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Tonbridge, or Tunbridge (St. Peter and St. Paul)

TONBRIDGE, or TUNBRIDGE (St. Peter and St. Paul), a market-town and parish, and the head of a union, in the lowey of Tonbridge, lathe of Aylesford, W. division of Kent, 14 miles (W. S. W.) from Maidstone, and 30 (S. E.) from London; containing, with Southborough, and part of the chapelry of Tonbridge-Wells, 12,530 inhabitants. This place is supposed to have been originally called "Town of Bridges," from the stone bridges crossing the five streams into which the river Medway here branches. It probably owes its origin to a castle of formidable strength, considered by some to have existed before the Conquest, but more generally thought to have been erected very soon after that period by Richard, Earl of Clare, a relation of the Conqueror's. This castle, which was frequently an object of contention, was besieged by William Rufus, the proprietor having declared in favour of Robert, Duke of Normandy. It was taken by King John in his war with the barons; and subsequently was besieged by Prince Edward, son of Henry III., on which occasion the town was burned by the garrison to prevent its giving shelter to the assailants. Edward having become king, was sumptuously entertained here by Gilbert, Earl of Clare; and during his absence in Flanders, his son, afterwards Edward II., when administering the government of the country, resided in this castle. Having been crowned, he took possession of it, in consequence of the rebellion of its owner; after which it became, with three others, the depository of the national records. The lordship, some time after, was the property of the Staffords; and on the attainder of the Duke of Buckingham, the last powerful member of that family, in the reign of Henry VIII., it was seized by the crown, with his other possessions, and the castle was suffered to fall into decay.

The town consists mainly of a long spacious street, paved, and lighted with gas, and containing some good houses. Its situation on the declivity of a hill contributes greatly to its cleanliness. The only public buildings, besides the church and grammar-school, are the town-hall and market-house: the principal bridge was erected in 1775, by Mr. Milne, at an expense of £1100. Tonbridge ware, and gunpowder, are manufactured here, but both to a less extent than formerly. The river Medway, on which are convenient wharfs for the accommodation of the trade (which is considerable), was made navigable to the town about the middle of the last century, and a large quantity of coal and timber is brought by it from Maidstone. The South-Eastern railway passes near the town, on the south, where a station is established. The weekly market, on Friday, is now discontinued; but there is a cattle-market on the first Tuesday in every month, which is numerously attended, and a fair is held on October 12th. The powers of the county debt-court of Tonbridge, established in 1847, extend over the sub-registration-district of Penshurst; the parishes of Capel, Hadlow, and Tudely; and part of those of Bidborough and Tonbridge. The county magistrates meet on the second and fourth Wednesdays in each month. Two representatives were sent to parliament from the town in the 23rd of Edward I., but it has not since exercised the elective franchise. The parish comprises 15,234a. 3r. 35p., of which 5284 acres are arable, 4636 pasture, 5313 woodland, and 89 common or waste.

The living is a vicarage, valued in the king's books at £20. 3. 4., and in the gift of John Deacon, Esq.: the vicarial tithes have been commuted for £1077, and the impropriate for £873. 7. The church, a spacious and handsome structure with a square embattled tower, was some years since repaired and enlarged. District churches have been erected at Southborough and Hildenborough, and there are three incumbencies in Tonbridge-Wells. The grammar school was founded by Sir Andrew Judd, alderman of London, in the 7th of Edward VI.; and by letters-patent of that monarch, it was ordained that, after the death of the founder, the management should be vested in the Skinners' Company, London. A salary of £500 is paid to the head-master, and one of £200 to the under-master, both having also rent-free residences; and sixteen exhibitions of £100 a year each, for four years, are maintained from the income, for boys going to either of the universities. In addition to these exhibitions, the pupils are eligible to a fellowship at St. John's College, Oxford, instituted by Sir Thomas Whyte; to six exhibitions of £10 per annum each, tenable at any college in either university, founded by Sir Thomas Smith; to a scholarship of £17. 9. 6. a year, at Brasenose College, Oxford, founded by Mr. Henry Fisher; to an exhibition of £2. 13. 4. per annum, at either of the universities, by Mr. Thomas Lampard; to two exhibitions of £6 per annum each, at St. John's College, Cambridge, by Mr. Worrall; to an exhibition originally £4, now £8, a year, at either university (in default of scholars from Seven-Oaks school), established by Mr. Robert Holmedon; and to two exhibitions, of £75 per annum each, at Jesus College, Cambridge (also in default of scholars from Seven-Oaks), instituted by Lady Mary Boswell. The school premises, which have been repaired and enlarged, form an elegant range with a frontage of 130 feet: attached is a play-ground of about 12 acres. The poor-law union of Tonbridge comprises 10 parishes or places, containing a population of 23,814.

The remains of the once celebrated castle consist only of the entrance gateway, flanked by two round towers, and of an artificial mount, on which the keep stood. At some distance, on the opposite side of the river, are the ruins of a priory of Black canons founded by Richard de Clare, about the end of the reign of Henry I. Upon its dissolution in 1525, the revenue,amounting to £l69. 10. 3., was intended to form part of the endowment of Wolsey's colleges at Ipswich and Oxford; but the cardinal's disgrace occurred before the grant was confirmed. Little remains besides the refectory, or hall, converted into a barn. About a mile from the town is a well of mineral water of the same quality as that of Tonbridge-Wells.


Transcribed from A Topographical Dictionary of England, by Samuel Lewis, seventh edition, published 1858.

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