the patronage of Down in right of his rectory, with which it is from time to time leased out by him." (Hasted.) This statement is erroneous, for Down is a perpetual curacy in the gift of the rector of Orpington. (Clergy List.) Brasses : Tho. Petle and wife Isabella ; John Petle and wife Christiana. (Reg. Roff.)
103. St. Dunstan's.— The church consists of nave and south aisle, with a chancel to each, tower at the west end of the aisle, north porch, and a small Dec. chapel in a very unusual position, namely, on the north side of the nave, westward of the porch. The north and east walls seem Norm, with later windows inserted; the tower is Perp. The Norm, walls contain a few fragments of Roman bricks. The south chancel is of brick, and belongs to the Roper family. In the vault beneath a leaden box with an iron grating, placed in a recess, contains a single skull, which is supposed to be that of Sir Thomas More. -" The altar-cloth is very curious, made seemingly before the Reformation, being of blue cloth, and having on it several figures of cherubs, and in the middle a crucifix with the figure of Christ on it, all elegantly wrought in needlework embossed with gold." St. Thomas's Hill here was so called from a chapel, dedicated to St. Thomas, which was built in a field opposite St. Dunstan's church, near the east end of the foot of the hill, and "seems to have been that built by Archb. Baldwin, A.D. 1187, upon his disappointment at Hackington." (Hasted.)
104. Eastbridge.— An ancient parish on the border of Romney Marsh. The name appears in (Val. Eccl.), and in the (Clergy List) to this day, as a rectory, though the church was desecrated, it is said, A.D 1530. Where stood the second Domesday church is mere conjecture.
105. Eastchurch.— In early times, A.D 1196, this church was appropriated to the abbey of Dunes in Flanders, but it was afterwards transferred to that of Boxley, which was confirmed A.D 1313. There is a patent, 9th of K. Henry VI (1431-2), to the abbey of Boxley for a piece of land in this parish for the purpose of erecting a new church. (Hasted.)
106. Eastling. Hasted states, that the second Domesday church stood at Huntingfield Court, once an important manor and seat in this parish. He adduces as authority, that the existence of a chapel and mill at Huntingfield, as described in (D. B.) is attested by the names, "Chapel Field," and "Mill Field," still applied to certain spots there.
N. B. Huntingfield belonged to the Hasted family. Both
