CRANBROOKE, a market-town and parish in the
hundred of CRANBROOKE, lathe of SCRAY, county of
KENT, 14 miles (S. by E.) from Maidstone, and 48 (S. E.
by E.) from London, containing 3683 inhabitants. This
place, anciently called Crane-broke, derives its name
from its situation upon a brook called the Crane. When
the manufacture of woollen cloth was introduced into
England by Edward III., it was principally carried on
in the Weald of Kent, and Cranbrooke, situated in the
centre of that district, became, and continued to be for
centuries, a very nourishing town, and the principal seat
of the clothing trade, by the removal of which into the
counties of Gloucester and Somerset, within the last
fifty years, its trading importance has been almost
annihilated. The town consists chiefly of one wide street,
extending three quarters of a mile in length, from which
a smaller street branches off at right angles: it is indifferently
paved, and partially lighted, contains some wellbuilt,
houses, and is well supplied with water. The
trade is now principally in hops, which is carried on to
a considerable extent. The market, formerly on
Saturday, and considerable for corn, hops, &c., has, within
the last few years, been altered to Wednesday; there
is also a cattle market on every alternate Wednesday:
the market-house, a neat octagonal building supported
on double columns at the angles, and surmounted by a
cupola, was erected by William Coleman, Esq., a great
benefactor to the town. The fairs are on May 30th and
September 29th, for horses and cattle; the latter is
also a great hop fair.
The living is a vicarage, in the archdeaconry and
diocese of Canterbury, rated in the king's books at
£19. 19- 4., endowed with £200 private benefaction,
and £1100 parliamentary grant, and in the patronage
of the Archbishop of Canterbury. The church, dedicated
to St. Dunstan, is a spacious handsome structure in
the later style of English architecture,. with a square
embattled tower: in the year 1725, one of the columns
giving way, a part of the church fell down; it was repaired
at an expense of £2000. There are places of
worship for Particular Baptists, Huntingtonians, Independents,
Wesleyan Methodists, and Unitarians. The
free grammar school was founded, in 1574, by Simon
Lynch, Esq., and endowed by Queen Elizabeth with
land producing at present about £ 140 per annum, which
has been augmented by subsequent benefactors to
£ 300 per annum: the management is vested in thirteen
trustees, including the vicar. A writing school
was founded, in 1573, by Mr. Alexander Dence, who
endowed it with a house for the master, a schoolroom,
and the interest of £160: of this sum, £60 was expended
in the enlargement of the premises, the interest
of the remainder only being available to the payment of
the master. A National school for the instruction of
an unlimited number of boys and girls is supported by
subscription. In the hamlet of Milkhouse-street, are the
remains of an ancient chapel, dedicated to the Holy
Trinity. There are several mineral springs in the vicinity,
the properties of which are similar to those of
Tonbridge-Wells. Sir Richard Baker, author of the
English Chronicles, was born in this parish, about the
year 1568. The celebrated William Huntington, late
minister of Providence chapel, Gray's Inn Lane, London,
and founder of a sect called "Huntingtonians,"
holding high Calvinistic principles, was born at a place
called "The Four Wents," in this parish: he died
July 1st, 1813, aged 69, and was interred in the burialground
of Jireh chapel, Lewes, Sussex. He wrote and
published eighty-one separate works, most of which
went through several-editions during his lifetime; and,
added to six volumes of Letters, &c., published since his
death, his works extend to thirty-four volumes 8vo.