nard Digges, Esq. whose ancestors had been seated in this Parish from the reign of Henry the Third. Sir Basil Dixwell, Bart. died in 1750, aged eighty-four, having left this seat to his kinsman, George Oxenden, Esq. younger brother to the late Sir Henry. The present Baronet has expended considerable sums in extending and improving the grounds, which are paled in; though Nature, especially in front, and to the west, has afforded but barren materials to

work upon.

BARHAM COURT was for many ages the seat of the Barkams, who were originally of the same family as Reginald Fitz-Urse, one of the murderers of Archbishop Becket, and who himself held this Manor, by knight's service, of the See of Canterbury. Thomas Barham, Esq. alienated it, in the reign of James the First, to the Fotherbys, whose heiress carried it to the Derings; and Charles Dering, Esq. next brother to the late Sir Edward Dering, now owns it in right of his mother. The house is a modern building, backed by the village Church.

The celebrated BARHAM DOWNS derive their name from this Parish, though a considerable part of the range lies within those of Kingston and Bishopsbourne. The medium extent of these Downs is about half a mile; but their length, from their commencement near Bridge, to their termination at Denne Hill, is upwards of four miles. Various remains of ancient Encampments may be traced here, some of which have been assigned to the Romans, and probably with truth: a small advanced work on the slope of the hill, nearly opposite to Kingston Church, and of which the rampart and ditch on three sides are still very evident, is ascribed to Cæsar. Vast numbers of Tumuli are scattered over these Downs: most of them have been opened; chiefly by the late Rev. Brian Fausset, of Heppington, who greatly increased his valuable collection of Roman Antiquities, by various articles which he then found. Among the coins were several of the Emperors Gallienus, Carausius, Allectus, and Constantine the Great: various urns, with human ashes, burnt bones, umboes of shields, &c. were also dug out of these barrows. When King John assembled a mighty army, in the year 1213, to oppose the threatened invasion of King

Philip, he encamped on Barham Downs: and here, likewise, Si mon de Montfort, Earl of Leicester, assembled a large army in the Barons' wars, in the reign of Henry the Third. Of late years frequent Camps have been formed on these Downs; the openness of the situation, and the salubrity of the air, rendering this a most eligible spot for the purpose. The county races, which annually take place in the month of August, give additional celebrity to these Downs: the Race Course is extensive.

DENNE HILL, in Kingston Parish, on the north-east side of the Dover road, is a seat of some eminence, at which resided the ancient family of the Dennes, from soon after the Conquest, till about the year 1700. Shortly afterwards it was sold to the Grays of Scotland, of whom the late Sir James Gray, Bart. and K. B. was Ambassador at Naples, Madrid, &c. About the year 1774, it was alienated, by this family, to John Morse, Esq, a West Indian, who sold it soon afterwards to Hardinge Stracey, Esq. Clerk to the House of Commons, and he disposed of it, in 1800, to John Harrison, Esq. late Sheriff of Kent.

BARFRESTON, or BARSTON, as it is more commonly called, has become noted for its very curious Church, which is generally considered as an undoubted specimen of Anglo-Saxon architecture; though from the exuberance of its ornaments, and the peculiarities attending them, together with the form of some of its arches, it may, with greater probability of truth, be classed among those of our Norman edifices, which were built in the times immediately preceding the general adoption of the Pointed style. It is dedicated to St. Mary, and consists only of a nave and chancel, which communicate with each other by a semicircular arch, rising from wreathed columns, and richly sculptured. The whole interior length is forty-three feet, four inches; the width of the nave is sixteen feet, eight inches; and that of the chancel, thirteen feet, six inches: the thickness of the walls is about two feet, nine inches. In the east wall are three narrow lancet windows, with a large circular window above them, which is divided into eight compartments, by a stone framing, forming a smaller circle in the centre, and haying the end of each ray, on the outer side, sculptured with a regal

à regal head: the whole window is surrounded by a large border, with sculptures of human heads, birds, foliage, &c. and near the sides, and over it, are small niches, exhibiting remains of different figures. Immediately below this window runs a frieze, enriched with the billet moulding, and a series of heads, of singular, grotesque, and varied character, terminated at each end by an animal on a projecting bracket: still lower are the lancet windows, which range in alternate succession with four recesses of similar form, but somewhat wider, the whole having plain mouldings. These rest upon a zig-zag beading, from which the wall projects obliquely for a short space, and is supported by two large semicircular arches, built in the lower part, which by this mode of construction assumes the appearance of three square piers.

The north and south sides of this fabric are in many respects similar, but the latter is most ornamented: in the chancel part, on this side, between two trefoil-headed windows, is a semicircular arched recess, which, from the remains, appears to have exhibited a piece of rich sculpture, but is too much mutilated to allow the subject to be traced. The heads, or masks, below the cornice, which, with the beading, is continued from the east end, are executed in a style of equal boldness and singularity, and the character is similarly varied. Over a doorway, that opened into the chancel, but is now stopped up, is a recessed arch, with a wavy moulding above; and beneath, a crowned head, projecting from the key-stone, with other heads and ornaments at the sides. The south, or principal entrance, which opens into the nave, is most richly ornamented with figures; but great part of it is now hidden from view by a brick porch, so injudiciously built, as to abut directly against the sculpture.* It consists of a triple arch, with various mouldings, partly rising from the wall, and partly springing from circular columns; the space above the door, includes a representation (apparently) of God the Father, within an Zzz 4 Oval

This porch cannot have been erected many years, as an engraving of this entrance has been given in Grose's Antiquities, but so very incorrect, that no idea can be formed from it of the beauty of the original.