MAPS

OLD MAPS OF CHIDDINGSTONE

Here is a selection of old maps of Chiddingstone, in chronological order :

William Lambarde of Lincoln's Inn published his 'Perambulation of Kent' in 1570. It was the first travel book or county history published in the UK. The second edition which came out in 1596 included a 'Card of the Beacons' - a map of Kent showing the location of the beacons that were lit to signal the sighting of a fleet in the channel to London.

Philip Symondson of Rochester published "A New Description of Kent, divided into the Lathes thereof, and subdivided into Bailywickes and Hundreds" in 1596. It was engraved by Charles Whitwell in two sheets with engravings of Dover Castle and Rye. It was reissued, printed and sold by P.Stent in 1659.

A map of the whole of Kent was published by Andrew, Drury and Herbert in 1769. The scale was 2 inches to a mile and came in 24 sections. The parish of Chiddingstone was on section 11.

Hasted's map of the Hundred of Somerden was published in volume 1 of his famous History of Kent in 1778

Captain William Mudge conducted a trigonometrical survey of Kent from 1795 to 1799 as an independent millitary excercise. His work was suborned by the Board of Ordinance, and published in 1819 as the first Ordinance Survey Map at a scale of one inch to the mile.

Greenwood's map of Kent at a scale of one inch to the mile was published in 1821. The map was mounted on linen, folded and fitted into a leather covered box made to look like a book.

The Tithe Act of 1836 substituted a tithe rent charge for the old system of Tithes and it became necessary to make a map of each parish in order to apportion the rent charge. These maps were highly detailed marking every building, field, road, shaw or stream and are a very valuable resource for historians. There is a transcripition of these field names, if you follow these links, for the north and south of the parish. If you would like to buy a colour copy of a map of Chiddingstone Parish in 1840 based on these Tithe maps then please send an e-mail asking for a copy to [email protected]

The Ordinance Survey published a detailed six inch to a mile series of maps of Kent in 1883 and a second revised edition of them in 1909.

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