The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland 1868

"SEVENOAKS, a parish, post and market town in the hundred of Codsheath, lathe of Sutton-at-Home, county Kent, 17 miles W. from Maidstone, and 24 S.E. from London. The London, Chatham, and Dover railway opened a branch line to Sevenoaks in 1862, the station of which is about a mile from the town. The town of Sevenoaks is situated on an eminence. Knole Park, in the neighbourhood, is upwards of 1,000 acres in extent, and 6 miles in circumference. The mansion, which is in the old English style of architecture, covers 3 acres of ground, and has a collection of pictures and other works of art. It was close to Sevenoaks that Jack Cade defeated Sir Humphrey Stafford in 1450. Originally Sevenoaks formed part of the property belonging to the Archbishops of Canterbury, but it came into the possession of the Crown in the reign of Henry VIII., who received it in exchange for other land from Archbishop Cranmer. It afterwards came to the Sackvilles of Knole. The town is well built, and is surrounded by seats; it is lighted with gas. The population in 1861 was 3,261, with 978 inhabited houses. The inhabitants are partly engaged in the hop grounds, which are numerous. The London and County Bank has a branch here. There is also a savings-bank. The living is a rectory in the diocese of Canterbury, value £1,117. The church, dedicated to St. Nicholas, has a large square tower containing a peal of eight bells. It contains monuments to the Lambards, Amherst, Fermoy, Bosville, and Sackville families. The parochial register dates from 1559. There are two places of worship for the Baptists, and one for the Wesleyans. Tho free grammar school was founded in 1432 by Sir William Sennocke or Sevenoake, a foundling who, having been apprenticed to a grocer by some charitable person, subsequently rose to be Lord Mayor of London and a member of parliament; the school has four scholarships at Oxford and Cambridge. The almshouses attached were founded by Sir William at the same time. Lady Boswell, wife of Sir William Boswell, -Charles I.'s Ambassador at the Hague, likewise founded a school here, in which 200 children are at present taught on the National system; its income is nearly £450 per annum. The Sevenoaks Vine, an open space a short way out of the town, to the northwards, is noted for the cricket matches which are played there. In Whitby Scrubs boars were hunted as late as Elizabeth's reign. Sevenoaks Poor-law Union contains 16 parishes and townships, and comprises an area of 59,572 acres. Market day is on Saturday. Fairs are held on 12th and 13th July, and 12th and 13th October."

"GREAT NESS, a hamlet in the parish of Sevenoaks, hundred of Codsheath, county Kent, 2 miles N. by E. of Sevenoaks. It is situated amongst the hills near the river Darent."

"KNOWLE PARK, a demesne near Sevenoaks, county Kent. The park, which is 6 miles in circumference, is shaded by oaks and beeches, and is well stocked with deer. The mansion, which is built in the form of a quadrangle, covers 5 acres, and is in various styles of architecture, having been commenced by the Marshalls, earls of Pembroke, continued by the Bourchiers, and completed by the Sackvilles, in the reign of James I. It comprises a lofty gatehouse, grand hall, state bedroom of James I., and an oak gallery of paintings by the best masters, including paintings by Correggio, Rembrandt, Teniers, and Titian, portraits by Holbein, Jarvis, Kneller, Lely, Reynolds, Mytens, and Vandyck; also copies of the cartoons by Mytens, and a classic statue of Demosthenes found in Campania. It has been the I residence of some of the most distinguished historic personages, including the Marshalls and Bigods, of Cranmer, who resigned it to Henry VIII., of the Protector Somerset, of Dudley Duke of Northumberland, of Cardinal Pole, of Dudley Earl of Leicester, and in recent times of the dukes of Dorset. It is now the seat of the Dowager Countess of Plymouth."

"RIVERHEAD, a liberty and chapelry in the parish of Sevenoaks, hundred of Codsheath, and lathe of Sutton-at-Hone, county Kent, 1½ mile N.W. of Sevenoaks, its nearest railway station and post town, and 23 miles from London. The village, which is extensive, is situated near the river Darent. The soil is tolerably fertile. The living is a perpetual curacy* in the diocese of Canterbury, value £90, in the patronage of the Rector of Sevenoaks. The church, dedicated to St. Mary, was erected in 1831 by the late Lord Amherst and M. Lambard, Esq., by whom it has been partially endowed. There is a free school built by the late Lord Amherst, also a labour benefit society. Montreal Park and Bradbourn House are the principal residences; the latter mansion was rebuilt on the site of an ancient one in 1730. It contains some tapestry in excellent preservation, presented by Queen Elizabeth to Sir Ralph Bosville during her visit here. A fair is held on Whit-Monday."

"WEALD, a liberty and chapelry in the parish of Sevenoaks, hundred of Codsheath, lathe of Sutton-at-Hone, county Kent, 2½ miles S. of Sevenoaks, its post town. The village is situated on the edge of the Weald, an extensive woodland tract called by the Britons Coed Andred, or the Great Forest, and which stretched across the counties of Kent and Sussex to Petworth. The soil is fertile, on a clayey subsoil. The living is a perpetual curacy* in the diocese of Canterbury, value £90, in the patronage of the Rector of Sevenoaks. The church was erected in 1820. There are National schools for both sexes, an infant school, and almshouses for eight poor persons of the parish."

[Transcribed from The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland 1868 by Colin Hinson ©2010]