| Hartley Church - Archdeacon's Visitations 1504-1565 |
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Kent Record Office DRa/VB4 Index of Years This is a book of archdeacon's visitations. They list the rectors and churchwardens and also many other matters that were presented by the parishioners or otherwise came to light. They reveal that continued neglect by John Bele and William Cokks had left the chancel and rectory in a very poor state, to the point where the revenues of the living were sequestered to pay for repairs. A later visitation in 1565 found that the church had no chalice and was using a glass instead. Many of the presentments were about parishioners said to be living immoral lives. The book was bound later and so the volume contains more than one series of foliation. 1504 Sir Henry Monagh, rector - did not
appear The abovesaid appeared and the lord ordered John Norres and John Shaw to produce the bill of their accounts at Gravisend in 3 (?) weeks. f35 - Informations of Rochester Deanery, 7 October 1504 Hertley - John Shaw was censured for (....... ?).On 5th November in the chapel of Gravisend, he appeared and denied the article, whom the lord ordered to appear with 6 oath helpers in Gravesend. On 27th November in the chapel of Gravesend he appeared and produced for the account (?), James Lannce, John Borden, Robert Lowry, William Bouden, William Hunt and Pers Prince. Sir Henry Monaghe is censured for his bad conduct with diverse people. Agnes Pae (?) is censured (......................................................... ?) f37 - Herteley - John Shawe, churchwarden of Hertly church, on 20th February (1505) appeared before the lord in the chapel of Gravisend, and confessed that he has handed over the parish accounts there and that there is owed to the said church - 2 cows, 3 sheep, 3 lambs for delivery at the feast of (........ ?) one cow, one sheep and one lamb and the remainder at the feast of Easter next. 1527 Sir John Bele, rector John Overy, John Bele, churchwardens John Nordish, John Whithede, parishioners - they say that the rector does not celebrate (mass) on all Sundays and Holy Days. f17 - Chapter of Rochester Deanery, 21 November 1527 Hartely - Sir John Bele, rector there, is censured because he does not celebrate (mass) except (?) on Sundays and Holy Days. He appeared in the palace before the lord. Whom he ordered that he celebrate (mass) and that he reside in his benefice (........... ?) under pain of the law. And because he alleges that he does not have a parish clerk, the lord orders that he shall order the parishioners to provide for a clerk to serve the church. Hartly - John Overey, churchwarden, appeared and undertook to repair the window in the church before the feast of St Mary Magdalene. f18 Hartley - the churchwardens of St Mary Coulyng against John Bele of Hartly, in a case of subtraction of (..... ?) ; Bele appeared and confessed that he owed 6s 8d before the feast of Christmas and now promised his good faith. 1528 Sir John Bele, rector 1529 John Rygge is ordered to restore the bell to Ridley church recently (?) demised and lent to the church and parishioners of Hartly by Thomas Taylor, whose widow the same John Rygge married, before the feast of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary or on it, under pain of excommunication. (a page of names and sums pledged follows including 'the widow Cripps of Hartly - 40d; other donors are from Ash, Ridley, Northfleet, Wrotham, and Stansted.) f83 - Archdeacon's visitation, 16
September 1529 - Hartely f89 - Chapter held at Halgstow,
25 October 1529 Sir John Beele is censured for neglect of his office in the same as in the bill, viz for repairs to the chancel and for neglect of the said offices (services). The rector appeared and promised to repair and reform the premises before the feast of the Annunciation and certified . 1530 Harteley - the rector has the feast of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary to sufficiently repair the buildings of his rectory according to past proceedings, not cited. f12 - Archdeacon's visitation, 17
September 1530 - Hartelay f22 - Chapter at St Nicholas Rochester,
Saturday after St Edward, 1530 1531 f64 - Deanery of Rochester, 27 November
1531 Hartely - the wife of John Lannce is censured as a whore by the report of her neighbours. 1532 f93 - Rochester deanery, the Thursday
after St Katharine 1532 1533 1534 f115 - Archdeacon's visitation,
23 November 1534 - Hartly 1535 1563 1564 Thomas Whythead, Richard Averay (churchwardens and parishioners there) sworn by bill 1565 Sir William Potter, rector there, subscribed |
