p. 2, says that, "besides at the palace " (and college and church he might have added), " Courtney builded much in Maidstone." The High Street is believed to have been in existence as a street in the days of Courtney, as the Swan Inn, now added to the premises of Mr. Warwick, and occupied by Messrs. Paine, Evenden, and Lewis, is mentioned in a deed of a date not long subsequent to his time. Nevertheless, though there was this progression, the principal houses and dwellings for long afterwards seem to have been in the two original streets, those of Wyke and Stone Street.; for Leland, the eminent antiquary, travelling through the town in 1525, describes it, in a continuation of the passage before referred to, as " one long street, full of inns. "He did not, then, find the High Street important enough . to be mentioned: it possibly was not more than a mere market-field. This now handsome street, the High Street, might then have been, and probably was, like the ancient Smithfield in London, now abolished, encumbered with cattle-stalls and sheep-pens. Add to this, the main thoroughfare to London passed at that time by Rochester, so that the road over the bridge was not at that period much frequented. The bridge itself powerfully bears testimony to this, and shows the progressive increase of traffic in this quarter, since, when viewed from underneath, the original structure hardly seems to have been of more importance than might have been expected to have been met with in some small county village over a river. It plainly appears that it was at first only constructed for the passage of one vehicle at a time. Afterwards, anciently, but still at some unknown date, it was widened for two carriages to pass each other; while subsequently again, in the year 1808, eight feet of breadth were added to it, which dilated it to its present dimensions.
   15. I have now to revert to the large Roman building