ARMS-Azure, semée of fleurs-de-lis, or, a lion rampant, argent.

CREST--In a ducal coronet, or, a griffin's head, argent.

SEATS At Poole, in Wirrall, Cheshire; and at the Friery, in Lewes, Sussex.

198. OXENDEN, of DENE, Kent.

Created Baronet, May 8, 1678.

THE family of Oxenden have been resident in Kent from the reign of Edw. III. Solomon Oxenden being the first mentioned in the several pedigrees of it; whose near relation, Richard Oxenden, was prior of Christ Church Canterbury, in that reign, and was buried in St. Martin's, in that cathedral. The descendants of Solomon became possessed of both Brook and Dene, in Wingham, and spread themselves likewise into Riculver, Herne, and Burham, in the county of Kent.

1, Solomon Oxinden*, of Oxinden, in the parish of Nonnington, in Kent, Esq. married Joyce, daughter of Alexander Dene, of Dene, in Kent, Esq, and was buried in the church of Nonnington, 40 Edw. III. leaving,

2, Alan Oxinden, his son and heir, father of

3, Richard living 10 Ric. II. whose son,

4, Richard Oxinden, of Nonnington, Esq. lived 6 Hen. V. and married Isabel, daughter of Theobald Twitham, of Nonnington, Esq, by whom he had,

5, John, surnained Ginkin, of Woolwich, living temp. Henry VI, who married Isabel, daughter of Richard Ratling, of Nonnington, Esq. serjeant at law, in the reign of Henry VI. by whom he had three sons, 1, John; 2, Thomas, and 3, Robert. John, the father of these sons, les buried in the chapel of St. John's, in the church of Wingham.

6, John Oxinden, of Wingham, Esq. eldest son and heir of John, died in 1440, leaving by Jane, daughter of Dene, one son, Richard, who married Joan, daughter and heiress of Wenderton, he died in 1469, without issue and and left his whole inheritance to Thomas, son of his uncle, Thomas. He was a good benefactor to the church of Godnestone.

Robert, the third son, died 1498, leaving one daughter Isabel, the wife of Nicholas Sprackling, of the Isle of Thanet, Esq.

Thomas Oxinden, of Recolver, second son of John, died 1450, and was buried in Reculver church, leaving by Joan, daughter of Urleston, one son,

8, Thomas Oxinden, citizen of London, and heir to Richard, his cousin-german, before mentioned, who died 1492, and was buried at St. Mary-Magdalen, FishStreet. By his wife, Elizabeth, daughter of —————————— Ravenscroft, he had two sons,

• Ex stem penes Dom. Geo. Oxenden, Bar. 1741.

1, Edward Oxinden, of Broke, of whom hereafter; 2, William, who married Anne, daughter of and relict of Macket, of Hode; but died without issue, leaving his whole inheritance to his nephew, Henry Oxinden, of Broke, Esq. 9, Edward Oxinden, of Broke, in Wingham, lived in the reigns of King Henry VIII. Edward VI. Queen Mary, and Queen Elizabeth. He married Alice, daughter of Barton, by whom he had one daughter, Mary, wife of Thomas Hardres, of Hardres, in Kent, Esq. and two sons, 1, William Oxinden, of Broke, his eldest son and heir, who married Elizabeth, daughter of Ilill, but died 1576, without issue.

10, Henry Oxinden, of Dene, Esq. second son of Edward, married two wives; by his second, Thomasine, daughter of Vincent Sea, he had no issue ; but by his first wife, Elizabeth, daughter of Young, relict of Herne, who died 1588, he had five sons; 1, Edward, who was heir to his uncle, William, of Broke, who married Alice, daughter of Edmund Fowler, of Islington, in Middlesex, Esq. sister to Sir Thomas Fowler, Knt. by whom he had a numerous issue, the male branch whereof is now extinct, but the female descendants are now remaining at Broke; 2, Sir Henry Oxinden, Knt. of whom hereafter, 9, Thomas; 4, Christopher; and 5, William, who married Mary, daughter of Bartholomew Saunders, of Minster, in Thanet; which three last died without issue. 11, Sir Henry Oxinden, of Dene in Wingham, second son of Henry, before mentioned, was knighted Feb. 17, 1606. He married two wives; by the second, Mary, daughter of Theobald, he left no issue; but by his first, Elizabeth, daughter and heiress of James Broker, of Maydekin, in Barham, in Kent, Esq. who died Sept. 2, 1588, he had two sons, 1, Sir James; 2, Richard Oxinden, of Maydekin, who died May 20, 1629, leaving, by Catharine, daughter of Sir Adam Sprackling, of Canterbury, Knt. a numerous progeny, whose male issue are now

extinct.

12, Sir James Oxinden, of Dene, eldest son and heir of Sir Henry, was knighted at Whitehall, Nov. 17, 1008, and died Sept. 1657, leaving by Margaret, daughter of Thomas Nevinson, of Estry, in Kent, Esq. five sons, 1, Sir Henry; 2, James, who died unmarried, 1638; 3, Sir George Oxinden, Knt. Governor of the Island and fort of Bombay, and president of the honourable East-India Company in India, Persia, and Arabia. He lies buried at Surat, where there is a stately monument erected to his memory by the Fast-India Company*; 4, William, who died young; 5, Christopher, who was a merchant, and died at the East-Indies in 1659, and lies buried at Surat. Sir James had also five daughters, 1, Anne, wife of Richard Master, of East-Langdon, in Kent, Esq. 2, Mary; 3, Elizabeth; 4, Margaret; and, 5, Jane, wife of Sir Thomas Pierce, of Stonepit, in Kent, Bart. of N.S.

I. Sir HENRY OXINDEN, of Dene, the eldest son and heir, was knighted July 11, 1660, and advanced to the dignity of a Baronet 30 Car. II. He was elected to parliament for Sandwich, in the first parliament of Char. II. and married first, Mary, daughter and heiress of Robert Baker, of St. Martin's in the Fields, Esq. by whom he had only one daughter that died young; secondly, Elizabeth,

* In 1660, he gave the velvet cushion and pulpit cloth at the church of Wingham. He also gave, in 1682, five hundred pounds for the repairing and beautifying the said church and the Dene chancel.-Hist. ef Kent, Voi. III. P.696.

daughter of Sir William Meredith, of Leeds-abbey, in Kent, Bart. who died 1659, by whom he had several sons, and six daughters; 1, Sir James, his successor, 2, Sir Henry, successor to his brother; 3, George Oxenden, L.L. D. who was first, fellow of Trinity College, where after he had taken the degree of doctor of laws, admitted an advocate of the arches court, afterwards regius professor of law in the same university. Upon the death of Sir Thomas Exton, he was made oflicial of the arches, dean of the peculiars, and vicar-general to the archbishop of Canterbury, he likewise succeeded him in the mastership of Trinitv-hall; and and was elected to parliament for Cambridge university, temp. King William III. He married Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Basil Dixwell, of Broome, Bart. by whom he had three sons, Sir Henry, of whom hereafter; James, who died an infant; and Sir George, who was successor to his brother; Dr. Oxenden, died Feb. 21, 1702, at Doctors-Commons, and his relict at Bath, Sept. 1704; 4, Richard, of Gray'sInn, who married Elizabeth, daughter and coheiress of Henry Oxinden, of Broke, Esq.; by whom he had only one daughter, Elizabeth, the wife of Strensham Masters, Esq. brother to the countess of Torrington, who was a commander of several of his majesty's ships of war, by whom she had no issue*; 5, William, 6, William who died infants; and 7, Christopher, who died in the East-Indies. Of the daughters, 1, Susan, wife of Sir Robert Booth, Knt. chief-justice of Ireland ; 2, Elizabeth; 3, Margaret, who both died unmarried; 4, Jane, wife of William Penrice, of London; 5, Anne, of Thomas Belk, D. D. prebendary of Canterbury; and 6, Mary, of Dr. John Battley, archdeacon of Canterbury. The third lady of Sir Henry, was Elizabeth, daughter and coheir of Mathew Read, of Folkston, in Kent, Esq. relict of Mark Dixwell, of Broomehouse, Esq. by whom he had no issue. Sir Henry was succeeded in title and estate by his eldest son.

II. Sir JAMES OXENDEN, knighted March 22, 1671, married first, Elizabeth, daughter, and, at length, heiress of Edward Chute, of Bethersden, in Kent, Esq.; secondly, Arabella Watson, sister of Lewis, Earl of Rockingham; but leaving no issue by either of them, was succeeded in title and estate, Sept. 1708, § by his next brother,

III. Sir HENRY OXENDEN, Bart. who was a deputy-governor of the honourable East-India company in the island, castle, and port of Bombay; but dying Feb. 1708-9, without issue, was succeeded in title and estate by his nephew, IV. Sir HENRY OXENDEN, Bart. eldest son of Dr. George Oxenden before mentioned, who was a member of parliament for Sandwich at his death 1720. He married Anne, daughter of John Halloway, Esq. and grand-daughter of judge

He gave an annuity of four pounds a year for ever to the minister of this parish for the reading of divine service, and preaching a sermon in the church at Wingham, on every Wednesday in Lent, and Good Friday; and he at the same time gave twenty shillings yearly for ever, to be distributed by the minister with the consent of the heirs of the Brook estate, to eight poor people, who should be at divine service on Easter Day, to be paid out of the lands of Brook, now vested in Sir Henry Oxenden, Bart.

Mrs. Sybilla Oxenden, of Brook, spinster, gave a large silver patten for the holy communion.—Hist. of Kent, Vol. III.

§ He founded and endowed a school in the parish of Dene with 161. a year for ever, for teaching twenty poor children reading and writing, now in the patronage of Sir Henry Oxenden, Bart.-Hist. of Kent, Vol. III.

Halloway, by whom he had no issue; she surviving him, was remarried to the Right Honourable Richard Coote, Earl of Bellamont, in Ireland, whereupon the dignity and estate devolved upon his only brother,

V. Sir GEORGE OXENDEN, Bart. who was born Oct. 26, 1694, and married 1729, Elizabeth, eldest daughter and coheiress of Edmund Dunch, of Little S. Wittenham, Berkshire, Esq. then master of the household to King George I. she died in Feb. 1779, by whom he had issue, three sons and two daughters, who died infants or unmarried, except Henry his successor; George, the youngest son, was made heir to the estate of Sir Basil Dixwell, of Broome, in Berham, in Kent, Bart. by his last will; and changed his name to that of Dixwell; but dying Oct. 20, 1753, demised his mansion-seat at Broome, and his lands to his father, Sir George who gave them to his son the present Bart. Sir George was elected member of parliament for Sandwich, in 1720, in the room of his brother, Sir Henry deceased, and continued to sit for that place till the year 1734. He was made one of the admirality by King George I. 1725, and upon the demise of the said king, 1727, was by George II. promoted to the treasury, at which honourable board, he sat for the space of ten years and upwards: Sir George died Feb. 20, 1775, aged 81, and was succeeded by his son,

VI. Sir HARRY OXENDEN, Bart. who married in July 1755, Margaret, younger daughter and coheiress of Sir George Chudleigh, of Halden, near Exeter, Bart. by whom he has one son Henry who married June 20, 1795, Mary, daughter of Colonel Graham, of St. Laurence, near Canterbury.

ARMS-Argent, a cheveron, gules, between three oxen, sable; which arms were confirmed to this family by Guyan, King at arms, Feb. 1, 24 Hen. VI. CREST-Out of a ducal coronet, gules, a lion's head or. SEAT-At Wingham, in Kent.

In Wingham church, the south chancel is called the Dene chancel, under which is a vault, in which the family of Oxenden, owners of it, are deposited. In the middle, on the pavement, is a very costly pyramidical monument, having at each corner four large black oxen's heads, in allusion to their arms: it was erected in 1682. On the four tablets on the base is an account of the family of Oxenden, beginning with Henry, who built Dene-house, and ending with Dr. Oxenden, dean of the arches, who died in 1702. The north chancel is called Brook chancel, in which is a small tablet at the east end, for Sir James Oxenden, Knt. obiit, 1657; Elizabeth, wife of Sir Henry Oxenden, Knt, and Bart. obiit 1659; William, their son, obiit 1661; Susanna, their daughter, wife of Sir Robert Booth, obiit 1669; and Margaret, relict of Sir James Oxenden, obiit 1671; Elizabeth, daughter of Sir James Oxenden; and Elizabeth, his wife, 1675.

Henry Oxenden, who built Dene, obiit 1597.-Hist. of Kent, Vol. III. p. 702.