GROOMBRIDGE THE SEAT . . . . 



PLACE, or 



KENT. MISSES SAINT. 



GROOMBRIDGE PI \< -, near Tunbridge Wells, 

 separated from the neighbouring county of Sus-e\ 

 by a stream of the Medway. is celebrated among 

 ail the great houses of Kent. Its historical and 

 personal interests and associations are many, and 

 its present attractions conspicuous and even famous, while the 

 neighbourhood is as beautiful as any in that part of England. 

 In its moated and terraced gardens there is a great de.il t > 

 admire so much, indeed, that too many have sought the 

 privilege, and now, it appears, the place is not shown. The 

 more welcome, therefore, should be the pictures of it presented 

 here. Groombridge is a hamlet and manor in the Kentish 

 pa'ish of Speldhurst, which in the time of Edward I. passed to 

 a younger branch of the powerful family of Cobham of 

 Cobham. Its owner, at that time, was Henry de Cobham. 

 who was commonly known as " le Uncle," in order to 

 distinguish him from another of the same name. He obtain -d 

 a charter for a weekly market there, which was a notable 

 source of revenue, but presently alienated the place to the 



Clint" s, .md Sir .Mm ol that family possessed it in the davs 

 of Richard II. His descendant in the leign of Henry IV. did 

 homage, and became Lord Clinton and Say, the hitter title 

 coming through his wife's inheritance. J-'rom this nobleman 

 1 . rnbridge passed by sale to Thomas Waller of I. amber- 

 hurst, to whom succeeded John Waller of ( Iroomhridge. Tin- 

 Wallers were a great family in Kent and Sussex, and. although 

 Groomhridge Place is later, some of the buttressed w.ils 

 probably belong to their time. It was a place well moat., I 

 and made defensible bv art. 



The son of John Waller of ( iroombridge was Sir Richard 

 Waller, a valiant soldier, who did gallant service at Agincourt. 

 His name does not occur in the roll of those who were there, 

 but the -ame is the case with some others, including the 

 famous hivid Gamme, or squint-eyed havid, who was 

 knighted on the field, and whom Sir Walter Raleigh extolled 

 as a modirn Hannib-il. Let us not wonder, therefore, at the 

 omission from the proud list of the name of the knight ot 

 Groombridge. Sir Richard Waller would have merited the 



THE NORTH TERRACE. 



