaired with stone ; but this does not pre- vent the blunder being visible enough from the principal columns to the outside walls in each cross aisle. (d) In the gentleman's magazine for 1774, page 508, is a letter, signed W. and D. the writer of which, and I, differ very much in our opinion concerning baptisteries, and baptismal churches. Mine is, that every congregation of Christians (however small) was at first a baptismal church, into which converts were admitted by that sacra- ment without delay. For which see Acts, ch.ii.41 ; ch.viii. 12,and38;ch.x.48;andch.xvi.33. This was long before the distinction of cathedrals and parishes. Mr. Bingham, in his Antiquities of the Christian 113 Church, vol. 1. |)a^e 130, .■ lie could of our cathedral and its precinct, but to show the course of the sewers, and how the monastery was sujiplied with water from the roof of the^churclto.by conveyinir the rain into lit reservoirs ; from one of which, in the outer ihurch-yard, (where the laity were buried,] a pipe was laid to a larger (which he calls the piscina) in that part now called the Oaks, into which he throws also another pipe from the eastern part of the church, and from hence the water was distributed to the offices and apartments in this quarter. Another in the cloister !yard collected what fell on those parts of tin- building, for the use 'of the infirmary, kitchen, scullery, bake-house, and brew-house, and had pipes laid to them. AH these appear to have been in use when this drawing was made ; which shows also a well on the south-side of the church with the contri- vance used for drawing the water there ; and another in the herbarium or kitchen garden with a pillar, to the top of which water was to be raised for the use of the infirmary, when occasion should require. If any water was in Eadwyn's time brought hither from the springs in the North Holmes, which now furnish both church and city in such plenty, it is surprising that no duct in his map is taken notice of for being of such consequence, considering how punctually he has described every other method of providing water for the different parts of the monastery. And yet that the city was served from them for time immemorial, 1 think indisputable proofs have deen discovered in my memory, though the remains of these old aqueducts were dry when found by accident. Several years ago, on some occasion to dig in a yard belonging to the great house at the turning from Broad-street into Ruttington-lane in the parish of Northgate, a row of earthern pipes appeared in the proper direc- tion: one of which was given me by John Bridges, esq; at that time oc- cupier of the house. The form of it is tapering, the length about twenty inches, the dnimeter of the bore at the bigger end about five inches and an half, the lesser end fitted to enter such a bore made with a collar or shoulder, rising about three quarters of an inch and about an inch from the end to make a better joint and prevent leakage, which was still farther i.ruvided against by bury- ing the whole in a thick bed of terras. 1 do not pretend to guess at the age of this atiucdiict, but take another to be of greater antiquity, found in \7M in digging Dr. Gray's grave, in the body of the cathedral; which being sunk deeper than usual, the workmen came to a pavement of the broad Roman bricks, and under it pipes of a very different construction from those just now described, each being made in two pieces as if slit the long way, so that two were laid to- gether to form H pipe ; of these also 1 have a specimen, the length of which is about seventeen inches and a half, tho bore at the bigger end (for these were made tapuring to enter one another as those found in Broad-street) full five inches, and the thickness about three (piarters of an inch. Beside* the drawing of Eadwyn which is published, there is another iii thtf same manuscript; from a copy of which it »eems to have been the (irst 134 fU'S( ribed as nnished, and very lofty, as well as^ huilt of stone like the rest of the walls and the staircase towers, and consequently as little likely to take fire. As to their age, no marks appear either within or without side of them, from whence we may judge them of a greater antiquity than such other parts of the building as are continued from them, in the very same taste westwai'd, and pro- bably were so to the eastward also, round the end of Lanfranc's church, when finished here in a circular form, toward which it began to incline at these towers, according to the plan which Mr. Battely has published of it, which I take to be a very just one, except in respect of the body there added, for the walls "of that never ranged with those of Lanfranc's building ; the jji-esent body being narrower than the choir part, and a strong- proof still visif)le that this is wider than that which was befoi'e it. The church-yard in which we have hitherto been, was formerly the place of burial, but of that no memorials are now to be seen. Some years ago indeed an old table monument was standing a few yards from the wall towards the west end of rude sketch of that which he afterwards finished. It appears from this that his intention was to shew the diflFerent courses of the water collected from the roof of the church, and of that which was brought from the springs ia the North Holmes, of which they had not been long in possession. These different water courses are distinguished on this first draught by the colours yellow and red, that from the North Holmes being yellow. At the north east corner of the print there is a circle for the water-house; it is brought thence under a tower of St. Gregory's Priory, through a field, an orchard, a vineyard, and under the city wall into the priory. As the drawing from which the print is made is coloured, it is to be wished that the different water courses luul been expressed by a difference in shading them, that these two aqueducts might have been distinguished from one another, and from flic great sewer which runs across what is now called the Greeu Courf. 135 tin' l)0(ly, which had marks of hciiig oik c inlaid with a hi2,ure and fillets of brass, hut no tradition remained of the person's name who had been in- tended there. It fell to pieces by degrees, and the rubl)ish of it has been cleared away. From the south-west corner of St. Anselms cha|x?l a wall crosses our way, with a very ancient arch in it, corruptly called the centry gate, as parting the cemetery or burying-place of the laity from that of the monks, and the garden oi" tiie convent, at present called the Oaks, (though no trees of that kind have been grow ing there within the memory of us or our fathers,) or perhaps fix>m the sanctuary it led to. When we hav€ passed this gate, the church makes a different figure from w hat it has hitherto done ; for what we ^ee now was added to the church by the monks when they had repaired the damages done to it by the fire in 1 174. In the assignment of prebendal houses in 1546, each of them had a spot of ground for a garden allotted here. im CHAP. XV. Of the Chapel of the Holy Trinity, sometimes called that of St. Thomas Beckct. This fine chapel may be looked on as a separate building-, adjoining indeed to that so lately re- paired, and equally lofty, but in a different style, and by no means inferior in beauty. Here by the way we may observe, how perfectly well skilled the monks were in the art of raising contributions. For seven years their building had gone on very well ; but on the eighth (the nintli from the fire, for the first was spent in making preparations) they could proceed no further for want of money. This might be true ; but if not, the stopping of tiie work was an excel- lent stratagem for raising supplies. A fresh tide flowed in, and brought so much more than was necessary for the repair they were engaged in, as encouraged them to set about a more grand design ; which was to pull down the east end of Lanfranc's church, with a small chapel of the Holy Trinity adjoining, to erect a most magnificent one instead of it, equally lofty with the roof of the church, and add to that another building in honour of the new object of their devotion. And in this they acted very prudently, for while they were thus employed, votaries continued to 137 l)rin<»- their oblations in ahnmlanre, and St. Tlio mas liad visitors who soon enabled the nnjnks to erect a chapel on purpose for the reception of his relics. Thouj>h Mr. Soniner justly observes, that this chapel apj)ears less ancient than the choir, by tlie manifest difference of one structure from the other, Mr. Battely tells us, " all the work at the east end of the church (except the chapel of kinj^- Henry lY.) is one entire buildini*- of the same age as tlie choir," which he says was burnt down, and rebuilt in ten years, viz. in 1184 ; and that in 1*220^ the ceremony of removing the Saint was performed on July 7, with the greatest solemnities md rejoicings ; the pope's legate, the arch- bis!io|)s of Canterbury and Rheims, with very iiiany l)ish()ps and abbots, carrying the coffin on their shoulders, and placing it in his shrine. " King Henry HI. graced the show with liis presence, and the archbishop, Stephen Langton, was so profuse on the occasion, as to leave a debt 1 Tlie delay of this cereinony for so many years seemed strange, till my correspondent ^V. and D. in some measure aecounted for it, from " the monks beintr obliged to wait till they had an archbishop st) zealoiisly at- tached to their interests, as to be willing to lill their coffers, tiiouirli iu so doing he impoverished his see. " Richard, the prior of Dover, he observes, died before (lie chapel wum finished : IJaldwyn was involved in perjietual disi>utes with the Mieml)ers oi the convent: Reginald did not live long enough to hear of his election !>eing confirmed by the pope: and Hubert, tliough he was not so inveterate against the monks as Baldwyn, revived the obnoxions scheme of eslablisli- ing a college of secular canons at Lambeth. " But as Stephen Langton was a creature of the pope, and raixd to the primacy by his Holiness's arbitrary nomination, it is no wonder that he should be well disposed to pay this high honour to the precious remains of the martyr to the pretended rights of the Roman Tontiff, but might judge it expedient to postpone tlu- solemnity till Henry III. was upon the tlirone; for though that monarch graced it with his presence, Kinu •'ohn would never have attended." 138 on tlie see which his fotirtli soccessoicoukl hawUy discharge ;" for as to [he oblations, the disposal of which was looked on a primitive right of bishops, the monks had here got the management of them into their own hands. In this sense therefore we must understand his expression, " that all this work was done at thf; proper costs and charges of the convent ; " otherwise he seems to agree with Mr. Somner, who says, in page 19, " the expences of finishing and rebuilding the choir appear plainly to have been supplied from the many and liberal oblations made at the tomb of St. Thomas, so that the church was for some time called by his name." But if any of them thought the money laid out in repairing and adorning their church, so much out of their own pockets, they might comfort themselves, that the cost was not greater than the worship : devotees to the Saint increased every day, and offerings came in so fast that his shrine grew famous for its riches, as well as its holi- ness." Erasmus, who visited it, tells us, " a coffin of wood, which covered a coffin of gold, was drawn up by ropes and puUies, and then an invaluable treasure was discovered : gold was tlie meanest 2 " This was the object of pilgrimage without end. A hundred thou- sand devotees have made it a visit in one year; men of every rank, even to the crowned head. Among others, Louis VII. of France came in 1179, in dis- guise of a common pilgrim. Louis, on this occasion, presented a rich cu)) of gold, and the famous precious stone, called the legal of France, which Henry VIII. set and wore as a thumb-ring. He granted the monks a hundred tuns of wine, to be paid at Paris annually. He kept watch a whole night at the tomb, and in the morning demanded to be admitted of the fra- ternity; and was indulged in his request, attended by the penitent Ileniy II." Pennant's .Journey to Dover, vol. 1. p. l.il. 139 thing to be seen there ; all shined and olitteretl with the rarest and most precious jewels, of an extraordinary bigness ; some were larger than the eg^ of a goose." At the east end of the chapel of the Holy Trinity, another very handsome one was added, called Becket'scrown ; some suppose from its figure being circular, and the ribs of the arched roof meeting in a centre, as those of the crown royal do ; others, on account of part of his skull being preserved here as a relic. '^ Two very large newel staircases of fetone lead to the top of this building, and probably were designed to have been finished in spires or handsome turrets ; the chapel itself also was carried on above the first design of it, and might have made a noble room. The win- dows of it were so far finished, that the iron grates for the glazing were fixed, and most of the arches turned, when King Henry YHI, put a stop to the works and oblations at once, seizing on the treasures and estates of the monastery, and pro^ iding for the members of it as he j)leased ; establishing tlie cathedral on a new^ foundation of a dvan, twelve prebendari(»s, with other oilicers and serjji^ants, many of which preferments were bestowed on the monks, while others had pen- sions or provision assigned to them elsewhere. The church now recovered its ancient name of 3 This must have been n counterfeit relic, if what Mr. Somner tells us from Stow's Annals of Uenr)- VIll. is true, that " when by order of Lord Cromwell, his bones were taken out of the iron chest which contained them that they might be burnt to ashes; they were found, skull and all, with the piece that had been cut out of it, laid in the wound. So must also the whole face of the blessed martyr, set in gold, and adorned with jewels, which Erasmus says was shown here, unless he speaks of a copy or picture of it. 140 Christ Church ;* additions in lionour of St. Tho- mas were no longer thought of", and his crown made but a ragged appearance till about 1748, when Captain Humphrey Pudner, of this city, gave an hundred pounds towards completing it, which money was laid out in bringing it to its present figure. The north side of the church differs little fi'om what we have been examining, but it is not so accessible, nor ever was ; for here were the offices of the ancient monastery, some parts of which still remain converted to dwelling-houses. Here also is the library, the audit-room, the chapter- house, and the cloister. The description of these and what else is worth notice w ithin our precinct, I shall next enter upon. •1 " St. Thomas seems quite to have preceeded, if not superseded, our Saviour: for in one year the offering to Christ's altar was 01. Os Od. — to that of his holy mother, 41. is. 8d. — to that of the great Becket, 9541. 6s. 3d. It was also by the merit of his blood, not our Saviour's, that we were taught to expect salvation : Tu, per Thomae sanguinem, quem pro te impendit, Fac nos, Christe, scandere quo Thomas ascendit." Pennant, ibid. p. 152. 141 CHAP. XVI. Oj the Preciucls of the Cathednil nud the Arch- bishop's Palace. From Clirist Church ^ate to Biirgate notliing of the old wall on the south side of our precinct is to be seen : houses and shops on the north side of that street having* quite hid the place of it, as mentioned already in Chap. VIII. Another wall,' [)ai'allel to that of the city, separated Queningate- lane from our precinct as far as to Northgate church, and was our eastern and northern boundary, till the city wall became so, by a grant of that lane to the church from King Henry H. confirmed afterwards by charter of Henry IV. The western wall is to be seen from Northgate, for about an hundred yards, where a turning to the left leails to the ancient gate of the priory. Here the wall of the archiepiscopal palace crosses our way, as mentioned in Chap. VIII. and there- fore this may be the proper place for speaking of what is to be seen there ; the rather perhaps, l)ecause Mr. Somner tells us, that "for many years one precinct was the habitation of the archbisiioj) and his monks; and tliat when King Ethel bcrt had given his palace to St. Augustine, 1 A wall formerly t-xtcndcd t'roiii the western side of the chiireh gate, which was the boundary of the arelibisliop'spalnce; but a number of houses liavo been built on the site, as far as the mansion, a few years since, occu- j)ied by the family of the Moniiis. 142 he converted that and the neighbouring- church to a catheth'al and monastery, where they lived in common, as one family, till the coming of Lanfranc ; for no mention of such a palace, or separate habitation for the archbishop, is to be found before his time;" and adds, "that little or no part of it was left to be surveyed when he wrote." The same may now be said of what had the appearance of a palace in his days. Entering the great gate, we find the court converted to gardens and a timber yard ; turning to the right we see the north porch of the great hall, now a dwell- ing house, with no entrance on this side. The communication of this house with the tow n is by a handsome gate, (not a great one) with a stone portal, opposite to St. Alphage-lane ; and at the east end of the garden a door, broken through the wall, makes a passage to the cathedml, and to the neighbouring houses in the palace. '^ This was the upper end of the hall, and along it runs a terrace, raised on fragments without number of little pillars, of the Petworth marble, once per- haps the ornaments of the great hall, but now laid on one another, like billets on a wood-stack the ends of which were visible till some years ago, when a tenant of this house raised a turfed slope of earth against them, to give the garden a better appearance. This garden had at the east wall of it two 2 The gate way here spoken of, has been removed, and the entrance from Palace-street, is through a modern one. The buiUling is noAv converted into a workhouse, and is the receptacle of the aged and infirm from various parishes. 143 iiiclies, adormd with pillars and canopies of Pet- vvortli marble, still maintaining the a[)j)earanee of i;:ran(leui% and jx^ihaps desioiud for hnflets answerini^ the ends of two lonji,- tables in that re- fectory, where so many persons of the hig^hest (piality, and even sovereign princes, have been feasted with all the magnificence suitable to their exalted rank, so lately as to Queen Elizabeth's time ; many of which entertainments have been thought worth recording in history, witli such accounts of the number of guests, as show there were other rooms for some of them to dine in. ■^rhe niches are demolished by a late reparation of that wall, if pulling down the upper part of a wall so built, and leaving a fiat top with no cover- ing may be called a reparation. Archbishop Langton was founder of this hall, and left his see so much in debt by the excessive expenses he was at on the translation of Thomas Becket, that it cost his fourth successor, Boniface, 22,000 marks, or 14,6661. J 3s. 4d. to clear it. Mr. Somner gives us a speech of his on this occasion, as follows : " My predecessors built this hall at great ex- })enses ; they did well indeed ; but they laid out no money aJbout this building, except what they borrowed. I seem indeed to be truly the builder of this hall, because I paid their debts." ' After so much destruction and so many altera- 'i In 1777, the site of this part of the palace was convoyed to Mr. Smith ; and in 1781, that portion, whereon stood the ancient remains of Becket's hall, was purchased hy John Monins. esq. of Canterbury, who pulled the whole down, except the sqnare tower or porch, and l)uilr an elci^ant dwell- ing house upon the premises. A plate of the east end of the irreut hall, as it appeared in 1769, has been p>d)lished in Mr. Grose's Antiquities. 144 lions as have happened here, it is hardly possible to form any conjecture of what this palace has been ; but against the wall at the east end of the great hall we see the remains of a cloister, of five arches on this side, which were eleven feet wide. The crowns of these appear about four feet above the ground, all below being buried in the rubbish, which makes the present footway. Some years ago an attempt was made to im- prove and level this way, by digging and carrying off this rubbish, and the work proceeded so far, that the upper part of a door-case, and a whole window frame just by it, both of stone, were dis- covered ; and the search would probably have been continued down to the pavement, if somebody had not cunningly observed that sinking so low might endanger the foundation : this was attended to with great gravity ; a stop was put to the w ork, and the stuff not carried off was spread upon the place from whence it had been taken. Walking from thence southward, we see on the left hand a lofty house, where the cellarer of the convent had his apartment. Mr. Somner says, " King Henry VIII. in his new erection and endowment of the church, ex- pressly reserved it for himself and his successors, l)y the name of the Cellarer's Hall, and the Cel- larer's Lodgings." — But they are since come to the see,* and laid to the palace. Some remains of these buildings are still to be seen from the east side of the cloister. "* The king exchanged the Cellarer's lodgings with the Archbishop of Can- terbury for three acres of land, late parcel of the priory of St. Gregory, and iately included in the park at Canterbury, and other premises, by deed, dated April 30, anno 34, H. VI J I. 145 Opposite to this were some stone steps, ^vllich led up to the archbishop's civil or temporal court : the only part which Mr. Somner supposes to he as old as the time of Lanfranc. The dean and chapter had such a court for their jurisdiction, and so had the liberty of St. Augustine's monastery, with each of them a gaol, till the practice in these courts did not make the lawyers amends for the expence of their com- missions. Proceeding a little farther, we come to another lofty house, opposite to the west door of the clois- ter, built or repaired by Archbishop Parker, as appears by his arms^ on the south side of it to- wards Christ Church gate, as well as in some places within doors. This, and a considerable remain of a noble gallery between it and the great hall, with several other parts of the palace, escaped the fury of the saints in the grand rebellion ; for when they had killed the right owner, and taken possession of his spoils, their zeal for destroying cooled by degrees, and they had wit enough to find out that good houses were of more value than the rubbish of them; and it may perhaps divert my reader to hear, that he to whose share this fell, used to date his letters *' From my palace at Canterbury J"^ From this house to the Arundel steeple is a strong and high wall, embattled, which once cut off the communication between the palace and the church-yard, till a door was broken tlirough it in the last century.^ In the wall between the house 5 Now nearly mouldered away by the action of the weather, c The house adjoining this door-way has recently undergone coniidcr- L 146 last mentioned and the cloister, we may discover marks of a sheltered way, by which the arch- bishop might go to the church without being incommoded by bad weather. From the restoration, the site of this palace has been held by lease of the archbishop. It has several dwelling-houses in it, and a Methodist meeting,^ besides pieces of ground made use of for carpenters and masons' yards, gardens, &c. but I have confined my description to such par- ticulars only as may show something of its former state. The Arundel steeple, at the north-west corner of the church, is joined to that part of the palace where we see the arms of Archbishop Parker, by the high wall just now mentioned ; yet this wall was not the boundary of the palace here, as I shall shew presently : but first, it may not be amiss to take notice of the appearance the Arun- del steeple makes to those who see it from the archbishop's palace. able alteration. Tlie Dean and Chapter granted permission to the proprietor to make an entrance fronting the Cathedral gate, and several additional windows have been inserted, forming a handsome front. 7 Now used as a carpenter's shop. It is probable that this was the old French chapel, or meeting house, which existed in 1720, for it appears that Anne Herault, of Canterbury, spinster, by her will, proved that year, gave the sumof jflO to the adorning and repairing of the French chapel, or meeting house, in the archbishop's palace here belonging to the French congregation. 147 CHAP. X\ 11. Of the Arundel Steeple. The structure of this is so utterly different from any thing near it, that Mr. Somner and Mr. Battely, instead of accounting for this, disagree about the age of it. History was no help to them, and the building itself perhaps they did not duly consider. A view of it as now standing may enable us to form an opinion, how far Mr. Battely is right, in supposing it built when the body of the church and the Oxford steeple were so. Resemblance of style here is none, except that on the north side, one window is made suitable to those on the same side of the body with which it ranges ; but all other openings are of a much ruder form, and can never be supposed the work of such artists as raised the elegant structures adjoining. It seems rather, that the interruption of Arch- bishop Sudbury's design happened while this tower was standing ; and that the rebuilders judg- ing it capable of such alterations as might make it appear (within side at least) of a piece with their new work, thought it better to take that method than to pull down the whole. Whether this experiment caused the cracks in the old tower, which required its being strength- l2 148 ened with so much iron work as we see, or whether the unskilful hanging of the heavy Arun- del bells made that necessary, does not now appear. I have heard the latter mentioned as the cause of those cracks : whichever it was, the building is much disfigured by them. Upon this tower was a lofty spire, as it is seen in the old prints of the church ; but the terrible November storm in 1703 having done some da- mage to the leading of it, it was judged necessary to be taken down, and was soon after, as low as to the platform and balcony, which now make the top and finishing of it.^ 1 The very dilapidated state of the tower here mentioned, and the opinion of several eminent surveyors, of its danger, rendered it necessary, a few years ago to remove the balcony. The fissures from the summit to the base, which are prevented from extending, by huge bars of iron, are nut of ap- parent magnitude on the exterior surface, but in many places in the interior they are sufficiently large to introduce a man's arm. Via CHAP. xvni. Of the Inside of I he Precinct. The wall which joins the Arundel steeple to a part of the archbishop's palace, looks (as 1 have already observed) like a boundary between the two precincts, but it is not so ; for when we liave passed throuj^h the door made in it, on our rij-lit hand is a little low tower of stone, with battle- ments still to be seen, though the tower itself is hardly visible, having- a barber's shop witli an upper room built against it/ It stands exactly opposite to the great west door of the church, and within a few yards of it ; yet this belongs to the palace, the bound line being a very capricious one, (as marked in the plan,) till it abuts against the wall which separates both these liberties from that of the city, near the Red Pump. We are now got into the church-yard again, the inside of Christ Church gate facing us, with a causeway leading from this gate to the south porch, at the Oxford steeple; almost opposite to whicli is a small stone house, with a cistern in it, \\lii( Ii liad a common cock for the use of the cliurch 1 This shop from its iinsip;litly appearance, tojretlicr with a house occu- pied by one of the minor canons, was taken down about thirteen years since, and a wall, in imitation of ancient building:, now covered with ivy, built on the site. In the centre of this wall a small square .stone h inserted- dcnotinfj; the boundary line of the archbishop's palace 150 tenants in tliis neighbourhood, and was supplied with water from the great reservoir in the Green Court. Of this convenience they have been de- prived several years, though the pipe which served it still remains, and a small expence would restore it ; but if this cistern was enlarged, so as to receive all the water that runs waste every night from that in the Green Court, it would not only be a greater benefit to the neighbours than ever, but might be very serviceable in case of accidental fires here.^ In walking eastward we pass by the house of the eighth prebendary, near which is a mount, planted with shrubs and flowers, being part of his garden. Here was once a belfry, the rubbish of which has raised the ground to such a height, that the plantation is seen over the wall. His house is in the plan marked VHI. the number of his stall ; which rule is observed in the rest of the prebendal houses, all the houses in the precinct which have no mark being held by lease of the dean and chapter. When we have passed the cemetery gate,^ we are got into the Convent-garden, or Oaks, where, on the right hand and west side, stands an old building, once the school, but now fitted up for the plumbers use, with proper conveniencies for casting sheet lead towards the repairs of the 2 This water house some years since was taken down, rebuilt, and added to the tenement adjoining ; but the cock, and water for the convenience of the neighbouring inhabitants, were restored in 1803. 3 An additional wing was added to this gateway some years ago, with an opening through it for foot passengers; and a few years subsequently, a great portion of the southern front of the cathedral was enclosed by iron failing;. 151 church/ The house and garden just by this belong to the ninth prebend, and that almost over against it to the third ; along whose wall is a gravelled walk, well shaded with high and spreading lime-trees on its west side, and in the summer time much frequented by good company. At the end of this walk in a door into a bowling- green/ The south side of this square (if it may be called one) is bounded by the garden wall of a private house, which has one door into the Oaks, and another into Burgate-street ; the north side by the wall of the church timber-yard,*^ and that of the first prebendary's garden, and then by that of the eleventh prebendary's fore-court. Between these two is a bricked passage, by the east end of the church, to that part of the precinct on the north side ; but before we proceed thither, it may be proper to observe, that the eleventh prebendal house is a strong and lofty building of itself, and was once called the Honours : a name which Mr. Somner says, never occurred to him in any recoid of the church, before the division [of prebendal houses,] but supposes it the prime part of the prior's seat. Mr. Battely says, it was called the great chamber of the prior ; that he had a bed- 4 It is now used as a common receptacle ; the plumbing business bemc: performed by the tradesmen of Canterbury. It was in this building that the great Saint Dunstan bell, in the Oxford steeple, was founded. •■> The bowling-green here spoken of, is the property (during his nntural life) of Mr. .lohn Wrightson. 'flie grass-plat has long since been destroyed, and the building, for the accommodation of the prebends, when enjoying the rural game of bowls, taken down, and the whole converted into a shrub- bery, or nursery. « The timber yard, some years since, was removed to a piece of ground near the north corner of the Grecn-Gourl, adjoining to the late Registry- office. 152 chamber here, with other convenient rooms to reside in on some grand and solemn occasions, when he appeared in state. John Elham, prior/ died in the Maister Honours, and so did John Bokyngham,* who, quitting his Bishopric at Lincoln, retired to this monastery, and dwelt at his own charge in the Maister Honours. It seems therefore this building was, upon oc- casion, made use of for the reception of persons of quality, in a manner suitable to their rank, and where their residence would very little, if at all, disturb the prior and his people in their quarter. This may have been called the Master Honours, to distinguish, it from a range of buildings (now the houses of the fifth and sixth prebendaries) parallel, and very near to it, called also the Ho- nours, and quite conveniently placed for receiving and accommodating the retinue of such noble guests near at hand, without crowding the grand apartment. It is probable this apartment was richly fur- nished, for some of the windows of the ground floor shew, that, beside the iron bars to which the glazing was fastened, additional gratings have "^ John Elham wa^ prior from 1446 to 1449. 8 " John Bokynham or Buckingham," Mr. Somner says, " was, in the time of King Richard II. Keeper of the Privy Seal, and afterwards Lord Bishop of Lincoln, from whence, in the year of our redemption, 1397, Pope Boniface IX. bearing him a grudge, translated him per force unto Litchfield, a bishopric not half so good, which he refused to accept, and chusing rather a retired monastic course of life, he became a monk of this church, where he spent the rest of his days, and was buried, by his will, at the lower [west] end of the body." His grave -stone there (a very large one of marble) was once inlaid with brass, but is, as all others of that kind are, robbed of the bi'asR ligiu*es and inscriptions which once adorneci them. \:iull.s .///.'/.// /.'/A' I'li-il rn^lx^ndary. n . i-oJ/tvr Sui//' 153 been fixed there, which must have been for security rather than ornament. The bricked passage^ here brings us to the door of the sixth prebendary, with a small court before it, on one side of which is the east window of the infirmary chapel, now closed up, as are some arches of much older windows, still to be seen in the same wall. A little to the left is a covered passage, at the entrance of which we may see, almost over head, but nearer the corner of the wall, a maimed figure of a man sitting, who, in Somner's time, held a scroll in his hand, with the words Ecce me major, designed probably for St. John Baptist, to whom this chapel was dedicated. See Chap. XL'*' The room over it belongs to the first prebendary, and a turning westward in the passage, brings us to one front of his house, which lies in a line parallel to the easternmost part of the cathedral, where was the shrine of St. Thomas : under which are vaults that, for spaciousness and beauty, would make a finer parish church than any in the city. These were allotted to this prebend at the division and distribution of iiouses to the dean and pre- bendaries, made in their chapter November, 1546; [and are now used as a receptacle for wood and coal.] A manuscript concerning this division, which 9 This passage was paved with .stone some few years since, and called Canon-row. • 0 The action of the weatlier, and the mouldering hand of time, have nearly obliterated this figure. The shape of a human being may, however, be traced ; and it it is called by the workmen employed in the precincts, from want of better knowledge, " The Old Pope." 154 I am favoured with the use of, enables me to give some account of these vaults, which may deserve a chapter to itself. It is kept, with other curious papers, by the Rev. the Dean of Canterbury for the time being. 155 CHAP. XIX. Oflhejine V milts allotted to thejirst Prebendary. The manuscript appears to be some of the materials Mr. Somner had collected toward a second edition of his Antiquities of Canterbury. It contains some orders of chapter then made, written in print hand, to distinguish them from his notes, which take up a much greater part of the book, and in which, among other things, is a list of the deans and prebendaries, to the time of Dean Bargrave, (now living, as he expresses it) which is continued by the copyist down to Dr. Egerton, installed November 25, 1724. Many things might contribute to prevent Mr. Somner's publishing his second edition: the trou- blesome times, the multiplicity of business after the restoration, when being made auditor, he had the confusion of many years to reduce into order, (if that was possible,) the misnumbering the pre- bendal houses, and the many changes among the incumbents, must have been great hindrances to his design, and so too might the difficulty be, which he found in reconciling the notes to the text, of which a remarkable instance occurs in the allotment of these vaults to the first pre- bendary. The text says, " he is to have the vault called Dishop Becket's tomb, under our Lady's chapel." Mr. Somner, in the manuscript I have just now 156 mentioned, not knowing how to make this con- sistent with his account that Archbishop Becket was buried a few steps above the Lady's chapel, taxes the scribe with a mistake, and says, " he should have written, above our Lady's chapel," for so it is, being the very uppermost part of the undercroft. But even this correction did not satisfy him so well as to be placed among the additions he wrote in the interleaved copy of his book, now in our church library, which Mr. Battely inserted in his edition, and noted them with [W. S.] I shall endeavour the best I can to clear up this matter, from the history of the archbishop's death and burial. We are told that the assassins, after murdering him and plundering his palace, threatened to return, and cast his body for a prey to birds and beasts ; and that, for fear of this, the monks buried him privately the next day, in the vault under the east end of the church, and in a new tomb (sarcophagus) of marble.^ 1 Gervase uses here and elsewhere mnrmoreHs. to express simply, tnade of stone. Coffins of that sort they might have in readiness. That they used them is certain from one being discovered some years since in this very vault : it laid but very little below the pavement. In the Obi- tuary it is said that Thomas W^yking was buried in Nov. 1407, without the walls of the church on the south side, opposite to the tomb of St. Tliomas. And of Tliomas Otteford, who died 1414, that he paved the tomb of St. Thomas, and the chapel of St. John the Baptist therein, with square tiles ; part of which pavement still remains. A view of St. John the Baptist's Chapel was formerly afforded, by appli- cation to the assistant of the French Protestant Church ; but about two years since the arches extending from the small door-way or entrance to the church itself, were closed with brick, thereby shutting the communica- tion with the other portion of the crypt, except by a door for the accom- modation of workmen, and persons connected with the cathedral. 157 Why the monks should be appreliensive that these ruflians, after having:; made their escape, should be in haste to show themselves again in a city exasperated against them ; how a new tomb of marble should be prepared in a few hours, or how such a monument should be better to con- ceal his remains than a common grave,- I shall not trouble myself to guess ; but when their fears were over, when their prelate was become St. Thomas, and an object of adoration, no doubt but they hastened to distinguish a place where his votaries might offer their prayers and gifts, till a proper one might be provided for that pur- pose, and the reception of his relics ; and before that could be done, such rich oblations were made, as furnished them with money enough not only to repair the damages occasioned by the fire, but to make the magnificent additions at the east end of the church. The place of his burial they distinguished by an altar, called the altar of the tomb of St. Tho- mas ; but as this could not be his tomb under the chapel of our Blessed Virgin, what was so, must be hunted out by conjecture : how far mine will go 1 submit to my readers. Let me then suppose, that the circular tower added to the east end of the chapel of the Trinity, - To such as doubt whether he had a grave, I shall relate what I heard many years ago from an eye witness of undoubted credit, whom the learned Archdeacon Battely invited to see a stone in the undercroft taken up, under which they found a grave, with no remains of corpse or coffin, but all perfectly clean, which is not to be wondered at; for the earth which had filled up this Saint's grave might be as valuable as the rubbish of that door of St. Peter's cathedral at Rome, which the pope breaks open on every Jubilee, and which is so scrambled for, that some are often crowded to death in the riot. 158 and to this day called Becket's crown, was erected in honour of him ; that the ground-room of it was designed for a chapel to be dedicated to him, and an altar-tomb to be prepared there for the reception of his relics, when it should be thought proper to remove them thither. That this should be called the tomb of St. Thomas, rather than his chapel, by way of dis- tinction ; for other churches might soon have chapels and altars of St. Thomas, but his tomb was to be found here only. That therefore this place was called his tomb, even while it w as carrying up, and communicated its name to the adjoining vault through which was the way to it, as his shrine did that of the martyr to the whole church not long after. That over this chapel should be one of our Lady, perhaps in memory, that when he w^as beset by the assassins, he bade his last farewell to her, at the point of death, (as Erasmus expresses it,) at the foot of her altar, in the place called from thence the Martyrdom. — Chapter XXXII. That there was such a chapel in this tower, I think we have proof sufficient : the place and dimensions of an altar here are plainly to be seen in the pavement, and the steps up to it still remain : that it was an altar of the Blessed Virgin we may reasonably suppose, from a picture of her still remaining in the stained glass of the window before which that altar stood. If the only difficulty to be removed is, that no signs of a tomb appear in the place I w ould call by that name, I think a very good reason may be given for his never having had one there. 159 Before this tomb could be erected, his votaries came in such numbers, that the chapel, designed for their reception, was by much too small for that purpose; the monks therefore acted very prudently in leaving that unfinished, and trans- lating the body to the chapel of the Trinity, which would receive hundreds of people at a time, and where his shrine, with its ornaments, might be seen on all sides. If we allow, that after this was done, the name of his tomb was not forgotten, but continued to the time of the reformation, we may be as well satisfied, that this was the vault called Bishop Becket's tomb, under our Lady's chapel, as that it is the vault which was assigned in the division to the first prebendary, and has belonged to his successors from that time to this ; which last cir- cumstance perhaps is as strong justification of my conjectures as they are capable of.^ 3 Tlie accounts we have of the burying-place of Archbishop Becket are not easily reconciled to one another. Mr. Somner says, in his book, it is a few steps above the Lady's chapel in the undercroft; and in the manuscript I have quoted, that it was at the very uppermost part of the undercroft; meaning, I suppose, near the circular wall at the east end of the old church. But he mentions the assignment of the fine vaults to the first prebend, in a manner which does not distinguish them from that in which is the Lady's chapel ; whereas they are parted by a straight wall, at least eleven yards from the upper end of that chapel, built between the two eastern towers of Lanfranc's church, instead of the circular one Mr. Battely has given us in his plan of it, with another of the undercroft in the same plate ; by com- paring of which two, we shall find, that if in the latter we draw such an arch between those towers as we see in the former, the line will coincide with the altars of St. John Baptist and of St. Augustine, and that of St. Thomas be- tween them. This place is under the new chapel of the Holy Trinity, and was so under the old one, as we find by the altars of it in Lanfranc's plan. But Gervase says, that Archbishop Becket was buried in a little chapel added at the outside of the circular wall I have been speaking of, in which St. Thomas was particularly fond of performing his devotions. And now, whether this extraordinary Saint's body was enclosed in a new 160 CHAP. XX. Precinct continued. To proceed on our walk. On the left hand side of the alley we are now got into, we see a row of pillars and arches, once a part of the infirmary and its chapel, but now walled up, making the north side of the first prebendary's house, and that of a minor canon adjoining to it. sarcophagus of marble, provided (miracnlously we may think) to receive it the very next day after his death, or whether it rested in a grave till the time of his translation, and what was the place of that grave, I leave the reader to judge, if the lights I have been able to give should tempt him to such an enquiry. Some consequences of his death may shew how insolent the pope's resentment was, and how superstitious and abject the king's sub- mission. The accounts of St. Thomas's death in the Decern Scriptores tell us, the pope (Alexander II.) and the king (Henry II.) were so shocked at the news of it, that they spent some days in fasting and prayer, shut up, and hardly suffering any one to come near them. The king in particular did neither eat nor speak in three days, and kept himself in sad and solitary retirement for five weeks. For all this, the ambassadors of rank and address, whom he sent to clear him of the guilt of it, were roughly denied admittance by the pope and some of his cardinals, nor could by any entreaties get to the sight of his Holiness, till they made their application in proper form {Romano more, as Gervase calls it) and with diflSculty obtained that favour at the price of 500 marks. Then on swearing (by decree of the court of Rome) in the name of the king that he would submit himself to the judgment of the church, they pre- vailed that neither he nor his kingdom should be laid under sentence of suspension or excommunication. It is well known that the king carried his submission so far as to oflFer himself to be whipped by the monks in their chapter, (see Chap. XXXI.) Some of the writers say, that not only the monks, but the bishops, and other religious persons present, lent their hands to this penance, some giving him three lashes, and others five. Oil tlu' riiiht Imiul is the house of the lifth pro- l)end: and then that of the second, mostly of modern structure, but the hall of it was that of the old infirmary, a large and handsome room, open to the roof, l)uilt (according to Mr. Somner) about the year 1342, and still in good repair. Tlie free-stone arches over the door and windows of it, are strengthened by others just aljove them of flint, curiously cut, so as to resemble bricks set on end. Proceeding still westward we come to an entry, called a dark one, (and indeed it was much more formerly than it is now) with a door on the left hand, leading to the cloister, which is shut up tnery night. On the right is the way to the Curia Prioralus, now the Green Court, in going to which we pass by two stair-cases, that of the library locked up, and just by it another, with an arched door-case, once leading to the Camera Veins Prioris by Eadwyn's drawing,' now to the 1 This plan, which 1 may often have occasion to mention, is found amoiiir the mainiscripts of Trinity CoUo-re in Camhridgc, in a very cnrious triph^ psaUcr of St. Jerome, in Latin, written by the monk Eadwyn, wliose pic- ture at the beginninnf of it, and whose attempt to draw a representation of our church and monastery, as they stood l)etwecn the years ILJO and 1174, makes it probable he was one of the monks here, and the more so, as neither of the drawings has any kind of relation to tiie psalter and other sacred hymns, written in the book itself. In an inscription round his portrait, Eadwyn styles himself tlie Prince of Writers [Sci-iptorum Pri>irrps;'\ but however proud he mip:hl be of his i)en- nianship, this does very little honour to his skill as a draujfhtsman, for it is neither a plan, an upright, or a prospect, and yet it shows plainly enons^h, that tliis is the church and precinct he would have drawn, if he had known how to execute such a design. In the year 1755 the Antiquarian Society published prints of these two drawincrs, with an account of them and of tlie plan ; adding, that the book was given to Trinity College library, by Dr. Neville, dean of Canterbury, who was also master of that college, and a great lienefactor to it; and that in an index of books, formerly belonging l" lliat cathedral, mention is made of Tripnflitiiin P.Mtltiriiiin Eadiri/iii. M 162 Iiouse of one of our six preachers, vvliich is over head here, and was given up for that use by Dean Godwyn, who had liouse-room enough without it.- Mr. Somner finds no priors here before Henry Abbot, of Caen in Normandy, brought hither by Lanfranc. Before that time the church had deans : Celnoth the first of them, was afterwards archbishop, and died 870. He mentions two others, but could not complete the succession. He supposes they were first called Lord Prior, about 1378, when Pope Urban YI. granted to John Finch, and his successors, the mitre, tunic, dalmatic, gloves, and ring, and in the next prior's time completed the episcopal habit, by adding the sandals, and the pastoral staff. But these marks of distinction were to be used only in absence of the archbishop. He adds, that the Lord Priors sat as spiritual barons in parliament. This Mr. Battely contra- dicts, on Mr. Selden's authority : but whatever his rank might be, his income was a lordly one, being valued at the suppression (not to the worth, says Mr. Somner,) at 24891. 4s. 9d. 2 It has long since ceased to be the residence allotted to one of the six preachers, and has been many years occupied by one of the bell-ringers. im CHAP. XXI. Of the Deanery and Green Court. As the income of the Lord Prior was great, his apartments, now the deanery, were spacious accordingly, taking- in not only all the east end of the Green Court, but part of the sides adjoin- ing, as does the deanery now, marked in the })lan (with its offices) by the letter D, Great part of it was destroyed by fire, in Dean Godwyn's time, whose name, and the date 1570, recorded in stone, on two heads of the house, show when and by whom it was built. A chamber over the north end of the Dark- entry, (which has been called. the dean's study) with a newel stair-case of stone up to it ; another such stair-cas^ within the house, at the south end of Dean Godwyn's, serving for back stairs to that, as well as a way to some rooms of longer standing ; another still at the north end, with two small tenements, near the corner of the court, belonging to the deanery, appear to be of anticjuity, and perhaps as old as Eadwyn's drawing. The north side according to him, was taken uj) by along range of l)uilding, Avhich was tlie l)rew- house and bakehouse of the monastery, and agate M 2 164 wliich he calls their granary/ The gate we see over against us, as we come out of the Dark-entry, may be that he speaks of, and the room over it is very lit for the use he mentions. The range (which is con- tinued eastward from this gate) has other offices belonging to the deanery, not looking into the court ; one part used as a residence, and the other as a miscellaneous receptacle ; westward of that gate is a tenement, of which the granary just mentioned is now a part ; next to this is the water-house," wherein is a cistern, furnishing almost the whole precinct with excellent water, by pipes laid to the houses, and furnished itself by pipes from springs about a mile off; then the dean's brewhouse,^ from whence the water-house was taken ; and here the range is broken, a room (as tradition says) once called the dean's great hall, having been demolished by the zealous puritans, for being profaned by the king's scholars having acted plays there. A neat little dwelling-house fills up part of the space where that stood, and belongs to the house of the fourth prebendary, which, with its 1 This gateway or granary is now attached to the residence of one of the minor canons. 2 This water-house was parted from the dean's brew-house (which had room to spare) many years ago, before which time the conduit was a square-building, like a country pigeon-house, and stood in the court so near the prebendal-house as to be an inconvenience there, as well as a dis- grace to the whole court beside. 3 The building still called the brewhouse, has long since ceased to be used as such. The good "Saxon ale," which the prebends of old were wont to use ; and which contributed to gladden many a cheerless heart, when Christ- mas and its merry train arrived, has been abandoned : the good old tinies are sunk into oblivion, and the poor into a state of comparative vassalage. 165 ofliccs, reaclics alniosj' to the porter's gate; but, het'ore we come to that, a turning at tlie corner of his stable yard leads to a curious old arch, the gate of the Domus Hospilnm. 166 CHAP. XXIL Of the Stranger s House and Hall, JJomus Hospitum. This was the place appointed for the entertain- ment of such poor pilgrims as had lodging and diet at the expence of the monastery/ It is above 40 feet broad, and was not less than 150 long, situated in a corner least likely to interfere with the privacy of the monks, or the business of their servants, and is one of the buildings which I suppose were raised by Lan- franc over vaults of greater antiquity, these being just such as those under the choir, but on plainer pillars. A covered way or pentise led from this hall to the offices of the cellarer, for he had the care of them, having a steward and servants, who fur- nished their tables with commons provided on purpose ; what was left at the tables of the prior, &c. being distributed smong the poor at the Almonry, of which I shall speak by and by. This pentise not only prevented the inconveni- ences which they who carried their messes might suffer, by being exposed to bad Aveather, or 1 Our monks being of the order of St. Benedict were by his rule obliged to kcej) hospitality, and find entertainment at bed and board for such stran- gers and pilgrims as should crave it of them. ■'t- '/■»"" 167 rrovvded hy [H'oplc wlio IkkI no Imsiness with tlit'in, but might keep the pilgrims themselves from straggling in their way through the pentise gate to the cloister and church. " It The hall was a very large f and lofty room, mucli like some of our parish churches, having one third of its breadth parted by pillars and arches of stone (like a side aisle) whicli were continued for the length of the whole building, and are to be seen in what remains of it. It was called the North hall, or Hog hall, which Mr. Somner would derive from the Ger- man word hog,^ signifying " high' or " mounted^ My reader perhaps may think he need not have gone so far for a probable conjecture, but tliat it w as at least as likely to get this nick-name from the greedy and hoggish behaviour of such company as was usually fed there. The number of vaults under this house was three in breadth, and ten or more in length, till the hall was demolished. The porter of the Green Court gate had his lodge on the south side - It was about eight fi-et wide within, the roof supported on the tvest side by the wall which parts this precinct from that of tiie archbishop's palace ; on the east by subst.nntial posts, nine or Umi feet liigh ; the timbers and framing lit to last for ages; it has done so already, and seems likely to do so still. •i The stranger's hall is placed here by Somner, but improperly: had he attended to the charter of Henry VI. for holding a court, which he rpiotes, be would have seen the use and name: it is theie related that " tlie prior and convent of the church and their predecessors have been used time out of mind, to hold a court at the North Hall within the precincts of the said church, which court was called Higli Court;" hence its name Hog Hall. Tliis tinilding in Eadwyn's drawing is called Aula Nova. From which drawing we also see the situation of the Donuis Hospitum, at the north side f)f the garden of the seventh prebendary, separated from the kitchen of the monastery by a gateway, and not far from the Cellarer's apavfuieiits, chilled there Cellarium. of that mate, but (I suppose, on tlie duildinir cS house for the tenth pre})en(l) was removed to the opposite side of it. Three of these vaults, the ])readth of the biiildinji-, and the three next to them, are taken up by this lodg<^ and a way to the Almonry, or Mint yard (to be spoken of in its place,) and two more, on the right hand side of this way, were the prison of the dean and chapter (whose court the steward of their liber- ties iield once in three weeks, for determining- causes under his cognizance, in the building above,) but this being little better than a dun- geon, a more airy one was provided in the church-yard. 1 have already observed that this court has been disused some time, as well as those of the archbishop's and St. Augustine's liberties. The arch of the lodge, which is clear of the gate, is adorned with carved mouldings, so were they on our left hand when we go toward the stairs of the stranger's hall, though now almost entirely hidden by brick-work. The gate at the foot of those stairs is arched in the same taste : tlie stair-case is about six-feet wide, covered over head, and windowed with little pillars and arches like those we see in such abundance about the most ancient parts of our church. The stone steps being greatly worn, were within memory, replaced with square tiles: the pillars of marble on the south side still remain, and those on the north* are closed up by a plaistered wall. 4 The •(hole is now tlirown open, in consequence of a shed, erected some years ;ij.c(/, for the convenience of the carpenters employed in the cuthedval, and iuljoining the sliiir-casc, having been taken down. 169 In tlie wall on tlie south side of this staircase if> a (loor^ wliich leads down to a vault, where, by Eadwyn's drawinj^, was a well or a bason, of which nothing is now to be seen. This vault is under the landing place at the head of the stairs, which is a room with several doors, one over against us, leading to the room where the stew- ard's court has been kept, as others on each hand do to the lodgings on the south, now houses for two of our six preachers, and to the hall of the strangers on the north/' This part (being more than half the building) was once the house of the ninth prebendary, fit- ted up for his use by floors and partitions, and afterward by exchange became that of the auditor ; but was so disagreeably situated and contrived, that a later one chose to let it at a low rent, and pay a higher for one not a quarter so large, but more pleasantly seated, in the Green Court. 5 About eif^lit years ago, when the alteration, mentioned below, took place, this door was closed, and remains so at present. 6 The work of destruction, or rage for improvement as it was tlien termed, manifested itself about eight years since, in this portion of the Precincts, when Mr. Jesse White, with the permission of the dean and chapter, at- tempted to restore the ancient embellisliments, at the expense of a few individuals, whom the adverse flow of worldly prosperity had consigned to this spot for habitation, and who were obliged to seek an asylum elsewhere when the tide of life was at its ebl). Upon the two arches now standing at the entrance of the Mint Yard, stood offices, capable of affording shelter to three or four families, independent of a large room, which was familiarly known by the name of the "Old Court." The entrance to the yard above mentioned, was under these offices, through a passage; on the right side of which, from the Green Court, was a dark place, called the " mi/ii hole" used by the Master of the King's School as a common depository. The site of land is now laid open, and forms a small sipiare, from which may be seen, in excellent preservation, the arch above the summit of the stair-case leading to the stranger's hall ; rugged colunms also present themselves on either side, which supi)orted part of the building; and, on the western side, is the rear of the Porter's residence. 170 About tlie year 1730, he agreed to give up hi!^ interest in this huge building to the dean and chapter, on being allowed the rent he paid for that wherein he dwelt. On this the hall, between fifty and sixty feet long, and about forty broad, was taken down with the vaults under it, two chambers, which had been added to the prebendal house, over a room in the Mint-yard, the kitchen of one of their tenants, disposed of to that tenant; the opening left at the demolition of the hall made up, and a low building added for a brew- house. After this was done, and the materials of the fabric sold, the house was restored to the auditor again. On this, he being a proctor in the ecclesiastical courts, got the register's office removed from the rooms over the butter market, in St. Andrew's parish, to this place, and here it continues.^ This auditor was not the first person who thought the house too dull to live in ; Dr, Turn- bull, the third prebendary in the ninth stall, had got that in the Green Court which is now the house of the twelfth prebend, and (in 1558) given up his proper one for the use of the grammar school, (it being exceedingly tit for that purpose while the hall was standing,) and the old school in the Convent garden had been assigned to the twelfth prebendary, who was to have Mr. Cok's "i After the destruction of the buildings just mentioned, it was resolved to remove the registry office to a place of greater convenience for the transac- tion of business : and a mass of papers connected with the office having been carcfidly arranged by the late W. Boteler, esq. (father of the present Recorder of Canterbury) previous to the intention of the Proctor being carried into effect, the whole was removed to tlic Cathedral yard, in a place erected for the purpose. 171 lodging, with the phmiery (which is the name and use of the old school to tliis day,) mid the close and garden upon the hill to the school garden. But the school did not long continue here ; for when Dr. Bullen, who succeeded Dr. Turnbull, in l^GG, took possession of this house as his right, he represented the danger the school house (as it seems this was still called) was in, by reason of annexing the house (used for the grammar school) to it with dogs of iron ; it was therefore agreed in Chapter, 1572, that his house should, at the charge of the church, by making buttresses against the wall adjoining to the school, be made defensible, &c. I shall have occasion to say more about this when we come to the Mint yard, but first shall mention another prebendary who could not reconcile himself to living here. This was Dr. Nixon, installed in 1689, who exchanged it for that of the auditor in the Con- vent garden, thougli at the expence of building a new one there for himself and successors. 172 CHAP. xxm. Of the Almonry or Mint Yard. This is a little court at the west side of the strangers'-hall, while that was standing. Here all the fragments and relics of meat and drink left at the tables of the refectory, of the prior, of the master or cellarer, of the infirmary, and of the strangers'-hall, were to be disposed of to no other use but that of the poor. The monk who had the care of this distribution, Mr. Somner says, was called Dean of the Almonry, and names several churches given to its endow- ment. It had its chapel in it, and lodgings for the chaplains. When King Henry VHl. had ejected the monks of the cathedral, and appointed houses in its precinct for the dean, canons, 8cc. of his new foundation ; he kept this court for his own use, and liad a mint here, of wliich it still bears tlie name. The way to it from tlie Green Court is through two of the arches under the Domiis Hospitum, (as already observed ;) and when we come into this little court, we find, on the east side of it, the range of building which Dr. Bullen complained of, as in tlie foregoing chapter. The iron dogs' still remain in the west wall of ' At the demise of the author of this work, who occupied one of the 17:3 the strangers-hall, wliich was left standing, and hy mere accident it was discovered, tliat the but- tresses of that hall were of later date than the hall itself. The house " now used for the grammar school" (as Dr. Bullen called it) has been for many years converted into tenements. The occupier of that next the city wall, Avanting a chimney to his hall, cut a tunnel for it jn the thickness of a buttress, at the north-west corner of the old building since demolished ; and among the rubbish that came out, found large fragments of stone windows, like those in the body of tiie church. This was won- dered at, because that kind of windows is thought of later date than the days of Lanfranc, who built the hall ; but the supposing these buttresses erected in Dr. Bullen's time, makes that plain which could not but seem very unaccountable to those who thought the hall and its buttresses of the same standing. houses on the eastern side of the Mint-yard, great alterations and improve- ments took place ; and the dogs here spoken of are no longer visible- 174 CHAP. XXIV. DigressioH. Perhaps my reader may think, that when 1 talk of Lanfranc's structures as being erected on vaults standing long before, and mentioning other parts of the building in and about our cathedral, as of greater antiquity than is generally supposed, I seem too forward in giving them so early a date: if he does, I hope he will excuse my add- ing some reason for my opinion to those I have already given. Mr. Somner tells us from the monk Edmer, " that Lanfranc built Christ Church in Canter- bury ; the wall which does encompass the court, with all the offices belonging to the monastery within the wall thereof;" adding, "that most of our monasteries were of wood, till upon the Norman conquest, such timber fabrics grew out of use, and gave place to stone buildings, raised upon arches, a form of structure introduced by that nation." But if the account we have of Grymbald's crypt be true, this is an unanswerable objection to what is here asserted. Grymbald's is certainly a stone building, and arched, and prior to Lanfranc's coming by almost 200 years. Our crypts under the choir are exactly in the same taste ; not that of the Normans ; theirs was 175 j)lain, or very sp:irinj>ly adornod, whereas his (if 1 may call it so) was profusely cnihellisiied with grotescjue decorations of whim and fancy. It can hardly be supposed, therefore, that the same architect designed both the undercroft and super- structure of our clioir ; or, that any architect would ])estow a great deal of time and expence in extravagantly adorning tlie vaults, under a build- ing to be erected over them in a very chaste and simple style. Mr. Battely says, "that from the time of Au- gustine, for the space of 340 years, he could not find, in any printed or manuscript chronicle, the least mention of the fabric of this church, so that nothing, it seems, remarkable did befal it worthy of being recorded." But surely a great deal might befal it, and be recorded too, of which the memorials might be utterly lost and destroyed in the miserable con- fusion during that period and several years after ; when the Danish invaders ravaged our country with fire and sword, and Canterbury seems to have been a distinguished object of their fury. All that was combustible was burnt by them ; the roof of our cathedral they took particular pains to set fire to, and pro])ably defaced the walls of it as much as they had time for. Beside this, Edmer says, "an accidental fire, about three years l)efore Lanfranc's arrival, not only did great damage to the building, but still greater in destroying the charters and muniments of the churcli ;"' witli these we may reasonably suppose whatever historical accounts the monks liad of it perished. 17G But if Lanfranc^ at his coming", foimd the dis- position of the okl offices so well adjusted, as it appears to have been ])y their undercroft still remaining, and some of their walls fit for his purpose, we can hardly suppose one who had such great designs to execute, would be at the expence and trouble of pulling down and clear- ing away what might be of service in his present undertaking ; and thus we may account for his having completed so great a work in eight years. I own this is a conjecture, and submitting that and the probability of the grounds, on which I build, to the candid consideration of my reader, I proceed to the descriptive part of my work. 177 CHAP. XXV. Of the Kiug'^s School. 1 FIND myself accused (too justly I fear) of saying, in my former edition, less of this school than one who was educated at it, and a King's Scholar, ought to have done. I must endeavour to make amends by the best account I can give of this ancient and royal foun- dation. The latter of these titles I can trace no farther than King Henry VHI. who new-modelled the establishment of our cathedral ; and by whose statutes, as corrected, explained, and confirmed by King Charles I. both that, and its school are regulated. As to the former, Canterbury perhaps need not give place to any nursery of learning in the whole kingdom. Ai'chbishop Theodore (according to Lambert in his Perambulation of Kent) by licence of Pope Vitalianus, who died anno domini 669, founded within this city a school or college, wherein he placed Professors of all the liberal sciences. If so, here was, in effect, what we call an University more than 200 years before King Alfred founded that at Oxford, anno domini 886 How eminently Canterbury was the seat of literature many hundred years ago, appears by the N 178 history of the noble Aklhehn, who came hitlier from the court of lua, kinj^ of the West Saxons, (w^hose nephew he was,) to study under Adrian, abbot of St. Augustine's ; and who was no less distinguished by his learning than by his rank ; being, as he himself boasts, the first who intro- duced the study of Latin poetry into his country. See Dr. Gale's Scriptores XV. Vol. I. page 342. He died bishop of Shirborn, anno domini 709, as , Bede tells us, page 244 of that volume. That Augustine settled a school here very early can hardly be doubted. Mr. Somnerhas given an account of a suit in 1321 between Radulph rector of the grammar schools of the city of Canterbury, and Robert rector of St. Martin's near Canterbury, and of the schools there ; when sentence was given in favour of Radulph, reserving to Robert the right he claimed as immemorial of teaching at St. Martin's, but restraining the number of his scholars to tliirteen ; which may be best accounted for, by supposing this the number of those in- structed at St Augustine's school there, and thus fixed in respect to his memory. Mr. Camden says, it is incredible how much Canterbury flourished both by reason of the archiepiscopal dignity; and of the school founded here by Theodore, of which Radulph was probably rector : and which seems to have been continued in this monastery till our days (though not always under the same roof) with little disturbance, till the grand rebellion. But as I have been hunting the general state of literature in our parts toward the earliest times, I shall continue that pursuit a little farther, before I say more of our school in its present condition. 179 Caesar, on his arrival in Kent, found the Druids in high esteem liere. These were the most ancient schoohnasters, judges, priests, and pliilosopliers, which history gives any account of in our parts. To these, he says, the youth came in great num hers, and had them in great honour. All divine offices and sacrifices, whether public or private, were under their care ; almost all causes, whether criminal or concerning property, were determined by them : and they, of whatever rank, who refused to submit to their sentence, being driven from their sacrifices, were detested and shunned by all men as reprobates. Their fame also was spread so far abroad, that strangers came from distant countries to study under their direction. His account of them is so particular, as shows they were little known in Ital^ : but it seems quite otherwise in respect to Greece, with which they seem to have had great connection ; they used the Greek alphabet, and probably spoke that language ; for they took their title from the Greek name of the Oak, a tree which they held in religious veneration, and the Greeks thought animated by their Hamadryades. Some confirma- tion my opinion may perhaps receive from the fair Athenian coin, dug up a few years ago in forming the works for the defence of Chatliam dock, a print of which is given in the History and Antiquities of Rochester, published in 1772 ; which is so far from =being an unique, that I myself have had the fellow to it these many years, and have seen two more, a silver and a copper one. N 2 180 How far the order of l^rnids spread itself, may he as difficidt to ascertain as the antiquity of it. Caesar supposes their system brought from Britain into Gaul. The late curious and learned captain Armstrong thought the Celtic Druids prior to the British. His History of Minorca, and Mr. Rowland's of Mona Antiqua, give such views of druidical monuments in those islands, [huge mounts of unhewn stones, and altars almost as rude,] as plainly indicate their superstitions nearly related . Mr. Rowland has many ingenious arguments to prove, that Mona was the capital seat of these famous philosophers ; but undoubted tokens ap- j)ear of their having resided at several otiier places in Britain and Ireland. Such tokens found about Canterbury, as well as the situation of it in the way of travellers from the continent, may well prove this to have been one of them ; and that they lived and taught here before any history of the place was or perhaps could be written. For when Caesar mentions his finding the Greek alphabet in use here, he adds, that the lessons of the Druids to their disciples were not committed to writing, but must all be learned by heart, which must take up a great deal of time and labour. This, he observes, might be to conceal their mysteries from the vulgar, or to continue them fresh in memory. There might be other reasons too, as aversion to changing the method which had cost them so much trouble and attention for one less tedious and difficult ; or pride in treating literature as a noxflty, it compared witli their rules and customs. If it was really so, it will be in vain to continue this search any further : let us then return to the more immediate subject of our chapter. King- Henry VIII. founded this school for a master, usher, and fifty scholars; who were to eat at the common table, which the provision made by him for it could not long maintain. The fifty scholars are elected only at the November chap- ter, as many as may supi)ly the vacancies of the ensuing year : they must be between the ages of nine and fifteen ; they receive each a stipend of ll. 8s. 4d. a year; and hold their scholarships for five years. Besides this there are two scholarships for relations of the family of Heyman ; of which, and some scholarships in the University of Cam- bridge, to which the scholars from this school have a title, a larger account will be given in the next chapter. They suffered not only-in the suppres- sion of the common table, but from the founder's discharging the dean and chapter from the expend- ing 2001. per ammm, in the support of twenty-four students in Oxford and Cambridge, of which it may reasonal)ly be supposed they would have had a share, which in his foundation he had appointed them to find. Intending to found two collets (as he says) in those Universities, he took from the dean and chapter several manors, the Almery House in the city of Canterbury, and Canterbury College in Oxford, and discharged them as I said before. This was done in 1546.^ And within these 1 In the hiuno deed tlic Kinp: grants tlicin in consideiatien, tbiit llieii 182 fifty years they, in common with the scholars of Christ Hospital, London, have lost the benefit which they had until then received, by alternately supplying the vacancies in Mr. Colfe's ten exhibi- tions, (as will be stated more at large in the next chapter,) by the Leathersellers' company, who are the trustees, having totally suppressed them, alledging that the estate is insufficient. If by the Almery which King Henry re-assumed, is meant the Almonry, now called the Mint Yard, that reverted again in this manner, according to the parliamentary survey taken 1649 ; Queen Mary, in 1557, gave it by letters patent to Car- dinal Pole ; he being thus seized of the premises in fee, by his will devised it to Aloisius Priobus in fee, and made him his executor ; and thereupon he, by his deed indented, dated 30 July 1 Elis. [1559] gave it to the dean and chapter for the maintenance of the school there." A complete list of the honourable and illustrious families who have sent their sons to this nursery, or of others, less distinguished by birth and for- tune, whose own parts and industry have raised them from hence to high posts in church and state, would be a valuable ornament to a larger and more pompous work than I should venture to undertake ; but it would be unpardonable to water which used to be conveyed from his park to the coiWnt is of late spoiled by the deers coming and soiling in it, that they shall have the pipe that doth conduct and convey the water from the said park to the site of the late St. Augustine's monastery, zm perpetuinn. - Habendum, et tenefduvi eixdem decano et capitulo et succvssoribus suis pro terminii 500 muwriim ptittarie complcndorum ad soluvi iisum et iiitcntiouein ad inveninndam it maiii/tenendam scholam ibidem pro pueris durante teriuiiw prc- dicto in bonis Uteris insfituciidis reddendo unuin i^raniim pipcris, ^-c. 183 omit mentioninjj^ one of those lierocs in lenrning-, of whom any school und nation might very justly be proud. 1 mean the famous Dr. William Harvey, whose important divscovery of the cir- culation of the blood in animals, has given new light to the study of medicine, as well as that of more sublime philosojihy which teaches us to admire and adore the wisdom of God in the cre- ation.^ ' The present Lord Chief Justice Abbott was also educated at this school. 184 CHAP. XXVI. benefactions to the King's School. That of Aloisius Priobus, Cardinal Pole's executor, has been already mentioned, page 182, of the rest I shall give an account more at large. H E Y M A N . School and University . William Heyman of the city of Canterbury, gentleman, by indenture dated September 29^ 1625, infeoffed to certain persons therein named, twenty-seven acres of marsh land in Warehorne, Kent, which they were to let for the best rent, and to apply five parts in six of the said rent quarterly, if it may be, upon two poor scholars only, to be placed in the King's School, Canter- bury ; the nomination to be made by the next heir of the said W. Heyman (being of age) and the majority of the feoffees: the choice always to be of such boys only as shall be descended, I. From the body of Peter Heyman, esq. grand- father of the said W. Heyman ; and of these, 1. Of the surname of Heyman. 2. Of any surname. n. One scholar to be chosen of the surname of Heyman, born in Kent, or descended of Kentish parentage ; if none such, then HI. Both to be natives of Sellinge : or sons of parents the inhabitants of Sellinge : but these ,\| • i 'K5 185 iirfe to be removed whenever a boy qualified a.« in No. I. and II. applies. The boy to be chosen must be full eight years old ; and may hold this exhibition for nine years ; and if he goes to Trinity or any other college in Cambridge, his exhibition may be continued for seven years from his leaving school : and if he takes orders in the first five years of the seven, it may be continued to him three years more ; that is ten in all at the University. The last appointed Trustees were. Sir H. Oxenden, bart. William Deedes, esq. Thomas Papellon, esq. and John C Beckingham, esq. Rose. Either University'. Robert Rose, of Bishopsbourne, by indenture, dated August 31, 1618, infeoffed to certain per- sons therein named, twenty-six acres of marsh land in St. Mary and Hope All Saints in Romney Marsh, for the assistance of four scholars at either University, who are to be, I. Such as should be either the King's Scholars, or other scholars in the King's School, Canter- bury, (of which he had been usher) two years at least before their going to the University, and a preference to be given to such as were born in or near the city of Canterbury, (where- in he had been born.) II. And they to have something else of tliem- selves or friends toward their maintenance, and yet not fully suflicient to maintain them at the University. III. Such exhibition to continue seven years, if the exhibitioner remains in the Universitv so 186 lon^ uiipreferred to some living of 201. a year above the yearly exhibition. IV. The names, birth, place, and day of election, to be registered ; the exhibition to be 61. per annum. The last appointed Trustees were Dr. Luxmore ; Dr. Weston; Dr. Welfitt; Dr. Lynch; Dr. Wals- by; Charles Robinson, esq. Geo. Stringer, esq. James Simmons, esq. C. R. Bunce, esq. W. Bristow, esq. Richard Halford, esq. Joseph Royle, esq. John Ladd, esq. John Toke, esq. William Hammond, esq. John Monins^, esq. Gilbert Knowler, esq. William Hougham, esq. and J. H. Stringer, esq. Parker. Corpus Christi, Cambridge. William Morphett, Clerk, Master of the Hos- pital of Eastbridge, Canterbury, did Ijy indenture dated May 22, 1578, with the consent of Arch- bishop Parker, covenant with John Pory, D. D. Master of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, that himself and his successors should, during the term of 200 years next ensuing, pay yearly to the said master, &c. 61. 13s. 4d. for the mainte- nance of two scholars, natives of Kent, and educated in the King's School, Canterbury, and nominated by the Dean of Canterbury, and the Master of the Hospital : they were to be called Canterbury Scholars, and to have all the benefits which any other scholars enjoyed. Archbishop Whitgift in his ordinances, (which were confirmed by act of parliament, 27 Eliz.) renewed this foundation, which is now perpetual ; but, instead of the dean's, made the archbishop of Canter- 187 bury's consent necessary to the appointment. Archbishop Parker founded also three scholar- ships out of the rents of certain tenements in Westminster, one appropriated to the county of Lincoln, and the other two for natives of Kent, educated at Canterbury school, and assigned them chambers in the college. An exhibition, scholarship, and chamber, are worth 151. a year. Robinson. aS*^. Johns, Cambridge. Henry Robinson, by will dated May 1.3, 1043, devised certain messuages, &c. in Birchington and St. Nicholas in the island of Thanet, to St. John's College in Cambridge, for the founding two fel- lowships and two scholarships for two fellows and two scholars, natives of the Isle of Thanet, and brought up at the King's School, Canterbury ; in default, for natives of the county of Kent, and brought up at the said school. It being found that the profit of the lands were not sufficient for the maintenance of two fellows and two scholars, it was ordered by a decree of the Court of Chan- cery, with consent of the college and the execu- tors, dated November 20, 1052 ; that they do " establish four scholarships in the said college for ever, instead of the said two fellowships and two scholarships, and that the profits of the pre- mises shall, according to the direction of the said donor in his will, be employed for ever on the said four scholars for and towards their mainte- nance." Thokpe. Emanuel, Camhriilge. George Thorpe, D. D. Prebendary of Canter- Ijury, gave to Emanuel College certain messuages, &c. in the parish of Ash, in the county of Kent, for the endowment of five exhibitions, to enable Bachelors of Arts to reside until they take the Master's degree : if there are no Bachelors, others may be elected after two years from their first residence in college. The qualifications are : the exhibitioner must not be possessed of an estate of 401. per annum, his friends must certify their intention of keeping him in college (unless better provided for) until he is Master of Arts : he must declare his inability thus to continue without some such assistance : and that he pur- poses to make divinity his study. A preference is given to the sons of orthodox ministers of the church of England and of the diocese of Canter- bury, and such as have been brought up in the King's School there. These exhibitions are never less than 141. and sometimes 201. per ann. and may be held with scholarships or exhibitions of other foundations, of which more than forty be- long to that college. Brown. Emanuel, Cambridge. Mr. Brown in 1736 founded two Greek scho- larships in Emanual College, which have generally amounted clear to 8l. per ann. to be paid in proportion to residence, and the remainder to be applied to the general fund of the college. These are to be filled by the Master and Fellows by scholars from the King's School, Canterbury ; in default, out of any school in Kent : then, from any other. 189 Stanhope. Cambridge. Goor^c Stanhope, I). I), heretofore Dean of Canterbnry, by a testamentary schedule, proved May 4, 1728, did bequeath 2o0l. in new S. S. ami. to found one exhibition of lOl. per ami. for one Kini^'s Scholar of the School in Christ Church, Canterbury, to be nominated by the dean and chosen by him, or the vice dean and chapter, for seven years, such scholar continuing in some college in Cambridge ; but to cease at the Mi- chaelmas after commencing Master of Arts. The principal sum 2501. was transferred by the ex- ecutors of Dean Stanhope to, and accepted by the dean and chapter of the cathedral, Canterbury. The reduction of interest having made an al- teration in the annual value, and the exhibition having been vacant for a few years, with the amount, and a contribution from the dean and chapter, 50 pounds stock more was purchased ; so that the exhibition is now worth 91. per annum. SCHOOL FEAST SOCIETY. Either University. In 1712a society was begun by some gentle- men educated at this school : in 1713 they agreed, with permission of the dean and chapter, to at- tend divine service at the cathedral, and hear a sermon suitable to the occasion on their an- niversary in the ensuing year. This led to a charitable contribution in 1718, in favour of such scholars as should go from hence to either Uni- versity, and stood in need of some assistance there ; of w hich a great number of persons have experienced the benefit. Many gentlemen not 190 educated at the school, hut desirous of promoting this charity, have favoured the society with tlieir company. The annual collection is bestowed at the discretion of the society. A fund has also been made from the occasional surplus, which is vested in the funds, and amounts to 15481. Is. 3d. of the produce of which, exhibitions have usually been made. CoLFE. Either University . Mr. Abraham Colfe, the founder of Lewisham school, among many other noble benefactions, gave seven exhibitions of lOl. per annum each, for scholars from that school at either University. In default of claimants from Lewisham school, from the ajacent hundreds, and from members of the company of Leathersellers, (who are the pa- trons of the school, and possessed of the estates by him bequeathed,) he directs these exhibitions to be filled up by scholars from the King's School, Canterbury, and from that in Christ's Hospital, London, alternately. But the Leathersellers' Company have for these seventy years past, refused to admit the claim of either, and have totally sunk this 701. per annum, alledging a failure in their estate. As they have asserted this, we must believe it to be so, although most estates in the neighbourhood of London have risen in value within that time ; but how they are em- powered to load one branch of Mr. Colfe's charity with the whole failure, does not appear ; or that the schools of Christ's Hospital and Canterbury have not as just a right to share his liberality in the last i)lace, as Lewisham in the first: especially 191 as lie assiiiiis this reason, liocaiise liis father was educated in Christ's Hospital, and liimself born at Canterbury. He foresaw (what has happened) that Lewisham school might not produce enough to fill all his exhibitions, and added two schools, Mliich he judged might at all times supply its dj^ficiency. 192 CHAP. XXVII. Description of the Precinct continued. The buildings on the east^ side of the Mint Yard, we find, were used for the grammar-school in Dr. Bullen's time [about 1566.] And the common table kept for some time in the Green Court, at the house assigned to the twelfth preben- dary, being soon disused, another was appointed there for the schoolmaster and scholars, with whom the minor canons were to have their com- mons, the precentor (or in his absence the senior minor canon present) being to sit uppermost.* The mint also was here, as was discovered by digging in the back-yard of this house, near the city wall, to set down a post ; when, a little be- low the surface, an arch of brick was found big enough for a man to crawl into : it was hoped this would prove a good sewer for the house, which was much wanted. The discovery was pur- sued till the workmen found the arch turned with plain tiles, which, with the mortar they were laid in, were vitrified into one mass by the violent fires 1 When the bearings of these places are distinguished by the cardinal points of the compass, it is not that they are precisely so situated ; the plan shows the contrary ; but perhaps this way of expression may answer its purpose, at least, as well as one exactly accurate. 2 This common table was of no long continuance, but the leases granted of the buihling are by covenant void, if the dean and chapter shall appoint commons in the Mint 'V'ard, as heretofore, for the hall extended almost as nnich of the length of both, as appears in the Mint Yard. 1' \ ~ m V / -- ||l|r ? / ' '.' ilWI, 193 which had been kept there ; this was therefore looked on as remains of a flue for melting the metals for coinage. This and the school must have been very in- conveniently placed so near to each other, and accordingly it was decreed in chapter, 1581, "that suit should be made to the queen, that the school might be placed out of the Mint, in some other place, within the site of the church.^ I suppose the chapel of the Almonry, with its appendages, was appointed for the school-house in answer to this petition, and here it continues to this time, taking up almost the whole south side of the court. On the north side of the court is the kitchen of the liouse where the common table was kept, with a chimney large enough to provide for such a table. This, and the garden of the house, with an out-room belonging to the second scliool- master, reach to the fore yard of his house, which extends now to the chancel-wall of Nortiiuate church. Under one of his chambers is a gateway into the street, with the date 1545, in figures of iron let into the wall : a little before wliich time this end of Queningate-lane was granted to the Almonry, and, I suppose, the gate was made to remedy the inconvenience the neighbourhood must otherwise have suffered by carrying on his house to Northgate chancel.' At the south end of his house is the garden of :* Mr. Folkcs, in iiis tabic of Kiiglish coins, p. f).'?. note, says, Queen Elizabeth coined no money at Canterbury. Is it not more probable that he may have been mistaken, than that such suit should have been made to the ijueen, respecting a mint which was not in beimr ■ ■^ The gateway here mentioned was closed some years since, in order to 194i the upper master ; near which is a modern-buill house ^ of brick, on a church lease. Return we now to the Green Court, where, on our right hand, is the old Porta Prioralus, now the Green Court gate. Mr. Somner looked oii this as built by Lanfranc, but the carved orna- ments of the arches give them the appearance of- greater antiquity, whatever alterations may have been made in the superstructure. In the gateway itself we see arches, now walled up, opposite to one another ; they on the south side answering those under the Donius Hospitum^ of which the western one was for a communica- tion between that and the cellarer's offices by the pentise ; the porter's lodge was on this side, as before mentioned, till the erecting of a house for the tenth prebendary, when he removed to the other side of the way. This house, being a small one, had the chamber, over the great gate added to it, and a garret or two of the Damus Hospitum f and be&ide these, just such another old tower as that over against the west door of the cathedral, (see Chap. XVIII.) and as capriciously placed ; for as the former stands in the church yard, and yet belongs to the palace, so this is on the archbishop's side of the improve the residence of the second Master. Tliere are no nmrks of iron- figures now remaining. '' This house, for some years, has been occupied by Mr. Skeates, organist to the cathedral. <> When Domus Huajntum was removed, it became necessary to alter the residence of the Porter of the Green Court gate, whose principal room, now occupies one entire arch. An additional story has also been added, for his convenience, as well as one for the tenth j^rebendary, to corres- pond with the building on the eastern side. 195 wall which divides the two precincts, and is part of a prebendal house. It was taken little notice of till a few years ago, when the incumbent prebendary, disliking the ragged appearance of some rooms which liad been raised over it, determined to build hand- somer ones in their place : in doing this the old tower was plainly discovered, but the improve- ments he made were such, that it is now no more distinguishable. The walls of gaixiens belonging to this house and that of the seventh prebendary, are on our right hand as we go from these parts toward the church, the way to which is through an arch, now without a name ; but in the appointment of a house for the seventh prebendary, ho was to have the whole lodging, from tlie larder-gate (which is this) to the j>entise-gate, with the cham- bers there called " Heaven and Paradise,"" and so through the Fratcry'' to the cloister, and all the Fratery to the dortor-wall, the common kitclien, with all manner of houses, cellars, and lofts. This building, which is 120 or 130 feet long, seems designed not only for offices, but for tliose also who belonged to them, and some by their names very agreeable ones. The ground rooms are but indifferent ; the upper ones of late years " In the obituary it \% recorded of William Woghopc, who died id I.W7, that he made the chamber called Hoven. 8 The Fratery (in Mr. Somner's manuscript book called the Frn/icfl'^ was the refectory or diniHg room of the monks; Kdwyn gives us a loculimum or parlour just by it. In 1547 Mr. (Joldson, prebendary in the third stall, obtained a royal grant of six score and ton pounds to be allowed him out of the lead, timber, &c. sold or otherwise spent of the late Flat/tcr housf and all the materials left of it, to b\iild him a convenient new prebendal house, «Dd he l"Cceived KiOl. in cou^pensation for what had been done, () 2 196 fitted up so as to make a very handsome ap- pearaiiee. On the south side of it was the common kitchen, now a garden, where remains of some arches seem to show it was a lofty octagon. At the south-west corner of the garden, where the kitchen stood, is an alcove, so much like a chimney, that it is often looked on as what was l)uilt for that purpose : the span of the arch is twenty-six feet, the spring three and a half. The mantle-piece (if I may call it so) of brick-work, about two feet deep, is so neatly jointed, so curiously moulded, and the colour so fresh, as to destroy the appearance of antiquity ; neither is it within the bounds of the kitchen wall, if that was an octagon ; nor could any other form admit of this as a chimney, without making the kitchen the common thoroughfare of all passengers be- tween the strangers' house and the cloister. The jambs and back of it are of squared stone and flints ; the breast above the arch of common bricks laid in courses: it is tiled over head, ceiled and plaistered, with a Ijench wainscotted at the back.^ Of the Fratery hardly any thing is to be seen, except a few little pillars and arches by way of ornament on the wall between this and the dor- tor. The garden, over which this stood, reaches to the north wall of the cloister, into which it has a door. " In the south west corner of tlie garden of the seventh Prebendary, near the alcove just mentioned, the workmen belonging to the cathedral, a few years since, discovered, several feet below the surface of the earth, an arched passage, of beautiful workmanshiji. This passage was built of Caen stone, and was destroyed ; when upwards of 400 tons of material were ob- tained, which has been partly used for the piu'pose of repairing the cathe- dral, and for hiiilding a new altar piece. 197 The pentise-gate is an arch under the west end of this lionse, which reaches to the archbishop's palace. Through tiiis gate was the way of tlie strangers from their hall to the cloister ; where (over against the; door just now mentioned) are two arches, of a different structure from all the rest, supposed to have been cisterns for tiie pilgrims to wash at in their way to church, or perhaps for the monks in their way thither from the refectory; for so they are placed. Remains of lead in the joints of their stone- work, and a holr cut in the wall of one of them tit for a waterpij)e, seem to countenance this tradition. The old larder-gate is now the common way to the church for those wlio live on the north of it, eighteen or nineteen stone steps here leading us uj) to a paved alley, once a gallery of the dormitories, dortors, or lodging-rooms of the monks, now for the most part ruins or gaidens, and next to he treated of.'" liJ A few years since, a substantiiil house occupied the spot now convertcl into a garden, about thirty feet distant from the summit of the steps, for many years in the occupation of the Rev. Mr. Ouncomhe, the intelligent author of a History of Canterbury ; and a translator of the Monuments therein. 198 CHAP. XXVlli. Of the Dortors. There were two dortors or lodgings for the monks : the great one was, by a decree of chapter, 1547, taken down, and the materials employed in fitting up houses for those of the body, who were now to have dwellings to themselves. Every thing that could serve for this purpose had been disposed of long ago. The stone walls were not worth pulling down, and what remains of them may help us to form some judgment of the build- ing which once stood here. They enclose a space of 105 feet from north to south, 78 feet and a half from east to west within the walls. The lodgings were raised on vaults, (as most of the rooms for receiving the monks, or those who should visit them, seem to have been) and perhaps were galleries round a little court, cloister fashion, the wall between the south gal- lery and the chapter-house rises much higher in the middle than at the ends, and has remains of two Gothic^ windows, which show that the 1 Ignorance of the terms of art proper for describing these old buildings will, I hope, excuse my substituting such as I can for distinction: For example — by Gothic windows, I mean those where the lights arc narrow, and divided by muntons of atone, into one or more stories, to the springing of the arches, and afterwards by fancied framing up to the mitred top, as iu the body of the church. Those which have circular arches with little or no ornament, unless perhaps a slender pillar at the inward corners 19f) building' at tliis part was once very lofty. Of the north wall only enouj2:h remains to enclose that side of a garden over the vaults, which once sup- ported the gallery at this end of the dortor. The vaults at these two ends of the square were in two, if not three ranges : the south one is the passage from under the library to the cloister ; that parel- lel to it was used as cellars for two houses that stood over them, and sheltered them from the weather, but were pulled down some years ago, and the vaults of it lately filled with rubbisii. The east and west walls of the square appear to have been alike, as the ends of them next the church have windows in the Norman style, now walled up. A cornice above these windows seems to show, that the old walls here have not lost much of their first height ; and that part of the south wall, which shews the remains of Gothic windows, was in all probability an addition of after- times to the first design. The west wall of this quadrangle has suffered much by time ; the east one much less so, though it has been considerably lowered about the middle of its length, if it was once all of a height, as to all appearance it was. The north wall in the same style, both as to cornice and Norman windows, makes an angle with it at about 105 feet from the south one, as already observed : the east wall is of the wall, and a mowlding from one of them to the other, at the turn of the arch, as I suppose them of Lanfranc's building, I shall call the Norman. These we see along the side and cross aisles of the choir. And where I meet with arches of doors or windows very much embellished with mould- ings of indented or richer carving, I shall call them the Saxon taste. The arch of the cemetery gate, tliat of the strangers' house and hall, and those I have mentioned under the remains of that building, arc of this kind, and many others to be taken notice of as we [noceed. 200 . still continued, so as to make the west end of that remainder of the lesser dortor, which is now the house of the twelfth prebendary, but was ill fitted up to receive a family, till some addition of lower buildings was made to it as far as the gate of the larder. The name of that gate shows what office it belonged to, as the hooks for hinges, still remain- ing, do that it was to be shut and opened on occasion ; it was hardly designed therefore as the common way to church. If there was a way between that and the Green Court, it must have been by the east gallery of the great dortor, with steps by the west end of the little one, where is now the kitchen of the prebendal house. These would have been in a straight line with the gal- lery : but when the necessary additions were made to that house, I suppose the way was skewed off w ith an angle as we now see it, and the steps removed so as to lead to the larder-gate, of no use at present, unless as an abutment to the slight building at the east side of it." The bricked alley is over vaults of the old style, of which we have such numbeis hereabout. A single range of them might perhaps serve for the east and west galleries of the dortor; for these sides of the quadrangle are twenty or thirty feet longer than the north and south ones. The range of high building from the Dark-entry toward the larder-gate, is part of the little dortor: the east end of it was the necessary-house of the 2 The present steps were laid in the last century ; the old ones being in one steep flight without a landing-place, and much worn, made this im- provement a very necessary one. Tine JtijxcTscnt . CAXTKRUUKY 201 dormitory, and is now converted into houses for three of the minor canons ; the rest of it (as already observed) is now a prebendal iiouse : this and two other galleries, seem to have been what went by that name. Of the second gallery the north wall is almost all that remains to take our view : it is as high and thick as that of the first, with several win- dows in it, and is not above six feet and a half from it. In this space was a chapel of that breadth, with an arched door at its west end, now walled up, but to be seen in the bricked alley. On each side just within this door is another, opening into the two dortors between which it stood, and a fourth on the north side, near the altar, where is a handsome Gothic window of two lights, niche fashioned at the top, as were most or all the windows of that kind. The length of the chapel is about twenty-two feet within the walls, the height about eighteen feet and a half: it is now converted into a staircase and two small rooms, one over the other. Twenty or thirty feet from the west door of this chapel is a larger, bricked up on tlie side next the alley, but on the other showing a fair arch and piers of free-stone. This might lead into a passage between the second and third galleries of the smaller dortor. The wall which divided them from the great one, seems to show that the middle one was arched or ceiled, with garrets over it ; and several years ago a part of that wall flaking off, discovered tlie back of a chimney belonging to the third, within the thickness of 202 the wall ; these two covered the whole breadth, if not the length of the twelfth prebendary's garden. At the south end of this wall, where it joins to that side of the great dormitory, and is now the north one of the chapter-house, is a larger door than those I have mentioned, an arched one, which was the way the monks went from their dormitories to the choir. By the larder-gate in the Green Court, the steps I have been describing, and the alley that runs along by the side of this wall, is the com- mon way to this door of the church for the inhabitants of the north side of the precinct, as well as for others who live in this quarter of the city. 203 CHAP. XXIX. Of this way to the Church and to the Cloisters. On our right hand before we come to the li- brary, are two doors into the chapter-house, opened only as occasion requires : these I will mention again when I describe the chapter-house. Over against the arched door just mentioned, is that of the library, with a covered passage be- tween them, which, making an angle, leads into the church at a north corner of the east cross aisle. At this angle we see on our left hand a circular building, about seventeen feet diameter, ceiled in form of a cupola, not mentioned by Mr. Somner or Mr. Battely, perhaps because they thought the vulgar tradition of its having been erected in memory of a bell of that size, cast abroad and lost at sea, too ridiculous for notice ; and so should I, were it not that the place is known by the name Bell Jesus to this day. The foundation of it is in the garden of the preacher's house, and seems to have been designed as a master-piece of workmanship, though execu- ted with little judgment. In a vault raised on stone pillars instead of walls, forming a circle, and supporting arches adorned with indented mouldings about two feet 204 deep. Four other pillars stand in the middle, so as to leave a space between them about twenty inches square, if they were truly placed. Ribs are carried from these to the outside ones, which are seven in number ; a wall on the east side either hides an eighth, or supplies the place of it, supporting an end of one of these ribs ; the shafts of these pillars are plain, the capitals and plinths of two of them carved ; but while the builder showed his fancy in elegance, he forgot that strength also ought, to have been considered; and accordingly it has been found necessary to remedy this oversight by walls and buttresses, till the first design is not easily to be discovered. Eadwyn's drawing will perhaps give us some hints toward conjecturing for what purpose this was erected.^ He makes it a kind of octagon, with two pipes or jets of water in it, one higher than the other. The lower one might be useful on the ground floor ; the other migh^ be designed to represent a pipe carried up between the four pillars to the upper room, to supply a font there ; nor is this at all improbable ; for, as I am informed, several baptisteries abroad are built separate from the churches to which they belong ; that of the 1 In the Gentleman's Magazine for 1775, page 528, Acadimicus, of Ox- ford, has obliged me with some remarks, to which I hope I have paid proper regard ; but had he seen this dome, observed its ceiling, sprinkled with stars once gilded ; that it was built with a spacious arch, never designed to be shut up ; and that it made one end of Archbishop Cuthbert's building, with baptisteries, &c. erected about 471, as observed chap. XI. he would hardly have believed so public and elegant a chapel designed for combing of heads, and washing of hands and faces, (as some have done,) and allow my conjecture of its having been a baptistery, full as reasonable as any that have appeared to the contrary. 77v liilulc ,fTl>r ?):»i)lisli;v. ^ 205 cathedral at Florence particularly, whicii is very magiiirtcent and of a circular I'orin. I shall there- fore venture to suppose this the old baptistery. - .lust by it is tiie door of the library, a handsome j;allery of modern building-, well fitted up and furnished. The present brick walls are raised on ancient ones of stone, and here was once a chapel called the Prior's chapel.' Proceeding from hence toward the church, just before we enter it we see an arched door on the left hand, which for many years was of no use : but about seventy years ago a staircase was built to it from the room under the library, for the convenience of those who live on the north and east parts of the precinct, till which time the prebendaries and their families in that quarter used to come to church through the library, while they who had no keys to it, went pretty much about to any of the church doors. 2 This, however, is offered only as a conjecture, and is left as such to the reader, who in.iy perhaps form a different opinion. Tiie lower part of this building is opposite to the south door of the crypt, and the uppei to the iloor into the south cross above, in the lower part it might serve for the monks to assemble in from that cloister, which, in Eadwyn's drawing goes around what is now a garden, before they proceeded on any solemn occa- sion into the crypt ; and above for the same purpose, when they came from the dormitory to go to the choir. It is not necessarily a Baptisterium, because it is furnished with water; for we see in Eadwyn's drawing a similar jiro- vision made for cleanliness in another part of this cloister ; in the great cloister, before the door into the refectory ; and before the entrance into Aula Nova. The situation of this building, on the north side of the church, close to the dormitories, must have been inconvenient for a baptistery ; which ought rather to have been on the south side, unto which the laity could have had an easy access. [//( couformity with Mr. G'x i