century. The best of these is that on
the left just west of the church, at the corner of Bullis Lane. This
house, according to Dunken, the historian of Dartford, was the
dwelling of one "John Grovehurst in the reign of King Edward IV. That
gentleman in 1465 obtained permission of the Vicar and church-wardens
of Dartford to erect a chimney on a part of the churchyard, and in
acknowledgment thereof provided a lamp to burn perpetually during the
celebration of divine service in the parish church. The principal
apartment in the upper floor (a room about twenty-five feet by twenty
feet) was originally hung round with tapestry, said to be worked by
the nuns of the priory, who were occasionally permitted to visit at
the mansion. The principal figures were in armour, and two of them as
large as life, latterly called Hector and Andromache; in the
background was the representation of a large army with inscribed
banners."

[Illustration: DARTFORD CHURCH AND BRIDGE]

The churchyard upon which John Grovehurst was allowed to erect a
chimney was till about the middle of the nineteenth, century larger
than it now is, part of it at that time being taken "to make the road
more commodious for passengers." This road was of course the
Pilgrims' Road, the Watling Street. That this always passed to the
south of the church is certain, but it may have turned a little in
ancient time to take the ford. It turns a little to-day to approach
the bridge, and thereafter climbs the East Hill.

Dartford Bridge, which already in the Middle Ages had supplanted ford
and ferry, happily remains to the extent of about a third of the width
of the two pointed arches which touch the banks. It was kept in order
and repair by the hermit who dwelt in a cell at the foot of the bridge
on the east, a cell older than the bridge, for the hermits used to
serve the ford. Here stood the Shrine of Our Lady and St Catherine of
Alexandria, which was much favoured by the pilgrims, so we may well
suppose that Chaucer and his friends did not pass it by without a
reverence.

Here too at the eastern end of the town stood a hospital dedicated in
honour of the Holy Trinity, but this Chaucer knew not, any more than
we may do, for it was only founded in 1452. It seems, however, to have
been built really over the stream upon piers, perhaps in something
the same way as the thirteenth-century Franciscan house at Canterbury
was built, which we may still see.

Dunken tells us that