About Linton

The name Linton normally indicates a place where flax is grown. It is therefore quite a common name, and there are at least eight in England.

Kent’s Linton, though, supposedly is from the Old English “tun” ‘village, town, farmstead’, and so suggesting ‘Lilla’s farm’. Its first recorded form is Lilintuna in around 1100. Then:

– Lillington (1226)

– Lintone (1327)

– Lynton and Lylyngton (1535)

… at least, so says “The Place Names of Kent,” by Judith Glover. Hasted however, in his “History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent,” has a completely different view, and says:

“Linton, anciently written as “Lyllyngton” and in Latin, “Lilituna”, probably took its name from old English words, “lyltlan” signifying small, and “stane”, and stone, as the upper part of this parish abounded with quarry stone.”

As to which is correct, if either, who can say?

Linton is not mentioned in the Domesday Book, as it was probably then included within the Manor of East Farleigh. It was part of the ancient possession of the crown, until it was given to a hospital for poor travellers in the West borough of Maidstone by Archbishop Walter Reynolds in 1314, for the use and support of that hospital. There are records of the owners of the patronage up to about 1728, when it was purchased by Robert Mann, Esq, of Linton Place, a wealthy clothier.