[ John Braddick of Boughton Mount ] Long manuscript responses to a questionnaire in a prospectus titled 'Preparing for publication, | By S. Lewis, | A Topographical Dictionary of England, | From a Personal Survey through every Parish in the Kingdom'

The prospectus is 4pp., folio. Bifolium. In fair condition, on lightly aged paper and creased paper, with slight damage to margins at foot of both leaves. Beneath the heading on the first page is a list of around 75 princes, dukes and lords, headed by 'His Most Gracious Majesty the King', under whose 'immediate patronage' the work is to be commenced. Beneath this, in small type is the prospectus, stressing the 'immense Labour and Expense' attending the work (Lewis later claimed had taken six years to compile it, at an outlay of £48,000), which is to be 'published in Four Volumes Quarto - Price 30s. each Volume, in boards; and on large paper 40s. each Volume; (to be paid on delivery of the whole Work). The nature of the work is described, with a paragraph devoted to its cartographic advantages, and a description of the wide range of individuals to whom it will be 'generally useful to'. The second page carries a questionnaire, consisting of 23 questions, headed: 'With a View to assist the several Gentlemen engaged in collecting Information in the several Parishes throughout the Kingdom, and to render the Matter introduced as uniform as possible, the following Queries have been determined upon, as the foundation of the Work: -' With autograph details of 'Mr. Howson - Gazette office | Maidstone'. Covering the whole of the last two pages, in four columns of small print, is a list of 'Subscribers in London', with the nobility and members of parliament followed by names and addresses beginning with 'Abbott John, E. Esq. Frederick's-place, Old Jewry' and ending with 'Yonge, Edward, Esq. Inner Temple'. The list not only contains a large number of scholars, antiquaries and notable individuals (for example Decimus Burton, John Bayley, John Holmes and Francis Palgrave), but also organisations such as the Globe Insurance Company, Freshfield and Son, and London Institution. Braddick's extensive responses to the questions are written vertically across the second and third pages. He is not named, but he gives his residence as 'Boughton Mount, in the parish of Boughton Monchelsea'' He describes the property as 'a gentleman's residence', adding 'see Hasted' [The History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent , first pub.1778]. In describing the house he states: 'upon taking up the floor in the centre of the building a Saxon hearth was found 14 feet square This was constructed of hassock and altho it must have been in use for centuries before the use of chimneys yet all the stones appeared as perfect as the day they were cut from the quarry & the whole of them were again used in lining the fire proof room of the new house where they can be now seen'. There are also long notes on the soil and the 'natural curiosities'.