Pigots 1840 - Kent
Cranbrooke
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Is a market town in the parish and hundred of its name, and in the lower division of the lathe of Scray; 48 miles SE from London, 30 SW from Canterbury, 14 S from Maidstone, 8 W by N from Tenterden, and 38 NE from Brighton, 22 N from Hastings and 18 NNW from Rye in Sussex. This neatly built town, the general form of which is angular, is situated upon a brook called the Crane (from which its name is derived), and in a fertile part of the Weald. It was among the few towns in this county that manufactured woollen clothes in the reign of Edward III; this branch is now nearly extinct in this quarter – nor, with the exception of some hop bagging and linen cloth, is there any other manufacture at present in existence here. Cranbrooke is one of the polling stations at the election of representatives for West Kent.
The places of worship are, the parish church, a district church in the hamlet of Milkhouse Street and chapels fro Baptists, Presbyterians, Wesleyan Methodists and Unitarians. The church dedicated to St Dunstan, is situated near the centre of the town, and is one of the richest specimens of the later style of English architecture in the country; the benefice is a vicarage in the presentation of the Archbishop of Canterbury; the Rev James BOYS is the present incumbent. The living of the district church is in the patronage of the trustees and incumbency of Rev Thomas KING. The charities are principally those for educational purposes namely a free grammar school, founded and endowed in 1574 by Samuel LYNCH Esq., the governors of which were incorporated by Queen Elizabeth; a school for writing founded in 1573 by a Mr Alexander DENCE; and one upon a national system, supported by subscription. The neighbourhood of Cranbrooke is embellished by a number of very handsome residences, and there are a few seats and villas in situations of remarkable beauty and surrounded by most beautiful rural scenery. Several mineral springs, possessing it is asserted, properties similar to those of Tonbridge Wells, rise in this vicinity. The celebrated William HUNTINGDON was a native of this parish; he was of high Calvinistic principles and raised himself by his zeal and talents from humble obscurity to be the founder of a sect called “HUNTINGTONIANS” who erected for him Providence chapel in Grays Inn Road, London; he died on 1st July 1813 aged sixty nine. Markets for livestock, hops and corn are held every alternate Wednesday; and fairs for cattle and pedlery on the 30th May and 29th September. The parish of Cranbrooke, at the census of 1831, contained 3844 inhabitants.
POST OFFICE - High st, Robert PETHURST, Postmaster. Letters from London arrive (by foot post from Hawkhurst), every morning at half past six and are despatched every evening. Letters from Maidstone arrive (by mail cart), every morning at eight and are despatched every evening at six.
GENTRY & CLERGY
ASTLEY Sir Edward bart. Camden hill
AUSTEN Mrs Thomas, Cranbrooke
BOYS Rev James, Vicarage
BRADSHAW Rev Thomas, High st
BUSS Miss Sarah, High st
CLEAVER Mrs Caroline, Swift house
COUCHMAN Mr William, Stone st
DAVIES Rev Daniel Wm. (MA), Row
DE ESPAIN, Swift house
DURRANT Rev William, High st
GILBERT Mr William, High st
HAGUE John esq, Cranbrooke
HERITAGE Capt. William (RN), Cranbrooke
INGRAM Mr George, Bakers Cross
JENNINGS Mrs Elizabeth, High st
JOBSON Mr John (MD), High st
JOHNSON Mrs Anne, Cranbrooke
KING Hon. Capt. Jas. Wm. (RN), Angley
KING Rev Thomas, Waterloo place
MACBEAN Miss Elizabeth, High st
NAIRNE Mrs Philadelphia, Milkhouse-street
ROBERTS Thomas esq, Glassenbury
TOMKIN Mrs Caroline, High st
WATTS Thomas Charles esq, High st
WILMSHURST Mr John, Row
WILMSHURST Mr John jun, Row
ACADEMIES & SCHOOLS
ANDREWS Alfred Harbroe (day), Stone st
FRANCIS Jno & Son, (brdg & day), High st
Free Grammar School, Row – Rev Daniel William DAVIS, master
Free School, Church yard – Mark SMITH, master
National School, Church yard – John JONES, master; Elizabeth JONES, mistress
READER Eliza, (boarding & day), Stone st
STABLE Jane (ladies boarding), Willsley house
ATTORNEYS
HAGUE William, High st
WILLIS Charles jun. (& coroner, vestry clerk, clerk to the magistrates, to the commissioners of taxes and to the deputy lieutenants, commissioner of bankrupts, and for taking acknowledgements of deeds by married women), Stone st
WILSON John Elliott, (and clerk to the board of guardians and superintendent registrar), High st
AUCTIONERRS & APPRAISRS
DOBELL Samuel, (and land and estate agent, inspector of weights and measures and commissioner for taking special bail), High st
FOORD William, Stone st
WINCH Wm. (& land & estate agent), High st
BAKERS
BOORMAN George, High st
BURT Mary, High st
DADSON George, Stone st
DUNGEY Jas. (& confectioner), Stone st
JUDGE John, High st
BANKERS
WILMSHURST, HAGUE & Co, High st (draw on London & Westminster Bank)
BLACKSMITHS
BARHAM James, Milkhouse-Street
DRAWBRIDGE John, Glassenbury
ELLIOTT James, Willsley green
ELLIOTT John, High st
MARSHALL Charles, High st
POTTER William, Stone st
ROFE John, Stone st
BOOKSELLERS & STATIONRS
DENNETT John Thomas, (& stamp distributer), High st
DOBELL Samuel, High st
WATERS George, Stone st
BOOT & SHOE MAKERS
BIRCH John, Row
BRIDGLAND Thomas, High st
BURCH Walter, High st
BUTLER Thomas, High st
COLEY William, Milkhouse-Street
HAWKINS Henry, High st
HUDSON William, Stone st
LUFF Thomas, High st
MOORE James, Milkhouse-Street
PARKES Samuel, Stone st
PEEL David, Stone st
PILE George Turl, Row
POPE William, Willsley green
SIGGS Frederick, High st
STONEHOUSE George, Stone st
WATERS John, Stone st
WILLIAMS Samuel, High st
BREWERS
DITCH Thomas, (& wine & spirit merchant), High st
TOOTH Robt. (& hop merchant), Bakers cross
BRICKLAYERS
BURT Charles, High st
FUGGLE Robert, High st
OYLER Thomas, High st
PARKS Thomas, Stone st
WELLER Alexander, Row
BUTCHERS
DOBELL Johnson, Milkhouse-Street
IGGULDEN John, High st
IGGULDEN William, Stone st
KNOWLDEN James, Stone st
SMITH Joseph, High st
WIMSHURST James, Stone st
CABINET MAKERS
FOORD William, Stone st
REEVES William Alexander, High st
CARPENTERS
BOORMAN Samuel, Row
DITCH Thomas, High st
JENNER Thomas, Stone st
KENNARD Thomas, Court stile
MORRIS William, Stone st
OYLER Thomas, High st
CHINA & GLASS DEALERS
EAILDING James, Stone st
MILLER Henry, High st
MUDDLE Samuel, High st
OWLETT Thomas May, Stone st
CHYMISTS & DRUGGISTS
HASELAR & Son (& tea dealers), Stone st
RANGER Charles, Stone st
CLOTHES DEALERS
BOORMAN Elizabeth, Row
DOBELL Samuel, High st
CORN DEALERS & FACTORS
BISHOP & FIELD (& coal), High st
HARMAN Henry, Stone st
PIPER William, Stone st
RUSSELL Jno & Geo (& millers), High st
WILMSHURST John & Son, (& hop factors & seed merchants), Stone st
CURRIERS & LEATHER CUTTERS
GEER James, High st
WILLSHER Robert, High st
FELLMONGERS & GLOVERS
PIPER William, Stone st
SMITH John, High st
FIRE &c. OFFICE AGENTS
British (fire) & Westminster (life), John WATERS, Stone st
Commercial (life), Wm. FOORD, Stone st
Guardian, William WINCH, High st
Kent, John Thos, DENNETT, High st
Norwich Union, Samuel DOBELL, High st
Protector, High st
FURNITURE BROKERS
IGGULDEN Thomas, High st
REEVES William Alexander, High st
GARDENERS & SEEDSMEN
BUSBRIDGE William, Milkhouse-Street
HAWKINS James, Bowling green
SUTTON Thomas, Milkhouse-Street
GROCERS & TEA DEALERS
BLACKMAN Henry, Stone st
BLACKMAN Iden, Willsley green
BLACKMAN Thomas, Stone st
BURT Sarah, High st
DUNGEY Thomas, Stone st
FOREMAN William, Milkhouse-Street
GREEN Lewis, High st
MILLER Henry, High st
MUDDLE Samuel, High st
OWLETT Thomas May, Stone st
HAIR DRESSERS
BENTLETT James, Stone st
BOOTH James, High st
MANSFIELD John, High st
HATTERS
DADSON Stephen, High st
TOOTH Wm (& furrier), Stone st
INNS & PUBLIC HOUSES
Bull, Susannah DANN, Milkhouse-Street
Bull (commercial, family & posting), Barnabas TAYLOR, Stone st
Crown Humphy. WIGHTWICK, High st
George (family, commercial & posting and excise office), Wm. Barling SHARPE, Stone st
Kings Head, James PRICE, Milkhouse-Street
White Horse, Mary BISHOPP, High st
White Lion (and posting), John MILES, High st
Windmill, Eliza. WIMSETT, Cranbrooke
IRONMONGERS
BOOY Richard, (& brazier), Stone st
KEEFF Stephen, (executors of), Stone st
REEVES William Alexander, High st
LINEN & WOOLLEN DRAPRS
BEEMAN Mary, Stone st
CARR Jno. (& hatter & clothier), High st
GREEN Lewis, (& clothier), High st
KENNARD Thomas, Stone st
READER William, High st
MALTSTER
OYLER George, Godard’s green
MILLERS
JENNER Samuel, Camden hill
RUSSELL John & George, Stone st
MILLINERS & DRESS & STRAW HAT MAKERS
CARLY Elizabeth, Stone st
DOBELL Susan, Stone st
DUNGEY Sarah, Stone st
FUGGLE Elizabeth, Stone st
HARMAN Carey, High st
IGGULDEN Jane, Stone st
PEEL Esther, High st
PAINTERS & GLAZIERS
FRENCH Richard, High st
SEYMOUR Mary, Stone st
PRINTERS – LETTER PRESS
DENNETT John Thomas, High st
SEYMOUR Mary, Stone st
WATERS George, Stone st
SADDLERS
COLLINS John, Stone st
EVENDEN Samuel, Stone st
STATUARY & MASON
BURGIS John, High st
SURGEONS
CORKE Jonathan, High st
HASELAR Charles, Stone st
RANGER William, High st
TAILORS
BURNHAM William, (& draper), High st
DOBELL Alfred, (& draper), High st
DUNK James, Stone st
HINKLEY John, Stone st
PERRY William, High st
PETHURST Jeremiah, High st
TALLOW CHANDLER
JENNER Thomas, Stone st
WATCH & CLOCK MAKERS
BALLARD William, (& silversmith), Stone st
READER Thomas Oliver, Stone st
WHEELWRIGHTS
FOORD George, Milkhouse-Street
HAYWARD George, Willsley green
PIPER Thomas, High st
MISCELLANEOUS
CHAPMAN William, engraver & gunsmith, Stone st
County of Kent General Registry Office, High st, William Alexander REEVES, agent
DAVIS James, rope maker, High st
DEARN Thomas Downes, architect, High st
DUNGEY Sarah, fruiterer, High st
Excise Office, George Inn, James LEWIS, officer
GURR Joseph, lath render, Milkhouse-Street
HOLLAND Joseph, tinman, Stone st
OWLETT & Co, patten makers, Stone st
RELFF Samuel, millwright, Stone st
SAYER James, dyer, High st
TARBUT George, basket man, Stone st
WATERS Thomas, carver & gilder, Stone st
WATSON William, woolstapler, High st
WIGHTWICK Humphrey, veterinary surgeon, High st
COACHES
To London, the Flower of Kent, (from Tenterden), calls at the George every Monday, Wednesday and Friday morning at a quarter before seven; goes thro’ Goudhurst, Horsemonden, Brenchley, Pembury, Tonbridge and Seven Oaks.
To Tenterden, the Flower of Kent, (from London), calls at the George every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday evening at half past seven
VANS – for passengers and goods
To London, Barnabas TAYLOR, from the Bull Inn every morning (Sunday excepted), at half past seven; goes thro’ Staplehurst, Maidstone, Mereworth, Farningham, Foots Cray &c.
To Maidstone, William FUNNELL (from Maidstone), calls at the White Lion every Wednesday and Saturday.
CARRIERS
To London, John HODGE, from his house, the Row, every Monday
To Ewhurst, RICHARDSON from the White Lion, every Saturday
To Hastings, Henry STICKLES from the Bull every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.
To Lewes, William MAINWARING, from the White Lion every Wednesday
To Maidstone, Henry STICKLES from the Bull, and Joseph HINCKLEY from his house every Monday, Wednesday and Friday – Geo WILLIAMS from his house every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Wm MAINWARING from the White Lion every Monday – PIPER from the White Horse every Monday and Thursday & RICHARDSON every Thursday.
To Northiam, Mary PIPER from the White Horse every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.
To Rolvenden, John HODGE, from his house, the Row, every Saturday.
To Rye, William BARNS, from the Bull every Monday, Wednesday and Friday
To Tenterden, HESELDEN from the Bull every Monday and Thursday and from the White Horse every Saturday.
This page was last updated on 06-Mar-2021.
Copyright © 2008 Janet & Richard Mason.