FEVERSHAM, (Kent) 44 cm. 48 mm. from London, a member of the Cinque Port of Dover, was a royal demesne A.D. 802, and
called, in Kenulf's charter, the King's little Town, though it is now a large one. In 903, K. Athelstan held a great
council here. K. Stephen erected a stately abbey, whose abbots sat in Pt. and he was buried in it, together with Maud his
Q. and Eustace his son; but 2 mean gate-houses are all that now remains of it. The T. was first incorporated by the name
of the Barons of Feversham, afterwards by the title of the mayor and commonalty, and lastly by that of the mayor, and
jurats, and commonalty. 'Tis a populous flourishing place, situate, as it were, in the very garden of Kent, with the
conveniency of a creek from the Thames, or that branch of it called the Swale, which is navigable by hoys. It consists
chiefly of one long broad street, with a Mt.-house and a ch. sc. The Mts. are on W. and S. Fairs Feb. 14, and Aug. 1, both
for 10 days together. The London Mts. are supplied from hence with abundance of apples and cherries, and the best oysters
for stewing, which are also fetched away in such quantities by the Dutch, that a prodigious number of men and boats are
employed here in the winter, to dredge for them; and it is said they carry home as many as amount to 2000 or 2500 l. a
year. The fishermen will admit none to take up their freedom but married men. This T. used to be notorious for running
wine, brandy, tea, coffee, pepper, &c. from France and Holland, by the help of the Dutch oyster-boats, and for
clandestinely exporting wool. K. James II. was stopped here, on board a smack, as he was escaping for France, and detained
till the Prince of Orange sent coaches and a guard to attend him to London. Near this place, as well as in other parts of
the Co. there are 4 pits, narrow at top but wide at bottom, which whether dug by the ancient Britons, for extracting chalk
to manure their grounds, as Camden thinks, or whether dug by the Saxons, after the manner of the ancient Germans, to lay
up their corn in, to preserve it from the extreme cold weather, or from any surprize of their enemies, has not yet been
clearly determined. This manor was in the crown after the Diss. till Cha. I. granted it to Sir Dudley Diggs, by whose son
it was demised to Sir Geo. Sandes, to whom it gave title of Earl, in the R. of Cha. II. and by remainder from him, went to
Lewis Duras, a Frenchman, afterwards naturalized, who married his eldest daughter, and was K. James II's general; and it
now gives title of Baron to Anth. Duncomb.