Court of Record of Saint Augustine's

Contains papers relating to causes heard in the Court of Record for the Liberty of the Dissolved Monastery of Saint Augustine, Canterbury, Kent including bonds made mainly in trespass pleas.

Examples:

Joseph Cowell accused by Robert Sprackling in a plea of debt relating to a lease of property in Saint Laurence, Thanet, Kent late in the occupation of Thomas Ewell including a Mansion House called Ellington. 20 June 1652 (DCb/PRC/46/1/51/1).

Draft list of trials giving surnames of the parties in causes and progress in the proceedings, 165- (DCb/PRC/46/1/67).

Vincent Johnson accused by Richard Stroud in a plea of trespass. 1 October 1656. Johnson entered with 'force and arms' and treaded down the grass to the value of £20 with 'horses, oxen, cows, hogs, sheep and deer' at Minster, Isle of Thanet, Kent (DCb/PRC/46/1/68).

Henry Snowe and Katherine his wife accused by William East, brewer of Deptford, Kent in a plea of trespass. 18 November 1656. Katherine Snowe used 'malicious words' calling William East 'a beggarly knave and a beggarly rogue and not worth one groate' saying 'I will rout him the Towne' (DCb/PRC/46/1/69).

Bond of David Marillian, yeoman of Preston, Kent and Henry Knowler, husbandman in the sum of £40, to appear on 8 July 1659 at the Black Horse, Canterbury to answer a plea of debt (DCb/PRC/46/6).

<p>See also U168</p>

Saint Augustine, the first Archbishop of Canterbury, introduced the Benedictine rule to England when he arrived in Canterbury in 597. The monastery was headed by an abbot who took vows of celibacy and personal poverty. The closure of the monasteries was initiated by the Act of Suppression 1536 under Henry VIII which transferred to the Crown all the lands and property of religious houses. In 1538 Saint Augustine's Abbey surrendered and the abbot's lodging at the Abbey was made into a royal palace in 1539. In 1541 the abbey was unroofed and used as a quarry for building materials.

The Liberty of the dissolved monastery had jurisdiction over a large area of the Diocese of Canterbury from Deptford to the Isle of Thanet.

Available on microfiche.