BECKENHAM, a parish in the hundred of BROMLEY and BECKINGHAM, lathe of SUTTON at HONE, county of KENT, if mile (W.) from Bromley, and 10 (S. S. E.) from London, containing 1180 inhabitants. The name of this place, compounded of the Saxon terms Bee, a, brook, and Ham, a dwelling, is derived from a small stream which passes through the parish, and falls info the river Ravensbourne. In the reign of-Henry VIILj Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk, entertained that monarch, when on his journey to visit Anne of Cleves, with great pomp at the manor-house in this place. The village, which is pleasantly situated, contains some neat dwelling-houses, and in the neighbourhood are matiy handsome villas. The Croydon canal passes along the north-western angle of the parish. A fair, chiefly for toys, is held on the Monday before St. Bartholomew's day. Beckenham is within the jurisdiction of a court of requests held every alternate Tuesday at Bromley, for the recovery of debts not exceeding 40s. The living is a rectory, in the archdeaconry and diocese of Rochester, rated in the king's books at £16. 18. 9., and in the patronage of John Cator, Esq. The church, dedicated to St. George, is a neat structure, erected about the beginning of the seventeenth century, with a lofty spire, which having been destroyed by lightning, in 1790, was recently rebuilt. Mrs. Mary Watson, in 1790. bequeathed property, for the instruction of poor children, after the death of two annuitants, which took place in 1807, at which period it was vested in the purchase of £1401. 12. 7- New South Sea annuities, producing an annual dividend of £42. 0. 10., the whole of which not being annually expended, the accumulation, amounting to £294. 16. 2., was, in 1818, applied in aid of a subscription for the erection of National schools for boys and girls of the parish, in which the children upon Mrs. Watson's foundation are now instructed. Capt. Leonard Bowyer, in 1717, also gave £100, the interest of whim is paid out of the rental of land belonging to the parish, for the education of four additional scholars. To the east of the church are three unendowed almshouses, erected by Anthony Rawlins, Esq., in -1 v' Dr. Ashetou, the projector of a plan for providing tor BEG 123 EEC widows by survivorship, was rector of this parish towards the close of the seventeenth century.