Dymchurch Village Walking History Tour Guide Using Old Postcards Kent UK
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 26 ต.ค. 2024
- The history of Dymchurch began with the gradual build-up of the Romney Marsh.
New Hall was rebuilt in 1575 after an earlier wooden structure was destroyed in a fire. It was used as a court room for the Romney Marsh area. The head magistrate was known as Leveller of the Marsh Scotts. It was there that the so-called Scot tax was introduced, levied on residents to fund maintenance of the sea wall. Those directly outside the boundaries and thus not eligible for the tax were said to have got away "scot free". Residents with land were required to grow thorn bushes for building of the wall, as thorn twigs were believed impervious to sea water. Failure resulted in an ear being cut off.
During the 17th and 18th centuries, smuggling was rife all along the south-east coast of England. Due to its remote location, Romney Marsh and the surrounding areas were amongst the busiest locations for illicit trade. This inspired Russell Thorndike to set his Doctor Syn smuggling novels in Dymchurch. Every two years a celebration of the novels is held, usually on August Bank Holiday.
Dymchurch played a significant rôle in the Anglo-French Survey (1784-1790), which linked the Royal Greenwich Observatory with the Paris Observatory using trigonometry. There were two baselines for the English part of the survey, on Hounslow Heath and on Romney Marsh. The Romney Marsh base-line extended from Ruckinge to High Nook, on the sea-wall near Dymchurch.
Famous residents and cultural connections
In January 1867, the Courier de Dieppe was spotted foundering in a gale off Dymchurch, with the crew clinging to the rigging and one by one dropping off into the sea. After repeated attempts, a line was thrown to the boat, but by this time there was only one of its crew left. The Reverend Charles Cobb, rector of the parish, volunteered to swim to the boat to try to save the last man. Encouraged by his wife and the gathered crowd, he dived into the troubled waters and swam the 50 feet or more to the vessel. He was then joined by a local coastguard, John Batist. Together they reached the trapped man, and managed to carry and drag him back to shore, where they received much applause for their heroism. The rescued man was the only survivor of a crew of four from the ship. Cobb was awarded the Albert Medal of the First Class and Batist was awarded the Albert Medal of the Second Class. The street nearest to where this heroic action occurred was later named "Charles Cobb Close" in his memory.
The artist Paul Nash settled in Dymchurch in 1919, and lived there for a number of years, painting a number of important paintings, as well as producing lithographs and wood engravings, based on the sea wall and the surrounding countryside.
Dymchurch is the setting for the opening and concluding scenes of 1964 film First Men in the Moon, although these sequences were not actually filmed in the town, nor on the Moon.
Dymchurch Martello towers
Several Martello towers were built in the nineteenth century as part of an Empire-wide coastal defence programme: most have since fallen into the sea or become dilapidated. Tower 23 was restored externally in the early 1970s and is currently a private residence. Tower 24 has undergone renovation and using Tower 23 used as a guide: in 1969 it became the first Martello tower to be opened to the public and remains as a museum of Martello Towers, owned by English Heritage. Tower 25 is possibly the only empty tower that is regularly maintained.
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So many memories at Dymchurch from my childhood with my family
I think an aquaintance of mine, Martin Casemore lives there. Heis a fantastic bird photographer, and could often be found at the old lighthouse gardens at dungoness.
We go twice a year .I got lost there when I was 5 in the 60s. I was hysterical. My sister was cool as cucumber 😂 .love Dymchurch .we drive from Wales to stay for 8 days spring & late summer . That was a nice clip ❤
Love your work, Jeremy - Fascinating insights - If I could offer one suggestion it would be that you leave the old postcards and pics up a little longer so that the viewer is better able to absorb the details and contrast with the present👍
Thank you Richard for your kind comments. Yes, it's all about creating the right balance, I try and make it around 6 seconds 👍 sometimes the free software (clipchamp) I use cuts it shorter which is a problem
Pipers caravan site, spent my summers there. 1963 - 1973.
Me too
😎Yes all my holidays from1966 still go now.
My grandparents retired to Mitchum Rd and are buried at St Peter and St Paul churchyard. I have lots of Memories of Dymchurch in 60s
Brings back so many memories. Used To go on school journey at St Mary's Bay camp. Remember walking to St Mary in the Marsh Church.
Romney Hythe and Dymchurch railway . Was a miniature rail line that actually carried passengers.
One of the “Bulldog Drummond” stories by Sapper is set in the bay with Irma Peterson (villain) living in a house out on the edge of Romney Marsh where her twinkling house lights gave away her presence
Road the railway myself in 1952
Still does.