Penshurst, Kent

Description
Penshurst, a village and a parish in Kent. The village stands at the confluence of the rivers Eden and Medway, with a station on the S.E.R. 32 miles from London, and 6 1/4 SW of Tunbridge; was anciently called Penchester; is a pretty place, and has a post, money order, and telegraph office under Tunbridge. The parish contains also the hamlet of Fordcombe Green. Acreage, 4568 ; population of the civil parish, 1647; of the ecclesiastical, 1052. The manor belonged at the Norman Conquest to the Penchesters; passed to the Boultneys, the Louvaines, the St Cleres, the Bohuns, Humphrey Duke of Gloucester, and the Fanes; was given by Edward VI. to Sir W. Sidney; and, with Penshurst Castle, belongs now to Lord De L'Isle. The castle was mainly rebuilt in 1570-85 ; figures in some graphic lines by Ben Jonson ; is a quadrangular structure in florid Tudor architecture,. with a spacious court; includes a portion called the King's Tower, restored in 1862 ; contains a grand hall, dating from 1349, in which James I. was entertained; contains also an apartment called Queen Elizabeth's room, with furniture said to have been presented by Elizabeth herself; contains likewise a splendid collection of paintings and old armour, was the birthplace of Sir Philip Sidney, of " Sidney's sister, Pembroke's mother," of Algernon Sidney, and of Dorothy Sidney, Waller's " Sacharissa," and stands in beautiful ground, formerly of vast extent, and still containing beautiful gardens, Sidney's oak, Sacharissa's walk, and Lancup well. There is a large cricket ball and bat manufactory. The living is a rectory in the diocese of Canterbury; net value, £470 with residence. Patron, Lord De L'Isle. The church adjoins Penshurst Castle; has been well restored; consists of nave, aisles, and chancel, with pinnacled tower; and contains an effigies of a Penchester and brasses and monuments of the Sidneys. Fordcombe chapel was built in 1847 as a memorial to the General Viscount Hardinge, and is in the Early English style. There are Congregational and Wesleyan chapels and six almshonses.