Simon Fynemere

Source: http://hougham.royroyes.net/getperson.php?personID=I16100&tree=hougham

1308-09. The earliest of the East Statton deeds is something of an enigma because there is no name in it remotely resembling Filmer or Fynmer. It mentions 'Waterdych' and Waterditch Farm is still marked on the Ordnace Survey Map. It may or may not be a coincidence that the present house has a pond immediately at the bottom of a short back garden. The deed is as follows:

1308-9. February. I Robert son of Robert de Otryngden give to Simon atte Waterdych of Otryngdon and Sarah his wife and heirs of the same Symon and their assigns one acre of wood, etc. in the vill of Otryndon in the tenure of the court of Sutton atte Shadeswood, between the wood of Philip de Otryngden which is on the west and the wood of the heirs of William atte Beechwode on the east and the head on the north to the land of the afresaid Philip And on the south to the land of John Eustace and the path which belongs to the lord's acre of wood extending beyond Shadeslond on the west. Given at Otryngdon, the month of February the second year of the reign of King Edward son of King Edward. These being the witnesses- Laurence Lord of Otrynden, Henry de Ednesburgh, William Vychy, Laurence de Cruce, Thomas de Herst, senior, Philip de Oteryngden, Peter de Herst, Thomas his brother, Henry le Frentrisse, etc.'

The first point that seems worth investigation is whether the deed is just implying that Simon, whilst living at Waterditch, a farm in Lenham but probably extending into the old parish of Boardfield and about 400 yards from the then church, really came from Otringdene. No surname is mentioned but could he have been directly related to the Filmer family?

In an effort to answer this problem it is necessary to see if there is any other contemporaneous evidence.

A particularly intriguing entry occurs in a Calendar of Close Rolls. In 1311 the Sheriff of Kent was ordered to release a Simon de Fynemere together with several others from around that area - namely, John atte Benelond, of Bourdfield, Thomas Salmon of Otringdene, Hamo le Snodland, Bartholomew le Suouer and William Muriel of Dodyngton, who were imprisoned in Canterbury Castle.

Just why they were imprisoned in Canterbury Castle is not at all clear but they obviously had been acting as a group, possibly for political motives. A John de Bourdfield was later ordained as a priest in 1312, but again he may not be the same person as John atte Benelond above (1).

It does look possible, however, that Simon de Fynmere and Simon atte Waterdych de Fynmere are the same person. Nevertheless, there is no clear evidence that the Filmer family owned any part of Waterditch farm at so early a date.