Leybourne, Kent

Description
Leybourne, a village and a parish in Kent. The village stands on a small affluent of the river Medway, 1 mile from Mailing station on the L.C. & D.R., 35 miles from London, and 5 NW from Maidstone; was known at Domesday as Leleburne, and took that name from the little burn which runs past it. The parish contains also the hamlets of Mailing and Little Comp. There is a post, money order, and telegraph office at Maidstone. Acreage, 1523: population, 270. The manor belonged anciently to the De Leybournes, had a moated castle of theirs in which they entertained Edward I.; was given by the last of the De Leybournes, the " Infanta of Kent," to Edward III. ; was given by him to the newly-founded Cistercian abbey of St Mary Graces in London; went after the dissolution through various hands, and, with the fine seat of Leybourne Grange, belongs now to the Hawley family. Remains of the castle, including a fine gateway, still stand close to the church. The living is a rectory in the diocese of Canterbury; value, £300 with residence. The church is partly Early English, partly Perpendicular, has in the N aisle a remarkable niche of the Decorated period, and includes two small tabernacles, within one of which a heart, probably that of Roger de Leybourne, of the time of Edward II., was found In a leaden box. The building was restored in 1874. There are endowed schools at Leyboume, East Mailing, and Southborough.