History
Archbishops at Addington
Croydon has been an important town in the lives of the Archbishops of Canterbury, since, between 1079 and 1758, 51 Archbishops resided from time to time at the ecclesiastical palace, Old Palace in Central Croydon. By the early 18th Century a report commented on the bad condition of the Palace and Archbishop Wake strengthened the Banqueting Hall roof. Even so, after 1758 there was no further active residence and in 1780 an act of parliament was obtained to sell the ancient summer residence and early manor house of the Archbishops, it being 'so low and unwholesome a situation'!
As a replacement that would be more fitting for the Archbishops, they looked a few miles south of Croydon and in 1808 acquired Addington Manor, changing the house name from Addington Place to Addington Palace.
The first archbishop to live at Addington was Charles Manners-Sutton, 4th son of Lord George Manners-Sutton and grandson of John, 3rd Duke of Rutland. He was married to Mary and had 2 sons and 10 daughters. He was well liked as a fair and generous Lord of the Manor by the local inhabitants of Addington, particularly by the village boys to whom he threw shillings if they doffed their caps to him. He lived at Addington for a period of each year during his term of office but was at Lambeth when he died on 21 July 1828. He was buried at Addington in a vault specially built under the floor of a small vestry that stood against the North wall of the church. The site of the vault was covered with pews following alterations to the church in 1876 but a memorial tablet is sited nearby.
His successor was William Howley, D. D., M.A. who had been Bishop of London. He had 5 children, two boys and three girls although both boys died, one aged 23 and the youngest aged 6. He played an influential part in the affairs of Addington, greater than his predecessor and far in excess of his successors. Only two years after coming to Addington, he added a chapel, library and other buildings to the existing mansion and with the help of his wife the gardens were greatly improved. The Archbishop was in residence for 6 months every year and the extensions to house and garden gave employment to many villagers.
In 1837 the parishes of Addington and Lambeth were transferred from the diocese of Winchester to the Diocese of Canterbury.
In 1843 further repairs to the church were financed. The outer walls were repaired and refaced with flint; inside the walls were cleaned, repaired as necessary and repainted. The old pews were replaced with 'backed' seating to accommodate 260 people and a new stone font was added at the western end of the nave. A new porch was also added, the one that is in use today and the letters 'W. C.' for 'William Cantuar' can be still seen over the entrance.
Archbishop Howley also contributed to the well-being of the parishioners by providing Addington with its first 'piped' water supply in 1844 and in the same year the village got its first National School. He died at Lambeth on 11 February 1848 and was buried at Addington.
John Bird Sumner was enthroned at Canterbury on 28 April 1848. Very little is known of his residence at Addington. He did attend the House of Lords from time to time and was once a member of the Poor Law Commission. He died at Addington on 6 September 1862 and was buried in Addington Churchyard.
Charles Thomas Longley held the Archbishopric of York before his translation to Canterbury on 30 October 1862. He died of bronchitis at Addington on 27 October 1868 and is buried in the Churchyard not far from the wall of the present village hall.
Archibald Campbell Tait was enthroned at Canterbury in February 1869. He lived most of the time in Lambeth, making only occasional visits to Addington. He was, however, interested in the Parish and the people of Addington, taking his responsibility as Lord of the Manor seriously. During his association with the church a programme of major repairs, redecoration and reconstruction was undertaken.
In 1873, he laid the foundation stone of a new mission chapel in the hamlet of Addington Hills on 16th August. The building was also used as an infant school from May 1874.
In July 1882 Tait left London and came to Addington where he died on 1 December. Although it was suggested that his body should rest in Westminster Abbey, he was buried simply in the churchyard at Addington Church.
After Tait came Archbishop Edward White Benson. He was highly appreciated at his manor in Addington and the decorated walls and reredos behind the altar stand as a memorial to the affection with which he was regarded by the local community. This work was partly planned in Benson's lifetime and also included the re-opening of a Saxon window and the construction of a fine hexagonal oak ceiling. His death was sudden and totally unexpected. He was staying at Hawarden, North Wales with William Gladstone when he suffered a sudden heart attack during Morning Prayer at Hawarden Church. He was buried at Canterbury on 16 October 1896.
Frederick Temple, his successor ended the close association of Canterbury with Addington when he sold the mansion and its grounds to Frederick English, a diamond merchant from South Africa. With the consent of the ecclesiastical commissioners, he sold Addington Park and with part of the proceeds of the sale he bought a house in the precincts at Canterbury known as the Old Palace, which he converted into a suitable residence.