Page:Notes on the churches in the counties of Kent, Sussex, and Surrey.djvu/155

Rh small one "ad clausuram," which is explained to signify "for fencing," would appear to fix the description to Newington. A similar entry occurs with regard to the manor of Wingham—A very interesting church, chiefly Dec., but a part Perp.—A priory for nuns was founded here soon after the Domesday Survey was taken, but the prioress having been discovered strangled in her bed, the nuns were removed to Minster (in Sheppey) by the king, who seized the lands belonging to the priory. Afterwards K. Henry II, by the advice of Thomas-à-Becket, placed here some priests as secular canons. (Hasted.) The story of the prioress being murdered, as above, is related by Stevens in his continuation of Dugdale's Monasticon from Thome's Chronicle, col. 1931; as likewise another, of seven priests being placed here by K. Henry II, when one of them was murdered by four others, after which offence the two who were innocent gave their portions of the endowment to St. Augustin's Abbey, the remainder escheating to the King. (Monast. VI, 1620.)

234. .—Originally a chapel to Reculver (to which it, with All Saints, is annexed in Val. Eccl.), was constituted a parish (and endowed by Archb. Rob. Winchelsea Somner) A.D. 1296, when it was united with All Saints, which had previously been a chapel to St. Nicholas. All Saints was soon after desecrated, and fell to ruin. The church of St. Nicholas has semicircular arches between the nave and the south aisle. (Hasted.)

235. .—This place lying within the manor of Orpington, the rector of Orpington presents to the living. It was once esteemed only a chapelry to Orpington, but is now parochial, though merely a perpetual curacy. (Hasted.)

A small building attached to the church of Reigate, Surrey, contains a library, wherein is preserved an ancient MS. volume, consisting of Chronicles compiled by Stephen Birchington, a monk of Canterbury (about A.D. 1350). Among some few miscellaneous entries is one relating to the erection and endowment of a chapel at Ocolte, now Nockholt, by Ralph Scot, The above-mentioned volume is inscribed

"E Libris Biblioth. Pub. de Reigate in Comit' Surr. Donum Guliel. Jordan de Gatwick Armr. 7 Junii 1701."

"(One) of the books of the public library of Reigate in the county of Surrey. The gift of Will Jordan of Gatwick Esq., 7 June, 1701."