held the rectory of Merstham, and was also rector of Ickham, so that when admitted to the benefice of Ivychurch he made a formal protest that if there were responsibilities of litigation involved in his acceptance, he should resign it and return to Merstham. This, most probably, he did; as there was, at that period, a dispute respecting an annual pension of fifteen shillings, claimed by the Archdeacon of Canterbury, but denied by the rector of Ivychurch. In October, 1325, Walter de Kemeseye became rector, and defended the suit. Probably Robert de Norton is identical with the priest, of that name, who in 1357 was instituted, by Archbishop Islip, to the sinecure Rectory of Newchurch. The most remarkable, of all the Rectors of Ivychurch, was Philip Morgan, who being presented to the Rectory of Aberdowy in Wales, was, under letters dimissory, ordained Deacon by Archbishop Arundel, in Maidstone Church, on the 16th of May, 1407.* He was not permitted to waste his energies in Wales, but was almost immediately presented to the Rectory of Lyminge by Archbishop Arundel, who ordained him Priest, on the 18th of September, 1407, in Maidstone Church. Probably he was attached to the household of that Archbishop, for we find him mentioned as being present, on the 8th of April, 1409, when Archbishop Arundel dedicated, at Canterbury, the fine ring of bells which he then presented to the Cathedral. His legal abilities obtained for Philip Morgan the position of Chancellor of Normandy; and in England, on the 25th September, 1413, when Sir John Oldcastle, Lord Cobham, was tried before Archbishop Arundel and sixteen other commissioners, Philip Morgan was one of them. About that time he became rector of Ivychurch. When a truce with Flanders was to be prorogued, he was appointed one of the commissioners for the purpose, on the 6th of March, 1416-7. Seven months later he vacated this benefice, and in 1419 he was promoted to the Bishopric of Worcester; from which, in 1425, he was translated to the See of Ely. He died at Hatfield in Hertfordshire, one of the residences of the Bishop of Ely, in 1437, and was buried at the Charterhouse. He was remembered in the will of Archbishop Arundel, who left to him a book entitled Johannes in Novella in Antiquis. Another dignitary, who held this benefice from March 31st, 1514, to March 23rd, 1523, was John Clerke, Doctor in Decretis, Dean of Windsor, Keeper of the Rolls, and in 1523 Bishop of Bath and Wells. *Arundel's Register, i., 340. † Ibidem, 341a. Ibidem, i. 410b. He was succeeded in this benefice by Dr. John Stokysley, President of Magdalen Hall, in Oxford, who vacated the rectory in 1530, when he was consecrated Bishop of London. Stokysley's successor here was Dr. Nicholas Wotton, who is well known as the first Dean of Canterbury. He was rector of Ivychurch from the 26th of October, 1530, to 1567. In 1663, Alexander Burnett, vicar of Ivychurch, was consecrated Bishop of Aberdeen. Nicholas Battely, who wrote a history of Canterbury Cathedral, held this benefice during twenty years from 1685 to 1705. His successor in it was Dr. Elias Sydall, Dean of Canterbury, who vacated the benefice when he was consecrated Bishop of St. David's. He became afterwards Bishop of Gloucester. 1288 Decr 1322-3 Feb. 1325 Oct. RECTORS. Robert Orlaweston (obt 1288). Hugo de Penebrok, D.C.L. (Peckham's Reg., 39). 1352-3 March William de Leghton (Islip's Reg., 263"). 1362 1404-5 March John Bateman, rec. of Hayes, by exch. with G. 1408 Oct. (Arundel's Reg., i., 301). Matthew Ashton, rec. of East Lovent, by exch. with 1412-3 March Philip Morgan, LL.D. (Ibid., ii., 66a). 1417 1441 1514 Oct. July Mag. Nich Risshton, LL.B., vice Monte resigned (Ibid., 89b). John Boldistone was rector in 1493. (Hist. MSS. March John Clerke, Dec. Doc. (Warham's Reg., 353b). 1523-4 March John Stokysley, S.T.P., vice Bishop of B. & W. (Ibid., 380). 1530 Oct. Nich. Wotton, LL.D., vice Bishop of London (Ibid., 403a). Hasted gives the following list of Rectors: 1629 1647 1662 1663 1666 1676 1685 1705 1731 1754 Nov. 1777 Nov. 1789 Henry Wayland, obt 1614. John Sandford, prebendary of Canterbury, obt Thomas Jackson, preby of Canterbury, obt 1646, John Banks. Osmanton. Alex. Burnett (bishop of Aberdeen, 1663). Edward Ladbroke, obt 1676. Obadiah Brookesbye. Nicholas Battely, vicar of Bekesborne, obt 1705. Elias Sydall (bishop of St. David's, 1731). George Jordan, ob. 1754, Oct. 26, Chancellor of Henry Heaton, vicar of Boughton Blean, and Bladen Downing, vicar of Waldershare; resigned 1789. Anthony Hammond, rector of Knolton; also vicar of Brenset. ST. PETER AND ST. PAUL, NEWCHURCH. There is no trace of Norman work to be found in this church, although Newchurch is mentioned in Domesday Book, as the name of a Hundred. It would seem either that the original church, from which this place obtained its name, must have been pulled down, or that, in the process of enlarging it, all traces of early work have disappeared. The dedication of the church, to St. Peter and St. Paul, is alluded to in the ornamentation of the font and of the west doorway. The keys and sword, symbols of those Apostles, appear upon two of the font's eight fluted sides. The font's stem is buttressed and stands upon steps. The heads of St. Peter and St. Paul appear, as terminals to the square-headed label, on the west doorway of the tower. Both the font and the tower are of the Perpendicular period. Three Lancet windows, in the chancel, are the earliest features now discernible; probably they, and the arches north and south of the chancel, were erected in the thirteenth century. The church seems to have been remodelled, and probably enlarged, in the fourteenth century. As the north aisle is wider than its fellow on the south, perhaps the difference may indicate an interval of some years between the dates of their erection. The arcades north and south of the nave, each of four bays, have slender octagonal shafts, of the fourteenth century. Several windows of the Decorated period remain, but one of three lights, in the east wall of the south aisle, is especially worthy of notice. In the Builder (for Aug. 9, 1879, p. 885), it is said, "the windows of Newchurch Church, of about 1320, particularly the three-light windows, would be notable anywhere for variety, and quality of design; the large circles, generally sexfoiled, in the heads, are in good relation to the lights below, which does not often happen in windows of this class." A piscina, in the south wall of the aisle, has an ogeed, five-foiled arch; the corresponding aumbrye is rectangular. The eastern portion of this aisle is screened off as a vestry, with some fifteenth-century screenwork, which may have formed part of the rood-screen. Within this vestry there is an old chest, formed of fragments, simply carved with arcading, and cusped circles, some of the fourteenth, and others of the fifteenth century. The wall-plates of this south aisle are well moulded, and the ends of the wall-pieces are carved. A Decorated label, or hood-mould, remains over the arch of the south doorway, although the doorway itself was renewed, apparently, in the fifteenth century. The rood-loft doorways, rectangular in form, are still visible, east of the chancel arch, piercing the north and south arcade-walls of the chancel. No steps remain, nor are there any traces of a rood-stair. The rood-screen must have stood within the chancel; not quite so far westward as usual. |