The History and Topographical Survey of Kent   - Edward Hasted 1793 (2^nd Edition)

Sittingbourne (extract)

Sittingbourne antiently written Sedingbourne, in Saxon Sædingburna, i.e. the hamlet by the bourne, or fmall ftream.

The parifh though rather above the level of the marsfhes, which bound the northern fide of it, from which the ground rifes to the town, is ftill a damp fituation, and both from the air and water is not accounted a healthy one, though much more fo than feveral of the neighbouring parifes equally northward, than which it has more cheaful and populous affect; from the town the ground ftill rises fouthward till it joins Tunstall, in the road to which a quarter of a mile from the town is a good modern houfe called Glovers, which lately belonged to Thomas BANNIFTER, efq. Who refided in it and died in 1791, and his widow Mrs BANNIFER, now owns it; eaftwards from which, at about the same diftance, are the eftates of Chilfton and Fulfton  and Hyfted Froftall, with Golden-wood at the boundary of the parifh, part of which is within it, adjoining to Bapchild and Rodmerfham. The parifh, which is but fmall, contains little more than eight hundred acres of land, confifting of arable, pafture, orchards, hop grounds, and woods. In the upper and weftern parts it is much inclined to chalk and thin land, but the reft of it is in general fertile loam, efpecially about the town, which was formely furrounded by orchqards of apples and cherries, but many of them have been deftroyed to make room for plantations of hops, which, however, are not fo numerous as formally, and feveral of thofe which remain are kept up only as nurferies for young plantations of fruit trees, to which they muft foon in their turn give palce. Northward from the town the grounds are entirely pafture and orchards, lying on a defcent to the town of Milton and the creek, both about half a mile diftant from it; on the latter is a key called Crown Key, of great ufe to this part of the country for the exporting of corn and wood, and relanding the feveral commodities from London and elfewher. At a fmall diftance north-weft from the town is Bayford Court.

It appears by a furvey made in the eighth year of Queen Elizabeth (1566), that there was then in this parifh houses inhabited eighty-eight; lacking inhabitants five; keys two, Crown Key and Holdredge Key; fhips and boats three, two of one ton and one of twenty-four tons.

The town of Sittingbourne is built on each fide of the high road at the fortieth mile stone from London, and ftands on a defcent towards the eaft. It is a wide, long ftreet unpaved, the houfes of which are mofty modern, being well built of brick, and fafhed, the whole having a cheerful afpect. The principla fupport of it has always been from the inns, and houfes of reception in it for travellers, of which there are feveral.

The inhabitants boaft much of John NORTHWOOD, efq. Of Northwood, having entertained King Henry V. on his triumphant return from France, at the Red Lion Inn, in this town; and though the entertainment was plentiful, and befitting the royalty of his gueft, yet fuch was the difference of the times that, the whole expence of it amounted to no more the 9s 9d wine being then fold at two-pence a pint, and other articles in proportion. The principal in now in it, called the Rofe, is perhaps the moft fuperb of any throughout the kingdom, and the entertainment afforded in it is equally fo, though the traveller probably will not find his reckoning near fo moderate as that of John NORTHWOOD before-mentioned.