resolved also, had not the King, by his liberal charter, which I have seene under his seale, released unto them, for five turnes next following, (unlesse the greater necessity should in the mean time compell him to require it,) their service of five ships, of one hundreth men, and of five garsons, which they ought of dutie, and at their own charge, without the help of any other member, to finde him by the space of fifteene daies together."* At the time of the maritime survey, in the reign of Elizabeth, there were 122 inhabited houses in Hythe; and persons lacking habitation,' ten: its shipping consisted of seventeen traivellers, of five tuns; seven shoters, of fifteen tuns; three crayers, of thirty tuns; and four crayers, of forty tuns,' Since this survey, the haven has been wholly lost, and the sea beach is now nearly three quarters of a mile from the town. According to the returns under the Act of 1800, the number of houses in Hythe, or St. Leonard's Parish, was 217; that of inhabitants, 1365; of whom 649 were males, and 716 females. The houses are chiefly situated in one long street, running parallel with the sea; but having two or three lesser ones branching off at right angles. Near the middle of the principal street, is the Court-Hall, and Market-place, which has been lately rebuilt; and in one of the streets leading towards the beach, on the opposite side, is a small Theatre. The Church is dedicated to St. Leonard, and occupies a very elevated situation on the acclivity of the hill above the town. It is built in the form of a cross, with a tower at the west end, and appears to have had originally another tower, rising above the roof, from the intersection of the nave and transept. The west tower, with the south end of the transept, was rebuilt between the years 1748 and 1751, at which time the whole church underwent a general repair. The exterior of the north transept diplays the upper part of a Norman doorway, now filled up, having several semicircular mouldings, among which is a line of indented zigzag, with fleurs de lis below: the lower part of this entrance is totally concealed, through the ground having been raised several feet since the first * Peramb. of Kent, p. 178. Edit. 1596. first erection of this fabric. The east wall is strengthened by three very large graduated buttresses, through which a passage was formerly continued, but has been closed of late years, from some presumed weakness in the superstructure. The nave is separated from the aisles by three pointed arches, and a similar formed arch opens into each end of the transept: a Norman arch, with a billet moulding, crosses the south aisle. The chancel, which rises from the nave by a double flight of steps, beneath a very lofty pointed arch, having plain mouldings, resting on slender columns, is very spacious: the architecture, from its light and elegant appearance, evinces it to have been erected either in the time of Henry the Third, or early in the reign of Edward the First. It opens to its aisles by two lofty pointed arches, rising from clustered shafts, and ornamented with mouldings of projecting quatrefoils, beads, cavettos, &c. Above the arches, on the south side, are parts of an elegant triforium, which seems to have been continued to the north side, but is now walled up. The east end has three high pointed lance windows, with deep jambs; and in front, ornamented mouldings as above, rising from clusters of light shafts. Near the altar, on the south side, but partly concealed by the wainscotting, are four beautiful Stone Seats, with trefoil heads, and a range of circles and quatrefoils above them. The east end of the south aisle has been a chantry chapel, and the piscina and almerie are yet remaining: over the Font which now stands here, is a high octagonal covering of wood, finishing pyramidically, with a cross at top. The windows are nearly in the same style as those of the chancel; those of the north aisle are less embellished. The south end of the transept contains several monuments of, and is appropriated to, the Deedes family, of whom Julius Deedes represented this Borough in the time of Charles the Second. The length of the Church is about forty-five yards; the breadth of the nave is eighteen: the whole interior is neatly fitted up, and has a very striking and im pressive appearance. Beneath the chancel, but built at the same period, is a large Crypt or Vault, the entrance to which is on the south side; and originally another doorway opened into it from the church-yard on the the north side, but this is now completely choaked up to the very crown of the arch. In this vault is an immense quantity of human sculls and bones, which form a pile about twenty-eight feet long, and between seven and eight feet high. These are traditionally said to be the remains of an invading army, which was discomfited upon this shore many years ago; yet the fact, though probable, does not appear to be corroborated by any historical testimony; and it is a curious circumstance, that Leland, who was so remarkably minute in his observations, does not make any mention of these bones, though he particularly notices the "fayr vaute beneath the quier." In many of the sculls are large clefts, as if made with a battle-axe. The Church-yard commands a fine view of the Sea, and coast of France. In this Parish are two HOSPITALS, or Alms-houses, of an ancient foundation; the one called St. John's, the other St. Bartholomew's. The former was founded for Lepers previously to the year 1336, but at what particular era is unknown: the other was built by Bishop HAMO NOBLE, surnamed De Hythe, from his having been born in this town; and his deed of foundation, which is printed in the Registrum Roffense, describes it as erected on the spot where he and his ancestors first had their origin.* The num ber of poor persons, of both sexes, now maintained on these foundations, is commonly sixteen, of which ten belong to St. Barthiolomew's. A spring of good water rises in Hythe Church-yard; and across each end of the town flows a small stream; the one descending from Saltwood, and the other forming the boundary between this Parish and that of Newington. Besides the Martello Towers that have been recently erected along this coast, there are several small Forts on the beach in this vicinity, which were built shortly after the * In Wharton's Anglia Sacra is the Life of Bishop Hamo, written by his Chaplain, William de Dene; and in that his brothers are called by the name of Noble. The ancestor of the Le Nobles was a Northern Knight. The family seemed to have divided themselves, and to have spread over the north, and into the east and west parts of the Kingdom. For some account of Hamo de Hythe, see under Rochester, pp. 637, 650. the commencement of the last war. On the heights immediately above Hythe, are extensive ranges of Barracks for infantry, erected since the beginning of the present century; and near these are numerous mud-walled cottages, erected for the wives and families of the soldiers. Other Barracks, of a temporary kind, are within the town itself. About one mile north-west from Hythe stands SALTWOOD CASTLE, the original foundation of which has been attributed to the Romans, though probably on insufficient authority. Kilburne says, that it was erected by Oesc, son of Hengist: and Grose states, that," on examining these ruins, every stone of them evidently appears to have been laid by the Normans." This last assertion is not only disproved by historical authorities, but is de monstratively erroneous; as the principal buildings now standing are of a much later date, and in a different style of architecture. Hugo de Montfort, who possessed this Manor at the time of the Domesday Survey, is said to have repaired the Castle; yet, as it is not mentioned in the Domesday Book, though the Church itself is mentioned, which comparatively must have been of much less importance, the probability is, that the Castle was not then built; and therefore, that if Hugo de Montfort had any concern in the buildings here, he must himself have been the founder. Hasted states, that it was rebuilt by Henry de Essex, Baron of Ralegh, and Standard-Bearer to Henry the Second in right of inheritance, who held it of the Archbishop of Canterbury; yet his authority for this assertion does not appear." Henry de Essex," says Philipott, from Matthew Paris, "having, in a light skirmish against the Welsh in Flintshire, not only cast away his courage, but his standard also, was appealed of High Treason, (by Robert de Montfort,) and, in a legal duel, or combat, was vanquished by his challenger, (but his life being preserved by the clemency of the King,) and being possessed with regret and shame, contracted from this defeat, shrouded himself in a cloister, (at Reading,) and put on a monk's cowl, forfeiting a good patrimony and livelihood, which escheated to Henry the Second. But Thomas Becket acquainting the King, that this Manor belonged to his Church and See, that Prince 3 |