Tenterden Custumal Project
In either 1557 or 1558 Stephen Cowper authorised a copy of Tenterden’s Custumal to be made. The Custumal details the duties and responsibilities of the officials who govern the town and is gathered together in a single binding with copies in English of the Edward IV Charter, the Henry VI Charter, the 1492 Composition with Rye, and the Elizabethan Charter. There are also records of the meetings of the Town Council which give insight into the government of the town in the fifteenth, sixteenth and seventeenth century. All of these documents are written on the finest laid cloth paper with two different watermarks. Most of the pages have marginalia showing that these were working documents.
Our Custumal contains some richly decorated pages and is one of the treasures of Kent Archives. It is an outstanding manuscript. There is no copy of this important historical document in the town.
The Custumal Project will involve commissioning a facsimile version of the Custumal and associated papers, reproducing in full colour the illustrated pages, providing a transcript of the text and information about the production and history of the Custumal.
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Funding to begin the project has been given by the Oxus Foundation and Tenterden and
District Local History Society. Kent Archives has been asked to image the document using
their new book cradle, especially designed for reproducing images of fragile documents.
Local artist, Anna Saunders, is beginning the process of reproducing the illustrations.
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Volunteers are welcome to become involved in the project. These are areas that we are
currently working upon:
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The Custumal and associated papers need transcribing. If you have either experience in transcribing sixteenth century documents or want to learn how to develop this skill, you would be very welcome to join the team of volunteers.
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There is always a reason, a cause, for documentation being produced. We will be exploring why Tenterden became a Cinque Port and considering why in 1449 the Charter was issued. What might the motivating factors have been for King and town?
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Why did it take so long for the Composition with Rye to be made?
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Why was the Custumal reissued in 1557 or 1558?
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How does the Custumal evolve over the years?
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What can we find out about the people who lived in Tenterden during these tumultuous times?
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People who enjoy research and who are interested in how local (and national) government
works may find this project of interest and wish to become involved.
The outcome of the project will be the making of a book, copies of which will be presented, by the project team, to the Town Council, the Oxus Foundation, Tenterden and District Local History Society, Tenterden and District Museum, Tenterden Library, and Kent Archives.​
If you wish to become involved in the project, please contact Sue: s.hatt72@gmail.com.
