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1671-1715. STEPHEN HAFFENDEN.
A native of Tenterden where he was baptized January 9th,
1643-4. Deacon in 1667, Priest 1668. Master of the Free School in
Tenterden 1666 till 1674. A certificate1
from the neighbouring clergy is still preserved, it reads:
"Tenterden, October 14th 1671. These are to certifie that Stephen
Haffenden, clarke & schoolmaster Licensed, is a person who hath
alwayes been Orthodox in Doctrine, Conformable in Discipline to ye
Church of England, Loyall and Constant in his affection, industrious in
his calling, honest & unblameable in his conversation and one whom
we esteeme very worthy of preferment in the Church. Witnesse our hands:
Mos: Lee,2 Rector de Biddenden;
ffrancis Drayton, Rector de Wittersham; Thomas Risden, Vicar de Ashford;
John Brumskill, Rectr de Warehorne."
And in the same collection of papers3
is the following:
"Tenterden, October 17th 1671. I, Nathaniel Collington,
clark, Vicar of Tenterden .... doe nominate and humbly present to ye
Most Reverend Father in God, Gilbert, Lord Archbishop of Cant:, Stephen
Haffenden, clark, a man of abilities and every way qualified
sufficiently for the service of the Cure of Smalhith. And this I affirme
under my hands. Nat: Collington, Vicar of Tenterden.
Octob: 19, 1671. Approbatu, Simon Lowth."
How often he officiated at Smallhythe can only be surmised,
the fact is that before the year was ended he went to Egerton where he
remained until his decease in |
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the early part of 1715 although retaining Smallhythe the whole
time. At the Archdeacon's visitation held in Ashford Church April 7th,
1685, he is named as the curate and the question was raised: "in
what repaire ye church is in" to which it was answered "that
the chappell is in good repaire & that there are trustees to looke
after it."
During Haffendon's non-residence Smallhythe was served by a
succession of curates of whom the first was WILLIAM HORNER who was
officiating in the summer of 1669 and his status being considered
uncertain he was cited at the Archdeacon's visitation, April 13th, 1670,
to show by what right he served the cure and for how long he had
officiated there; "the sd Mr Horner answeared for about a yeare
....... that he hath noe license soe to officiate there as Curate but
hee ys episcopally ordained." He was ordered not to officiate in
the said Chappell of Smallhith or in any other church or chappell ......
until he be lawfully licensed.4
Notwithstanding this it was reported, February 28th, 1671-2, "that
hee did officiate at Small hithe Chappell on Sunday the 7th and on
Sunday ye 14th of January last and preach there on the sd dayes ag't the
consent of Mr Stephen Haffenden" with
1 Original document. Archdeaconry
Records, Chapter Library.
2 Moses Lee, Rector of Biddenden,
1660-1681.
3 Original document. Archdeaconry Records,
Chapter Library.
4 Comperta et Detecta, 1667-1687,
fol. 33, 60. |