Dymchurch
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Dymchurch is a village on the Kent coast, south of Hythe and on the Romney Marsh. It is typical of this part of the coast, having originally been a very small village which, during the 1930s, became a much larger settlement. Many of the houses were converted railway carriages.
[edit] Local interest
Dymchurch is known internationally for being the setting of the "Doctor Syn" novels, by Russell Thorndike.
Every 2 years a celebration of the "Syn" novels is held there, usually on the August bank holiday.
It is home to the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway, which is the smallest public railway in the world and was opened in the 1920's. The railway station in Dymchurch was officially reopened after the war by Laurel and Hardy in 1947.
It is also home to three Martello towers and Dymchurch Redoubt. Martello tower No. 24 is the only one in the village still open to the public. Of the other two towers, one is now a residential property and the other is derelict.
[edit] Buildings of note
New Hall was rebuilt in 1575 after an earlier wooden structure was destroyed in a storm. It was rebuilt and used as a court room for the Romney Marsh area.
It was here that Scott's Tax was introduced; a tax levied on local residents at the time to fund the ongoing maintenance of the sea wall defences. Those that lived directly outside of the bounderies and thus not eligible for the tax were said to have gotten away "Scott Free".
Residents with land were also required to grow thorn bushes for use in the building of the wall, as thorn twigs were believed at the time to be impervious to sea water. Failure to do so resulted in an ear being cut off by way of punishment.
The Ship Inn was built in the 15th century and was a regular haunt (in much later years) of the author Russell Thorndike. It is said that he penned various chapters of his "Doctor Syn" books whilst drinking in this pub, and based various characters from his books on local reprobates.
There are tunnels underneath the pub that lead to the church across the road. These tunnels (and many like it underneath the village) were built and used by the smugglers of the time to evade the customs men.
[edit] External links
- dymchurch.co.uk - A free email service for residents of Dymchurch and surrounding area
- Folkestone Magaazine, Articles, News, Local Issues & Jobs Dymchurch
- Dymchurchonline.com Claim to be under new ownership as of 28 August 2006, but administrator is always Deewebs. Most of the information provided is outdated and the forum appears to be dead.
- Extensive historical, geological and tourist information on the area by local resident
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The district of Shepway in Kent, South East England with its suburbs, villages, towns and parishes: |
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Acrise • Brenzett • Brookland • Burmarsh • Capel-Le-Ferne • Cheriton • Denge • Dymchurch • Dungeness • Elham • Etchinghill • Folkestone • Greatstone • Hawkinge • Hythe • Ivychurch • Lade • Littlestone-on-Sea • Lydd • Lydd-on-Sea • Lyminge • Lympne • Newchurch • Newingreen • Newington • New Romney • Old Romney • Pedlinge • Postling • Romney Marsh • Saltwood • Sandgate • Sandling • Sellindge • Snargate • Stanford • Stelling Minnis • St Mary in the Marsh • St Mary's Bay • Tolsford • Westenhanger • West Hythe |
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| The district of Shepway List of places in Kent |
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