JENYNS' TOUR OF 1824 - AN ITINERARY OF
JENYNS' DAILY MOVEMENTS RECONSTRUCTED BY

ROGER VAUGHAN

November 1999

This list has been constructed using Jenyns' manuscript of his tour, the plant records in his herbarium at Bath, and my knowledge of his habits and logical deductions relating to distances travelled. Most useful for reference is Thomas Moule's County Maps of the 1830's.

No mention of the Henslow's are made in the 'Tour' but both J.S.Henslow and his sister E.Henslow are recorded in the Jenyns Herbarium during the latter part of his tour when he was at Rochester. He makes no list of expenses at Rochester, therefore Jenyns was staying with friends and Henslow became his brother-in-law in 1823. Henslow's father lived at Rochester.

Jenyns pressed his plants in the evening, and was an early riser in the mornings, his Journal was kept in a clean condition, so it did not go on expeditions with him, but written up the following day before setting out. The time of day for breakfast is guesswork, as are some evening meals. However on the whole this must be a fairly accurate summary of his movements.

This list has been in part constructed to show where he was when plants were collected, to check his movements to look for any accidental errors by Jenyns (he started from London on the 16th in the text but on the 15th in the 'Expenses List') it also enables a modern traveller to follow his movements and to repeat the journeys today.

 

 

Friday 16th July, London to Lewes.

9.00am Leave London, Charing Cross, 10 miles to Croydon.

10.00am Stop at Croydon. First stage.

10.15am Leave Croydon, 9 miles to Godstone. Noted the plants seen, over chalk hills.

11.15am Stop at Godstone, the second stage.

11.30am Leave Godstone, 10 miles to East Grinstead. Sandstone hills.

12.30pm Stop at East Grinstead for lunch.

1.30pm Leave East Grinstead, 11 miles to Meresfield, through Ashdown forest, limestone rocks seen.

3.00pm Stop at Meresfield, fourth stage.

3.30pm Leave Meresfield for Lewes distance 10 miles, fifth stage.

5.00pm Arrive at Lewes, cost of journey 15s.0d.

5.30pm Booked in at the Crown Inn, Lewes.

7.00pm Evening meal at the Crown Inn.

8.00pm Walk around Lewes.

10.00pm Retired.

Saturday 17th July 1824, Lewes.

6.00am Arose, wrote up Journal.

8.30am Breakfast at the Crown Inn.

10.00am Left Lewes on the Brighton Road and walked three and half miles to Falmer.

11.00am Arrived Falmer, then struck off to the left across the Downs about three half miles more to Rottingdean, collected plants.

1.00pm Arrived Rottingdean, took temperature of the sea. Then took a coastal walk to Newhaven, went passed many Preventive Officers. Distance 5 miles.

3.00pm Arrive Newhaven and had luncheon, bread, and cheese and porter, cost 1s.6d.

4.00pm Leave Newhaven to return to Lewes

4.15pm Collecting plants in a ditch half mile from Newhaven.

Collected plants at Piddinghoe.

Walked alongside the river Ouse

Left the road shortly before Shotover and turned right, along an enclosed lane.

6.30pm Arrive back at the Crown Hotel, Lewes, much tired by the heat of the day.

7.00pm Evening Meal of Southdown Chops.

8.00pm I dried my plants.

10.00pm Retired

Sunday 18th July 1824, Lewes.

6.00am Arose wrote up Journal.

8.30am Breakfast

10.00am Walked to Brighton, distance eight miles.

12.30pm Arrived Brighton, Luncheon.

1.00pm Saw the Pavilion and went on the Chain Pier

7.00pm Evening Meal at The Norfolk Hotel, West Cliff, ate a piper.

9.00pm Left Norfolk Hotel, returned by pony cart to Lewes.

10.00pm At Crown Hotel, Lewes. retired. Expenses 8 shillings.

Monday 19th July 1824, Lewes.

6.00am Arose, wrote up Journal.

8.30am Breakfast

10.00am Walked from Lewes to Mount Caburn, distance two and a half miles.

11.30am Highest part of the Downs at the back of Lewes, S.E. of town, temperature 65, wind S.S.W., enjoyed the view. Set off on the path towards Lewes and then on the road to Ringmer, looked at small and neat house, left of road, just before the village, and thought, was this where Gilbert White stayed? 3 miles.

12.15pm Examined Ringmer Church and it's ferns.

12.30pm Set off 3 miles across country to Isfield, then crossed over the road to Isfield. In wood half a mile from Isfield, collected plants. Noticed gypsies in this area.

2.00pm Luncheon at Isfield, cost 6d, probably a pint, bread and

cheese.

3.00pm Set off for Lewes by the direct road, 6 miles.

5.00pm Arrive at Lewes.

5.30pm Pressing the days collection of plants.

7.00pm Evening meal at the Crown Hotel, Lewes.

8.00pm Packing for the next journey.

10.00pm Retire.

Tuesday 20th July 1824, Lewes to Hastings.

6.00am Arose, wrote up Journal.

8.30am Breakfast, and paid his hotel bill œ1.12.6d.

9.30am Wait at the coach pick up point with bags, (Lewes).

10.00am Caught the Brighton to Hastings Coach. Via: Ringmer, Stonecross, Horsebridge, Gardener's Street, Catsfield Green and Battle.

12.00am Stonecross (?Golden Cross), 10 miles (change horses?)

2.00pm Gardner's Street (change horses?),

11 miles.

3.40pm Battle (change horses?)

Saw the Old Abbey from the top of the coach.

9 miles

5.00pm Arrived at Hastings. Cost of journey 11s,

booked in at the Crown Hotel, Hastings.

5.30pm Walk around the town, shopping for blotting and brown paper.

7.00pm Evening meal at the Crown Hotel, Hastings.

8.00pm Walk on the beach, watching the fishermen.

9.00pm Pressed plants.

10.00pm Retire.

 

Wednesday 21st July 1824, Hastings.

6.00am Arose, wrote up Journal.

8.30am Breakfast.

9.00am Cliffs to the left of the town of Hastings, collecting plants.

1.00pm Luncheon at the Crown Hotel.

2.00pm Cliffs to the right of the town, collecting plants.

6.00pm Return to Hotel.

7.00pm Evening Meal at the Crown Hotel, Hastings.

8.00pm Pressing and arranging plants.

10.00pm Retire.

Thursday 22nd July 1824. Hastings.

6.00am Arose, wrote up Journal.

8.30am Breakfast.

9.30am On the beach examining shells, Sea Anemones and starfish, and

watching and talking to the fishermen.

1.00pm Luncheon at the Crown Hotel.

2.30pm In a wood half a mile below the town to the left and by the sea, a stream and the barrack of the Preventive Service.

Collecting plants.

6.00pm Return to Hotel.

7.00pm Evening Meal at the Crown Hotel.

8.00pm Pressing and arranging plants.

9.00pm Pack cases for journey

10.00pm Retire.

Friday 23rd July 1824, Hastings to Tonbridge Town.

6.00am Arose, wrote up Journal

8.30am Breakfast at the Crown Hotel, Hastings.

Settled hotel bill £1.8.0d

10.00am Caught London Coach for Tonbridge, cost 9s.

11.00am Battle

11.40am Robertsbridge (change horses?)

1.00pm Lamberhurst, saw plants in a wood from the top of his coach.

2.00pm Arrived at Tonbridge Town, booked in at the Rose and Crown.

Luncheon at Rose and Crown.

3.00pm Started walking towards Wrotham for four miles, collecting plants in the woods either side of the road [Higham Wood] and Fair Lawn.

5.00pm Bought blotting paper in Tonbridge, cost 3s.

6.00pm Return to Rose and Crown.

7.00pm Evening Meal at Rose and Crown.

8.00pm Pressing and arranging plants.

10.00pm Retire.

 

Saturday 24th July 1824, Tonbridge.

6.00am Arose, wrote up Journal.

8.30am Breakfast at Rose and Crown.

9.30am Walk up the Seven Oakes Road, collecting plants, one in a field of peas.

1.00pm Luncheon at the Rose and Crown, settled expenses at hotel 9s.6d.

2.00pm Sent luggage by carrier to Tonbridge Wells and walked. (the coach was full)

6 miles, collected plants.

5.00pm Arrived at Tonbridge Wells covered in dust. Booked in at the

Sussex Hotel.

7.00pm Evening meal at the Sussex hotel.

8.00pm Walk around the town.

9.00pm Pressing and arranging plants.

10.00pm Retire.

Sunday 25th July 1824, Tonbridge Wells.

6.00am Arose, wrote up Journal.

8.30am Breakfast at the Sussex Hotel.

11.00am Went to the Chapel, gave 2s 6d towards another chapel.

12.30pm Promenaded on the common in front of the chief houses.

1.00pm Luncheon at the Sussex Hotel.

3.00pm Tonbridge Wells common (caves near the London Road) and Rusthall common. Some plants collected.

7.00pm Evening meal at the Sussex Hotel.

8.00pm Evening walk.

9.00pm Pressing a few plants

10.00pm Retire.

Monday 26th July 1824, Tonbridge Wells.

6.00am Arose, wrote up Journal.

8.30am Breakfast at the Sussex Hotel.

10.00am Started walking on the road to Frant.

10.30am Sudden and continual rain, collected some plants.

11.00am Returned to hotel, rain continued all day this tried my temper!

1.00pm Luncheon at Sussex Hotel.

2.00pm Still raining so trip abandoned for the day.

3.00pm Pressed the few plants collected in the morning. Stayed the day at Tonbridge Wells. Wrote Journal.

7.00pm Evening meal at the Sussex Hotel.

8.00pm Theatre at Tonbridge Wells, cost 4s.

10.00pm Retired. (rained all night)

 

Tuesday 27th July 1824, Tonbridge Wells.

6.00am Arose. Still raining.

8.30am Breakfast at the Sussex Hotel.

11.00am Rain stopped, set off for Frant, through Waterdown Forest.

11.45am Half a mile before Frant, collected a plant on roadside.

12.00am At the village of Frant, collected plants.

12.30pm On the edge of Eridge Park (the road skirts it).

1.00pm At the eighth mile post [from Tonbridge], enjoyed view.

2.00pm Returned to Frant, refreshment. Struck off to the right just after the village of Frant through a boggy, heathy, wild sort of common, collected plants. Cross country to Tonbridge Wells.

6.00pm Arrived back at Sussex Hotel well pleased with the plants.

7.00pm Evening meal at the Sussex Hotel.

8.00pm Pressed plants. Evening walk.

10.00pm Retired.

 

Wednesday 28th July 1824, Tonbridge Wells.

6.00am Arose, wrote Journal.

8.30am Breakfast at the Sussex Hotel.

9.30am Shopping for blotting paper, cost 1s.6d.

10.30am Set off on the Brighton Road. [A26]

1.00pm Left the Brighton Road, six miles from Tonbridge Wells. Turned to the right off the road and left into a wood that is intersected by hollow rocky lanes that had streams of water.

2.00pm Left the wood having been lost for an hour. Crossed fields, collected plants. Ate lunch.

3.00pm Arrived at Harrison's Rocks, collected plants.

4.00pm Left Harrison's Rocks and went across country a different way.

5.30pm Lost in Waterdown Forest, found road and went the wrong way for three miles towards Frant! - Directed the right way.

6.30pm Arrived at the Sussex Hotel, exhausted.

7.00pm Evening meal at the Sussex Hotel.

8.00pm Went to the Theatre at Tonbridge Wells, cost 2s.0d.

10.30pm Pressed plants

11.00pm Retired.

 

 

Thursday 29th July 1824, Tonbridge Wells.

6.00am Arose, wrote Journal.

8.30am Breakfast at the Sussex Hotel.

10.00am Went to the rocks on Tonbridge Wells Common.

11.00am At Rusthall Common where there are rocks, collected plants.

12.00am Took the hollow rocky lane leading to the High Rocks.

12.30pm Paid 6d. admission charge to the High Rocks. Examined every part of the rocks for plants.

1.30pm Set off down the lane, collected plants.

3.00pm At another part of Waterdown Forest

5.00pm Returned to the Sussex Hotel

6.00pm Pressed plants.

7.00pm Evening meal at the Sussex Hotel.

8.00pm Evening walk.

10.00pm Retired.

 

Friday 30th July 1824, Tonbridge Wells.

6.00am Arose, wrote Journal.

8.30am Breakfast.

9.30am Packed bags.

10.30am Paid bill at the Sussex Hotel, cost œ2.10.6d.

11.00am Walk around the town.

2.00pm Caught Brighton to Maidstone coach. Following the River Medway.

5.00pm Arrived at Maidstone, distance 20 miles, without a change of horses.

Evening meal at the Haunch of Venison Inn, where the coach stops, cost of dinner 2s.6d.

6.45pm Caught the evening Chatham coach for Rochester.

8.00pm Arrived at Rochester, total cost of coach travel 8s.0d.

8.30pm Arrived at the Henslow's house. [father of his brother-in-law]

10.00pm Retired.

 

Saturday 31st July 1824, Rochester.

6.00am Arose, wrote Journal.

8.30am Breakfast at the Henslow's house at Rochester.

9.00am Walking around the town, seeing the sights, with members of the Henslow family.

10.00am Approached the Castle via the bridge on the London Road. Collecting plants at the Castle.

11.00am Looking around the Cathedral.

11.30am Crossed the river and walked a quarter of a mile down the new tunnel that is to connect the Thames and Medway, and saw a great many men constructing it.

12.30pm Went over an oil-mill for collecting oil from plants, worked by a small steam-engine.

1.30pm At Chatham Dockyards with a party of friends [Henslow's]. looking at all the machinery, saw mills, etc.

2.30pm Went over a convict vessel, 120 prisoners on board.

4.00pm Saw immense quantities of shipbuilding.

5.00pm Walked back to Rochester which is connected to Chatham without break.

5.30pm Returned to the Henslow's house in Rochester.

7.30pm Evening meal with the Henslow family.

8.30pm Pressed plants.

10.00pm Retired.

 

Sunday 1st August 1824, Rochester.

6.00am Arose, wrote Journal.

8.30am Breakfast with the Henslow family.

11.00am Attended the service at the Cathedral.

1.00pm Luncheon at the Henslow's in Rochester.

Rest of day with the Henslow's.

Collected two plants for his herbarium.

6.00pm Evening service at the Cathedral.

8.00pm Evening meal at the Henslow's.

10.00am Retired.

 

Monday 2nd August 1824, Rochester.

5.00am Arose.

6.00am Set off with a friend [J.S.Henslow] in a gig to the Isle of Sheppey, on the Canterbury Road, via Chatham, Rainham, Moon Street, and Newington. Turned left at Key Street to King's Ferry. Total distance about 11 miles Collected plants in King's Ferry Ditch.

7.30am Crossed the river by ferry boat.

8.00am Examining the ditches on the Isle of Sheppey for plants.

9.00am At Sheerness probably via Queenborough.

10.00am Went over Sheerness Dockyard and saw some of the navy's largest ships, some of 120 and 130 guns.

11.00am Took the passage boat which sails for Chatham.

[assume that Henslow paid the passage]

2.00pm No wind, progressed 6 miles in two hours.

Hailed a four oared boat and bargained a lift to Chatham at 6 pence a head. Saw porpoises swimming and playing.

4.30pm Arrived at Rochester.

8.00pm Evening meal with the Henslow's

9.00pm Pressed plants.

10.00pm Retired.

 

 

Tuesday 3rd August 1824, Rochester.

6.00am Arose, wrote Journal.

8.30am Breakfast with the Henslow's.

10.00am Set off for Boxley Wood along the turn-pike road towards Maidstone. Examined the woods either side of the road for plants.

12.30pm Went up Boxley Hill, collecting plants.

1.00pm Luncheon at Boxley Hill, cost 1s.6d.

Spent the rest of day in Boxley Woods.

5.00pm Returned to the Henslow's at Rochester.

8.00pm Evening meal with the Henslow's.

9.00pm Pressed plants.

10.00pm Retired.

 

 

Wednesday 4th August 1824, Rochester.

6.00am Arose, wrote Journal.

8.00am Breakfast at the Henslow's.

10.00am Set off for the salt marshes on the Medway to collect plants. Spent day in the salt marshes and ponds. Collected many plants.

5.00pm Returned to Rochester.

8.00pm Evening meal with the Henslow's.

9.00pm Pressed plants.

10.00pm Retired.

 

Thursday 5th August 1824, Rochester.

6.00am Arose, wrote Journal.

8.00am Breakfast with the Henslow's.

10.00am Caught the coach for London, leaving Rochester.

3.00pm Arrived at London, cost 9s.6d.

Probably returned home to Bottisham by 7.00pm.