LIDSING, ST. MARY MAGDALENE'S CHAPEL RECORDS

P153C

1727-1883

fonds

Lidsing chapel is first mentioned in a list of Chrism fees contained in the "Textus Roffensis". The hamlet or ville of Lidsing lay in a depopulated extra parochial area atop the North Downs, was served by the vicar of Gillingham or his curate and was attended mainly by nearby residents of the parish of Boxley, whose church was more distant and difficult to reach. In the 12th century the chapel was associated with the Benedictine nunnery of St. Sexburgha at Minster in Sheppey and by the 15th century with St. Andrew's Priory, Rochester. The chapel was afflicted by non-attendance of the Gillingham clergy and decaying fabric from at least the 1640s. In the 1730s a monthly service was being held and the chapel was largely in the care of lay officers though it was partly rebuilt by Rev. John Jenkinson, vicar of Gillingham, in the second half of the 18th century. By 1883 churchwardens were no longer elected or appointed, though overseers of the poor were. The building was ruinous and local residents attended Bredhurst church one mile away. The parish records were affected by damp and vandalism which may be evidenced by the present condition of certain items while many other documents were lost permanently. In the same year, a faculty was obtained for the demolition of the chapel following a fire. Demolition is thought to have taken place between 1883 and 1886. In 1903 Lidsing became part of the new Borough of Gillingham but retained separate Poor Law status until 1912.