Staple Village

Page 2

The picture of changing commerce in the vicinity is very clear, for in 1286 A.D. most of the living was earned by catering and leatherwork, the latter would have qualified to be sold or exported through the Staple also.

A record of the number of dwellings at this time could not be found, but many were watering and resting places for pilgrims and drovers.  Indeed we have 'Drainless Drove' and 'Flemmings' recorded en route to Woodnesborough and sandwich.  1n 1588 A.D. there were 148 communicants, fifty years later the same, but, by the late 1700's only ten dwellings are recorded with The Groves.  Perhaps this indicates that from the 13th to 18th Centuries depopulation had occurred, maybe of commercial disaster, famine or pestilence.  If the latter, a new village would have grown away from the church, which may give reason why our 20th Century Staple has no nucleus.

By 1363 A.D. the living had changed nearly 100% to that of the textile trade.  Presumably life was quite good for this mediaeval   society, but this middle ages state of affairs was not to last.  Edward III caused many troubles in the wool trade.  Despite great profits previously made from wool there was a feeling that more could be made of the industry.  So Edward invited Flemish weavers to work here under his protection.  The industry did prosper again, but a price was paid.  Capitalist employers emerged and there was destruction of the Guild system.  The trade became the King's chief form of taxable wealth, which must have affected everybody.  Crixhall House was 'diminished to the size of a common farmhouse' and economic policies were complex.  Edward never mastered the situation, but he did find the cloth industry easier than wool production, and the country rose from a primary producer to a large scale manufacturer.

During Edward's reign the Staple for this area was removed to Queeensborough (Approx. 1368) on the Isle of Sheppey, but nine years later it was returned because it was considered better to be near Sandwich, making export to Calais easier.  But the Staple systems continued to decline, and by 1617 A.D. it was abolished, along with the export of wool.  New measures were introduced to save the industry, one being the tax of 1678 on burial shrouds.  Anyone buried in a flax or cotton shroud was taxed but not if in wool!

Crixhall House was a 'gentleman's seat' from which knights were bred.  As was the family at Grove.  Sir John Grove, it is recorded, died in 1450 A.D. and is buried in St. Peter's Church, Sandwich.  By 1511 one Symon Quilter occupied the property.  He was obviously a man of strong views, for it is recorded he refused to pay tithes on four or five cartloads of barley.  He denied this and withdrew land from the parsonage in protest.  The problem wrangled some months until 1512, but in the meantime Symon had died and the matter was remitted to common law.  Later the family Lynch occupied Grove House.

Continued on next page ............

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