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Coat-of-Arms

 Kent, originally Cantia, is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the River Thames estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of Medway. Kent has a nominal border with France halfway through the Channel Tunnel. Maidstone is its county town and historically Rochester and Canterbury have been accorded city status, though only the latter still holds it.  Maidstone is the county town of Kent, England, 32 miles (51 km) south-east of London.

History of Kent

Geography of Kent

gen tool-kit

ARCHIVES AND LIBRARIES

·        Kent Archive Offices 

·        Major archives offices and libraries that have local studies collections relevant to west Kent 

      (Source: North West Kent Family History Society)

HISTORICAL AND GENEALOGICAL SOCIETIES

·        There are several Family History Societies covering Kent, some have very localised interests but the bulk of the county is divided between the Kent FHS and the Nort West Kent FHS.  For contact details please check their web sites as lhttp://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~mrawson/probate.htm  listed on the GENUKI Societies page.

COUNTY AND PARISH RECORDS

·        Allegations for marriage licences issued by the vicar-general of the Archbishop of Canterbury   1669-1679 

·        Canterbury marriage licences 1568-1618 

·        Parish Records (92)

·        Wills, Probate, Testate and Intestate Records (14)

surnames

The following are names of persons, found within our databases,

as having been either born, married or died in this location.

To find out more about each surname listed above click on the corresponding LINK.

McVicker; Moreland; Pinnell; Scruggs and allied families

Bozarth; Peiffer; Quigley; Rhubart and allied families

Dellinger; Knecht; Pfeffer; Silar and allied families

Additional information regarding these and other surnames may also be found at:

Surname Locator Resources

Free Genealogy Surname Search Help from Google

Use this free genealogy site to help you get the best genealogy searches from Google™ by using your family tree, for your research. It will create a series of different searches  using tips or "tricks"

that will likely improve your results. The different searches will give you many different ways of using Google and the Internet to find ancestry information about  this  or  any  other  Surname. 

ancestral gen-sites

FAMILY HISTORY NOTES

GEN-SITE PROFILE(s)

Badlesmere;   Brenchley;   Canterbury;   Goudhurst;   Pembury;   Swalecliff;

Badlesmere

LOCATION: Map Link

51° 14′ 0″ N, 0° 52′ 0″ E

Country: United Kingdom;   State: England;  County: Kent;   District: Swale;  Place: Badlesmere Parish

Badlesmere Church

DESCRIPTION:  Badlesmere is a village and civil parish in the Swale district of Kent, England, about five miles south of Faversham. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 111.

Badlesmere Castle - The mediaeval castle at Badlesmere was demolished long ago. It was once home to the great family of Badlesmere whose head, Bartholomew de Badlesmere, was one of the most powerful men in England during the reign of King Edward II.

ANCESTORS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS GEN-SITE:   Maud (de) Badlesmere, wife of John (de) Vere, was born here in 1308. She was the daughter of Bartholomew, 1st Lord Badlesmere and Margaret de Clare of Thomond.

INTERNET WEB LINK(s): Badlesmere, Kent - Wikipedia

Click on thumbnail

 for larger image

Brenchley

LOCATION: Map Link

51° 8′ 54.96″ N,   ° 23′ 38.76″ E

Country: United Kingdom;   State: England;  County: Kent;   District: Tunbridge Wells;  Place: Brenchley Parish

Brenchley

Badsell Manor

Mascalls Court

DESCRIPTION:  Brenchley is a village and civil parish in the Borough of Tunbridge Wells, Kent, England. The name is historically derived from Branca's Leigh. The parish is located eight miles east of Tunbridge Wells, and three miles south of Paddock Wood, and includes the neighbouring village of Matfield.

Badsell Manor belonged to direct ancestors of the modern day Culpeppers, and the modern home still has a moat around it (see photo).  It is thought to be the second oldest site of an old Culpeper home where a home still exists on the site today.  The Sir Thomas Culpeper will of 1428 cites the following: "Touching the manor of Badeselle it is to remain to Walter my son and his heirs male, with remainder to the heirs male of myself and Joyce my wife."

Mascalls Court is believed to be the oldest of all the Culpeper home sites for which a home still exists on the site today.  Of course, the current home may bear little resemblance to the dwelling that would have stood there in the 14th century. Sir Thomas Colepeper de Brenchesle (Brenchley) used Mascalls Manor (in Brenchley) during the reign of Edward II (1307-1327) and that one of Sir Thomas's sons, Walter died in possession of it in 1327.

ANCESTORS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS GEN-SITE:   John Colepeper – Birth 1274; John Colepeper I - Birth 1200;  John Colepeper II - Birth 1308;  Nicholas Colepeper - Birth 1276;  Thomas Colepeper II - Birth 1230, Marriage 1273;  Thomas Colepeper III - Birth 1278;  Walter Colepeper - Birth 1280.

INTERNET WEB LINK(s): Brenchley Kent - an English Village;  Brenchley - Wikipedia;

Historic Kent;   Brenchley, Kent;  

Click on thumbnail

 for larger image

Pembury

LOCATION:Map Link

51° 8′ 44.16″ N,   0° 19′ 20.64″ E

Country: United Kingdom;   State: England;  County: Kent;   District: Tunbridge Wells;  Place: Pembury Parish

Bayhall Manor

St. Peter’s Church, Pembury

Kent College,

Pembury

DESCRIPTION:  Pembury is a large village in Kent, in the south east of England, with a population of around 6,000. It lies just to the north of Tunbridge Wells.  A settlement in Pembury almost certainly predates the Norman conquest, as the village church of St Peter is of Norman origin. It is thought to have been built in the early 12th or late 11th century, though the earliest it can be dated with certainty is to 1337, when John Culpeper of Bayhall carried out building work to the church

Bayhall Manor - Around 1304 Sir Thomas Colepeper married Margery Bayhall, a daughter of the Bayhall family, and either by this match, or by purchase, acquired the Bayhall estates.  As such, the earliest inhabitants of Bayhall Manor were the Culpeper (Colepeper) family who built the original house before 1337.  In later years,     Bayhall Manor has been the residence of many well known families such as the Duke of Buckingham and the Amherst family.    The manor of Bayhall lay in the valley on the south side of the village of Pembury.  Ruins of the house were still to be seen until about 1960.  At this time one of the national newspapers told a rather exaggerated story of its being haunted.  People coming to see it made themselves such a nuisance and rendered it so unsafe, that the owner got permission to clear it away.  The ghost was supposed to be that of Anne West, the last person to reside in the mansion.  A picture of the mansion at Bayhall may be seen in the Tunbridge Wells Museum.

ANCESTORS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS GEN-SITE:   Eleanor Colepeper - Birth 1389; 

Elizabeth (de) Hardreshull - Marriage: Abt. 1354;  John Colepeper II – Marriage Abt. 1354, Death Aft. 1376; John Culpepper III - Birth 1428;  Joyce Baynard - Birth 1368, Marriage Aft. 1398;  Margaret Colepeper - Birth 1312;  Margery Bayhall - Birth 1286;  Richard Colepeper - Birth 1310;  Thomas  Colepeper IV - Marriage Aft. 1398;  Walter Colepeper - Birth 1398;  Walter Colepeper - Birth 1305 

INTERNET WEB LINK(s):  Pembury Village News Website;   Pembury - Wikipedia;  Bayhall Manor

Click on thumbnail

for larger image

Goudhurst

LOCATION: Map Link

51° 6′ 40.32″ N,   0° 27′ 48.96″ E    

Country: United Kingdom;   State: England;  County: Kent;   District: Tunbridge Wells;  Place: Goudhurst Parish

High Street, Goudhurst

Bedgebury Manor

DESCRIPTION:  Goudhurst is a village in Kent on the Weald, about 12 miles (19 km) south of Maidstone. It stands on a crossroads, where there is a large village pond. 

     Bedgebury Manor is one of the oldest estates in Kent dating from 815 AD, lying between Hawkhurst to the east, Flimwell to the south, Kilndown to the west and Goudhurst to the north.  William the Conqueror gave the manor to the de Bedgebury family who owned it until 1450 , when the Culpeper family acquired the land.  Queen Elizabeth I knighted Alexander Culpepper in 1573 when she stayed at the estate.

INTERNET WEB LINK(s): Goudhurst Kent - an English Village; Goudhurst - Wikipedia

 Welcome to Goudhurst & Kilndown;  Bedgebury Manor

Click on thumbnail

for larger image

Canterbury

LOCATION: Map Link

 51° 17′ 1.17″ N,   1° 4′ 14.93″ E

Country: United Kingdom;   State: England;  County: Kent;   District: City of Canterbury;  Place: St. Dunstan Parish

Roper Gate at

St. Dunstan’s Church

St. Dunstan’s Church. Canterbury

DESCRIPTION:   Canterbury lies at the heart of the City of Canterbury, a local government district of Kent, in South East England. It lies on the River Stour.

     St. Dunstan's Place, situated near St. Dunstan’s church, on the north side of the London road. It is noted for having been the ancient and most early residence in this county of the family of Roper, whose burial place was afterwards in the church of St. Dunstan's.  William Roper, or Rosper, resided here in King Henry III.'s reign.  John Roper, his descendant, was resident both here and at Swaycliffe.

     St. Dunstan's Church is dedicated to St. Dunstan in Canterbury, Kent, slightly out of the center of the city.  The Church is historically significant as a result of the following two events.        On Henry II's penitential pilgrimage here in 1174, he changed into his sackcloth and ashes in which he then walked to Thomas Becket's tomb.  Upon the execution of Sir Thomas More, by King Henry VIII, his body was buried at the Tower of London, in the chapel of St Peter ad Vincula.  His head was placed over London Bridge for a month and was rescued by his daughter, Margaret Roper, before it could be thrown in the River Thames. The skull is believed to rest in the Roper Vault of St. Dunstan's, Canterbury.

ANCESTORS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS GEN-SITE:  Agnes Roper - Birth 1402, Marriage 1425; Catherine Roper (nee?) - Birth 1380, Marriage 1401; Edmund Roper - Birth 1375, Marriage 1401, Death 11 Dec 1433; Ralph Adam Roper Birth 1341, Death 1401.

INTERNET WEB LINK(s): Canterbury in Kent: A virtual walk around the city;  

Canterbury - Wikipedia;  St. Dunstan's, Canterbury - Wikipedia;   Canterbury Buildings;  

Click on thumbnail

 for larger image

Swalecliffe

LOCATION: Map Link

51° 21′ 40.1″ N, 1° 3′ 55.58″ E

Country: United Kingdom;   State: England;  County: Kent;   District: City of Canterbury;  Place: Swalecliffe Parish

Swalecliff Parish 1880

DESCRIPTION: Swalecliffe is a village between Whitstable and Herne Bay and is opposite its neighboring village Chestfield. The village has less than 400 residents, and is located in the South East of England

INTERNET WEB LINK(s): Swalecliffe - Wikipedia;  Swalecliffe Joint Info. Services Consortium;

Click on thumbnail

 for larger image

populated places

Map of

This County

Gazetteer of Places in This County

Link to State-Wide Resources

Where in the World

are My Ancestors?

map

The Red Dot in the map designates the location of the seat of government for this county.   A Purple Dot shows the location of identified ancestral Gen-Site(s).

For  a better view of this map set your windows  ZOOM  feature  (lower right corner of screen) to 150%

gazetteer

The list below will assist in your research regarding the matching of your ancestor’s birth, marriage, death dates and the place(s) within this locality at which these events may have occurred.

• List of places in Kent
• List of civil parishes in Kent

• Category:Towns in Kent
• Category:Villages in Kent

State-wide

For more information about the U.K. Country in which this county is located  click  on  these  LINKS:

Where in the world

Where in the World

are My Ancestors?

Resources which enhance our knowledge of the places inhabited by our ancestors are almost as important as their names. The LINK

to the right will take you to Maps, Gazetteers,   and other helpful  resources  that will assist you in discovering Ancestral Locations. 

resources

This search engine may

provide you with additional

information to assist with

your research about this topic.

GENERAL RESOURCES

·      Website & Webpages We Like

·      United Kingdom and Ireland - rootsweb.com

·      GENUKI: UK & Ireland Genealogy

·      UK Genealogy (Portal for UK Family Research)

·      Street Map UK

·      Ordnance Survey, Britain’s mapping agency

·      British History Online

·      Cyndi’s List - United Kingdom & Ireland Index

·      IGI Batch #’s (British Isles & North America)

·      A vision of Britain (a library for local history)

·      UK Genealogy Archives of Family History

·      List of places in the United Kingdom

·      Directory of Cities and Towns in the UK

·      The BritishIslesGenWeb Project

LOCALITY SPECIFIC RESOURCES

·        Kent – Wikipedia

·        Welcome to Kent Gen Web

·        Kent, England Online Parish Clerks

·        Kent UK local government council web sites

·        Linkpendium Kent

·        GenUKI - Kent Genealogy

·        List of civil parishes in Kent

·        Kent Parish Map

OUR GENEALOGY REFERENCE LIBRARY

The following Link will take you to our library of genealogy reference books that pertain to this place.   Here you will find books about the history and records of this county and other places such as towns and churches. 

 British Isles & Ireland Research Library

Countries, Counties, & Localities

Gallery

During our research we have collected images and photographs that are of general interest to a variety of localities.  Some of them are presented on this website because we believe they tend to provide the reader with additional information which may aid in the understanding of our ancestors past lives.

Canterbury Cathedral at Canterbury, Kent, England

If you have any photographs or other images relating to this ancestral

location, we would greatly appreciate hearing from you.

Use the following LINK to ascertain whether we have any images that pertain to this location.

ANCESTRAL LOCATION PHOTOGRAPHS and IMAGES

Free Image Search

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topic you are searching in the box and click “Search Images”. At the “Images” display page you will see the image, as well  as the  website to  which it is linked.

Contact information

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USA

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Tom
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