|  Index |
|
| Index |
Appledore
Appledore lies just over the Royal Military Canal at the north west edge of the Marsh.
|
Royal Military Canal at Appledore
|
Brenzett
In 1381 Brenzett was the rallying place for local supporters of Wat Tyler's peasants revolt. Armed with pitchforks, they marched in protest against the hated Poll Tax. Brenzett has a small 13th century church, which is dedicated to St. Eanswyth. She was a Saxon princess who was granddaughter of Ethelbert, first Christian King of Kent, and founded a nunnery at Folkestone. Also in the village are a primary school, a pub, "The Fleur de Lis", and an aeronautical museum.
|
St. Eanswyth's Church
|
Brookland|
This is one of the larger Marsh villages. Much of the surrounding land is now given over to market gardening. The village itself has several half-timbered, weather-boarded or tile-hung cottages and a 17th century pub, "The Royal Oak".
The 13th century church is remarkable for its detached wooden belfry on the ground beside the main building. There are various stories about its origin, but the real reason is that the soft marshland would not support a conventional bell-tower. The church also has a lead font bearing the signs of the Zodiac. From the 17th to 19th century Brookland was a centre of the smuggling trade. Contraband was hidden in the church. The 15th century "Woolpack Inn", just outside the village, had a secret escape tunnel. In 1821 a savage battle took place near Brookland between excisemen and the notorious Aldington Gang. From 1881 to 1967 Brookland had its own railway station, a mile from the village, on the Appledore to New Romney branch. Although the station is closed, the line still carries nuclear waste from Dungeness Power Station.
|
 The belfry of St. Augustine's Church Photograph by Susan M. Johns |
Burmarsh
CamberA 3 ft gauge steam railway was built from Monkbretton Bridge at Rye to the new Rye Golf Club, west of Camber, in 1895, and was extended to Camber Sands in 1908. Known as the Rye & Camber Tramway, it was used by golfers and Rye Harbour residents who took the ferry across the Rother. Requisitioned by the Admiralty in 1939, it was so dilapidated after the war that it had to be closed and subsequently dismantled.
Dungeness|
This low, flat headland has been formed by the deposit of shingle drifting eastwards along the Channel. It was originally called Dengeness, taking its name from Denge Marsh which lies inland. Over this vast stony wilderness grow clumps of grass, gorse bushes and other hardy wild flowers. Many species of birds visit here on their migratory journeys, and there is an RSPB Nature Reserve.
Five lighthouses have stood at Dungeness since 1615, each eventually being stranded inland as the headland grew. The present light was built in 1961, but the previous one still exists and is open to the public. There has been a lifeboat station since 1826. The South Eastern Railway reached here in 1881, and there were plans for a ferry terminal, but the station closed to passengers in 1937. The Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway station opened in 1928. In 1959 construction began of the first of two nuclear power stations, which now dominate the landscape. There is not much else here: just two pubs, "The Brittannia" and "The Pilot", and a few scattered fisherman's huts. The film director Derek Jarman made his home in one of these and created his well-known "atomic garden".
|
The old lighthouse and the A and B nuclear power stations
|
Dymchurch|
Once a quiet fishing village, Dymchurch is now a popular seaside resort, complete with holiday camp, caravan parks, miniature railway station and amusement park. It stretches several miles along the coast, protected for much of its length by the 20 ft high sea-wall. This may first have been built by the Romans, and has been much strengthened since then.
New Hall in Dymchurch was the meeting place of the Lords of the Level, who were made responsible by Royal Charter of 1252 for maintenance of the wall and drainage of the Marsh. They also acted as local magistrates, and New Hall contains their courtroom. Indeed, the name Dymchurch may comes from Middle English "Doema" or "Deme", meaning a "judge". New Hall dates from 1580 and replaces an earlier thatched half-timbered building which burned down. The church is originally Norman, but was greatly altered and enlarged in 1821 to accommodate the growing congregation. The spire was removed at that time. There is said to be a secret tunnel linking the church with the nearby Ship Inn. During the 18th and 19th centuries both were centres for the smuggling trade. An account of those times is given in Russell Thorndike's novels featuring Doctor Syn, the fictional Vicar of Dymchurch, who is nowadays commemorated in the village's "Day of Syn" festivities. In the early 19th century a chain of Martello towers was built along the south coast to defend against the threatened invasion by Napoleon. There are several of these in Dymchurch, and also a redoubt fortress from which they were controlled and supplied. One of the towers is open to the public.
|
New Hall
|
 Top |  Index |  Home |
Church of St. Peter & St. Paul
The Ship Inn
