There are five parishes within the benefice:

Bridge

Patrixbourne

Bekesbourne

Lower Hardres

Nackington

Date	Patron	Vicar	Notes
1189	Prior and Convent of Merton	WALTER DE BURNE, mentioned in 1189 (Cotton MS, Cleopatra, c. vii. f. 96 a)	The first-mentioned Incumbent of Patricksbourne and Bridge became a crusader. In the words of the original record, - Walterus, accepta cruce, profectus est Jerusalem. The Prior and Convent of Merton, who were already patrons of the benfice, made and agreement with Roger, a chaplain of Sandwich, to act as substitute for three year in his absence. Whether or not he survived the expedition is not stated. If he perished with the many thousands who lost their life there can be little doubt that Roger became his successor. Walter was not the sole representative of the parish in the Holy Land, for Alexander de Cheyney is mentioned as being with Richard Cœur de Lion at the siege of Acre. Moreover another person is mentioned whose name must have been familiar in the neighbourhood, Margeria de Bornes, an heiress, carried part of the manor of Patricksbourne in marriage to John de Pratellis. Of William de Pratellis a noble act is recorded, which was this - Richard Cœur de Lion while at Joppa went out one day with a small party hawking. Fatigued with his extertions he rested, fell asleep, an awoke to find himself and followers sourrounded by a band of the infidels. William de Pratellis seeing his sovereign's danger cried out in the language of the Saracens that he was the "melech". The ruse succeeded, the enemy immediately seized him, and bore him off in triumph, while Richard hurried back to his camp, and at once set out to rescue his faithful follower, but without success. He was, however, subsequently redeemed in exchange for ten noble Turkish captives.
1189	P. and C. of Merton	ROGER DE SANWIC, appointed at Christmas 1189. (Ibid)
**** Gap in records ****
1303	P. and C. of Merton	ADAM DE EYTONE, adm 14 November, 1303	He is styled a Canon of the House of Merton,and was admitted "to the Cure of the church and parish of Patricksbourne" as was also his immediate successor
1307	P. and C. of Merton	PETER DE FODERYNGHEGHE, adm. 16 November 1307.
1317	P. and C. of Merton	WILLIAM DE EYTONE, inst 1 June 1317	He is the first who is spoken of as being instituted to the vicarage
1318		WILLIAM DE KYNGESFELD,mentioned 16 December, 1318	Ordained priest at Maidstone by Archbishop Reynolds, with title to this vicarage
1329		WILLIAM KNYGHT, mentioned 20 January, 1329-30 (Close roll)	The name of this vicar occurs several times on the Close Rolls in connection with a considerable sum of money owed him by Sir William de Cheyney. The debt was still uncancelled six years later, after Sir William's death.
1347		THOMAS DE WYVELYNGHAM, mentioned 10 December, 1347	Mentioned in the Cotton MS, already quoted, in connection with building alterations
1349	P. and C. of Merton	SIMON DE HITCHE, inst 31 December, 1349	After a residence of nearly twenty-three years he exchanged with William Wygge for Bekesbourne.
1372	P. and C. of Merton	WILLIAM WYGGE, exch with the last. 12 October, 1372.
1376	P. and C. of Merton	JOHN SCALDWELL,exch with the last, 10 September, 1376	He is described as "bicallarius in decretis" and was previously vicar of S. Dunstan's, Canterbury
1379	P. and C. of Merton	JOHN GOBET, exch with the last, 12 February, 1379-80	He had before been rector of "Raketon" (Racton), in the diocese of Chichester.
1387	P. and C. of Merton	ROBERT ATTE CHURCHE, exch. with the last, 14 February, 1387-8	He was previously chaplain of the Chantry in the Hosptial of S. Thomas, Eastbridge, Canterbury.
1401	P. and C. of Merton	JOHN TOUKER, adm. 7 July ,1401, on d. of last vicar
1402	P. and C. of Merton	WILLIAM PYK, exch. with the last. 30 June, 1402.	William Pyk is stated in Archbishop Arundel's Register to have effected an exchange with "William Toker". If this is not a clerical error for John Touker, another vicar should be added to the list. Mr Pyk had previously held the vicarage of Kennington, near Ashford.
1409	P. and C. of Merton	WILLIAM CHATTYE,adm. 3 December, 1409.
1412	P. and C. of Merton	WILLIAM MONAND, exch. with the last, 21 March, 1412-3.	He was before rector of Beesby, in the Lincoln diocese. The record of his exchange is entered on the Patent Rolls.
1416	P. and C. of Merton	ROGER DE MORLAND, adm. 2 November, 1416, on d. of last vicar
1417	P. and C. of Merton	WILLIAM NONEFAY, adm. 24 May, 1417
1424	P. and C. of Merton	JOHN NORTHVILLE, exch. with the last, 18 August, 1424	He exchanged from the perpetual vicarage of "Mundefelde" (Mountfield), in the diocese of Chichester.
1425	P. and C. of Merton	JOHN VEYSYNG,exch. with the last, 12 March, 1425-6	Previously vicar of the church of SS. Cosmus and Damian, Blean.
1426	P. and C. of Merton	HENRY GRYMBSY, adm. 29 January, 1426-7, on res. of the last
1428	P. and C. of Merton	JOHN ARNEY, adm. 10 February, 1428-9, on res. of the last
1433	P. and C. of Merton	RICHARD HANCOKUS, adm. 19 April, 1433
1433	P. and C. of Merton	ROBERT HUNTE, adm. 28 January, 1433-4.
1435	P. and C. of Merton	WILLIAM WELTON, exch. with the last, 14 Septepber, 1435	Before coming here he had held the rectory of S. Martin's, Canterbury, for rather less than a year. His stay at Patricksbourne was still more brief, extending over only six week. The succession of vicars throughout the fifteenth century was very rapid, no fewer than thirty having been instituted. At a later period, from 1698 to 1799, there were but three institutions
1435	P. and C. of Merton	ROBERT MERSDEN, adm. 16 August, 1436, on res of the last.
1437	P. and C. of Merton	WILLIAM PODYNGTON, adm. 18 August, 1437, on res. of the last.
		WILLIAM BARKER	The dates of the institutions of Will. Barker and Will. Smyth seem to escaped record. Their names occur only at the appointment of thier successors.
1450	P. and C. of Merton	ROBERT HUNTE, adm. 4 April, 1450, on res of the last	Presumably the same who had left some fifteen years before for S. Martin's, Canterbury, where he stayed until 1448
		WILLIAM SMYTH
1453	P. and C. of Merton	NICHOLAS COVALL, adm. 15 Feburary, 1453-4, on res of the last.
1455	P. and C. of Merton	PATRICK CRUYS,adm. 20 July, 1455.on res of the last.
1459	P. and C. of Merton	JOHN CLERK, adm. 9 May 1459, on d. of last vicar.
1460	The Archbishop, by lapse	WILLIAM FLETE, inst. 14 April, 1460
1460	P. and C. of Merton	LAURENCE YERDHERST, adm. 30 November, 1460, on res of the last.	Many years before, in 1436, he had been instituted to the vicarage of Lower Halstow, on presentation by the Prior and Convent of Christ Church, Canterbury. The reason of his being deprived is not mentioned
1466	P. and C. of Merton	JOHN LOUGHTON, adm. 28 July, 1466, on depriv. of the last
1467	P. and C. of Merton	WILLIAM PRESTON, adm. 26 March, 1467, on d. of the last.
1470	P. and C. of Merton	WALTER WALSH, adm. 23 November, 1470, on d. of the last
1471	P. and C. of Merton	WILLIAM DARDES, adm. 14 July, 1471, on d. of the last.
1480	The Archbishop, by lapse	WALTER BRISTOW, inst. 29 May, 1480, on d. of the last	He was the second vicar appointed by Archbishop Bourchier to this living owing to lapse. He was still vicar on 15 July, 1489, when he was cited to appear for being non-resident.
1495	P. and C. of Merton	MALCOLM RAMESEY, M.A. adm. 7 August 1495	The last of the long series of vicars presented by the Prior and Convent of S. Mary, Merton, which was surrended on the 16th April, 1538, the Prior being John Ramsey, probably a relation of this vicar. Towards the end of Malcolm Ramesey's tenure of office, which extended over nearly forty-three eventful years, the Valor Ecclesiasticus was compiled, in which the value of this benefice is entered as follows: - "Malcolme Ramsey vicar there hath glebe lands to the yerely value of ljs ijs. In tithes prediall and personall, oblations, and other spirituall yerely profyts - £v ixs. vjd. And in one yerely pencion due by the priour of Merton, his patron, and not paid £vj. Therof to be allowed for the yerely stypend of a priest to serve in the said chapell of Bregge, liijd." From this account is appears that the vicar of "Patrixbourne" enjoyed an annual income of £5 7s 4d, which would have been augmented by £6, if he could have obtained his pension from his patron.
1538	John Bowle	JOHN GRENE, adm. 5 July 1538, on d. of the last	John Bowle presented this vicar by virtue of a grant made to him by the late Prior and Convent of Merton of the presentation after the next voidance. In the latest edition of Dugdale's Monasticon it is stated that "John Bowle, B.D., Fellow of All Soul's College, Oxford, was the last Prior of this House.", but this does not seem to have been the case, as Ramsey's name occurs in the Deed of Surrender. It is more probable that Bowle was the farmer or collector of the revenues of this Priory for this district.
1541	Sir Tho. Cheney. Kt	JOHN SHAWE, adm. 24 May 1541, on d. of the last.
1546	Sir Tho. Cheney. K.G.	WILL. NOLE, or NOWELL, adm. 1 May, 1546, on d. of the last.
1550	Sir Tho. Cheney, K.G.	JOHN FYSHER, adm. 6 January, 1550-1, on d. of the last
1582		HENRY HEVESIDE, resigned c. 31 October 1582.	He obtained licence on 31st Octrober, 1582, to treat with his successor respecting an annual pension to be paid him out of the emoluments of the vicarage; from which it may be inferred that he had been resident here for some considerable time.
1582	John Feche, for this turn	RICHARD FOUNTAINE, inst,. 22 November, 1582, on res. of the last.	Only a few weeks before Mr. Fountaine had been instituted to the rectory of Eastbridge, in Romney Marsh. He had previously held the vicarages of Temple Ewell, Lydden , and Rver, near Dover. He was also rector of Snave which he continued to hold with Patricksbourne. "He satisfied nature," as the record expressed it, on 2 July, 1589, and was buried the following day at Patricksbourne, the entry of his burial being the earliest in the Register of a vicar.
1589	Will. Partheritch, Esq.	ROBERT RAWSON, M.A, inst 15 December 1589, on res. of the last	His burial is entered under the 6th April, 1594; there can be no doubt, therefore, that Mr. Whyte was his immediate successor, though this is not stated in Archbishop Whitgift's Register.
1594	Will. Partheryche, Esq.	JOHN WHYTE, inst. 31 May 1594, on d. of lst vicars.	Within a few years of Mr. Whyte becoming vicar, an injunction was issued that all entries in the old paper Registers should be transcribed into books of vellum, and with the earliest existing Registers of both Patricksbourne and Bridge give evidence of the care with which the work was carried out. On 21 November, 1607, Mr Whyte was collated by Archbishop Bancroft to the vicarage of Bekesbourne, and he was instituted to the same on presentation by the King on 29 April following. This may have necessitated his resigning Patricksbourne, to which he was instituted a second time on 16 June, 1608.
1644	Sir Edw. Master, Kt	JAMES COLEBIE, adm. 7 May, 1644 (Bp's Certif)
1659		JAMES SHIPTON, mentioned in 1659 (Patricksb. Par. Reg)	On 25 September, 1662, he was collated by Archbishop Juxon to the vicarage of S. Peter, Thanet, where he died three years later, and was buried beneath the altar.
1662	Sir Arnold Braems, Kt	JOHN FIGE, ist 13 Feburary, 1662-3
1667	Sir Arnold Braems, Kt.	JOHN MACKELLAR, M.A., inst 7 November 1667, on d. of the last	During Mr Mackellar's thiry years' tenure of office a very large number of Collections by Briefs was made in the churches of both parishes, or from house to house. Among them was one, which realised 30s., toward the rebuilding of S. Paul's Cathedral, destroyed by the Great Fire. An entry in the parish Register also mentioned that in 1674 two of the three bells at Particksbourne were re-cast. It may be mentioned here that the third one and the tenor bell at Bridge are among the earliest now remaining in the county, having been cast, as there is good reason to suppose, by William le Belyetere, of Canterbury, about the middle of the fouteenth century.
1697	Mrs Margaret Breams	JOHN BOWTELL, M.A., inst. 2 February 1697-8, on d. of the last.	Fwllow of S. John's College, Cambridge. He took the degree os S.T.B. in 1701, and of S.T.P. in 1718. In Deecember, 1719, he obtained the college living of Staplehurst, which he retained until his death. The earlier portion of the Patricksbourne Communion Plate dates from his time, having been preented to the chruch by teh family of Taylor, at Bifron. Dr, Bowtell during his residence here published A Defence of the LVth Canon. He died in January, 1753, his fifty-five years' tenure of office having far exceeded that of any of this predecessors
1753	Miss Mary Taylor	HERBRT TAYLOR, M.A., inst 3 November 1753, on d. of the last	Previously, for twenty-seven years, rector of S. Alphege with S. Mary Northgate, Cantebury. Also rector of Hunton,which he retained with this benefice.
1763	Hebert Taylor, Esq.	EDWARD TAYLOR, M.A., inst 3 November, 1763, on d. of the last	For the last four years of his life, Mr. Taylor also held the rectory of Ruckinge.
1799	Edward Taylor, Esq.	WILLIAM TOKE, inst 8 May 1799, on d. of the last.
1800	Edward Taylor Esq.	WILLIAM PAYLER, B.A., inst 28 April 1800, on res of the last.	On leaving this neighbourhood he accepted the rectory of S. Mary, Bermondsey
1813	Edward Taylor, Esq.	CHARLES HUGHES,M.A., inst 24 February, 1813, on cess of the last	In May, 1823, Mr. Hughes took the surname and arms of Hallett in addition to his own name. About the year 1823 an important alteration was made in Patricksbourne church by the addition of a north aisle to the nave.
1846	The Marchioness Conyngham	JOHN STEVENSON, inst. 2 July, 1846, on d. of the last	The chancel of the church was restored in 1849, at the expense of the Marchioness Conyngham; and in 1857 a complete restoration of the enitre building was effected under the supervision of Sir G. Gilbert Scott. Two years later Bridge church was almost entirely rebuilt by the munificence of Mrs Gregory, of Bridge Hill. Archbishop Sumner, about the year 1859, conferred on Mr. Stevenson the Lambeth degree of D.D., and in May, 187, he was instituted by Archbishop Tait to an Honorary Canonry in Canterbury Cathedral.
1874	The Marquis Conyngham	FRANCIS THOMAS VINE, B.A. inst 30 November, 1874, on res. of the last	He was for some time Diocesean Inspector of Schools in the Canterbury Diocese. He also held the position of Domestic Chaplain to the 3rd and 4th Marquis Conyngham. He became rector of Eastington in 1884, vicar of Womanswold in 1898, and is now rector of S. George's, Canterbury. He is the author of Cæsar in Kent
1884	The Marquis Conyngham	JOHN HENRY REGINALD KIRBY, M.A., inst 21 February, 1884 on cess of the last.	He was appointed Domestic Chaplain to the 4th Marquis Conyngham in 1884. After a residence of nearly fouteen years he was called to succeed his father as vicar of Mayfield. Among other works carried on in this time was the insertion of a stained glass window in the memory of Geroge Henry, 3rd Marquis Conyngham; and, in 1891, the complete restoration of the interesting spire
1898	The Marquis Conyngham, by his guardian	HUBERT KNIGHT, M.A. inst 17 January, 1898, on res. of the last.	Of Christ's Colleage, Cambridge; and previously on the clerical staff of the important parish of Christ Church, S. Marylebone. Present Vicar

The above history was taken from a notice currently displayed in St Peter's, Bridge.
It was compiled, chiefly from the Lambeth Registers by Rev. T. S. Frampton, F.S.A. Easter 1900.
Transcribed into HTML for the internet by Mark Esdale BSc(Hons), June 2007.
For further notes, by the late Canon Scott Robertson, see Archæologia Cantiana, xiv, 169-184