58 THE DOVER ROAD 



At Dartford, one of the collectors had demanded the 

 tax for a youniv girl, daughter of he who is known to 

 history as Wat Tyler. Her mother maintained that 

 she was under the age required by the statute. The 

 tax-collector grew insolent and overbearing, and, it 

 seems, was proceeding to a delicate investigation — like 

 that which procured Mr. W. T. Stead three months' 

 imprisonment some years ago — when the Tyler, who 

 had just returned from work, killed him with a stroke 

 from his hammer. 



How Wat the Tyler was appointed by popular 

 acclamation leader of the Commons in Kent ; how, 

 at the head of a hundred thousand insurgents, he 

 marched to Blackheath, are matters rather for the 

 history of England than for this causerie along the 

 Dover Road. 



XIV 



The old coachmen had an exciting time of it when 

 either entering or leaving Dartford. They skidded 

 down West Hill, when coming from London, to the 

 imminent danger of their necks and those of their 

 passengers, and they painfully climbed the East Hill, 

 on their way out of the tovm. toward Dover. When 

 several accidents had occurred to prove how hazardous 

 to life and property were these roads, the turnpike- 

 trustmongers reduced their steepness by cutting 

 through the hill-tops. This was about 1820. 

 Although the roads were thus lowered, they still have 

 a remarkably abrupt rise and fall, and the traveller 

 in leaving the town for Dover can gain from halfway 

 up the slope of the East Hill quite an extended view 

 over Dartford roof-tops. He, however, remains to 

 sketch at peril of some inconvenience, for the tramps 

 who frequent Dartford take a quite embarrassing 

 interest in art. 



Somewhere at this end of the town stood the Chantry 



