rental of £100 2s. 7d.; at the same time she granted him the palace at Maidstone. He repaired and resided at the latter and abandoned the former, which was never again inhabited by its owner till the other day. At this time the lands were disforested.*
   In 1583 Queen Elizabeth granted in perpetuity the castle, manor, and advowson of Allington to Sir John Astley’s son. In 1591† there was some trouble about the lands granted to Mr. Astley, which for an unstated reason (probably the end of the 30 years’ lease) were sequestered by the Queen and were in Mr. Floyd’s custody, and he was cutting down trees, etc. The matter appears to have been settled, as the property remained in possession of the Astleys.
   In the seventeenth century we find the Bests, a well-to-do Kentish family, resident at Allington for a long series of years. It was probably to make it suitable for their occupation that the last considerable restoration, to which I must refer, was undertaken. I can find no reference whatever to it in any document, but the main facts are

obvious. Probably before it was taken in hand there had occurred a considerable fire, which burnt down the great hall, the chambers behind it, the north-east tower, and the north wing. Traces of fire can still be observed at many points in this area. This fire must have occurred before the Astley restoration, or those buildings also would have suffered. It is probable that the fire happened somewhere about 1600, and that the restoration soon followed it. The purpose of the restoration was to provide more accommodation for servants and farm hands, the castle henceforward being practically nothing but a large though gradually diminishing house for a gentleman farmer of some means. What was done was in the last degree destructive. To begin with, all the battlements except three embrasures in the south-east wall and one at
   * I ought to have mentioned above the grant in 1520 to Sir H. Wyatt (who in his day had been Master of the Crown jewels) of free warren in his demesne lands of the manors of Alynton, etc.
   † Calendar State Papers (Domestic), 1591-4, page 3.