Dymchurch is a small but old village in the South East Corner of the Romney Marshes and now a popular family holiday resort thanks to its glorious sandy beaches, light railway station and amusement park but also has a historic past, being home of the smuggling trade across the Marshes, several famous authors, an administrative self-governance body and flood defense maintanence.

Smuggling

In addition to being one of the most popular family resorts on the South East Coast of England, Dymchurch is perhaps most famous for its smuggling history dating back hundreds of years, an ancestory exploited to great effort by Russel Thorndyke who set his famous, fictional, Dr Syn novels in the town. Many of the pubs in the village are ancient smugglers haunts with the Ship Inn rumoured to have a secret tunnel used by smugglers while the crumbling church at the nearby lost village of Hope All Saints was a meeting point for smugglers from the town¹. During the 17th and 18th centuries, smuggling was so rife in the village blockage men and riders was based in the village and fought numerous battles with smuggling gangs. In the church graveyard can be found the rest placing of smuggler Charles Keely who was killed in particularly vicious battle with blockade men in 1825².

Dymchurch Beach

One of the reasons why Dymchurch was so popular with smugglers was its beach, with its miles of sand providing easy landing for boats. Now the highlight of the village, the beach at Dymchurch stretches into the distance either side of Dymchurch and at low tide reaches out 1/4 of mile into the channel. Winner of a "Tidy Britain Group Seaside Award" for the past 10 years, it is hugely popular destination for families, jetskiers, swimmers and windsurfers.

Protecting England for Thousands of Years

From the size of Dymchurch the casual visitor would never guess the importance Dymchurch has played in the history of the surrounding region. In previous centuries, the village played a key role in the defense of the South Coast both from flooding and invasion, hints of which can seen by the 20ft sea-wall that dominates the town the town, several sluice-gates and the three Martello Towers and a Redoubt.

The Martello Towers were constructed around 1806 and formed a defensive line to protect the South East Coast of England during the Napelonic Wars. Each tower is over 12 metres high, held 25 men and a canon with which to pound invading forces⁴. The towers at Dymchurch, Towers 23, 24 and 25 are still clearly visible today with tower 24 (in the town centre) open to the public.

Dymchurch is also home to one of the two supply depots for the Martello Towers along the South Coast (the other being at Eastbourne). The Dymchurch Redoubt was extensively upgraded for defense during World War 2 with pill-boxes, bunkers, artillery placements and observation post added. The Redoubt is now owned by the Ministry of Defence and is not open to the public⁵.

Alongside military defense, the importance of Dymchurch as a key point for flood defense has been recognised for hundreds, perhaps thouands, of years. It is believed the sea-wall that overshadows much of the town dates back to Roman times and during the middle ages the population of Dymchurch and surrounding area were given the right to self-governance in return for a tax levied on them, providing labour and the growing of thorn bushes levied on them to maintain the wall.

The wall runs for approximately 4 miles is 30 feet high and 20 feet wide in places and includes three large sluice gates to let water from the interrior marshland run out to the sea at low tide. The wall was originally constructed from thorn bushes and sand and soil but is now a concret sea-wall.

The governing body of flood defenses across the Marshes - the Jurats of Romney Marsh or Lords of Level - was appointed by Edward the Fourth in 1250AD and comprised the Lords of 23 local Manors and a bailiff who oversaw work⁶. This organisation met at the court house of Dymchurch at the Court House and was responsible for the introduction of the 'Scot Tax' - a levy imposed upon residents to pay for flood defenses⁷ - still remembered today through the expression 'Scott free'. Newhall, built on the site of the original Court House after its destruction during a flood in 1575, can still be seen today opposite St Peter and St Paul's Church.

One of the more notable baliffs of Dymchurch was William Parris. A former farmer, he was obviously very successful becoming a shop keeper during which time he issued his own coins in 1794 for use across the Romney Marshes (many towns in England did the same at the time due to the poor state of official copper coinage) before becoming the baliff in Dymchurch 1797. The coins featured his initials and the image of sheep on one side and the picture of a justice on the other. This picture is from one of his coins now part of the Dennis Andrew's collection now managed by Graham Wood.

Dymchurch Village Attractions and the Day of Syn

The village of Dymchurch today offers a variety of family entertainments, including a small amusement park with ghost train ride and dodgems and a selection of typical coastal restaurants, cafe's and take away's and a station for the Romney Hythe & Dymchurch Railway.

Every alternate year, the village returns to the past with a 'Day of Syn' when the village re-enacts tales from Russell Thorndike's Dr Syn novels and smuggling incidents from the past with locals dressed as smugglers, guards and other characters from the books walking through the town and mock battles taking place³. The bi-annual event was first held on August bank holiday Monday 1963 to raise funds for the local church and is now one of the largest free events in Kent. The next event is this year, on the August bank holiday, August 25th 2008.

Places to stay

Four friendly public houses, including the historic Ship Inn (above) providing a ideal stopping point for lunch or afternoon break while a number guest houses, hotels, camping and caravan sites, holiday parks, self catering holiday cottages and apartments in Dymchurch offer accomodation.

Dr Syns Guest House
24 Mills Road, Dymchurch, Romney Marsh,
Kent, TN29 0NY
T: 01303 874558
W: http://www.drsynsguesthouse.co.uk/

The Ship Inn - Dymchurch
118 High Street
Dymchurch
Kent
TN29 0LD
T: 01303 872122
W: http://www.theshipdymchurch.150m.com/

New Beach Holiday Park
Hythe Road, , Dymchurch,
Kent, TN29 0JX
T: 01303 872233
W: http://www.parkholidaysuk.co.uk/caravansales/parks/kent/new_beach/index.php

Marlie Farm Holiday Park
Dymchurch Road,
New Romney,
Kent, TN28 8UE
T: 01797 363060
W: http://www.parkholidaysuk.co.uk/caravansales/parks/kent/marlie_farm/index.php

Dymchurch Holiday Bungalow
T: 01708 222051
W: http://www.dymchurchholiday.co.uk

References

1: Ship Inn website: http://www.theshipdymchurch.150m.com/

2: Smugglers Britain: http://www.smuggling.co.uk/gazetteer_se_15.html

3: Day of Syn Website: http://www.dymchurchdayofsyn.org.uk/

4: South East Coast Martello Towers Website: http://www.martello-towers.co.uk/

5: South East Coast Martello Towers Website, Redoubt page: http://www.martello-towers.co.uk/south-coast/towers/dymchurch-redoubt.htm

6: The Beauties of Engand and Wales; or Delineations, Topographical, Historical and Descriptive. John Britton, Edward Wedlake Brayley, 1801.

7: A Topographical Dictionary of England, Samuel Lewis (editor), 1848.

Last update: 25-08-2008 21:21