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.
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