Rucking, "Rockinges" of (D.B.), is mentioned immediately after Orleston.
245. Orpington.—It may be presumed, that the second church named here stood in one of those parishes, which were portions of the manor of Orpington, with the exception of St. Mary Cray (see the Notes there and on Sentlinge) viz., either Down, Hayes, or Nockholt; but, as the churches are mentioned together, we have no guide to assist in assigning the locality. In (Val. Eccl.) the chapel of Cray, that is, St. Mary or South, is annexed to Orpington, and styled "capella curata." The rectory is a sinecure, the incumbent presenting to the vicarage of Orpington, as well as to St. Mary Cray, Down, Hayes, and Nockholt.—"Crofton is a place in Orpington, which once was a parish by itself, but was destroyed by fire, and afterwards was reckoned to Orpington." (Harris.)
246. Ospringe.—"In the churchyard to the east is" (sic) "the ruins of a chapel belonging to Sir John de Denton, who is supposed to have had a seat at Denton in this parish, and indeed at that place there are ruins of buildings still to be seen." (Harris.) This must be the chapel in Ospringe churchyard, which Hasted says is mentioned in a will of the year 1466.
The Maison Dieu here was founded by K. Henry III about A.D. 1235, deserted temp. K. Edward IV, and escheated to the Crown. (Hasted.) Tanner speaks of "an old hospital founded by Henry III about 1235." (Monast. VI. 764.) Though in Ospringe Street the Maison Dieu stood in fact in Faversham parish. Beside this, there was a wayside chapel here dedicated to St. Nicholas. (Harris.)
247. Ostenhanger.—The castle or castellated mansion and the estate bearing this title are now included within the parish of Stanford, but formerly this very place was deemed parochial. It will be observed, that the Taxation of P. Nicholas records the existence of the church of "Ostinghangre," at the end of the thirteenth century. (Val. Eccl.) likewise names it as a rectory in Limpne deanery, separately noticing Stanford as a chapel annexed to Liminge in the deanery of Eleham. "This Ostenhanger is said to have been antiently a parish of itself; but is now reputed to be (as aforesaid) in this parish of Stanford." (Kilburne.)—The church of Ostenhanger is stated to be now "entirely pulled down." It "stood at a small distance westward of the mansion and the drawbridge at the entrance to it, between the latter and the great barn, which, report says, was partly
