E. Cobham Brewer 1810–1897. Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 1898.
Kit’s Coty House,
on the road between Rochester and Maidstone, a well-known cromlech, is Katigern’s or Kitigern’s coty house—that is, the house or tomb of Kitigern, made of coits or huge flat stones. (See HACKELL’S COIT and DEVIL’S COIT.)
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Katigern was the brother of Vortimer, and leader of the Britons, who was slain in the battle of Aylesford or Epsford, fighting against Hengist and Horsa. Lambarde calls it Citscotehouse (1570). The structure consists of two upright side-stones, one standing in the middle as a support or tenon, and a fourth imposed as a roof. Numberless stones lie scattered in the vicinity. Often spelt “Kitt’s Cotty House.”
