Ditton, Kent

St. Peter ad Vincula Church

Ancient Parish, with original registers from 1663.

Alicia Culpeper^16a married at least two of her four husbands in this church (1692 and 1723). Further research is needed to see if there was a greater Culpeper presence here.

St. Peter's Church, Ditton, Kent

Ditton

1831 Topographical Dictionary:
DITTON, a parish in the hundred of LARKFIELD, lathe of AYLESFORD, county of KENT, 3½ miles NNW from Maidstone, containing 192 inhabitants. The church, dedicated to St. Peter, is a small building with a square tower at the west end.

Borough Court

Borough Court at Ditton (also called Brooke Court) was part of the possessions of the Aylesford Culpepers early in the reign of Edward III (1327-1377). Walter Culpeper^4a owned it, and through his descendants it continued down to Richard Culpeper^9a, Esq., afterwards knighted of Oxen Hoath. Sir Richard had no sons, and at his death in 1484, Bourough Court passed to Richard's three daughters: (1) Margaret Culpeper, wife of William Cotton of Oxen Hoath; (2) Joyce Culpeper, wife of Edmund Lord Howard (one of their daughters was Catherine Howard, fifth wife of Henry VIII); and (3) Elizabeth Culpeper, wife of Henry Barham, Esq. They sold it to Francis Shakerly of Shakerly, Kent. (Hasted's Kent, Vol. IV, pp 457-458)

Sifletone, Ditton and Brampton Manors

William Clifford of Bobbing sold during the reign of Henry V (1413-1422) Sifletone, Ditton and Brampton Manor to Sir William Culpeper^8a, son of Sir John Culpeper^7a of Oxen Hoath. At Sir William's death, it passed to his son, Sir Richard Culpeper^9a of Oxen Hoath. Sir Richard had no sons, and at his death in 1484, Bourough Court and Siflton Manor (see below) passed to Richard's three daughters (see details under Borough Court, above). They, in the reign of King Henry VII, joined in the sale of these manors to Thomas Leigh of Sibton in Liminge. (Hasted's Kent, Vol. IV, pp 459-460, 539).