National Gazetteer - 1868
Purely descriptive entries for Lynsted, Kingsdown and Teynham
LINSTEAD, or LYNSTEAD, a par[ish] in the hund[red] of Teynham, lathe of Scray, co. Kent, 3 miles S.E. of Sittingbourne, its post town, 5 S.W. of Faversham, and 1½ mile from the Teynham railway station. The village is extensive but chiefly agricultural. A large portion of the land is arable, with a considerable extent of hop-grounds and orchards. The hmlt. [hamlet] of Green Street is situated in the northern part of the parish. The impropriation belongs to the Archdeacon of Canterbury. The living is a vic.* in the dioc. of Canterbury, val[ue] £216, in the patron[age] of the archdeacon. The church, dedicated to SS. Peter and Paul, has two mortuary chapels belonging to the Teynham and Hugessen families. It has a memorial window inserted at the expense of Colonel Tyler. Tithes were commuted in 1839. There is a parochial school for both sexes. Linstead Lodge, situated about 1 mile E. of the village, is the principal residence, and is at present the seat of Colonel Tyler, who is lord of the manor. A fair is held on the 1st May for horses and cattle.
KINGSDOWN, a par[ish] in the hund[red] of Milton, lathe of Scray, co. Kent, 4 miles S.E. of Sittingbourne, its post town, and 7 S.W. of Faversham. The parish is small, and the land partly in hops. The tithes have been commuted for a rent-charge of £194 10s. The living is a rect[or] in the dioc[ese] of Canterbury, val[ue] £200. The church, dedicated to St. Catherine, is a small ancient structure with several old monument. The register dates from 1570. Lord Kingsdown is lord of the manor and chief landowner.
TEYNHAM, a par[ish] in the hund[red] of the same name, lathe of Scray, co. Kent 3 miles E. of Sittingbourne, its post town, and 3 N.W. of Faversham. It is a station on the London, Chatham, and Dover line. Teynham is of ancient date, and has the ruins of a place formerly belonging to the Archbishops of Canterbury. It is situated on the river Swale, near Conyer Creek, and was formerly a market town. In the vicinity are traces of a Roman camp. A portion of the land is in hop-grounds, and several acres in cherry and apple orchards, said to be the remains of 105 acres of fruit planted by R. Harris, Henry VIII's fruiterer. An accession has lately been made to the parish by the embankment of the island of Fowley. The living is a vic* in the dioc[ese] of Canterbury, val. £230, in the patron[age] of the archbishop. The church, dedicated to Sr.Mary, has some stained windows, and two brasses, one of them bearing date 1443. The parochial charities produce about £3 per annum. There is a Church lending library, supported by voluntary contributions. The Wosleyans [sic] have a chapel. Teynham gives title of baron to the family of Curzon. Colonel Tayler [sic] is lord of the manor.