Lot 79 , A Collection of deeds and documents relating chiefly to Kent, 1264-1654, from the collection of Thomas Godfrey Godfrey-Faussett (1829-1877)

° A Collection of deeds and documents relating chiefly to Kent, 1264-1654, from the collection of Thomas Godfrey Godfrey-Faussett (1829-1877)
Thomas Godfrey Godfrey-Faussett (for whom see the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography), the son of the professor of divinity at Oxford, was a barrister who in 1866 moved to Canterbury as auditor to the Dean and Chapter; in 1871 he became District Registrar of the probate court in the city. Godfrey-Faussett was the great-grandson of the Kentish clergyman-antiquary Bryan Faussett (1720-1776), and it was to the study of the antiquities of the county that he devoted his leisure time.
The 85 documents forming this collection can be divided into two groups – 36 charters relating to Pluckley and Little Chart, mostly with intact seals, and ranging in date from 1290 to 1469; and 49 charters and other documents relating to Kent (45), Essex (2) and London (2).
The endorsements on both groups demonstrate that the entirety of the first and the majority of the second had formed part of the archive of the Dering family of Surrenden in Pluckley.
The charters in the first group have place-names and personal names underlined in red ink, and are endorsed with a numerical reference in violet ink characteristic of the Dering sale at Puttick and Simpson on 13 July 1865; in that they closely resemble Dering charters at Kent Archives, U350 and U1823.
Many of the deeds and documents in the second group must also have originated in the Dering archive – many have endorsements in the hands of Sir Edward Dering (1598-1644), antiquary and religious controversialist (see ODNB), relating both to the contents of the documents themselves but also to his antiquarian, religious and topographical research; in one case he has stitched together two unrelated documents to serve as a medium for a pedigree of the descendants of John Johnson of the Isle of Thanet.
The collection has many highlights, the first of which must be the rare opportunity to acquire ten intact lots, amounting to 36 medieval charters, from the renowned Surrenden Dering archive. The second group includes two counterpart leases by Thomas Chillenden, prior of Christ Church Canterbury, one of two tenements with solars attached on the west side of the great gate of the prior and convent in the parish of St Bartholomew, London, 1406. There are five original wills with notes of probate endorsed, 1416-1471, one of which was granted by peculiar jurisdiction of Wingham College in 1450 and bears a fine impression of its seal, which is also appended to a lease by the provost (archbishop Thomas Cranmer’s younger brother Edmund) and canons of Wingham of a farm in Wingham, 1542. An inventory of the goods of Robert Jull of Denton, appraised at £39 17s 1d on 13 April 1585, is also included in the collection.
No manorial documents are included in the collection; a complete list of all 85 documents is available.

Dering sale
CW # Pencil # Ink # Parties and place Seal? Date
1. 603 363/3 William ate Bure to William de Stonforde; Pluckley, held of Little Chart N 1290-1291
2. 12 363/3 John son of William de Plukele kt to William son of Warin de Brochell; Pluckley Y Jan 1292
3. 602 363/3 John son of William de Plukele kt to William son of Warin de Brochell; Pluckley N May 1292
4. 39 365/4 John Malemeys exchange with John Lambyn of Pluckley; Pluckley, owing suit to the manor of Pluckley Y Feb 1307
5. 178 365/4 Robert de Hardres to John Malemeins of Waldershare, his wife Eleanor and their son John; Caldecote in Pluckley Y 22 Mar 1307
6. 599 365/4 Gilbert le Pylecherre to William de Plukele and his wife Agnes; acknowledgement of a rent of three hens for Lotekyneland in Pluckley, previously charged on Clerkesland N 1301-1302
7. 24 367/3 William son of John de Plokele to John Malemeyns; Pluckley Y Oct 1308
8. 413/1 367/3 John Malemeyns to William son of John de Plokele; Pluckley Y Oct 1308
9. 413/2 367/3 Thomas son of Simon de Brunesforde to William son of John de Plokele; Pluckley Y Mar 1311
10. 595 368/4 William de Brochelle son of W de B kt deceased to William son of John de Plukele and his wife Isabel and to William’s heirs; Pluckley Y 1313-1314
11. 594 368/4 John Malemeyns of Waldeshare, kt, to his (named) tenants of the manor of Pluke of the offices of reeve and beadle N 1 Feb 1315
12. 593 368/4 Thomas Smith of Little Chart to William son of John de Plukele; Pluckley Y 24 Feb 1317
13. 591 368/4 John de Querstede to John de Sellyngge, citizen and apothecary of London; Pluckley Y Oct 1317
14. 140 370/4 Robert Ive to John de Sellyng and his son John; Pluckley Y 1 Sep 1331
15. 80 370/4 William son of John de Toniforde to William son of John de Plukele and his wife Isabel; capital messuage in Pluckley and lands Y 16 Dec 1332
16. 48 370/4 William son of Eudo de Shillingheld to John son of Thomas Chicche and John’s wife Katherine; the manor of Everingeecre in Pluckley and Bethersden Y 2 Apr 1333
17. 1000 370/4 William son of Eudo de Shillingheld to John son of Thomas Chicche of Canterbury and John’s wife Katherine; the manor of Everingeecre in Pluckley and Bethersden Y Apr 1333
18. 276 371/3 William son of Eudo de Shillinghelde to John son of Thomas Chicche of Canterbury and John’s wife Katherine; the manor of Everingeecre in Pluckley and Bethersden Y Apr 1333
19. 589 371/3 William son of John de Tunyforde deceased to Joan, Alice, Scholastica, Eleanor, Isabel and Katherine daughters of William de Plukele; Pluckley and Chart Y 19 May 1349
20. 328 371/3 Eleanor daughter of William de Plukele to John son of Robert de Okenfolde; Chart and Pluckley Y Jun 1349
21. 053 376/4 John Pyrefeld of Pluckley to John Frend and William Baker; Pluckley, Smarden and Little Chart Y 29 Dec 1373
22. 587 376/4 Theobald de Surinden of Smarden to his brother John; Pluckley and Little Chart Y 6 Jan 1379
23. 1 376/4 Michael Smyth of Playford to John de Surrindene and his sons Harvey and Roger; Pluckley Y Oct 1379
24. 137 376/4 Harvey and Roger sons of Michael atte Lee of Playford to John Surinden of Fordmelle; Pluckley Y 14 Feb 1380
25. 295 381/4 Margaret daughter of John Haute of Pluckley to her father; lands and tenements formerly John Surrynden which descended to her on the death of her mother Joan Y 18 May 1421
26. 433 381/4 John Mounte, citizen and cutler of London, to Henry Malmayns of Pluckley; his rights in the manors of Pluckley and Waldershare in which he and others was enfeoffed by HM Y 10 Aug 1421
27. 432 381/4 Henry Malmayns of Pluckley esq to feoffees (named); manors of Pluckley and Waldershare in Pluckley, Hothfield and Smarden Y 22 Dec 1421
28. 584 381/4 John Haute of Pluckley esq to his daughters Christine wife of John Deryng and Elizabeth Haute; tenement late Surrenden in Pluckley and Little Chart; details of buildings Y 10 Jun 1425
29. 53 382/3 John Haute of Pluckley esq to Reynold Dreylond and JH’s daughter Christine, formerly wife of John Deryng, and to her heirs; tenement formerly John Surrenden in Pluckley and Little Chart Y 10 Feb 1427
30. 143 382/3 John Haute of Pluckley esq to Reynold Dreylond and JH’s daughter Christine, formerly wife of John Deryng, and to her heirs; tenement formerly John Surrenden in Pluckley and Little Chart Y 10 Feb 1427
31. 41 382/3 John Seyntleger and William Norton to Richard Malmayns and Alice daughter of William Langle of Sheldwich; messuage called Lambynys in Pluckley Y 24 Feb 1428
32. No # No ref William Norton of Sheldwich esquire and Richard Horne of Westwell gentleman to Richard Tylman the elder of Pluckley; 14 dayworks of land in the field called Fyftenakrys in Pluckley, in which (with John Seyntleger and William Balle, now dead) they were enfeoffed by Richard Malmayns Y 6 Mar 1452
33. No # 385/4 Counterpart of 32 Y 6 Mar 1452
34. 582 385/4 William Wolton of Great Chart to Alice Goldwelle and Christine Dreylond; Pluckley, Pevington [in Pluckley], Great Chart, Little Chart, Hothfield, Bethersden, Westwell, Ashford, Elmested, Stelling, Hardres, Waltham, Petham, Milton, Bobbing and Smarden Y 4 Jun 1454
35. 195 385/4 Alice Goldwell widow of William Goldwell to Christine Dreyland widow of Reynold Dreyland; manors of Pluckley and Thramhatch in Pluckley, Little Chart and Pevington [in Pluckley], Hothfield and Westwell, late her father John Haute N 10 Mar 1455
36. 581 385/4 John Colepeper kt and Henry Berham esq to John Bewfrere of Cranbrook; Pluckley Y 22 Mar 1469


Deeds with black ink endorsements
37. Cecily widow of Alexander de Bocholte to Solomon de Stanstrete and his wife Denise for £1 18s 0d; land and rent (specified) in the tenure [of the manor] of Hardres N 1264-1265
38. Walter de Hereford of Elmdon [in Essex] to John the smith of Strahal for 6s 0d; land in the field of Elmdon N c1260
39. Sir Hubert de Montcaines to John son of Harvey de Stath’; land in the field of Elmdon called Gruneslouwe [in Essex]; armorial seal Y c1270
40. Simon called Godwyne of Twitham [in Wingham, Kent] to John called Countreye if Twitham for £1 13s 0d; a half-acre in Twitham abutting land of the archbishop of Canterbury; armorial seal Y 1299-1300
41. Werin called le Jevene to John the smith son of Werin the carpenter of Petham for £6 13s 4d and two measures of wheat; a messuage, two buildings and a garden in Lower Hardres, held of William de Godynetone and formerly of Master Hamo Doge N 1311-1312
42. Agnes daughter of Henry ate Forstalle to her son John and his heirs in tail, reversion to Agnes; 1½ acres at Lovecote in Upper Hardres Y 3 May 1323
43. Simon de Hoo to Richard atte Dane and his daughter Joan and her heirs in tail, remainder to Richard, for £1 6s 0d; 1½ acres at Lovecote in Upper Hardres Y 14 Jan 1348
44. William Robyn trumpour to John Longevyle and his wife Eda; 1 acre at Sperkes in Ash by Sandwich Y 23 Sep 1349
45. John de Bosinton of Wingham to his brother Richard de Bosinton; a croft by Dene in the vill of Wingham; endorsed: for the heirs of John Pewtrer Y 24 Jul 1359
46. Alexander Page of Woodnesborough and John Pyyk the younger of Ash by Sandwich to Joan widow of John Sampsoun of Staple for life, remainder to Thomas son of John Sampsoun; plot of land with buildings, walls and trees at Scheldesforde in Staple; two seals, one armorial Y 10 Apr 1385
47. Thomas son of John Broke confirming the estate made by his father John Broke on his brother Robert Broke and his wife Joan, now wife of Thomas Holte, of lands in Bobbing, Woodnesborough and Hamwold in the hundred of Eastry Y 17 Jan 1386
48. Stephen Rykedon of Lower Hardres to John atte Dane of Lower Hardres; 1¼ acres east of Portway in Lower Hardres Y 1 Nov 1388
49. John Bornelle of Staple to Robert Atebertone; 1 acre of land [in Staple] Y 31 Oct 1391
50. Thomas [Chillenden] prior of Christ Church Canterbury and the convent to John Grymeshame of Seasalter; counterpart 99-year lease of Annotetoun in Seasalter at a rent of 4d payable to the almonry Y 24 Jan 1393
51. William Brome of Dene in Wingham to William Wyndesore clerk and John Septvauntz esquire; all his lands and tenements, rents and services in the hundreds of Wingham and Downhamford; given at Dene; armorial seal Y 2 Sep 1393
52. William Wyndesore and John Septvans to Helen widow of William Brome for life, remainder to their daughter Margery, according to William’s feoffment to them; lands and tenements, rents and services in the hundreds of Wingham and Downhamford Y 27 Aug 1394
53. John de Dane and his wife Idonea to Richard Cullyng; a croft in Lower Hardres (N: Bekettisstrete) Y 3 Sep 1396
54. John Holle of Shelving to John Clodhamur; 1½ acres at Shelving in Barham, held of the manor of Brome N 30 Jan 1399
55. John Wyngate and Denise Clodhamer to Agnes widow of John Clodhamer for life, with remainder to themselves in order to fulfil John’s settlement of all his lands in Barham on Agnes for life, remainder to his surviving children; all his children died shortly after John, but JW and DC are unsure whether Agnes be pregnant with JC’s child Y 6 Jan 1404
56. Cecily daughter of John Hawkeslond of Wingham by Sandwich, deceased, to William Baskette, citizen and skinner of London; quitclaim of her interest in a tenement on the east side of the highway in Wingham which she inherited from her mother Joan Y 13 Feb 1406
57. Thomas [Chillenden] prior of Christ Church Canterbury and the convent to Thomas Bole, citizen and ironmonger of London and his wife Alice; counterpart lease for 20 years from Easter 1406 or the life of the survivor, whichever the shorter, at £3 of two tenements with solars attached to the west side of the great gate of the prior and convent, with the easement of two solars beyond the gate, in the parish of St Bartholomew by the Exchange in the Ward of Broad Street; detailed covenants N 10 Mar 1406
58. Edward Hardrys esquire and John Courthope of Lee to Thomas Bakere of South Barham; quitclaim of their interest in an acre of land which Thomas had by the gift and feoffment of John Malvyle of South Barham Y 12 Mar 1415
59. Edward Hardys esquire and John Courthope of Lyminge to Thomas Bakere of South Barham; lease for 5 years £2 4s 0d of all the site which they lately had by the gift and feoffment of John Malvyle at South Barham in Barham; detailed covenants Y 30 Sep 1416
60. Probate (peculiar of Wingham College) of the will (7 Sep 1416) of Margery wife of Thomas Fort of Ash; seal of Wingham College Y 10 Oct 1416
61. Richard Cullyng and John Brounyng to William Dane; all the lands and tenements, woods and hedges in Upper Hardres and Lower Hardres and in the hundred of Bridge which they lately had by the gift and feoffment of John Fyneg’ Y 3 Oct 1417
62. Probate (Archdeaconry of Canterbury) of the will (4 Oct 1420) of Henry Wyngate of Barham; endorsed [by Sir Edward Dering], c1630, with notes on Reasons why the Priest in the holy offices is sometimes appointed to kneel, sometimes to stand N 20 Oct 1420
63. Probate (Archdeaconry of Canterbury) of the will (1 May 1425) of William de Dane of Bosyncompe in Upper Hardres; executors Richard Cullyng the elder and his son Richard Cullyng N 28 Jul 1425
64. William Haytisbery of Upper Hardres to John Ife of Wincheap by Canterbury, Simon Dane and Thomas Brocsole the younger of Upper Hardres; all his lands and tenements in the lordship of Upper Hardres; seal shows the head of John the Baptist on a dish, surmounted by a sword Y 24 Feb 1427
65. Thomas Cullyng of Great Chart to his brother Richard Cullyng of Upper Hardres; his share in lands and tenements in Lower Hardres inherited from his aunt Idonea de le Dane N 29 Sep 1429
66. John Brounyng of Lower Hardres to Richard Cullyng of Upper Hardres; lands and tenements in Lower Hardres which John lately had by the gift and feoffment of John Dane of Lower Hardres Y 1 Oct 1429
67. Richard Cullyng of Upper Hardres, with Thomas Bere and his wife Isabel of Lower Hardres, to Michael Bere of Lower Hardres; tenements and lands at Cokes in Lower Hardres, formerly John atte Dane; provision for staged payments Y 20 Oct 1429
68. Simon de Dane of Upper Hardres to Thomas Brokesole the younger of Upper Hardres, weaver; all his lands and tenements in Upper Hardres and elsewhere in Kent Y 16 Nov 1431
69. William Fordemell and John Poysshe of Canterbury, draper, quitclaim to Richard Cullyng the elder of Upper Hardres; their claim to lands and tenements in Upper Hardres which they have by Richard’s feoffment Y 20 Jul 1434
70. Richard Cullyng the elder of Upper Hardres to his son Edmund Cullyng; all his lands and tenements in Upper and Lower Hardres on condition that Edmund provide Richard and his wife Joan, healthy or sick, with food, drink, linen and woollen cloth, shoes and all necessities befitting persons of their age and status, or a pension of 8 pence a week; clerk’s name: W Tame Y 15 Aug 1434
71. Probate (peculiar of Wingham College) of the will (4 Mar 1450) of Thomas Molond of Ash by Sandwich Y 25 Jun 1450
72. Joan Strode, widow of John Strode of Elham and daughter and heir of Thomas Not of Elham, tailor, to John Denne and John Furner; the reversion on the death of her mother Denise Not of a piece of land called Goreshill in Elham bequeathed by Thomas to Denise with remainder to Joan; endorsed [by Sir Edward Dering], c1630, with notes on the history of Venice, Crete, Zacynthos, Cephalonia, Corfu and Ithaca N 21 Mar 1453
73. Gilbert Heryng and William Knyyth, churchwardens of Upper Hardres, to Edmund Cullyng of Upper Hardres; receipt for £4 bequeathed to the church by William a Dane of Upper Hardres N 12 Aug 1456
74. Probate (Archdeaconry of Canterbury) of the will (20 Aug 1471) of John Wyndgate of St Mary Marge [Capel-le-Ferne] N 7 Dec 1471
75. James Lucas of Lydd to John Godfray of Lydd, butcher; 1¾ acres in Lydd held of the manor of Bletchyng N 1 Jan 1480
76. William Heed, gentleman, quitclaim to his co-feoffees of his right in a messuage and 19 acres in Lympne in which they were enfeoffed by William Knatchbull of Barham; 30 Apr 1492; attached:
Arbitration of Geoffrey Leedes of Ickham and James att Welle of Wingham between Thomas Hardyman son and heir of John Hardyman late of Ickham and Isabel Moott of Ickham, widow of William Moott of Staple, relating to a messuage and 1½ acres in Ickham; 20 Feb 1495
two unrelated deeds sewn together and endorsed [by Sir Edward Dering], c1630 with a pedigree of the descendants of John Johnson of the Isle of Thanet N 1492, 1495
77. John Lustyngton of Hawkinge quitclaim to Richard Rabyn of Shepherdswell (Sibtinswold); 11¼ acres in Barham and Denton N 28 Feb 1523
78. Edmund Cranmer provost of Wingham College with the canons and prebendaries to Henry Robson of Wingham husbandman; lease of a messuage, barn, stable and 33 acres called Hamsleps Tenement in Wingham for 21 years from 29 Sep 1542 at £5; detailed husbandry covenants; fine impression of the seal of Wingham College Y 30 Sep 1542
80. Inventory of the goods of Robert Jull of Denton, deceased, appraised at £39 17s 1d by Thomas Stace, Silvester Dickson and William Powte
the will of Robert Jull of Denton, 1582, was proved at Canterbury in 1585: Kent Archives PRC 17/45/407 N 13 Apr 1585
81. Thomas Barham of Hackington otherwise St Stephens, gentleman, to Matthias Faye of Bekesbourne, yeoman, his wife Frideswide and their heirs in tail; quitclaim of two pieces of arable and pasture (3 acres) in Barham which they bought from TB by a deed of 1 Apr 1604; endorsed: [lies] against Nethersoles N 2 Apr 1604
82. Probate (Archdeaconry of Canterbury) of the will (25 May 1628) of William Cullen of Barham Y 14 Jun 1626
83. Thomas Godfrey of Selling esquire to Robert May of Brookland for £300; messuage and 15a 3r 24p and 9a 0r 14p at Brenzett Corner N 2 Oct 1630
84. Writ of dedimus potestatem addressed to six commissioners to take evidence in the country in Thomas Denne the elder esquire v Henry Oxenden esq and Thomas Denne the younger in Chancery, with a copy attached of the bill of Thomas Denne of Canterbury, plaintiff; to be returned by the octave of Hilary 1647
For the bill see TNA C2/ChasI/D18/65 and D21/64; for the returned depositions see C22/969/42 N 17 Dec 1646

Gorringe’s are grateful to Christopher Whittick, former County Archivist, East Sussex Record Office, for his valuable research and description of this important early archive.

£25,000-35,000

Sold for £32,000