WESTERHAM, a market-town and parish in the
hundred of WESTERHAM, lathe of SUTTON at HONE,
county of KENT, 22 miles (W.) from Maidstone, and
21 "(S. S. E.) from London, containing 1742 inhabitants.
The name. of this town implies its situation on the
western. border of the county. Two remarkable phenomena,
called land slips, occurred here in the years
1596 and 1756; in the former, nine acres of ground
continued in motion for eleven days, and in the latter,
two acres and a half, some parts sinking into pits, and
others rising into hills. The town stands on the declivity
of an. eminence, and is of neat and clean appearance;
about the centre is a large obelisk, used as a
market-house. The river Darent rises in the neighbourhood,
and after watering the ancient park of Squeries,
takes a north-eastern direction through the parish. The
market, which was granted, in the 25th of Edward III.,
to the abbot of Westminster, who possessed the manor,
is on Wednesday; and a cattle' fair is held on the 3rd
of May. This place is within the jurisdiction of a court
of requests held for the hundred, for the recovery of
debts under £5. The living is a vicarage, with the
perpetual curacy of Edenbridge annexed, in the archdeaconry
and diocese of Rochester, rated in the king's
books at £19. 19. 4., and in the patronage of the
Rev. Richard Board. The church, dedicated to St. Mary,
is a large, ancient, and venerable structure. There are
places of worship for the Society of Friends and Wesleyan
Methodists. A National school, for children of
both sexes, has been recently built, and is supported by
voluntary contributions. Bishop Hoadley and the celebrated
General Wolfe were both natives of this town j
in the church is a fine cenotaph to the memory of the
fatter;' and in the grounds of Quebec House there is a
pillar, with an inscription, erected for the like purpose.