THE NEWSLETTER OF THE LOCAL HISTORY SOCIETY FOR THE BOROUGH OF

Vol 7 No 4 May 1984 PRICE 10p Free to Members Kent Portrait Survey The Society is looking for someone who will take on the buildings (commonly shown in the background). The work of local portrait recorder. Since 1967 members of national collections are all thoroughly catalogued but there other local history societies throughout Kent have underta­ is known to be a vastly greater number of portraits in pri­ ken the surveying and recording of publicly and privately vate possession. Recording is not restricted to “important” owned portraits for the Archive and Research Section of people or “important” artists; neither is artistic merit or the National Portrait Gallery. This survey is carried out value, or any concern. The Survey regards all portraits as under the auspices of the Kent County Local History Com­ equally important and valuable. mittee (of which this Society if a member). To date 2,800 The work involved is the locating of portraits in private rtraits have been recorded. possession, and the completion of a simple form in respect — The National Portrait Gallery have said how useful the of each one, and the attachment of a gummed label, bear­ Kent Committee’s contribution to its resources has been. ing a date and serial number, to the back of the frame. Portraits are a valuable source of material for historical and If any member is willing to undertake this task, he or she biographical research giving not only information about is asked to contact the Secretary. people and costumes, but about household interiors and

KENT ARCHIVES OFFICE ‘inquisition’ which mentions almshouses in Wickham in May we remind our .members that the Kent Archives Office 1652. at County Hall, Maidstone is about to undergo improve­ His great achievement was the construction of a series of ments to both the air-conditioning and also the provision of maps of the district which show field names of varying dates a new search room, bookshop and offices during 1984/5 and from the 15th to the 18th centuries. These he compiled so it is regretted that the main archives search room will from the many rentals, probate wills, deeds and other docu­ close to the public at 4.30pm on Thursday 12th April, 1984 ments he had transcribed - an enormous task which must and a new date for the opening of the new research room have occupied him for many, surely most enjoyable, hours. will not be made until Autumn, 1984. He seems to have based his outline maps on the 1st Edition OS 6" maps of C.1870. I have checked perhaps 90% of the DULWICH Wickhams section against the 1484-5 rental and extent of the manor, which is what he used. This gives the name, size Our Member, Doris Pullen, has written and published and abuttments of tenements and fields, of an area equal to another book about the history of a local area and the about %’s of the pre-1934 parish. I disagree with his results people who lived there. in only a few minor instances, where he appears not to have Her previous books were about (i) Sydenham, (ii) taken into account the acreages given. One exception: he N'-and (iii) Forest Hill. The new one is about Dulwich, an portrays the area of Wickham High Street as a series of interesting area which by some miracle has retained much holdings of varied shape and size, and not even of its village atmosphere and rural charm. The present approximating to 19th century boundaries. In seeking book is written in her usual friendly style and has contribu­ ‘realism’ perhaps, he has missed one of the most significant tions from people who so obviously love the area. It is a val­ evidences of the rental, that Wickham village then con­ uable contribution to the local historical records and is sisted of regular sized tenements which must have been recommended as a good read. This book and the previous planned and laid out not too long before. ones are available from Mrs Pullen, 155 Venner Road, Perhaps other local specialists could put a finger on com­ Sydenham. (01-778 7189). parable lapses; but on the whole I should credit Mr Davis with a splendid series of maps. However, I believe we should bear in mind that this collection was in fact his work­ THE BERNARD DAVIS NOTEBOOKS ing notes. I am convinced that some of the material, both in In the last issue of Bromleage John Filmer referred to the the notebooks, and on the maps, is purely tentative and notebooks of Bernard Davis. Mr Davis was a member of remains in need of confirmation. the Kent Archaeological Society who, in the early 1930’s, Certainly use this ‘source’ if you think there may be gathered together a great deal of information on the history something in it for you but, as with any other, check the of the Bromley areas. His original notebooks are in the information wherever you can. The volumes are:- KAS Library in Maidstone Museum, but photocopies have Vol. I (with a contents list by Michael been made for local convenience and lodged in the Local Watts) Studies Room here. I have used these notebooks exten­ II Baston Manor sively myself and would like to make few comments on III them. IV & V Bromley and District As you know anything that is written down is subject to VI Bromley and Wills 1446-1522 ‘human error’ and obviously the more times a document is VII Bromley and Chislehurst Wills 1526-1619 copied the greater the chance of mistakes. On the whole I VIII Bromley and Chislehurst Wills 1608-1739 would say that most of Mr Davis’ transcripts etc are reli­ IX Bromley and District Wills able, but he has occasionally missed making a note of his X Kent Fines (ie property alienations) reference. This is generally recoverable from the type of also Chislehurst and Scadbury Court Rolls and Rentals and record and the date and so on, but I am still looking for an an Index to Personal Names. Hayes: The Ground Beneath Us

The present shape of the Hayes landscape was determined Husseywell pond, and thence underground to join the long before the first known inhabitants of the area arrived. Bourne. The final stages of a successive lowering and raising of The Bourne and the slopes which led down to it were the Southern England drained away what had been an inland main features which all the known Hayes settlements had sea. This lay between what are now the North Downs and overlooked until the early 1930s when rapid and extensive the Northern Heights of London. building development started to fill the valley and the The sea’s gradual retreat laid down, in geologists’ lan­ slopes with houses. As the estates were developed, the mid­ guage, tertiary bed - that is, layers of light coloured sands dle course of the Bourne was almost concealed by division and pebbles, or loam, clay and light coloured sand with and culverting. some flint pebbles. These pebbles are only too familiar to In prehistoric and early historic times the upper levels of many a despairing Hayes gardener waging a continuous the north-facing slopes of the North Downs would have battle with the barrowload of stones which every yard dug been lightly wooded. South of the Downs, woodlands grew seems to throw up. up to form the dense forests of the Weald. The forests The various soils of Hayes - sandy or gravelly, or clay- extended south for 30 miles or more, and survived until with-flints, all overlie the chalk which is at or near the sur­ large areas were felled for shipbuilding, housebuilding and face south of Keston and West Wickham; they form a dip iron foundry furnace stoking in Elizabethan and later slope which inclines gradually from the North Downs times. towards the Thames. Hayes Common is on gently sloping The lower north-facing slopes also tended to be wooded, plateau and most of Hayes itself lies on the slopes of the val­ with a preoponderance of oak and elm, alder in wet valleys, ley of a bourne (“bourne” means “occasional stream”) fed and probably some beech. The damp lowland areas of by springs which rose where the clay meets the chalk of the southern England were thus particularly suitable for w North Downs at West Wickham and Addington. pigs and deer. Fossilised bones of these have been founder" Coming forwards in time, some quite substantial rivers gravel pits and other excavations. ran down the north facing slope of the Downs to join the Heavily wooded territory was difficult to clear with Thames. Wild life was plentiful and the palaeolithic hunters primitive tools and so long as there were enough areas of of it left behind their flint axes and other tools; examples warmer, drier and less heavily wooded soil which could be have been found in many districts in north west Kent. As cleared and worked, with a good water supply available, the land rose, the rivers became merely streams. The settlements in the more densely wooded areas remained streams of recent times - the Bourne and the sparse or non-existent. Ravensbourne among them - resulted from melt waters of The first settlement in the area which is now Hayes and the last ice age about 10,000 years ago cutting across the Hayes Common was thus determined by the accidents of pebbles, sands and clay beds, and gouging out valleys. In nature and the pressures of necessity. The extent of settle­ the Hayes area, the Ravensbourne survives as an open ment remained so sparse that the Hayes landscape was steam close to the eastern boundary of Hayes. The Bourne, physically little altered until the construction of the railway in whose valley most of modern Hayes was built, is now line from Elmer’s End to Hayes in 1881/2. For this a cutting dried up except for rarer and rarer occasional flows. It is was made from Wickham Street - a hamlet now disap­ now peared but whose name recalled the Roman Road which loam whose centre is visible in some local gardens as a con­ passed within a mile or so of Hayes and was probably still crete culvert top. It runs under Tiepegs Lane field, under visible in the middle ages - through the slopes of what is gardens in Hursdene Avenue, and then to the east of now Hayes Hill, on to an embankment at the foot of the Bourne Vale, joining the Ravensbourne near Hayes Road. slopes from Hayes Common. A third stream has much of its course underground but It is easy to forget, standing on the centre of a Boot’s surfaces here and there, with its source near Warren Road, estate “green”, that most of Hayes lies either in the bottom visible stretches in the Knoll Park, an “invisible” feed to of a valley or on the slopes of it; but if we stand at the ti end of Chatham Avenue or on the steps of the Free Church" in Pickhurst Lane, we can let our imagination take over and picture the vale full of oak and beech trees as it may have Ducks standing on partly submerged ice in the 'horseshoe' pond, been 2,000 years ago, with the occasional wild boar rooting Hussey well Park, Hayes, 1966. around where Bourne’s Vale is now. (1509) the dedication is to St Martin of Tours, Hasted, Ire­ land and later authorities up to 1913 speak of St Mary, and Church Phillipot of 1659 says St James! The theory is held that the The Church of St Martin of Tours in the attractive village of change to St Mary was an obscure result of the Reforma­ Chelsfield is some 16 miles from the centre of London and tion! Numerous altars are mentioned in Pre-Reformation on the edge of the London Borough of Bromley. Unhappily wills, Our Lady of Pity, St John, St James, The Holy Trin­ the Church was severed from the village by the construction ity, and the Virgin Mary, but after the Reformation the of the By-Pass in 1926, but both the Church and only reference are to ‘The Parish Church of Chelsfield’ In the village are in a Conservation Area. later years, the 19th century Rector, The Rev Henry The Church does not appear in The Domesday Book of Barnes determined to get to the bottom of this mystery and 1086 but does appear in Textus Roffensis, a list of churches commissioned an emminent antiquarian, Mr Leland L, in the Rochester Diocese compiled by Bishop Ernulf in Duncan to investigate contemporary records and he came 1122. Parts of the nave and chancel date back to the 12th to the conclusion the dedication was, without doubt, St century while the Porch was added in the 15th century and Martin of Tours. This mystery probably happened because the porch parapet added in the 17th century. one of the effects of the Reformation was that any refer­ There are several brasses dating back to the 15th century ence to Saints was considered idolatrous and the dedication and among various memorials for the 17th and 18th cen­ was forgotten and St Mary was taken up in later years as the turies is one to Brass Crosby, a former Lord Mayor of Lon­ most common of Patron Saints of earlier Parish Churches. don. Brass Crosby was born at Stockton-on-Tees in 1725, trained as a solicitor and, living in London, he was elected to the Common Council for Tower Ward in 1758, elected Rev. Francis Fawkes, Vicar of Orpngton Sheriff of London in 1764 and Lord Mayor in 1795. He was also elected President of Bethlehem (Bedlam) Hospital in The Rev. Francis Fawkes of Jesus College Cambridge, was 1772 and from 1768 to 1774 he represented Honiton in Par- collated in 1755 by Archbishop Herring to the Vicarage of lament. In 1770, as chief magistrate, he had before him a Orpington with St. Mary Cray, which he exchanged in 1774 __inter who had dared to publish reports of Parliamentary for the Rectory of Hayes. 'proceedings. Brass Crosby released the printer and as a He was assailed in verse by an anonymous writer, from result was ordered to attend the House of Commons to Brazenose College in the lines “On a country vicar and his defend his action. He was imprisoned in the Tower of Lon­ wife behind him to visit his parishioners” or “The country don but following a public outcry he was released. To him vicar” for short. we owe the publication of proceedings in Parliament, for It must be remembered that these were the days, of since that time the right to publish has not been challenged. course, before the Tithe were commuted and the verses The saying “as bold as brass” is said to come from this inci­ commence:- dent. “In southern climes their lies a village, Where oft the Vicar, fond to pillage, Sallies with gun aloft on shoulder, (Orlando’s self could ne'er look bolder) With which, well ramm'd with proper cartridge, He knocks down apples, or a partridge; And whilst o’er all his neighbours’ ground, Striding, he throws his eyes around, Surveying, with a look most blithe, The growing riches o f his tithe, Minds not the game for which he’s beating: But, to prevent his flock from cheating, Looks in each yard with jealous eye, With care examines every stye, Numbers the cows, observes their udders, And at the dread o f losing shudders. “His composition's low; the butter St. Martin of Tours, Chelsfield. From so much milk” — he can but mutter. He counts the poultry, large and fine, One interesting and older window dates from about 1880 “Forty and five, then four are mine”. and depicts St George with his banner and a kneeling angel and the window is thought to be in memory of the Norman The writer then makes out that the vicar intends an inspec­ family who were for many years associated with Martin’s tion of distant farms:- Bank as above the window is the bank’s symbol, a gras­ “Bsides, my dearest, should they cheat us, shopper. We shall get something when they treat us; There is at St Martin’s an enthusiastic and very able band And save at home the spit and pot; of bell ringers who ring 6 bells, five of which were cast by A penny sav’d’s a penny got”. the London bellfounder, John Hodson, in 1672, while a tre­ The vicar sets out for East Hall riding with his wife behind ble bell was added in 1936 to commemorate the restoration him pillion-style, and the vicar beguiles the journey thus:- of the belfry and spire. The organ was presented by Mr Mil­ “That house is manag’d ill my dear, ler Hallett of House in 1893, previous to which It scarce affords a pig a year. a harmonium had been used since 1858 and before that a This orchard’s a hogshead o f good cyder. ” barrel organ had been used, for which a new barrel had With joy he shews where turnips grew, been provided in 1820. And tells what profits thence accrue; Alice Bray died on April 6th, 1510 and her will ordained But looks with envy on each stubble, that she should be buried “within the Church of St Martin” That nothing pays for Vicar’s trouble. and also in her will she left a field, since known as Bell Pleas’d she admires the lambkins play, Ropes Field, to maintain the Church bell ropes. Situated And loves them — when she’s told they pay. ” behind the present Village Hall, the field was sold in 1886 and the money was invested in Console. The income, which The writer however cannot really mean what he says, for in 1712 was £1.4s and in the 1880s amounted to £3.5s is at later on a jovial Kentish farmer rushes out with a most hos­ present used partly for the poor and needy of the a parish pitable invitation :- and partly for the Church. “Pray, Madam, take a dram; the weather The dedication of the Church had at one time an air of Is cold and damp, and I have either mystery as whereas up to the time of the will of Alice Bray (continued) (continued) He rhymes for drink, and puffs for pleasure. Good rum or brandy, plain or cherry; And as he labours for a joke, A glass will make you warm and merry. ” Out comes a puff, that ends in smoke. Next on the board the tea-things rattle, Lo! swelling into thought he sits, And introduce a world o f prattle. Wrapt in the rage o f rhyming fits; “Your china’s pretty, I declare; Fits which are seldom known to fail, ’Tis pity ’tis such brittle ware. ” When full blown up with bottled ale. “Your teas is to your mind I hope. ” — But puffy cyder’s better still, “Exceeding good. ” — “Pray one more cup. ” It always works his doggrel mill, etc. ” “Your toast is very nice; I’ve eat and finally winds up with a good natured promise:- Till I’m asham’d” — “Another bit; “Next time that I and spouse ride double, The butter, Ma’am, is fresh and sweet, To save your Muse, and you too, trouble; Although I say’t, that should not say’t. ” And keep my horse from being hit After removing all the clutter With any o f your waggish wit; O f china, tea, and toast and butter, I ’ll take you in my hand along, Pipes and tobacco come, and beer And thus prevent some idle song; Preserv’d through many a rolling year, Cram you with custard till you choak, And currant-wine, and punch, fit liquor And fill with punch, and not with smoke. To elevate the heart of Vicar. ” Mean while, to prove my honest heart, A game of Loo ensues whilst the mistress of the house pre­ Step down direct, and take a quart. ” pares the supper, and what a supper:- In another set of verses written by the Rev. Francis Fawkes “At length it comes, a spare-rib, large as an invitation to Doctor Hawkesworth, written in imita­ Enough to cover a small barge; tion of the style of Horace, he begins:- Or for (the simile to drag on) “If you, dear Sir, will deign to pass a day A tilt for any carrier’s waggon; In the fair vale o f Orpington and Cray. Attended by a brace o f chicken, And live for once as humble vicars do, But twelve months old, for lady’s picking; On Thursday I'll expect you here by two. ~ A link o f sausages, that seem Expect no niceties with me to pick, A boom design’d for some strong stream. But Bansted mutton, and a barn-door chick. “Your chicks are very fine.” — “You flatter; My friends with generous liquors I regale, I wish they were a little fatter. Good port, old hock, or, if they like it, ale; But I have two shut up, design’d But if of richer wine, you chuse a quart, For you, Ma’am. ” — “You’re extremely kind. ” — Why bring, and drink it here — with all my heart. “And soon (my sow is very big) Plain is my furniture, as is my treat, I hope to send you a fat pig. ”’ For tis my best ambition to be neat. ” (The Vicar inward smil’d, to see His scheme succeed so happily.) After continuing in like manner Mr. Fawkes promises his And last an apple-pye appear’d friend the pleasure of meeting other men of literary note, In earthen bowl, with custard smear’d. and he was in his day, well-known for his literary The cloth remov’d, the cheerful glass capabilities both in original composition and his transla­ Begins to circulate apace: tions from the old Greek writers. The landlord, waxing brisk and mellow, Mr. Fawkes’ praises were sung for many years by Hod- Becomes a hearty jovial fellow: son with music by William Shield, which speaks of his And now with liquor grown full ripe, generosity and his own wife “Sweet Kate”. “Parson, you shall take t’other pipe. ” — “We must not stay; ’tis late, Sir. ” — “N o.” — “Well, one halfpipe, and then we go. ” DOWN THE LINE TO DOVER by Muriel Searle The pipe and liquor out, they start, And homeward speed, with joyful heart. Two main railways cross Kent from Victoria to the Chan nr' He triumphs in his good success; port of Dover, one forging south via Ashford, and the othr _ And she applauds his nice finesse. ” running eastwards through Chatham and Canterbury. For the first twelve miles out of Victoria, however, they share The Rev. Francis Fawkes evidently felt that a reply was cal­ the same metals and history. led for, and starts thus:- This book is concerned with the second route, whose pre­ “Rhymes! bless me! doggrel, I suppose, amalgamation title was self-explanatory, the London Penn’d by some son of Brazen Nose; Chatham and Dover Railway, colloquially the Land ’Em, Some starveling bard, or curate thin, Smash ’Em and Over. Its story is punctuated by great Whose bones have elbow’d out his skin; trains, including the Night Ferry, Golden Arrow, Sunny And jogg’d him to provoke his Muse South Express and Orient Express. An honest Vicar to abuse, The author has drawn on material from throughout Because he looks a little sleek, Kent, much of it little used for over a century, including With belly fair, and rosy cheek, comany reports, newspaper accounts, historic advertise­ Which never but in men abound, ments, and the accounts of the Ivy Bridge and Beckenham O f easy minds, and bodies sound. ” disasters. She also has used many unpublished memories, “This Vicar lives so blithe and happy, backing up her own intimate knowledge of local and coun­ With daily roast-meat and ale nappy; try history. With dogs to hunt, and steeds to ride, This is n ot a technical tone, but a lively human and his­ And wife that ambles at his side; toric survey of this line, the people and places it serves, it’s Who loves no hurries, routs, nor din, disasters and triumphs, and its growth as a prime approach But gently chucks her husband’s chin. to and from the Continent of Europe. These blessings, altogether met, This book now available, price £8.95 from: Have put lean curate in a pet, 1) Midas Books Ltd, 12 Dene Way, Speldhurst, Tunbridge As meagre wine is apt to fret. ” Wells, Kent (£8.95 plus 85p p&p). and continues to describe his assailant smocking and “mois­ 2) Any bookshop (to order; quote ISBN 0 85936 206 X) tening his clay” during the agonies of composition:- 31 Your library (to order; quote ISBN 0 85936 206 X) “For smoking aids this dry divine; 4) The author at 164 Queen Anne Avenue, Bromley, Kent Puff follows puff, and line succeeds on line. at speical concessionary price of £7.95 plus 85p p&p) His lines by puffs he’s wont to measure; (By post only: do NOT telephone). Designed and produced by Raven Studios Ltd., 5 Rectory Road, Beckenham, Kent on behalf of The Local History Society for the London Borough o f Bromley. Editorial contributions to: J.W. Edwards, 150 Tubbenden Lane, Orpington.