Hythe, Kent
The small coastal market town of
Hythe, on the edge of
Romney Marsh, in the District of
Shepway, (derived from sheep-way, since shepherds drove their flocks across
Romney Marsh and the
Downs) is one of the original
Cinque Ports on the south coast of
Kent, in
England. Although it is beside a broad bay on the
English Channel, silting of the coast has removed any sign of its
port and harbour.
The word 'hythe or hithe' is a
Old English word, meaning 'landing place'.
The town has a pretty, winding High Street filled with Medieval and Georgian buildings, a graceful Saxon/Norman church on the hill and a popular sea promonade. Its market once took place in Market Square - now Red Lion Square.There is now a regular Farmers' Market (every 2nd and 4th Saturday of the month). Hythe has an ancient Bowling Club, Lawn Tennis Club and Cricket Club - not to mention the popular Sailing Club. Hythe was once geographically the central Cinque Port, between the ports of Hastings and
New-Romney to the west with Dover and
Sandwich to the east.
According to Hasted, a
French fleet approached Hythe in 1293 and succeeded in landing up to 200 men, but "the townsmen came upon them and slew every one of them: upon which the rest of the fleet hoisted sail and made no further attempt".
The town has had a succession of disasters, including a fire that destroyed about 100 houses. In 1348 the
black death afflicted the port, and in 1400 the
plague further reduced the town's population.
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View of Hythe ca. 1830, showing the military canal and four Martello towers near the shoreline. Source: Ireland's History of Kent. |
Romney Marsh lies immediately to the west of Hythe. The
Royal Military Canal runs across the northern edge of the Marsh, to
Winchelsea, along with a series of
Martello towers built at the same time along the coast from
Folkestone to
Seaford. Three of the many (43) towers along this coast survive at Hythe.One of these was converted into a house in the thirties, the other two are on the beach and are owned and maintained by the Ministry of defence. Geologically the town had developed upon a succession of parallel terraces, rising from the level ground around the Royal Military canal up towards the steep incline upon which the parish church of St Leonard was built.
Running under Stade Street at one point, the old Royal Military canal (intended to help repel a threatened French invasion during the
Napoleonic wars (1804-15)), gives central Hythe much of its character. Now shaded by tall trees, the canal, a defensive moat 30 ft (10m) wide passes into the marsh from the middle of the town. The Canal begins at Seabrook and runs through Hythe and across the Romney Marsh to Winchelsea and is over 26 miles long and can be walked via footpath for its entire length. You need to start early and you will also need fine weather.From the High Street narrow alleys lead up to the steeper levels of the town.
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Shelf containing skulls in the crypt |
The large
11th century church can be found high above the town, some way up the hill; the tower at its eastern end was destroyed by an earth tremor in 1739 and restored in 1750.
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Close up of a skull on the shelf showing a birds nest within |
The chancel, dating from 1220, covers a processional
ossuary – a bone store, more commonly found on the continent – lined with 2000 skulls and 8,000 thighbones. They date from the medieval period, probably having been stored after removal, to make way for new graves. This was a common practice in England during the period but bones were usually dispersed, and this is thus a rare collection.
Lionel Lukin credited with the invention of the
lifeboat, is buried in the parish church yard of Hythe.
Hythe was once of such significance that it was defended by two castles, being respectively known as
Saltwood and
Lympne. Saltwood derives its name from the village, in its shadow. During the reign of king
Canute the manor of Saltwood was granted to the priory of
Christ Church in
Canterbury, but during the 12th century it was for a while to become the home of Henry d' Essex constable of England.
Thomas Becket had sought from king
Henry II, for the Church, the restoration of the castle, as an ecclesiastical palace. Henry instead granted the castle to one of his loyal barons,
Ranulf de Broc.
That the castle had been returned to the control of Becket, as archbishop of Canterbury, and remained a church property until the reign of
Henry VIII, when Hythe and Saltwood were to be sequestrated to the Crown, leads to the implication that some complicity in the murder of Becket, by the baron Rranulf de Broc was possible. It was during this time at Saltwood, on December the 28th, 1170, four knights plotted the death of Becket, which took place the following day.
Hugh de Moreville was one of the four knights that assassinated Thomas Becket, along with
Reginald Fitzurse, William de Tracey, and
Richard le Breton.
From the moment Hythe came under Crown control the senior official of the town was also to become a bailiff appointed by the Crown, this state of affairs remained (uniquely for a Cinque Port) until 1575 when under a charter given by
Elizabeth I, the town regained control of its domestic affairs.
Curiously, however the last Crown bailiff of Hythe was also to become the first mayor of the town. His name was John Bredgman, a brass inscription baring his name remains in the parish church, dated 1581.
A monumental cross now indicates the position of what was once from 1358 a meeting place of the confederation of the Cinque ports, located several miles to the west of Hythe, and known then as 'the Shepway crossroads.' Shepway cross erected in 1923, the monument to the Court of Shepway, known as the Shepway cross may be found beside the Hythe to Lympne road. (b2067) The lathe of Shepway was the Saxon name for south east Kent, roughly corresponding with the modern District of Shepway, comprising Folkestone, Hythe, Romney Marsh and the nearby villages as far north as Elham.
Most people (including the inhabitants of nearby West Hythe and Lympne) seem to think that this monument exists to mark the spot where traditionally the Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports held his court for Shepway. It is invariably referred to as the "Shepway Cross" by those who are ignorant of it's real purpose. It's true title should be the Cinque Ports War Memorial (1914 â€" 1919).
In fact the Shepway Cross is a civic war Memorial erected in 1923 to commemorate the men of the Cinque Ports who went to war and those who never returned… It was placed on the top of Lympne Hill because this was traditionally the site of the Court of Shepway. This unfortunate confusion has resulted from its positioning here...
Have a close look at the crosses inscription and you will find out the truth...
This unfortunate state of affairs has resulted in the war memorial being almost totally forgotten - even by the local branch of the Royal British Legion!
The Shepway Cross was paid for and unveiled in August 1923 by Earl Beauchamp KG the then Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports. The Archbishop of Canterbury Randall Davidson attended the unveiling ceremony.
The war memorial is now at risk and showing signs of serious decay. The lettering denoting the monuments true purpose is now hardly legible.
Hythe is one of the terminals of the
Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway, the world's smallest public railway, running scale models of steam locomotives. The track runs a parallel course to the coastline passing through the towns of
Dymchurch,
New Romney and
Dungeness, where there is a lighthouse, power station and
RSPB National Nature Reserve.
The original founders of the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Light Steam Railway were Captain JEP Howey and the count Louis Zborowsky. Something of a hobby the project was begun in 1925, and opened in 1927. The locomotives and trains run on a narrow gauge of 15 inches (380 mm) in width, and the track is nearly 14 miles (23 km) in length.
During the Second World War the service was taken over by the military and used to transport the secret 'Pluto' pipeline, it now carries children to nearby schools.
Every two years, Hythe Corporation hosts the
Hythe Venetian Fete, when local organisations and individuals create decorated floats which travel up and down the
Royal Military Canal.
Folkestone and Hythe are represented in Parliament by
Conservative Michael Howard, former home secretary and former Conservative party leader.
In fact the Shepway Cross is a WAR MEMORIAL. Although it stands on the place of the former Court of the Cinque Ports, it was erected by the EARL Beaumont in 1923 to celebrate the deeds of the men of the Cinque Ports during the Great War (1914-1919). Most local people seem to think it merely marks the spot of the former historical court.
*
Brockhill Country Park*
Port Lympne Wild Animal Park & Gardens*
Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway*
Woodchurch Rare Breeds Centre*The writer, painter and filmmaker
Derek Jarman, lived at the isolated Prospect Cottage, on nearby Dungeness, where he created his famous seaside garden. It was here that he was Canonised by the
Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence.
*The novelist
Elizabeth Bowen spent part of her childhood in Hythe and retired to a house on Church Steps (overlooking the Parish Church) where she died.
*The novelist
H.G.Wells built Spade House at nearby Sandgate.
*The novelist
E. Nesbit, author of "The Railway Children", lived on Romney Marsh.
*
Noel Coward lived at Goldenhaye Farm at nearby Aldington for many years.
*Saltwood Castle was the family home of Lord
Jim Deedes and was recently the home of Lord
Kenneth Clark, the famous art historian, and his son Hon.
Alan Clark, Conservative MP (now both deceased).
*The novelist
Daphne du Maurier lived briefly with her young family at Hythe in the early years of World War II.
*
Francis Pettitt-Smith, inventor of the marine screw propeller, was born and raised in Hythe.
*The Rt. Hon.
Michael Howard MP, QC, Leader of Her Majesty's Opposition (Nov 2003-Dec 2005) Leader of the Conservative Party (Nov 2003-Dec 2005) Member of Parliament for Folkestone and Hythe.
*
Noel Redding (1945-2003), bassist with the Jimi Hendrix Experience, was raised on Romney Marsh and gave his first public performance at Hythe Youth Club.
*
Official Shepway site*
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