SHOART is an estate about a mile north-east from the church, in the road leading to the sea, which was held of the manor of Downe Barton in socage, by fealty and rent. It was formerly the property of John Wigmore, from whom it came to William Bredhall, and thence again to John Cleymond, clerk, president of Corpus Christi college, in Oxford, who anno 25 Henry VIII. passed away and assured his right in it to Robt. Kempe, to hold in fee; which release was again warranted by him as president, and the scholars of that college jointly afterwards.
Robert Kemp, by his will in 1548, gave it to William and Thomas, his two younger sons, who joined in the sale of it, anno 9 Elizabeth, to John Fynch, who two years afterwards passed it away by sale to Sir Roger Manwood, chief baron of the exchequer; one of whose descendants alienated it to Daniel Harvey, esq. of Combe, from whose descendants, with Downe Barton, and other estates in this parish and neighbourhood, it was sold within memory to Eliab Breton, whose two sons, William and Eliab Breton, esqrs. are at this time possessed of it.
From: 'Parishes: St Nicholas (Thanet)', The History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent: Volume 10 (1800), pp. 237-253. URL:
http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=63621 Date accessed: 15 August 2012.