Wingham (St. Mary)

WINGHAM (St. Mary), a parish, and formerly a market-town, in the union of Eastry, hundred of Wingham, lathe of St. Augustine, E. division of Kent, 9 miles (S. E.) from Canterbury; containing 1129 inhabitants. This place is situated on the road from Canterbury to Sandwich, in a neighbourhood abounding with genteel residences. It formerly belonged to the see of Canterbury, to which it was granted in the early part of the heptarchy; and in the 36th of Henry III., Archbishop Boniface obtained for the inhabitants the grant of a market. The archbishops had a palace here, in which they entertained several of the kings of England on their way to and from the continent. The manor was exchanged for other lands by Craumer. The parish comprises 2641 acres, of which 113 are in woodland; the soil is good, the Wingham hops being considered the best grown in the county. A horticultural society, of which Lady Bridges is patroness, was established in Aug. 1835, and is well supported. Large fairs for cattle are held on May 12th and Nov. 12th, and the pettysessions for the division take place here. The living is a perpetual curacy; net income, £114; patron, John Bridges, Esq.; impropriator, W. Greville, Esq., whose tithes have been commuted for £1368. The church, originally built in the early English style, contains portions, subsequently added, in the decorated and later English. A college for a provost and six canons was founded in the church in 1286, by John Peckham, archbishop; it had a gross revenue of £208. 14. 3½., and was granted by Edward VI. to Sir Henry Palmer: on or near its site, a stone coffin and some other relics of antiquity have been found. There is a place of worship for Independents. Sir James Oxenden, Bart., in 1686, founded a free school, and endowed it with £16 per annum. William de Wengham, Bishop of London, and chancellor in the reign of Henry III., was born in the parish.