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Cox Heath, a

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Dartford Brimps,

Black Heath, &c. &c.

"The whole extent of these commons, I apprehend, does not, comprehend more than 20,000 acres. The soil of a few of them consists of a poor cold loam; of others, of wet stiff clay; but the principal part abounds in gravel and sand. They are in general covered with furze and fern,i interspersed with patches of grass; and feed some lean cattle and poor half starved sheep.. If they were in a state of severalty, under proper systems of management, they might undoubtedly be made of great value. Inclosures would do much; industry and due attention to the natural produce, and what has been cultivated on similar soils în other places, would do more.".

P. 53. "There is no portion of Kent that is occupied by a community of persons, as in many other counties. Our commons for live stock are generally much covered withi furze, thorns, brakes, or heath, with a mixture of plots of poor grass-land; the cattle and sheep feeding upon them, are of course in a half-starved state. The total destruction of all commonable rights, by a general act of parliament for inclosing, is an object, in my humble opinion, of the greatest magnitude to the interests of this kingdom in general, and to this county in particular. There have been some exertions for accomplishing a division and inclosure of an extensive common in East Kent, within these few years; which failed for want of unanimity among the persons concerned.”

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PROVISIONS.-P. 166. "The easy communication between all parts of this county and the metropolis, renders the markets of Smithfield and Mark-lane the regulating medium, by which the prices of, all kinds of provisions that are sold in the county are governed. If wheat rises 2s. per quarter, at London, it immediately does the same at all the markets in the county; and if buchers meat is plentiful, and falls in price in Smithfield, it soon lowers in the country markets."

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P. 167. The present prices of Provisions, December, 1795.-Mutton 6d. beef 54d. veal 8d. pork 7d. bacon 8da butter 12d, and good Cheshire cheese 7d. per pound, of sixteen ounces ayoirdupois; potatoes 8s. to 10s, per sackies

of

of nearly 200lb. neat; coals 36s. per chaldron of thirtysix bushels; a half peck loaf of best wheaten bread, 2s.”

FUEL.-P. 167. "Coals are brought from Newcastle and Sunderland to all the maritime ports of Kent, and from thence are distributed to the interior parts, seldom exceeding 30s. per chaldron in time of peace.

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Faggots of wood are found in plenty in the western and middle parts of Kent."

MANUFACTURES.-P., 173. "The manufactures of this county are very trifling; probably owing to the successful attention generally paid to agriculture and grazing. It has been observed by sensible writers on agriculture, that where manufactures most flourish, the land is most neglected; and this county is an instance of the truth of the observation. There is hardly any county to be named where agriculture is arrived at such perfection, or where there are so few manufactures as in this. There are some, however. At Canterbury, silk has been manufactured to a considerable extent; but it is now giving way to cotton."

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At Dover and Maidstone are manufactories of paper, of all sorts. At Stoner, near Sandwich, and the Isle of Grain, are salt-works. At Whitstable and Deptford are large copperas works; and in the Weald of Kent, bordering on Sussex, are furnaces for casting iron.

"Gunpowder is made at Deptford and Faversham; and at Crayford there are large works for printing of callicoes, and the whitening of linens."

POOR RATES.-P. 39. "The expences of the poor vary so exceedingly in the different parishes throughout this county, that it will be impossible for me to make any exact report on this subject. Some parishes expend no more than 6d. in the pound on their rents, while many others exceed even 5 or 6s. It is a general complaint, that these expences are annually on the increase."

TITHE.-P. 34. "In the Isle of Thanet, the whole of the rectorial tithes are collected, but the vicarial are chiefly compounded for; part is neither collected nor compounded at present, nor has been for some years, owing to a liti gation about the right to the tithe of turnips, &c. In the eastern part of the county, the rectorial are almost invariably paid in kind, and the vicarial mostly compounded for, excepting in some instances, where there are disagreements between the vicars and their parishioners.

"The rich lands about the towns of Faversham, Sandwich, and Deal, have their tithes chiefly collected. In the Isle of Shepey, the same."

Nevertheless, in a note p. 37, a clergyman asserts, somewhat sophistically, "There are very few instances of

the

.

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Bromley Common, :

Boxley Heath,

Charing Heath,

Lenham Heath,
Pinnenden Heath,

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Cox Heath, ...

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Langley Heath;
Barming Heath,
East Malling Heath,

Seal Chart,

Ightham Heath,

Wrotham Heath,

Dartford Heath,
Dartford Brimps,

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Black Heath, &c. &c.

The whole extent of these commons, I apprehend, does
not, comprehend more than 20,000 acres. The soul of
few of them consists of a poor cold loam; of others, of a
wet stiff clay; but the principal part abounds in gravel and
sand. They are in general covered with furze and fera
interspersed with patches of grass; and feed some lean
cattle and poor half starved sheep.. If they were in a state
of severalty, under proper systems of management, they
might undoubtedly be made of great value. Inclosures
would do much; industry and due attention to the natural
produce, and what has been cultivated on similar soils in
other places, would do more."

P. 53. "There is no portion of Kent that is, occupied by
a community of persons, as in many other counties. Our
commons for live stock are generally much covered with
furze, thorns, brakes, or heath, with a mixture of plots of
poor grass-land; the cattle and sheep feeding upon them,
are of course in a half-starved state.
of all commonable rights, by a general act of parliament
for inclosing, is an object, in my humble opinion, of the
greatest magnitude to the interests of this kingdom in
The total destruction
general, and to this county in particular. There have
been some exertions for accomplishing a division and in-
closure of an extensive common in East Kent, within these
few years; which failed for want of unanimity among the
persons concerned,"

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PROVISIONS.-P. 166. "The easy communication between⠀ all parts of this county and the metropolis, renders the markets of Smithfield and Mark-lane the regulating medium, by which the prices of all kinds of provisions that are sold in the county are governed. If wheat rises 25. per quarter at London, it immediately does the same at all the markets in the county; and if buchers meat is plentiful, and falls in price in Smithfield, it soon lowers in the country markets."

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P. 167. The present prices of Provisions, December, 1795.-Mutton 6d. beef 51d. veal 8d. pork 7d. bacon 8dac butter 12d, and good Cheshire cheese 7d. per pound, of sixteen ounces ayoirdupois; potatoes 85. to 10s, per sack

of

of nearly 200lb. neat; coals 36s. per chaldron of thirtysix bushels; a half peck loaf of best wheaten bread, 2si”

FUEL.-P. 167. "Coals are brought from Newcastle and Sunderland to all the maritime ports of Kent, and from thence are distributed to the interior parts, seldom exceeding 30s. per chaldron in time of peace.

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Faggots of wood are found in plenty in the western and middle parts of Kent."

It

MANUFACTURES.-P. 173. "The manufactures of this county are very trifling; probably owing to the successful attention generally paid to agriculture and grazing. has been observed by sensible writers on agriculture, that where manufactures most flourish, the land is most neglected; and this county is an instance of the truth of the observation. There is hardly any county to be named where agriculture is arrived at such perfection, or where there are so few manufactures as in this. There are some, however. At Canterbury, silk has been manufactured to a considerable extent; but it is now giving way to cotton." At Dover and Maidstone are manufactories of paper, of all sorts. At Stoner, near Sandwich, and the Isle of Grain, are salt-works. At Whitstable and Deptford are large copperas works; and in the Weald of Kent, bordering on Sussex, are furnaces for casting iron.

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"Gunpowder is made at Deptford and Faversham; and at Crayford there are large works for printing of callicoes, and the whitening of linens."

POOR RATES.-P. 39. "The expences of the poor vary so exceedingly in the different parishes throughout this county, that it will be impossible for me to make any exact report on this subject. Some parishes expend no more than 6d. in the pound on their rents, while many others exceed even 5 or 6s. It is a general complaint, that these expences are annually on the increase.”

TITHE.-P. 34. "In the Isle of Thanet, the whole of the rectorial tithes are collected, but the vicarial are chiefly compounded for; part is neither collected nor compounded at present, nor has been for some years, owing to a litigation about the right to the tithe of turnips, &c. In the eastern part of the county, the rectorial are almost invariably paid in kind, and the vicarial mostly compounded for, excepting in some instances, where there are disagreements between the vicars and their parishioners.

"The rich lands about the towns of Faversham, Sandwich, and Deal, have their tithes chiefly collected. In the Isle of Shepey, the same."

Nevertheless, in a note p. 37, a clergyman asserts, somewhat sophistically, "There are very few instances of

the

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The whole extent of these commons, I apprehend, does not, comprehend more than 20,000 acres. The soil of as few of them cousists of a poor cold loam; of others, of wet stiff clay; but the principal part abounds in gravel and sand. They are in general covered with furze and fern, interspersed with patches of grass; and feed some lean cattle and poor half starved sheep. If they were in a state of severalty, under proper systems of management, they might undoubtedly be made of great value. Inclosures would do much; industry and due attention to the natural produce, and what has been cultivated on similar soils in other places, would do more.".

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P. 53. "There is no portion of Kent that is, occupied by a community of persons, as in many other counties. Our commons for live stock are generally much covered with furze, thorns, brakes, or heath, with a mixture of plots of poor grass-land; the cattle and sheep feeding upon them, are of course in a half-starved state. The total destruction of all commonable rights, by a general act of parliament for inclosing, is an object, in my humble opinion, of the greatest magnitude to the interests of this kingdom in general, and to this county in particular. There have been some exertions for accomplishing a division and inclosure of an extensive common in East Kent, within these few years; which failed for want of unanimity among the persons concerned."

PROVISIONS.-P. 166. "The easy communication between t all parts of this county and the metropolis, renders the markets, of Smithfield and Mark-lane the regulating me--> dium, by which the prices of all kinds of provisions that are sold in the county are governed. If wheat rises 2s. per quarter at London, it immediately does the same at all the markets in the county; and if buchers meat is! plentiful, and falls in price in Smithfield, it soon lowers in the country markets,"

P. 167. The present prices of Provisions, December, » 1795.-Mutton 6d. beef 5 d. veal 8d. pork 7d. bacon 8d.h butter 12d, and good Cheshire cheese 7d. per pound, of sixteen ounces avoirdupois; potatoes 85. to 10s, per sack.o

of

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