Saxon and Norman Romney Marsh

Posted by admin on December 23, 2011

During Saxon period (AD 410-1065) inhabitation of the Romney Marshes  increased dramatically. The first of a long series of documentary evidence relating to Lydd, for example, starts from 8th Century, with a Saxon charter referring to a grant of land at ‘Hlyda’ (from where Lydd takes its name) and land ownership documents for surrounding areas on public record.

A number of Saxon artifacts have also been discovered by the Romney Marsh Metal Detector Group, including a Silver hooked tag, a pin head and a medieval seal.

During this period, it’s river ways and proximity to mainland Europe saw Romney Marsh become the front line for trade and defense with mainland European powers in this time. Many towns across Romney Marsh became key English ports bringing considerable wealth into the Country, and also ensuring considerable riches for the villages themselves, with Lydd, New Romney and Rye in particular becoming significant trading points.

At this time, England had no formal sea-defenses and to combat increasing threat from mainland European powers many of the villages provided the countries first naval forces. Later, these were lent to the King to “defend the Crown” before a proper Navy was established. These early forces thus formed the precursor to mightiest Navy in the world and established England as a world power for hundreds of years. As a reward for this work, several villages and towns across the Marsh (Rye, Hythe, New Rommey, Lydd) were granted the privileged status of Cinque Ports or limbs of Cinque ports.