ASHFORD, (Kent) 12 m. from Canterbury, and 41 cm. and 57 mm. from London, in the road to Hith. 'Tis also called Eshford,
from the ford over the r. Esh. 'Tis governed by a mayor, and has a court of record every three weeks, for all actions of
debt, or damages, not exceeding 20 marks. In its Ch. which is large, are buried Sir Robert Fogg, ld. of Repton in this p.
its founder, and several Knts. of his family, particularly Sir John Fogg, comptroller of the houshold to K. Edw. IV. who
founded a college in it, for a prebendary, priests, and choristers; and in this Ch. was also a perpetual chantry. Here is
a monument near 400 years old, for a Countess of Athol. Its first Mt. was granted to William Leyburn, by the judges
itinerant, in the R. of Edw. I. and its first Fair, viz. May 6, by K. Edw. IV. to the D. and C. of Westminster, whose
manor it was by a grant of Edw. III. Its other Fair is Aug. 29. K. Hen. VIII. granted it, after the dissolution, to Sir
Anthony Aucher, and John Polsted, Esq; who conveyed it to Sir Andrew Judde, whose daughter brought it by marriage to Sir
Thomas Smith; from whom it descended to Philip, Visc. Strongford of Ireland, who in 1671 obtained a grant for a Mt. here
every Tu. Here is a grammar fr. s. and a very good road to Canterbury.