KENT. 



In plentiful years tlie cyder fruit fells for fourtcen-pcnce per 

 biirtifl. Tlie apples nppropriated for domeftic ufes are fold 

 to the fruiterers, \v!io fend them to London by the hoys, or 

 to the north of England by the coal veflols. The cherries, 

 vhich are of the white and black heart, Hcrtfordlliire-black, 

 red, and Flemilh or Kentifli kinds, are ufiially fold to higlers, 

 who retail them on the fca-coall by the ficve or baflvCC, con- 

 taining forty-eight pounds each ; or elfe they are fent by 

 water to London, and configned to the fruit-faftors. The 

 iil'ierts are nioilly difpofed of m the fame manner. The-Iile 

 of Shepijey is fcparatcd from the rell of Kent by an arm of 

 the fea, called the Swale, which is navigable for veffels of 

 2CO tons burthen. Its length is about eleven miles, and its 

 breadth eight; four-fifthi of it confifting of mardi and pallure 

 lands ; the remainder is arable. The prevailing foil is a 

 deep, ftrong, rtiff clay, through which the plough can 

 hardly be forced. The upland farms of Well Keiitinclude 

 a great varietv of foils, and are cultivated under various 

 fyilems of hulbandry. This diftrict is more inclofed than 

 the eaftern part, and produces greater quantities of timber 

 and underwood, particularly on the upper or weileriimoft 

 fide. The watle and common lands of this diftrift form an 

 extent of many thoufand acres. The turnpike roads are 

 moftly in good condition ; but the crofs roads of Well Kent 

 are frequeiitly impafl'able for carriages. The Weald of 

 Kent is a confiderable and remarkable traCt, ilretching 

 along the fouth fide of the county, from Roinney Marfh, 

 to .Surry ; on the north it is bounded by the range of 

 hills which enter the county near Well-llreet, and ex- 

 tends, in nearly a due wefterly direclion, to Sutton and 

 Egerton, and thence fouth-ealhvard to Hythe ; on the 

 fouth it ftretches to the confines of SuiTex, and includes 

 the Ille of Oxney. This dittricl was in ancient times 

 an immenfe wood or forell ; wholly deftitute of inhabitants, 

 excepting fwine and deer. By degrees, however, it became 

 peopled, and is now every where interfperfed with towns and 

 villages ; though it ftill contains fome extenfive and flourifh- 

 ing woodlands. Its prefent name is Saxon, and fignifies a 

 woody country ; but the Britons called it Colt Andrcd, the 

 f^reat chafe or foreft. The whole was a demefne of the 

 Saxon kings ; and there are ftill certain privileges annexed to 

 the pofleffion of the lands, which induce the proprietors to 

 contend for being within its limits. " It is faid," Mr. 

 Hailed obferves, " that within the Weald, the proof of wood- 

 lands having ever paid tythe, lies on the parfon, to enable 

 him to' take tythe of it, contrary to the ufual cuilom in other 

 places, where the proof of exemption lies on the owner ; 

 nor are the lands in it fubjeft to the ilatute of woods ; nor 

 has the lord wafte within the Weald ; the timber growing 

 thereon belongs to the tenant. This latter cuilom of ex- 

 cluding the lord from the wafte, is called land-peerage." 

 The Weald, when viewed from the adjoining hills, which 

 command the whole extent, exhibits a moft delightful land- 

 Icapc, interfperfed with fmall eminences, highly cultivated, 

 and animated by farm-houfes, feats, and villages, promifcu- 

 oufly fcattered among towering oaks and other trees. Rom- 

 ney Marfii is an extenfive level trai t of rich marlh land lying 

 on the fouthern coaft, and comprehending, in itfelf, about 

 23,92, acres; but when defcribed, as it frequently is, in 

 connection with Walland Marfh, whick adjoins it on the 

 fouth-weft, and Donge Marfh, which connecls with the 

 latter on the fouth-eatt, it includes about 43,:?26 acres; 

 Walland Marfh containing 16,489, and Denge IVIarflt 2912. 

 The whole level, however, is yet more extenfive ; for Guild- 

 ford Marfh, which adjoins Walland Marlh on the well, com- 

 priy.es 3265' acres ; moft of this latter traft is in SufTex. 

 i"he beautiful appearance of thefe levels in the fummer fea- 

 ion, when the entire furface is clothed with luxuriant ver- 



dure, and covered willi numerous flocks of flieep and 

 droves of cattle, cannot fail to excite connderable interell 

 in every obferver. The Marfh is defended agaiiill the vio- 

 lence of the fea Ivy an immenfe bank of earth, of great 

 flrength, called Dimchurch-Wall, which extends above 

 three miles in length. Tliis wall is the fole ban i.r ihpt 

 prevents the fea from overflowing the whole extent of the 

 level ; and as it is for the general fafety, fo " is it fup- 

 ported," fays Hafted, " as well as the three grand fluicis 

 through it, which are for the general drainage of the 

 marfhes, by fcots levied over the whole of it ; but the in- 

 terior drainage, which is portioned out into a number of 

 divifions, called waterings, is provid'-d with fewers, ar.d 

 maintained at the expence of the refjcftive land-holders, by 

 a fcot raifed feparately on each" in proportion to their own 

 watering. In that portion of the Mavflies within this county, 

 are comprehended the two corporate towns of New Rom- 

 ney and Lydd, and fixteen olhcr pariflies. The inclofures 

 are principally formed by ditches and a rail fence. The 

 foil of thefe fpacions levels has been almoft wholly depofited 

 by the fea, and confifts principally of a fine, foft, rich, loain 

 and clay, with a greater or lefs proportion of fea-fand in« 

 termixed. The fub-foil conlills of alternate layers of fand 

 and clay, with fea-beach occafionally intervening. In many 

 places throughout the Marfh, at the depth of three or four 

 feet, have been frequently dug up oak leaves, acorns, &c. 

 together with large trees lying in difterent diretlions ; fome 

 acrofs each other ; fome appearing with the roots to them, 

 as if overturned by a Itorm, or other convullioii of nature ; 

 and others as if cut down with an axe or fliarp inftru- 

 ment ; the colour being as black, and the wood as hard, as 

 ebony. Thefe marflies are almoft entirely appropriated to 

 the grazing and fattening of flieep and cattle, biit chiefly to 

 the former, which are bred and fed here in immenfe quan- 

 tities ; their number, perhaps, exceeding that of any other 

 diftritl in the kingdom. Romney Marfh has generally been 

 confidered as unhealthy; and probably tliis opinion has ope- 

 rated to keep it thinly peopled. Of late, however, its fa- 

 native qualities have been greatly improved ; a change at- 

 tributed to the attention that has been given 10 keep the 

 ditches free from flagnant and putrid water. The extent 

 and rental of farms in Kent arc uncommonly various, as muil 

 be evident when the peculiar cuiloms of the county are con- 

 fidered in connection with the diverfitics of the foils and fur; 

 face. The number of freeholds in the county is ftated, bv 

 Mr. Hafted, at about 9000 ; independent of the large eftates 

 of the churches of Canterbury and Rocheftcr, arid of 

 various corporate bodies. The copyhold and cuftomary 

 tenants are very few. The general dillribution of the free- 

 holds, and their clofe intermixture with each other, occa- 

 fion a very frequent intercourle between the gentry and the 

 yeomen, and thus generate that equaUty of fentimcnt fo fa- 

 vourable to the intercfts of individual right. 



The manufadlures carried on in Kent arc various, though 

 not particularly extenfive. The clothing trade, which once 

 gave employment to great numbers of its inhabitants, is now 

 nearly forgotten in the county. At Canterbury, ir.ufliiis, 

 brocaded filks, and ftockings, are made ; at Deptford and 

 Whitftable are large copperas works ; at Sloner, in the lf!e 

 of Thanet, and likewifc in the Ifle of Graine, fait is manu- 

 faCltired ; at Ofpringe is an extenfive raanufaClory for gun- 

 powder, ereftcd by government ; and there is alfo another 

 near Dartford ; in the Weald, bordering on SufTex, arc 

 various iron furnaces ; and at Dartford and Crayford are 

 mills for the manufacturing of iron ; at the latter place alfo, 

 are extenfive works for the printing of calicoes, and fpacious 

 grounds for the bleaching of linens ; at Seven Oaks are large 

 iilk mills; and at Boxlcy, near Muidllone, is the moil ex- 

 aX 2 Icnlirff 



