William (Osborne) Osbourne (1400 - 1464)

THE FAMILY of Osborne was seated in this parish before the reign of Edward IV. their seat here being called Hartlip-place, situated at Cruxhill, in the western part of this parish, so called from its having been formerly the residence of the family of Crux, the descendants of which afterwards removed to Sheldwich and Milton. They bore for their arms, Argent, on a pale, within a bordure, sable, an eagle displayed, between two crosses, sormee of the first. (fn. 2) Here the Osbornes resided for several generations. The first of this family whom I have met with is William Osborne, who was of Hartlip, and died in 1464. He was succeeded by John Osborne, his son, who was one of the auditors of the queen's exchequer, and died in 1577, both of whom, as well as their several descendants, lie buried in the north chancel of this church, usually called the Osborne's chancel. They bore for their arms, Quarterly, argent and azure; in the first and fourth quarter, an ermine spot, over all, a cross, or, charged with five annulets, sable. At length it descended to John Osborne, esq. of Hartlip-place, who built for his residence a large house, about half a mile south-west from the church, in this parish, which he named Danehouse. He afterwards removed to Maidstone, on account of a most daring robbery committed on him whilst he resided at Dane-house, after which it stood many years uninhabited, and was at last entirely pulled down. He died in 1683, and was succeeded by his son Thomas Osborne, esq. major of the militia, whose two sons, John and Thomas, successively inherited his estates in this parish, and both dying s. p. were buried with their ancestors in Hartlip church; on which their two sisters became their coheirs, of whom Elizabeth was married to Richard Tylden, esq. of Milsted, and Mary to the Rev. Mr. Milway, of Borden; the latter of whom sold her share of these estates in which the scite of Dane-house was included, to Tyndale, of Gloucestershire, and of Bobbing, in this county, whose descendant William Tyndale, of North Certon, in Gloucestershire, is the present proprietor of them; but Hartlip-place, Queendown-warren, and the residue of the Osborne estates in this parish, were allotted to Mr. Tylden, who had one son the Rev. Richard Osborne Tilden, of Milsted, and three daughters, of whom, Hannah was married to Edward Belcher, esq. of Ulcomb; Mary, to the Rev. Thomas Bland, and the third, Philippa, died unmarried. His widow survived him, and becoming possessed of this estate, levied a fine of it, and died in 1766, having by her will devised the whole of her interest in it to her two daughters, Mary and Philippa. Hartlip-place was included in that part devised to the former, who died possessed of it in 1780; upon which, by the limitation in the above will, it descended to her two younger sons, Thomas and William Bland, but the former having before sold his interest in the reversion of it to his brother, Mr. William Bland, he became possessed of it, and is the present owner of it.

The other part of the Osborne estate, devised to Mrs. Philippa Tylden, which included the freehold part of Queendown, has been since alienated; but the remainder of Queendown, containing about seventy acres, being held of the master and brethren of St. Catherine's hospital, near the Tower, by lease, was renewed in the name of the Rev. Mr. Tylden, on whose death in 1766, his interest in it descended to his eldest son Richard Tylden, esq. of Milsted, who is now entitled to it. source Edward Hasted, 'Parishes: Hartlip', in The History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent: Volume 6 (Canterbury, 1798), pp. 15-24. British History Online http://www.british-history.ac.uk/survey-kent/vol6/pp15-24 [accessed 27 June 2018].

My 18th great grandfather