Offham, Kent, England
Offham, Pepingstraw
and Snodbeane Manors
Sir Richard Culpeper9a of Oxen Hoath had no sons, and at his death in 1484,
Offham Manor and
its appended manors of Pepingstraw and Snodbeane passed to his three daughters:
(1) Margaret Culpeper, wife of William Cotton of Oxen Hoath; (2) Joyce
Culpeper, wife of Edmund Lord Howard ( one of their daughters was
Catherine Howard, fifth wife of
Henry VIII); and (3) Elizabeth Culpeper, wife of Henry Barham, Esq. They, in the reign of King Henry
VII, joined in the sale of these manors to Thomas Leigh of Sibton in
Liminge. (Hasted's Kent,
Vol. IV, p. 539). There are lingering name traces of
these old manors, but apparently no manor houses are still standing. There is an
Offham Manor Farm on Teston Road, just east
of Offham, and a short street named Pepingstraw in Offham. |
 St. Michael's
Church
Ancient Parish
Original registers
from 1539.
Prior to the date of the earliest extant parish
registers, the Culpepers had sold their interests in the manors at
Offham. Further research is needed to determine if there are any
monumental inscriptions for the family.
Location: On Teston Road In Offham
National Grid Coordinates: TQ
655 574
Photograph taken by Warren Culpepper, March 2000. |
Offham, Kent
Offham, a lovely small village set in the
orchards of the North Downs, was first settled by the
Romans. It's main conversation piece today, however, is of
slightly more recent vintage. In the middle of the
attractive village is a quintain, or tilting post.
This aid for jousting practice consists of an upright arm
that swivels when hit - particularly by a lance. The
quintain comes into play each year during Offham's May Day
celebrations. (Source: Sean Connolly, Hidden Places of
Kent, 1998, page 95.)
1831 Topographical Dictionary:
OFFHAM, a parish in the hundred of LARKFIELD, lathe of
AYLESFORD, county of KENT, 3¼ miles (E.S.E.) from Wrotham,
containing 274 inhabitants. The church, dedicated to St.
Michael, is principally in the early style of English
architecture, with a tower steeple. The great Roman military
way, from the Weald to London, crosses this parish. Jack
Straw, the rebel in the reign of Richard II., is said to
have been born at Pepingstraw in this parish. Offham-green
is remarkable for having on it the ancient instrument of
amusement called a quintin, which the lord of the manor is
obliged to preserve.
Offham Village Location: 13 miles N
of Goudhurst, 5 miles W of Maidstone
National Grid Coordinates: TQ
657 573 |
Last Revised:
02 Jan 2015
|
|
