Westgate Grove, Canterbury

~ WESTGATE GROVE ~

Previously known as COCK LANE

CANTERBURY

In consequence of the rapid melting of the snow, which commenced on Monday evening, a great number of houses in Canterbury were overflowed, and the furniture in many materially damaged. The thaw continuing all Tuesday, and the greatest part of Wednesday, occasioned the river Stour to spread its waters to a greater depth and extent than at any time since the year 1776, over all the adjoining low lands from Ashford to Sandwich haven. At noon on Wednesday, the flood increased so rapidly, that many houses in Stour Street, Beer cart lane, Lamb lane, Bests Lane, St. Radegund's bath, Pound Lane, part of St. Peter's, Cocklane, St. Dunstan's, and North Lane, had their ground floors laid under water, those nearest the river several feet deep. The inhabitants were obliged to betake themselves to their chambers for safety, and some families to leave their habitations. In the afternoon it again began to freeze, which probably in some measure checked the supplies of the torrent, and lessened its rapidity; and between ten and eleven at night the waters were perceived to subside, and in the morning marked their progress, by leaving the streets covered with broad and broken sheets of ice. TSMFeb1795

Death of a John Charles WOOD, age 2 months of Cock Lane, burial November 19th, 1818 (Holy Cross)

Flooding of West Gate Grove, the two boys with the white collars are Frederick Nye and Alfred Nye

The four tenements in Cock Lane, now called Westgate Grove, are immediately beyond the Westgate, two of them are old, and one of these is a public house of the sign of the Cock; the corner house is, or has very recently been, a worsted manufactory. A large manufactory of parchment faces them.

(7) Certain houses in Cock Lane, Canterbury, which, with those in St. Mary, Northgate, were inherited by Anthony LEFROY from his father Thomas, 1723, one sixth share of these remained in the family down to 1835, when it was sold to Charles Nicholas MIETTE and Matthew Troequeme Miette by the Guardians of Benjamin Austen Lefroy.

(9) A farm in the parish of Chartham near Canterbury, bequeathed with his houses in Cock Lane and Northgate, to his two sons Anthony Peter, and Isaac Peter George Lefroy, by Anthony Lefroy of Leghorn, by his last will dated 14th January, 1775, to be equally divided between them chargeable with an annuity from the rents thereof to his sister Lucy Lefroy for the term of her natural life. This farm probably came from the Thompsonns of that parish.

A view from near Holy Cross looking across the Stour towards Westgate grove (2010)

** Thomas Leffroy conveys to his trustee three messuages or tenements, in or near a certain Lane, commonly called Cock Lane, in the parish of Holy Cross, Westgate, near and without the walls of the City.

Thomas Leffroy, it is further stated, died intestate, leaving one son and heir Anthony Leffroy, and one daughter Lucy Leffroy. Anthony Leffroy made and published his will dated 24th January 1775, leaving his houses in Cock Land and Northgate to his two sons, Anthony Peter and Isaac Peter George, subject to an annuity of £20 per annum to Lucy Leffroy.

17-18th March 1791. Anthony Leffroy, of County Limerick, Lt.-Col. 9th Regiment Dragoons, sells a portion to Isaac Peter George Leffroy for £125.

16-17th August 1809. John Henry George Lefroy, and Christopher Edward Lefroy, sell the above named messuages to Charles Nicholas Miette, and Matthew Trocqueme Miette for £900.

There was a good deal more Lefroy property purchased by others, and Mr. Miette is under the impression that the family residence was a house opposite All Saints' Church in High Street, now belonging to Mr. George Neame. I visited this house, which has a modern stucco front, and bears no appearance of being much older than the century, the present owner has been three times Mayor of Canterbury, his son who was a most uncivil person, refused to give any information, not even his father's address. He evidently fancied my enquiries were directed by some interested motive.

Notes and documents relating to the family of Loffroy 1868

The sign on the left says "(has a hand pointing >) TO THE SWIMMING BATH. THE LARGEST OPEN AIR BATH IN EAST KENT."

1840's known as Cock Lane

John Sankey, Miller

Thomas Admans, Tailor

James Bodwell, Labourer

William Small, Victualler

Nicholas Hammond, Labourer

William Smith, Labourer

John Strand, Gardener

John Underdown, Labourer

William Godseed

Thomas Oakenful, Cordwainer

Mead Linom, Cabinet Maker

John Linom, Schoolmaster

John Spillett, Bricklayer

Westgate Grove, St. Dunstan's Street to Linden Grove (leading to the baths)

Moses Fright - Brewer

No. 2

George Brown

Caretaker of the Public Baths - Thomas Andrews

No. 4 (now no. 10?)

Stour Cottage

No. 5 (now no. 8?)

Tavern Cottage

Westgate Cottages

Richard Garland - Milkman

William Couter - Labourer

Westgate Court

Linden Grove

No. 6

Edman Kelk - Engineer

Mrs. Gifford - Metal Polish Manufacturer

No. 7 (Now no. 2?)

WESTGATE TAVERN

No. 8

No. 9

Mrs. L. Petts

No. 10

John Hobday Small

Rosiers Cottage, dating about 1500

Houses in West Gate Grove

Houses in West Gate Grove, a photograph in my collection


~ WESTGATE GROVE ~ Previously known as COCK LANE CANTERBURY In consequence of the rapid melting of the snow, which commenced on Monday evening, a great number of houses in Canterbury were overflowed, and the furniture in many materially damaged. The thaw continuing all Tuesday, and the greatest part of Wednesday, occasioned the river Stour to spread its waters to a greater depth and extent than at any time since the year 1776, over all the adjoining low lands from Ashford to Sandwich haven. At noon on Wednesday, the flood increased so rapidly, that many houses in Stour Street, Beer cart lane, Lamb lane, Bests Lane, St. Radegund's bath, Pound Lane, part of St. Peter's, Cocklane, St. Dunstan's, and North Lane, had their ground floors laid under water, those nearest the river several feet deep. The inhabitants were obliged to betake themselves to their chambers for safety, and some families to leave their habitations. In the afternoon it again began to freeze, which probably in some measure checked the supplies of the torrent, and lessened its rapidity; and between ten and eleven at night the waters were perceived to subside, and in the morning marked their progress, by leaving the streets covered with broad and broken sheets of ice. TSMFeb1795 Death of a John Charles WOOD, age 2 months of Cock Lane, burial November 19th, 1818 (Holy Cross) __ Flooding of West Gate Grove, the two boys with the white collars are Frederick Nye and Alfred Nye The four tenements in Cock Lane, now called Westgate Grove, are immediately beyond the Westgate, two of them are old, and one of these is a public house of the sign of the Cock; the corner house is, or has very recently been, a worsted manufactory. A large manufactory of parchment faces them. (7) Certain houses in Cock Lane, Canterbury, which, with those in St. Mary, Northgate, were inherited by Anthony LEFROY from his father Thomas, 1723, one sixth share of these remained in the family down to 1835, when it was sold to Charles Nicholas MIETTE and Matthew Troequeme Miette by the Guardians of Benjamin Austen Lefroy. (9) A farm in the parish of Chartham near Canterbury, bequeathed with his houses in Cock Lane and Northgate, to his two sons Anthony Peter, and Isaac Peter George Lefroy, by Anthony Lefroy of Leghorn, by his last will dated 14th January, 1775, to be equally divided between them chargeable with an annuity from the rents thereof to his sister Lucy Lefroy for the term of her natural life. This farm probably came from the Thompsonns of that parish. *A view from near Holy Cross looking across the Stour towards Westgate grove (2010)* Thomas Leffroy conveys to his trustee three messuages or tenements, in or near a certain Lane, commonly called Cock Lane, in the parish of Holy Cross, Westgate, near and without the walls of the City. Thomas Leffroy, it is further stated, died intestate, leaving one son and heir Anthony Leffroy, and one daughter Lucy Leffroy. Anthony Leffroy made and published his will dated 24th January 1775, leaving his houses in Cock Land and Northgate to his two sons, Anthony Peter and Isaac Peter George, subject to an annuity of £20 per annum to Lucy Leffroy. 17-18th March 1791. Anthony Leffroy, of County Limerick, Lt.-Col. 9th Regiment Dragoons, sells a portion to Isaac Peter George Leffroy for £125. 16-17th August 1809. John Henry George Lefroy, and Christopher Edward Lefroy, sell the above named messuages to Charles Nicholas Miette, and Matthew Trocqueme Miette for £900. There was a good deal more Lefroy property purchased by others, and Mr. Miette is under the impression that the family residence was a house opposite All Saints' Church in High Street, now belonging to Mr. George Neame. I visited this house, which has a modern stucco front, and bears no appearance of being much older than the century, the present owner has been three times Mayor of Canterbury, his son who was a most uncivil person, refused to give any information, not even his father's address. He evidently fancied my enquiries were directed by some interested motive. Notes and documents relating to the family of Loffroy 1868 The sign on the left says "(has a hand pointing >) TO THE SWIMMING BATH. THE LARGEST OPEN AIR BATH IN EAST KENT." 1840's known as Cock Lane John Sankey, Miller Thomas Admans, Tailor James Bodwell, Labourer William Small, Victualler Nicholas Hammond, Labourer William Smith, Labourer John Strand, Gardener John Underdown, Labourer William Godseed Thomas Oakenful, Cordwainer Mead Linom, Cabinet Maker John Linom, Schoolmaster John Spillett, Bricklayer Westgate Grove, St. Dunstan's Street to Linden Grove (leading to the baths) Moses Fright - Brewer No. 2 George Brown Caretaker of the Public Baths - Thomas Andrews No. 4 (now no. 10?) Stour Cottage No. 5 (now no. 8?) Tavern Cottage Westgate Cottages Richard Garland - Milkman William Couter - Labourer Westgate Court Linden Grove No. 6 Edman Kelk - Engineer Mrs. Gifford - Metal Polish Manufacturer No. 7 (Now no. 2?) WESTGATE TAVERN No. 8 No. 9 Mrs. L. Petts No. 10 John Hobday Small Rosiers Cottage, dating about 1500 Houses in West Gate Grove Houses in West Gate Grove, a photograph in my collection**
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© T. Machado 2007