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p.143, originally drawn for the Rev. Thomas Streatfeild’s proposed History
of Kent.
I am informed by Mr. E. D. Till of Eynsford, the present owner
of Little Mote, that during some recent repairs to the cottage a horse’s
bit of the fifteenth century and a few Elizabethan coins were discovered,
under the floor of the room in which the carved fire-place now stands. It is
of course not absolutely certain that the chimney-stack is in its original
position, but as the external stonework exists for a height of about 12 feet
the probability is that it has never been disturbed. The upper part of the
stone stack has long ago disappeared, and the flues are now carried up in
red brick for the greater part of their height.. The wall of the cottage
which faces the river (as well as the roof and upper room) contains several
large and evidently ancient timbers that no doubt once formed part of the
Sybill mansion, having, together with the stonework, escaped the destruction
that overtook the rest of the house. Some timbers which are visible in the
upper room have moulded edges, and are apparently as old as the fifteenth
century. Mr. Till also informs me that remains of
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foundations have been met
with in the orchard on the west and south sides of the cottage, and he
thinks that the mansion originally extended in that direction. No systematic
search, however, has yet been made to determine the plan of the old
building.
Owing to the close proximity of the house to Eynsford Castle
and the river, I am inclined to think that the name of Little Mote must have
been derived from the Castle moat, which may have helped to protect the
house when the older fortifications fell into disuse. This is, however, only
conjecture on my part, in the absence of any further facts bearing on the
subject. The small farm surrounding the cottage is spoken of by the old
inhabitants as the "Mint" farm, but no explanation of this name
exists.
In the following pedigree I have brought together all the
information contained in Sybill wills from the Prerogative Court of
Canterbury, the College of Arms, the publications of the Record Corn
mission, Eynsford Parish Register, and the documents of a Chancery suit. I
have not been
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