Bell's Cathedrals: The Church of St. Martin, Canterbury: An Illustrated Account of its History and FabricRoutledge, C. F. (Charles Francis)
History
Bell's Cathedrals: The Church of St. Martin, Canterbury: An Illustrated Account of its History and Fabric
Routledge, C. F. (Charles Francis)
St. Martin's Church (Canterbury, England)
The =Churchyard=, practically the only one now in use in Canterbury, though
St. Gregory's and St. Dunstan's churchyards are open for occasional
interments, has come to be regarded as the "Campo Santo" of the city. In
modern times the ground has been opened to receive the remains of many
distinguished priests and laymen, among whom we may mention Dean Alford,
Dean Payne-Smith, Bishop Parry and Canon Robertson (the ecclesiastical
historian). Not very far from the lych-gate is a curious floriated cross,
the legend on which seems to have puzzled many writers on the history
of the church, though it bears distinctly on the front "Hew Whyte," and
on the back "and Alys his wife." It is very probable that this is not
a memorial cross, but a finial gable cross removed from the east of the
chancel roof, and originally placed there in 1484 by Hew Whyte, who was
a benefactor to the church. The cross has had many adventures. It was
taken from the churchyard during the last century, and about thirty years
ago was reposing as an ornament in the garden of a Canterbury citizen,
but was brought back in 1876, and mounted on a pedestal.
In the _Valor Ecclesiasticus_, compiled in the twenty-sixth year of King
Henry VIII., the value of the living for "tithes predyall and personal,
oblations, and other spiritual yearly profits" is estimated at £9,
and the yearly tenths at 18s., which, in the first year of Edward VI.,
were reduced to £6, 5s. and 12s. 2d. respectively. Hasted remarks that
in 1588 it was valued at £20, and there were 71 communicants. In 1640
it was valued at £40, with 70 communicants. And it appears by the
Survey of the King's Commissioners in the second year of the reign of
Edward VI. that there were _obit_ lands given and bequeathed by divers
persons, that one yearly _obit_ should be kept in this church for ever:
the yearly value of which lands was 23s. 4d., of which the distribution
to the poor was 12d., and outgoings 21d., leaving 20s. 7d. clear. Among
the =charities= bequeathed we find
(1) _Stephen Falkes_ (1506) ordered that the yearly rents and profits
coming off the little messuage, with its appurtenances, in which
Gregory Bradley then dwelt, should wholly remain to the churchwardens
of St. Martin's for ever, for the reparation of the church.
(2) _Sir Henry Palmer_, Knt., of Bekesbourne (probably the father of
the Sir Henry Palmer now interred in the chancel), by his will in 1611
gave 10s., to be yearly paid out of his Manor of Well Court, to the
minister and churchwardens of the parish towards the relief of the poor
of St. Martin's.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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