Stelling
There was probably a settlement here in Roman times for old English word ‘ stelling ‘ meaning a cattle haven or shelter was derived from Latin, the language of the Romans. They brought it here in the first century A.D.and when they left 400 years later they took it with them for few Britons used it. So by inference one can assume Stelling was a settlement along that Roman built road, the Stone Street, just a cluster of mud huts whose inhabitants raised cattle and pigs which they traded with the Romans.
The Romans left Britain about 420 A.D. and this part of Kent was overun by Jutes and Saxons.
They arrived from the continent in large numbers and established a kingdom of Kent, under their leader Hengist. The Saxons drove the Britons out of their settlements and just moved in, probably taking over Stelling.
After Augustine landed in AD 596 and brought Christianity to this part, the Saxons were converted and were responsible for the first church at Stelling.It remained until the present one was built.
We know nothing of Stelling until 1070 when it was shown as being one of the possessions of Odo, Bishop of Bayeaux. But Odo, by now the first Duke of Kent, was ambitious and greedy and fell into disgrace. William the conqueror took back to the crown all his possessions.
Thus it remained until we learn that Edward 1's reign in about 1269, William deHault possessed Stelling Manor. He resided in Wadden Hall just across the Stone Street. The old manor house was demolished in the 1930's.
In the 13th century there was a considerable village of Stelling but it disappeared. Why?
Two things could have happened. It could have been wiped out in 1349 by the Black Death, which destroyed many communities in this part of England. The houses, built only of timber and mud, would have either fallen down or been burned to stop infection. Or it could have been depopulated in the reign of Henry VII in about 1489.
At that time the lords of the manors were taking the land of the small farmers, turning them out of their houses and using the land as pasture for their sheep. Thus fewer workmen were required and as in Saxon times they were turned adrift and their houses burned. So Stelling could have been destroyed in the 14th century by disease or in the 15th century by greed.
The Romans left Britain about 420 A.D. and this part of Kent was overun by Jutes and Saxons.
They arrived from the continent in large numbers and established a kingdom of Kent, under their leader Hengist. The Saxons drove the Britons out of their settlements and just moved in, probably taking over Stelling.
After Augustine landed in AD 596 and brought Christianity to this part, the Saxons were converted and were responsible for the first church at Stelling.It remained until the present one was built.
We know nothing of Stelling until 1070 when it was shown as being one of the possessions of Odo, Bishop of Bayeaux. But Odo, by now the first Duke of Kent, was ambitious and greedy and fell into disgrace. William the conqueror took back to the crown all his possessions.
Thus it remained until we learn that Edward 1's reign in about 1269, William deHault possessed Stelling Manor. He resided in Wadden Hall just across the Stone Street. The old manor house was demolished in the 1930's.
In the 13th century there was a considerable village of Stelling but it disappeared. Why?
Two things could have happened. It could have been wiped out in 1349 by the Black Death, which destroyed many communities in this part of England. The houses, built only of timber and mud, would have either fallen down or been burned to stop infection. Or it could have been depopulated in the reign of Henry VII in about 1489.
At that time the lords of the manors were taking the land of the small farmers, turning them out of their houses and using the land as pasture for their sheep. Thus fewer workmen were required and as in Saxon times they were turned adrift and their houses burned. So Stelling could have been destroyed in the 14th century by disease or in the 15th century by greed.