The Ratling Fireball:– On December 11, 1741, a fire-ball appeared soon after noon-day, and the sun shining, but few people saw it, and they could only guess at its course; which, however, was observed to be from north-west by north, to south and by south, and right over Littleborne from Westbere, and towards Ratling, near […]
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The hamlet of Essesole in 1501
The descriptions of the house and land plots have been taken from the Essesole Manor rental roll of 1501. As can be seen on the sketch map, traced from the 1870’s OS map, the house plots and roads are still readily recognizable, especially to long term residents of Nonington. Some of the 1501 roads and […]
Nonington and the Volunteer Rifles
On 12 May 1859 Jonathan Peel the Secretary of State for War, wrote to the lieutenants of the counties of England, Scotland and Wales authorising the formation of volunteer rifle corps and of artillery . The volunteer corps were to be raised under the provisions of the Volunteer Act 1804 previously used during the Napoleonic […]
Nonington Parish Charities
Thomas Bate of Challock held land in Challock and Nonington with which he made bequests during the reign of Henry VIII. In Nonington his bequest consisted of:- “Landes given by Thomas Bate to thentent that one priest shulde celebrate masse within the said parishe iij (3) tymes yerelie for ever. Also: rent or ferme of […]
Eswala, or Eswalt, and the d’Aubignys (also Albini).
One of the families favoured with awards of land by William II was the d’Aubigny’s (also Albini, Albineo, and Albinione) one of whom was William, (known as ‘Pincerna’), Master Butler of the Royal Household. Around 1100 or so Pincerna’s younger brother, Nigel, gave the Manor of Eswalt (Eswala) to his kinsman the Abbot of St. […]
Boys Marriage settlement of 1626.
Whitfield archive ref. :EK/U 373/T61. Boys Marriage settlement, 1626. The following information is from a 1667 copy of a marriage settlement of 3rd day of April in the second year of Charles I. (1626) between: Sir Edward Boys the Elder of ffredvile ( the first party). Sir Edward Boys the Younger of ffredvile( the second […]
Oxenden, later Oxney-revised 24.5.2013
Oxney Wood is now in Aylesham and Womenswold parishes, but for centuries Oxenden, as Oxney was originally known, formed part of old Nonington’s southern boundary with Womenswold parish. Oxenden, Oxney’s original name, probably comes from the Old English, Oxena denn,”oxena” meaning oxen or cattle, and “denn”, meaning a woodland pasture or clearing. The original Oxenden […]
Kittington also Ketehampton alias Ketynton-revised 24.05.2013
The name Kittington is said to have evolved from the Old English ‘cyte hamtun’ meaning ‘home farm where there are cottages’ . Kittington is on the east boundary of the old parish of Nonington between Easole and Elvington. It was for centuries a part of the Manor of Wingham held by the Archbishops of Canterbury […]
An inventory of the goods of Richard Creake, yeoman, of (Kettingden or Kittington) Nonington, Kent. 1560.
The Creake, Kreke, Creke ect. family were what become known as yeoman. These were well-to-do farmers and small land-owners who owned land in their own right and also rented additional land from other land-owners both large and small in their home and nearby parishes. The yeoman of Kent were thought to be especially well […]
Acol, or Ackholt-revised 23.5.2013
Ackholt, Acholt or Acol, Nonington. Also:1283 Ackholt; 1469 Akholte; 1626 Acholt. Ackholt is now in the Parish of Aylesham and lies just the other side of the railway-line where the Nonington to Womenswold bridle way crosses the Snowdown to Aylesham road on the southern boundary of the old parish of Nonington. Pronouced Acol (Aye-kul) with a long […]