59 



the Company's three watch boats. Adjoining the Company's 

 ground to the westward is the " Pollard " oyster fishery of 

 almost equal extent, but not always wholly under water like 

 the Company's. The Pollard fishery was formerly held by 

 the Company under a license of mortmain from the Dean 

 and Chapter of Canterbury Cathedral, who are the owners. 

 The Company gave up this fishery when times were bad, 

 and it is now worked by a syndicate. 



Running along outside the grounds of those 



fisheries lies the Faversham Oyster Fishery, and 



still further out to sea is the Ham Oyster 



Fisheries. On reference to Jacob's History of Faversham 



it appears that a company of Free Dredgers existed there 



in the time of Henry II., A.D., 1154, from whom the Dutch 



bought large quantities of oysters. 



Eastward of the Whitstable fisheries and stretching for 

 several miles along the coast of Kent are other grounds, 

 many parts of which, in the quality of the soil and of the 

 water, possess, though in a less degree, some of the advantages 

 of the Whitstable grounds. The chief advantage, however, 

 which the Whitstable Company's beds possess over these 

 public grounds is, that a natural bank of boulders and 

 shingle, still called Whitstable " Street," runs out into the 

 sea at the eastern side of the Company's ground, and, 

 as a breakwater, gives some protection to the shallower 

 parts, which is not enjoyed by the corresponding portions 

 of the more easterly grounds. This " Street " is supposed 

 to have a Roman origin, and at very low tides traces of 

 building foundations have been seen. It is now largely 

 covered by shingle. 



Northward and eastward of Whitstable therefore is a 

 large extent of oyster grounds or flats, probably about 



