Site-Search
Coming Soon
|
Site-Search |
|
Page and site |
|
Romney (New) in Kent County England History and GeographyROMNEY (NEW), a cinque-port, market town, and parish, having separate jurisdiction, in the cinqueport liberty of ROMNEY, county of KENT, 34 miles (S.E.) from Maidstone, and 68 (S.E. by E.) from London, containing 962 inhabitants. The name is probably derived from the Saxon Rumen-ea, 'a large watery expanse, or marsh.' It arose from the decay of the haven at Old Romney, by the retiring of the sea, and, in contradistinction to that town, obtained the appellation of New Romney. At the time of the Conquest it was a place of considerable importance, divided into twelve wards, and containing five parish churches, of which that of St. Nicholas is now the only one remaining. It was soon after that period given by William the Conqueror to his brother Odo, Bishop of Bayeux, whom that monarch created Earl of Kent; subsequently to which it was made a cinqueport, and the towns of Old Romney and Lydd were included within its jurisdiction. In return for such privileges, it was charged with the duty of supplying five ships of war for the service of the king. In the 15th of Edward I. an irruption of the sea inundated an extensive tract of land, destroyed the populous village of Bromhill, and a considerable part of the town, diverted the course of the river Rother, and ruined its fine haven on the western shore; since which time it has shared the fate of its predecessor, and though still inhabited as a market town, has as a port fallen into comparative insignificance and decay. On several occasions, Romney, as a cinque-port, furnished a complement of five ships, duly manned and equipped for naval engagements, especially in the reigns of John, Edward III., Henry VII., and Henry VIII. The town is situated on rising ground near the centre of Romney-Marsh, and consists of one broad well-paved street, with a smaller one intersecting it almost at right angles. The chief trade arises from the grazing of cattle on Romney-Marsh. The market, on Saturday, is beld under the guildhall; and there is a considerable fair for live stock on the 21st of August. Romney is a borough by prescription; the inhabitants received the first charter of incorporation from Edward III., under the style of 'Barons of the Town and Port of Romney;' a new charter was granted by Elizabeth, under which the town is now governed: the corporation consists of a mayor, twelve jurats, and common council-men, with a recorder, chamberlain, town clerk, and other officers, under the style of 'Mayor, Jurats, and Commonalty:' the mayor is chosen annually upon Lady-day, from among the jurats. A court, called a Brotherhood and Guestling, connected with the business of the various cinque-ports and their members, is held, when necessary, on the Tuesday next after St. Margaret's day. A court of record for pleas to an unlimited extent was granted by Charles lI., to be held by the mayor and jurats: no writs have been issued of late years, but the court is still used for levying fines. Sessions are held quarterly, and by adjournment every six weeks, in the guildhall, a neat structure of brick, cemented so as to resemble stone, recently erected. Two representatives, under the title of Barons, are returned to parliament: the right of election is in the corporation: the mayor is the returning officer, and the influence of the Deering family is predominant. This place enjoys all the exclusive privileges of the cinque-ports, and its barons are second in rank to bear the canopies over the king and queen at the coronation. The living is a vicarage, in the peculiar jurisdiction of the Archbishop of Canterbury, rated in the king's books at £6. 16. 3., and in the patronage of the Warden and Fellows of All Souls' College, Oxford. The church, dedicated to St. Nicholas, is a spacious edifice, consisting of three aisles and three chancels, and a square tower at the west end, with several portions of Norman architecture, and some in the later styles, and contains a variety of monuments and brasses. An hospital was founded in 1610, and endowed with land by John Southland, for the maintenance of a governor, who must be a scholar of Oxford or Cambridge, four poor persons, and two poor children, the latter to be instructed by the governor in the English language and arithmetic, until they are fourteen years old: the children are appointed by the mayor as vacancies arise. Here was formerly a cell, subordinate to the abbey of Pountuey, or Pontiniac, in France, also an hospital for lepers, founded in the reign of Henry IL, and afterwards converted into a chantry; of both which there are some trifling vestiges. From Lewis's Topographical Dictionary of England 1831, courtesy of Databases 4 Sale |
Readers of this page were also interested in: Margate in Kent County England History and Geography MARGATE, a sea-port, market-town, and parish, in the cinque-port liberty of DOVOR, of which it is a member, though locally in the hundred of Ringslow, or Isle of Thanet, lathe of St. Augustine, county of KENT, 44 miles (E.N.E.) from Maidstone, and 72½ (E.) from London, containing, according to the last census, 7843 resident inhabitants, and, at the present time (1830), 9500 Bradninch in Devon County England History and Geography BRADNINCH, a parish, (formerly a borough and market town,) having separate jurisdiction, locally in the hundred of Hayridge, county of DEVON, 8 miles (N.E.) from Exeter, and 170 (W.) from London, containing 1511 inhabitants Hartlebury in Worcester County England History and Geography HARTLEBURY, a parish comprising the harnlet of Upper Mitton, in the lower division of the hundred of HALFSHIRE, but chiefly in the lower division of the hundred of OSWALDSLOW, county of WORCESTER, 2 miles (E. by S.) from Stourport, and containing 1857 inhabitants Stamford in Lincoln County England History and Geography STAMFORD, a borough and market town, having separate jurisdiction, though locally in the wapentake of Ness, parts of KESTEVEN, county of LINCOLN, 46 miles (S. by E.) from Lincoln, and 89 (N. by W.) from London, containing 5050 inhabitants Tunstall-Court in Stafford County England History and Geography TUNSTALL-COURT, a market town and liberty in the parish of WOLSTANTON, northern division of the hundred of PIREHILL, county of STAFFORD, 4 miles (N. by E.) from Newcastle under Lyne, containing 2622 inhabitants Wallingford in Berks County England History and Geography WALLINGFORD, a borough and market town, having exclusive jurisdiction, though locally in the hundred of Moreton, county of BERKS, 15 miles (N.N.W.) from Reading, and 46 (W. by N |
