Part 25 (2/2)
Durham
Durham 12
Newcastle 13
14
Benfleet, North pa
Ess.e.x
Rayleigh 4
Billericay 6
14
Benfleet, South[B] pa
Ess.e.x
... 4
... 9
18
Bengeo pa
Hertford
Hertford 1
Ware 2
15
Bengrove ham
Gloucester
Tewkesbury 6
Evesbam 7
42
Bengworth pa
Worcester
Worchester 16
Persh.o.r.e 7
36
Benhall pa
Suffolk
Saxmundham 2
Frainlingh 5
4
Benham to
Berks
Newbury 3
Hungerford 6
4
Benham-Hoe ham
Berks
... 4
... 6
44
Benningborough to
N.R. York
York 7
Boro'bridge 8
46
Benningholme to
E.R. York
Beverly 7
Hornsea 7
18
Bennington pa
Hertford
Stevenage 5
Buntingford 6
24
Bennington pa
Lincoln
Boston 5
Wainfleet 12
24
Bennington-Long[C] pa
Lincoln
Grantham 7
Newark 7
+--+---------------------+----------+-------------+-------------+
Dist.
Map
Names of Places.
Number of Miles From
Lond.
Population.
+--+---------------------+------------------------+-----+-------+ 5
Bengers ham
Slough 4
18
21
Beneden[A] pa
Rolvenden 3
51
1663
13
Benfield-Side ham
Wolsingham 12
270
543
14
Benfleet, North pa
Southend 6
29
300
14
Benfleet, South[B] pa
... 6
32
533
18
Bengeo pa
Watton 5
22
855
15
Bengrove ham
Persh.o.r.e 7
101
42
Bengworth pa
Broadway 5
100
850
36
Benhall pa
Woodbridge 3
89
668
4
Benham to
Kinbury 3
59
4
Benham-Hoe ham
... 4
60
44
Benningborough to
Wetherby 10
204
93
46
Benningholme to
Hull 8
182
103
18
Bennington pa
Watton 3
29
631
24
Bennington pa
Burgh 16
121
500
24
Bennington-Long[C] pa
Leadenham 8
116
982
+--+---------------------+----------+------------+------+-------+
[A] BENENDEN, or Biddenden, three miles south east from Cranbrook, is at present populous, though the clothing manufacture, which first occasioned the increase of the population of this part of the county, in the reign of Edward the Third, has for many years failed here. Several good houses still remaining, discover the prosperity of the former inhabitants. The church is a handsome regular building, and its tower a structure of considerable height and strength. By the old part now remaining, it appears to have been originally but small. The interior contains several ancient bra.s.ses, and among them, one for the Goldwells of Great Chart; with the dates 1452, and 1499, in Arabic numerals: the rebus of this name, a golden fountain, or well, is also in one of the windows. A free grammar school, now degenerated into a complete sinecure, was founded here in the year 1522. There is a tradition in this parish, that a bequest for the use of the poor, of 20 acres of land, now called the Bread and Cheese land, lying in five pieces, was given by two maiden sisters, commonly called the ”Biddenden Maids,” of the name of Chulkhurst, ”who were born joined together by the hips and shoulders, in the year 1100;” and having lived in that state thirty-four years, died within about six hours of each other. This tale is affected to be established by the correspondent figures of two females impressed on cakes, which after Divine service, in the afternoon, on every Easter Sunday, are distributed to all comers, and not unfrequently to the number from 800 to 1000. At the same time, about 270 loaves, weighing three pounds and a half each, and cheese in proportion, are given to the poor paris.h.i.+oners; the whole expence being defrayed from the rental of the bequeathed lands. The marvellous part of the story however, was wholly discredited by the well informed, until the visit of the Siamese twins to this country revived it with some appearance of truth.
[Sidenote: The Biddenden maids.]
[B] BENFLEET lies south-west by south from Rayleigh. Here was a castle, built by Hastings, the celebrated Danish pirate, and which building Matthew of Westminster described, as having deep and wide ditches. This fortress Alfred the Great took and destroyed in the year 890; Hasting's wife and two sons taken therein, were sent to London. The creeks entering the Thames round Benfleet are celebrated for their oysters.
[Sidenote: A pirate's castle.]
[C] BENNINGTON, called Belintone in the Domesday Book, was a seat of the Mercian kings; and here a great council of n.o.bility and prelates was a.s.sembled about the year 850, under King Bertulph, who on the complaint of Askill, a monk of Croyland, of the great devastations committed on the property of that monastery by the Danes, granted the monks a new charter of divers ”splendid liberties,” and several extensive manors. In the 33d of Edward I. a charter of a weekly market, and a fair annually, was granted for this manor; but the former has long fallen into disuse!
The manor was long in possession of the Bourchiers, Earls of Ess.e.x.
Robert, the third Earl, after his divorce from the infamous Lady Francis Howard, his first wife, in 1613, sold it to Sir Julius Caesar, Knt., from whom it descended to his son and heir, Sir Charles Caesar. This gentleman was appointed Master of the Rolls in 1638; and, after being twice married, and having fifteen children by both wives, died of the small-pox, at Bennington, in 1643: this disease proved fatal also to several of his issue, and among them, to Julius, his eldest surviving son, who dying within a few days, was buried in the same grave with his father. Henry, his next son, and heir, represented this county in the two first parliaments held in the reign of Charles II.; and he was knighted by that sovereign in 1660: he also died of the small-pox, in January 1667. This manor was sold to the trustees under the will of Sir John Ches.h.i.+re, Knt. His great nephew, John Ches.h.i.+re, Esq., resided in a small mansion near the ancient castle at Bennington, which stood westward from the church, and most probably occupied the spot whereon stood the palace of the Saxon Kings. The artificial mount of the keep, with the surrounding ditch, are still to be seen. The old manor-house that had been inhabited by the Caesars, stood in the park, at a small distance from the village, but was burnt down about fifty years ago. A small edifice, since erected on the site, was for some years occupied by Mr. Bullock. Bennington church is a small fabric, consisting of a nave and a chancel, with a tower at the west end, and a chapel or burial-place connected with the chancel on the north. Here are two ancient monuments, under arches, which form part of them, each exhibiting rec.u.mbent figures of a knight and a lady. Many of the Caesars lie buried here. The Benstede family, sometime lords of the manor, are supposed to have built this church, as their arms are displayed both upon the roof and on the tower. In a niche over the south porch, St.
Michael and the dragon are sculptured.
[Sidenote: Ancient charters.]
[Sidenote: The small-pox fatal to Ches.h.i.+res.]
[Sidenote: Their monuments.]
Map
Names of Places.
County.
Number of Miles From
+--+---------------------+----------+-------------+--------------+ 24
Benningworth pa
Lincoln
Wragby 6
Horncastle 9
29
Bewridge to
Northumb
Morpeth 2
Rothbury 12
31
Bensinton[A] pa
Oxford
Wallingford 2
Nettlebed 6
14
Bentfield ham
Ess.e.x
Stanstead 2
B. Stortford 4
33
Benthall pa
Salop
Wenlock 3
Madeley 6
15
Bentham ham
Gloucester
Gloucester 5
Cheltenham 5
44
Bentham pa & to
W.R. York
Settle 12
Ingleton 5
16
Bentley pa
Hants
Farnham 4
Alton 6
35
Bentley to & lib
Stafford
Walsall 2
S. Coldfield 7
36
Bentley pa
Suffolk
Ipswich 6
Manningtree 12
39
Bentley ham
Warwick
Atherstone 3
Coles.h.i.+ll 7
46
Bentley to
W.R. York
Doncaster 2
Arksey 1
10
Bentley, Fenny pa
Derby
Ashborne 3
Wirksworth 8
14
Bentley, Great pa
Ess.e.x
Colchester 9
Manningtree 9
10
Bentley, Hungry to
Derby
Ashborne 6
Derby 10
14
Bentley, Little pa
Ess.e.x
Manningtree 5
Colchester 9
42
Bentley, Up. & L. ham
Worcester
Bromsgrove 3
Redditch 3
29
Benton, Little to
Northumb
Newcastle 4
N. s.h.i.+elds 6
29
Benton, Long[B] pa
Northumb
... 4
... 6
+--+---------------------+----------+-------------+--------------+
Dist.
Map
Names of Places.
Number of Miles From
Lond.
Population.
+--+---------------------+------------------------+-----+--------+ 24
Benningworth pa
Louth 9
145
373
29
Bewridge to
Blyth 11
290
53
31
Bensinton[A] pa
Dorchester 3
46
1266
14
Bentfield ham
Saff. Walden 9
34
505
33
Benthall pa
Wellington 7
150
525
15
Bentham ham
Painswick 7
104
44
Bentham pa & to
Lancaster 13
247
3957
16
Bentley pa
Odiham 6
42
728
35
Bentley to & lib
Lichfield 8
120
99
36
Bentley pa
Harwich 18
69
363
39
Bentley ham
Birmingham 16
106
270
46
Bentley to
Thorne 10
164
1144
10
Bentley, Fenny pa
Derby 16
142
308
14
Bentley, Great pa
Harwich 13
60
978
10
Bentley, Hungry to
Uttoxeter 9
136
92
14
Bentley, Little pa
Harwich 10
60
438
42
Bentley, Up. & L. ham
Birmingham 14
113
29
Benton, Little to
Blyth 9
278
29
Benton, Long[B] pa
... 9
278
5547
+--+---------------------+------------------------+-----+--------+
[A] BENSINGTON was an ancient British town, taken from the original inhabitants by Ceaulin, in the year 572. The west Saxons held the place for two centuries, and appear to have constructed a castle for its defence; but it was reduced by Offa, king of the Mercians, who defeated his rival in a sanguinary contest. To the west of the church are a quadrangular bank and trench. Three sides of the embankment are much defaced. Plot mentions an ”angle of King Offa's palace near the church;”
by which he probably alludes to the same spot. In this village are several modern buildings. The church, which is gothic, has been built at different times. In the brick flooring of the nave are some ancient stones, with mutilated bra.s.ses. Here is a Sunday-school supported by subscription; and a meeting-house for methodists.
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