~ ST. MARY-DE-CASTRO ~
AN ANCIENT CHURCH
Built 618...Demolished c. 1486??
CANTERBURY
A division between St. Andrew, St. Mary Bredman, Burgate (maybe St. Mary Magdalene) *seems to also be some from the parish of St. Mildred (St. Mary De Castro was united with St. Mildred)
CCA-DCc-ChAnt/C/775-780 This section of charters relates to St Mary de Castro parish, Canterbury. DCc-Register/A, f399r contains 1 charter for St Mary de Castro. Other charters for St Mary de Castro are registered in the Canterbury divers places and St Mildred's sections of DCc-Register/A and DCc-Register/E. - Canterbury Cathedral Archives
"St. Mary de Castro church, so called from its situation near the castle, and to distinguish it from the other St. Mary churches in this city, has long been desolated, the chancel only of it being left standing, to the repair of which one Roger RIDLEY, by his will anno 1470 gave four pounds. Time was, when it was as absolute a parish church as any about this city, and though before the reformation it seems not to have been in a very flourishing condition, yet that change in religious ceremonies was very probably the cause of this church's still further decay and desolation; for offerings, altarages, and such profits, of which this benefice chiefly consisted, and from which the maintenance of the incumbent was in great measure drawn being this change abolished, there was not from other matters a sufficient competency left for him, so that it became soon afterwards deserted, and was united to St. Mildred's and has been ever since esteemed as part of that parish. To this church was united in 1449, the neighbouring small church of St. John, long since likewise desolated...."HT
*there was in 1484 a cemetery belonging to this church, for Alice wife of Michael a Wood of Wincheap, by her will proved that year, ordered to be buried in it.
Churchwarden of St Mary de Castro presented
for not enclosing the space in front of the parson's house where there
was a well dangerous to children in which three hogs were drowned -
Quarter Sessions 1502-3, CCA
1542. Three bells are sold to the parishioners of Nether Hardres, out of the church of St. Mary Castle. HT
The White Hart Pub possibly where St. Mary De Castro used to Stand with the graveyard on the left
"John Brent writes " In respect of St. Mary de Castro, the district over which it presided is still extra parochial; and as mention is made, A.D. 1542 of three bells being sold to the parishioners of Lower Hardres, we may conclude that about that period the church was dismantled."
"The Church of St. Mary Castle or De Castro, long fallen into nothingness, and the parish united with that of St. Mildred." Somner
"This church, says Somner, "stood much about the upper end of that lane leading from Castle street, which at this day we call the Back lane, but was thence anciently called St. John's lane. It being come into private hands is, and hath being of a long time, profaned into a malt house." Directory 1847 * this quote from the directory actually refers to St. John the Poor and NOT St. Mary de Castro
"But to return to the greater mound, and to the Dane John. In a portion of the latter was the "Black Dike," abutting almost on the precincts of the Church of St. Mary de Castro."
"The Church of St. Mildred is valued in the antient taxation at eight marcs per annum. This Rectory, with that of the antient desecrated church of St. Mary de Castro or of the Castle is valued in the king's books at 17l. 17s. 11d and the yearly tenths at 1l. 15s. 91/2d. In 1588 it was valued at fifty pounds. Communicants three hundred and sixty. In 1640 it was valued at seventy pounds. Communicants one hundred.
Archbishop Sandcroft by his decree dated Sept 29, 1684, united the rectory of All Saints in this city with St. Mary de Castro, of the king's partonage likwise to this of St. Mildred, in which state it continues at this time." Ht.
___
The White Hart, built on what they believe was the site of the old St. Mary de Castro Church
"St. Mary's Church was erected A.D. 618 by Eadbald, son of Ethelbert, at the instance of Laurence, archbishop." "For notice of the existence of the church of St. Mary, A.D. 804, see the quotation from Somner in the Note on Liminge. "Twenty churches were antiently in this city and the suburbs thereof; seventeen whereof, viz. St. Alphage, St. Andrew, St. Mary Bredman, St. Mary Breeden, Holy Cross Westgate, St. George, St. Margaret, St. Mary Magdalen, St. Mary Northgate, St. Mildred, St. Peter, All Saints, St. Mary Castle, St. Edmund, St. John, St. Mary Queeningate, and St. Michael, were in the city. And the other three viz. St. Dunstan, St. Martin, and St. Paul, were in the suburbs. All which parishes are still in being, except St. Mary Castle, St. Edmund, St. John, St. Mary Queeningate, and St. Michael, which are demolished." (Kilburne, 301) Notes on the churches in the counties of Kent, Sussex, and Surrey 1852
The entrance to St. Mary De Castro Churchyard...these posts were apparently made by the Bigglestons
The graveyard high-lighted in pink is St. Mary de Castro (detail from 1907 Ordanance Survey map)
St. Mary De Castro Churchyard looking towards Castle Row (showing the gravestones in the background against the wall)
__
Sacred
To the Memory of
Susanah the Wife of Richard Allen
who departed this life March 3
1825 Aged 24 years
Also of MARY Wife of
Richard Allen Senr.
who departed this life
December 8th 1849
aged 69 years
*burial of a Mary ALLEN Dec, 15, 1849, age 69 of Rosemary Lane, parish of St. Mildred
$ Was A Mary ALLEN age c.65 Independent born in County in Stour Street, also a Mary ALLEN age c.65 in St. Peter's Street...was also A Richard ALLEN c.55 with wife Mary ALLEN c. 55 and son William ALLEN c. 10
IN
MEMORY
OF
SOPHIA H__R_H(?)
DIED 2(3)? M?.....
Gravestones in St. Mary De Castro Churchyard
.....
.....
.....
......
who died
Dec ye 9th 1759
Aged 66 Years
Also the above
John ?.....
....
SACRED
TO THE MEMORY OF
MARTHA ANNE BUTCHER
WHO DIED 20TH NOVEMBER 1833
AGED 21 YEARS
5 MONTHS
There is a Mary Ann Butcher aged 21 years who was buried 02 December 1833. She lived in Wincheap and her burial is recorded in St Mildred's parish (Thanks Tricia)
*RE: Burial records, I find it interesting that this stone noted as St. Mildred's is here in St. Mary de Castro and under Mary Ann Butcher (stone reads Martha Ann)
St. Mary De Castro Churchyard
... here lieth ye Body
...... wife of
.... Plomer the
.....
Aged 50 Years
.....he
..... died
.....
.....
....
.....
Sacred
to the Memory of
ROSE HANNAH
Wife of William D[ixon]
[and daughter of]
[Charles? and Jane Gaskin]
of this Parish
who departed this life
[July 7] 1840 aged 6[?] years
script ....
script .....
rest of the stone is buried
*Rosanna DIXON buried July 13, 1840 age 69 years of Castle Row, burial noted in the parish of St. Mildred
*marriage of a William DIXON and a Rose Hannah GASKIN at St. Mildreds on November 19, 1794
St. Mary De Castro Churchyard
IN MEMORY OF
GEORGE SON OF
GEORGE PLOMER
LATE ALDERMAN OF THIS CITY
AND JANE HIS WIFE
SHE DIED APRIL 16TH [????]
AGED __ YEARS
ALSO ......
ANOTHER? .....
[top broken off - see above]
SURVIVE....
OF THE ABOVE
GEORGE AND JANE PLOMER
SHE DIED JULY 27 1824
AGED 69 YEARS
LIKEWISE GEORGE PLOMER ESQr
HE DIED DECEMBER 14th 1836
AGED 77 YEARS
AND ALSO
GEORGE PLOMER ESQ.
OF THIS CITY
SON OF THE ABOVE NAMED
[balance of the stone is in the ground]
*burial of a George Plomer December 20th, 1836 aged 77 of High Street, buried at St. Mary Breadman
*burial of a George Plomer Feb 15, 1844 age 50 years of St. Peter's Street, burial noted as St. Mildred
*burial of a Catherine Plomer August 2, 1824, age 69 years of High Street, burial noted as St. Mary Breadman
St. Mary De Castro Churchyard gravestones
SACRED
TO
THE MEMORY OF
REBECCA WEAR
OF THE DANE JOHN GROVE
WHO DIED
ON THE 18th OF APRIL 1844
[flaked off] YEARS
In St Mildred's PRs there is
a Rebecca Wear of Dane John aged 80 years buried on 25 April 1844
In St Mary Breadman PRs there is a Rebecca Wear baptised on 22 May 1763
- D of Thomas & Elizabeth WEAR (thanks
to Tricia for this)
Possibly Mr John HUNT
*possible only...burial of a John HUNT June 19, 1764, age not given, address not given, parish of St. Mildred (there were two others, but one was of Holy Cross the other St. Alphage)
IN MEMORY OF
WILLIAM ROGERS
LATE OF THIS CITY WHO DIED DEC.
22nd 1749 AGED 38 YEARS
ALSO OF ELIZABETH RELICT OF
THE ABOVE WHO DIED 28TH JULY 1786
AGED 76 YEARS
IN HOPES OF A JOYFULL RESURRECTION
THEY LEFT SURVIVING
THEIR ONLY DAUGHTER ELIZABETH
WHO HATH CAUSED THIS TO BE ERECTED
TO THEIR MEMORY
*burial of an Elizabeth Rogers, August 2, 1786, age not given, address not given, parish of St. Andrews
In Memory of
WILLIAM TADHUNTER
Who died March 2nd 1851
Aged 58 Years
*Poll book 1830, William TADHUNTER, St. Andrew's, Canterbury, Hairdresser
*was a William TADHUNTER that married Mary STEED both of this parish (banns), April 20, 1790 (St. George the Martyr) witness, Stephen Lucas, W. Evernden (this William Tadhunter could be his father) "I am related to the Tadhunters of Canterbury and can confirm that William Tadhunter is the son of William and Mary (Steed) Tadhunter." Thanks to a lovely visitor to the site for this confirmation
Christening of a William Tadhunter May 13, 1792, at St. Andrew, in Canterbury to William and Mary Tadhunter (was a few other christenings with this couple: John 1794, Robert 1795, Maria 1797, Mary Elizabeth at St. Margaret's Feb 13, 1791.)
burial of a William TADHUNTER, March, 7, 1851, age 59, living at St. Margaret's street, parish church St. Andrews
was also a burial of a Mary Ann Susanna Tadhunter, July 13, 1828 age 2 weeks of St. Margarets Street, parish church St. Andrews
No. 133
ELIZABETH
wife of Thomas Col[....]
of this Parish
who departed this life
February 20 1816 aged [??] Years
Also of the above named
THOMAS [C]OL[?]_AN
who departed this life 1 of Novr
18[??] aged 8[0] Years
I found a burial of Elizabeth Colbran Feb 27, 1816 age 59 years of Wincheap, burial noted as parish of St. Mildred
*burial of Thomas Colbran November 6, 1835 age 80 years of Wincheap, burial noted as parish of St. Mildred
E. C.
1837
...................
died ... 1861
aged 62 years
Broken Stone
lieth ye Body of
[....]ard Johnson
died Nov 1[4]th
[rest is broken off]
*possible....Richard JOHNSON, November 14, 1762 burial noted in St. Mildred's parish (more likely)
*possible....Richard JOHNSON, November 2, 1761 burial noted in St. Margaret's parish
M. S.
1794
Unknown
R. C.
1828
Unknown piece of tombstone
Unknown, no visible writing
SACRED
to the memory of
MARY ANN? the B...
of ... .....Woo..
....
died November 30 18[5]7
Aged [7]6 Years
EDWARD MOB[BE]
....
....
top is unreadable
who died ..... 1801[?]
and one son WILLIAM
... wife
died June 27 18[23]
aged 82 Years
_
(top is unreadable)
ELIZ. M_______N
who departed this
life Aug 2 A.D. 17[4]4
No. 97
..2 Daught
No. 124
Here lieth ye body
of JANE ye wife of
THOMAS P... who
departed this life
Octr 23d 1727 Aged
58 Years