Page:Notes on the churches in the counties of Kent, Sussex, and Surrey.djvu/76

44 Saxon monastery dedicated to St. Mildred, of which the last Abbot was named Alfwic. (Monast. I, 128, Num. iv, and Ib. VI, 1619.)

Canterbury is affirmed to have contained, of religious houses; St. Augustin's, Christ's Church, St. Sepulchre's (a nunnery), St. Gregory's, the White Friars, St. Mildred's on the south side of the city, "long since (but not lately) an abbey:" and of hospitals; those of St. James, St. Laurence for sick monks, St. Nicholas, St. Thomas, and St. Mary's without the walls. (Lambarde.) Beside the preceding, (Val. Eccl.) names the hospital of St. John Northgate, and one for poor priests.

Where St. Mary's, already alluded to, or any other very ancient churches, beside the cathedral, St. Augustin's, and St. Martin's without, were situated, is not known now; and most probably the face of the city has been totally altered, especially by the furious ravages of the Danes temp. K. Ethelred; which supposition is confirmed by the fact, that several of the existing churches are dedicated to comparatively modern saints, as Sts. Alphage, Dunstan, Edmund. Within the walls twelve parish churches now remain, and five have been demolished; in the suburbs are three churches, and one has been destroyed. Of the desecrated churches within the walls there are vestiges of only two; namely, St. John's, "the remains of it were for a long time used as a malt-house, or in tenements, and continue so at present;" St. Michael, Burgate, which is "included within the precincts of the priory, now of the dean and chapter. (note.) The remains of this church have long since been converted into a dwelling-house.—Some of the ancient walls of the church are still remaining." (Hasted.)

St. Mary Breadman.—Brass, small, Rob. Richmond, rector, 1524. (Hasted.)

St. Mildred's.—"At the west end of the south aisle there is a very fair Roman arch remaining over the window, and by all appearance the work of those times." (Hasted.)

Holy Cross, Westgate.—The present church was built temp. K. Richard II; licence to purchase ground for the purpose is dated 10th March, 3d of K. Richard II, i.e. A.D. 1330. (Hasted.)

In the suburbs, St. Martin's; which will appear separately below.

The Austin Priory, or Hospital of St. Gregory, was founded A.D. 1084, by Archb. Lanfranc. (Monast. VI, 614.)—The Hospital of St. Thomas the Martyr, or Eastbridge, was founded by