As a change from my usual cycling cafe stops I was sitting outside the Red Lion pub, Snargate. This is a traditional pub, been in the same family since Victoria was queen, serves only real ales from the keg and does not do meals. Its interior is still decorated in an old, traditional country pub way. I noted that a previous patron had abandoned their bike!
In spite of the "no meals" I was enjoying my egg and chips (pickled egg from jar and packet of potato crisps) and a pint of real ale.A group of walkers was sitting on the adjacent seat and discussing the local landmark which starts here. The Rhee Wall, which is distinguished by gothic lettering on the Ordnance Survey maps as "historic" and stretches for some 7.5 miles in a straight line across the Marsh to New Romney.
(click to enlarge)
In fact there is far more romance and interest here than "Roman" at which time the Marsh was a vast tidal lagoon with a few islets. The River Rother used to flow to New Romney in mediaeval times but a tempestuous storm in 1287 altered its main course to flow out at Rye instead. New Romney, an important harbour in the middle ages, lost the "flush" of the river and began to silt up. Something had to be done.
So a major undertaking in the late 13th century was to gather together all the small streams from off the escarpment and"snare" them into a lock or "gate" system which became known as "Snargate". This was then fed into a 7.5 mile long canal made by running two parallel embankments towards New Romney - the aim being to flush out the silting harbour. Imagine doing this in 1290 in a remote marshy area!
Unfortunately it did not work for long and in fact increased the silting as the Rhee brought down quantities of sediment from the Wealden clays. Today New Romney, one of the great mediaeval "Cinque Ports" is some 2 miles from the sea. A view of the threshhold to the main doorway of St Nicholas' Church, once beside the harbour, shows that one needs to descend to the door where once one ascended steps to it.
There were unintended good outcomes though. The Rhee had gone out of use by 1500 but the quantities of silt brought down into it had levelled an earthway between the banks, which became a raised causeway across the Marsh. Today it is a lane leading into a straight main road to the coast. But cropmarks preserve its identity.
History, topography, map reading and etymology lead to far more romantic stories than "it must be...." collective opinions.
8 comments:
History and topography are two of my favourites, especially when linked. Pubs are another...
fascinating..something to look at on our next Kent visit
Tom:
Fascinating aren't they? (real ale pubs, too!
gz:
The whole of Romney Marsh is a wonderful area to study how life at this tidal frontier has evolved by man's work over the ages. There is an old local saying, "Fear God, honour the King, but first maintain the Wall". Only the sea walls prevent the Marsh from becoming, once more, a tidal lagoon as it was 2,000 years ago and in mediaeval times it was the locals who had to do it or (literally) go under.
That is indeed fascinating and ties right in with my present fascination with rivers and suchlike. Great research! England is so lucky to have such rich history. I'd love to visit the marshes some day. I'm putting it on my list!
Kay:
It is indeed a fascinating area. I have known it since I holidayed there at 11. When I retired I moved much nearer to it and its quiet lanes and open skies mean that it is now my favourite for cycling
There's something sinister about "I listened on and kept quiet". A bit like parts of Peeping Tom, a movie directed by Michael Powell (of Powell and Pressburger fame) which was ahead of time (1960) in dealing with a taboo subject and, as Wikipedia says, "had a severely negative effect on Powell's career as a director in the |UK."
Not that I'm suggesting... God forbid! The silent observer has many precedents in literature but asks that the observer should never impute self-superiority. "An etymologist would immediately question..." That wouldn't be you, would it? Believing that cycling shorts would disguise your profound intellectual skills? Probably not. My widespread encounters with etymologists have shown that they don't drink real (or artificial) ale but prefer sparkling water allowed to go flat and become tepid.
The bit I like begins "Unfortunately it did not work for long." This seems to echo a later aquatic project further along the Kent coast. Whereby in the case of invasion the gates holding back the Hythe Royal Military Canal would be opened and the rush of waters would sweep the importunate foreigners all the way down to The Lizard. A grandiose scheme never tested, although Brexit appears to be driven by the same sort of motives.
I misread your last photo thinking it was some form of plumbing, or electrical cabling, attached to a medieval ceiling. But why purple? All became clear and I may face the day on an even keel again. For which I thank you.
RR:
Re the "listening" part: it was my way of introducing the subject, something I am sure you may have used as a journalist?
The Military Canal was a white elephant when it was constructed during the Napoleonic Wars and I guess the 1940's plan was very wishful thinking when you consider how the German armies swept across Belgium and France to Dunkirk.
Glad you sorted out the last image. Your initial "nightmare" scenario would really have upset your day!
Greetings: I love Romney Marsh and go there whenever I can albeit I live in Hong Kong. I was captivated by the pre-historic shoreline of Roman and Saxon times - still very evident. Recently I walked from Appledore to Rye taking the train back to Appledore - I walked along the road from the station to the carpark at Appledore. I am having trouble picturing what the Rhee Wall would have looked like when first constructed. A dyhke between two raised banks? Designed for the benefit of New Romney - although you mention it actually carried more silt downstream helping to separate New Romney from the sea. Best wishes, Philip
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