Edward Hasted

Edward Hasted (20 December 1732 OS (31 December 1732 NS) – 14 January 1812) was the author of a major county history, The History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent (1778–99).

Hasted was born in Lombard Street, London, the son of Edward Hasted (1702–1740) of Sutton-at-Hone near Dartford, Kent by his wife Ann Tyler. His grandfather, Joseph Hasted (1662–1732), had been employed as chief painter at the Royal Navy's Chatham dockyard, but he was also a skilled financier amassed a considerable private estate and income. Hasted's father, Edward, became a wealthy barrister, and the young Edward Hasted was educated at Darent (1737–40), The King's School, Rochester (1740–44). From there he went to Eton College (1744–48) and a school in Esher (1748–50). After completing his education he was a student for a short time at Lincolns Inn, although he was not called to the bar.

Hasted returned to his parents' home in Sutton-at-Hone and in July 1755 married the daughter of a neighbour, Anne Dorman. In May 1766 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society. Hasted acquired The Knights Hospitaller's manor house of St. John's Jerusalem; and it was here that he wrote his magnum opus. He attended the local church regularly and also sat on the West Kent Quarter Sessions bench at Maidstone. The couple had two daughters and five sons, one of whom was also named Edward. In 1770 they moved to Canterbury, where they lived until 1789, by which time his finances were in total confusion. Although he sold off some of his estates, he sank deeper into debt. In 1790 he left his wife Anne and fled to France with another woman. There he remained until the war with Napoleon drove him back home and into debtors' prison for almost seven years.

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