Stone / Stone-Near-Dartford

"STONE-NEAR-DARTFORD, a parish in the hundred of Axton, lathe of Sutton-at-Hone, county Kent, 2 miles N.E. of Dartford, its post town, and 1 mile S.E. of Greenhithe railway station. The village, which is chiefly agricultural, is situated on Watling Street, near the river Thames. It was given by Ethelred, in 995, to the Bishop of Rochester, who had a seat here. The living is a rectory in the diocese of Rochester, value £765, in the patronage of the bishop. The church, dedicated to St. Mary, has a tower and two bells. The interior contains a brass of J. Lumbarde, a priest, bearing date 1408, and effigies of Willshyre, of Stone Castle, bearing date 1526. The parochial charities are considerable. There is a National school for both sexes. Stone Castle is of great antiquity, and belonged to Sir John de Northwood in the reign of Edward III."

[Transcribed from The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland 1868 by Colin Hinson ©2010]