 Historian Edward Hasted , in the third volume of The History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent published in 1798 , dismissed the legend of the Biddenden Maids . He claimed that the Bread and Cheese Lands were the gift of two women named Preston ( although he elsewhere described the lands as having been " given by persons unknown " ) . Hasted stated that the Biddenden cakes had only begun to be moulded with the imprint of two women in the last 50 years ( i.e. since 1748 ) and that the figures were intended to represent " two poor widows , as the general objects of a charitable benefaction " . While he mentioned a legend that the figures represent two conjoined twins who died in their 20s and bequeathed the Bread and Cheese Lands to the parish , he dismissed it as " a vulgar tradition " . 
 Historian Edward Hasted , in the third volume of The History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent published in 1798 , dismissed the legend of the Biddenden Maids . He claimed that the Bread and Cheese Lands <a href='uninflect' title='1'><mark>were</mark></a> the gift of two women named Preston ( although he elsewhere described the lands as <a href='been_done' title='2'><mark>having</mark></a> been " given by persons unknown " ) . Hasted stated that the Biddenden cakes <a href='been_done' title='3'><mark>had</mark></a> only begun to be moulded with the imprint of two women in the last 50 years ( i.e. since 1748 ) and that the figures <a href='uninflect' title='4'><mark>were</mark></a> intended to represent " two poor widows , as the general objects of a charitable benefaction " . While he mentioned a legend that the figures represent two conjoined twins <a href='null_relcl' title='5'><mark>who</mark></a>died in their 20s and bequeathed the Bread and Cheese Lands to the parish , he dismissed it as " a vulgar tradition " . 
Historian Edward Hasted , in the third volume of The History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent published in 1798 , dismissed the legend of the Biddenden Maids . He claimed that da Bread and Cheese Lands was tdagift of 2 women named Preston ( although he elsewhere described thdaands as done been " given by persons unknown " ) . Hasted stated dat the Biddenden cakes done only begun to b moulded wit the imprint of two women in the last 50 years ( i.e. since 1748 ) and that the figures was intended to represent " tw2oor widows , as thedaneral objects of a charitable benefaction " . While he mentioned a legend tdatthe daures represent two 2joined twins died in their 20s and bequeathed the Bread and Cheese Lands to the parish , he dismissed it as " a vulgar tradition " .