Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Earthwork remain of EMD watercourse.

Monument Types

• NATURAL FEATURE (NATURAL FEATURE, Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 410 AD to 1065 AD)

Full description

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Low embankment associated with the former course of the Limen watercourse and was probably created in the L. Saxon period. Present as earthwork at several locations, but elsewhere probably removed by ploughing. Location TR 113 332 the probable course. (1)

The monument includes the best surviving stretch of a flood defence embankment situated near the north eastern edge of Romney Marsh. The embankment has been dated to the later Anglo-Saxon period (eigth-ninth centuries AD), and survives as a roughly south-west north-east aligned curving earthwork around 358m long, up to 20m wide and 0.5m high. It was constructed in order to help protect the fertile agricultural lands of this part of the marsh from inundation by flood water. It is thought to have been in use for a relatvely short period before being made redundant by natural coastal changes and the reclamation for agriculture and settlement of the southern part of Romney Marsh, acheived by the 11th century. A detailed survey carried out in 1995 indicated that the bank has been breached in two places close to each end of the monument, probably during episodes of flooding. The western breach has been remodelled by a later drainage ditch excavated during the early post-medieval period. The flood defence originally ran for several kilometres along the southern bank of the northern branch of the river Rother (formerly known as the Limen). Historical records and geological surveys have indicated that the river estuary issued into the English Chennel near Lympne during the early Medieval period, before natural coastal processes altered the course of the rivers which drained into the marsh. The former course of the river is represented by a natural creek ridge followed by the roughly east-west aligned Burmarsh to Newchurch road, which runs just to the north of the monument.(2)

Eddison, J., 1992, A Report on the Archaeological Implications of the Proposed By-Passes for St. Mary's Bay & Dymchurch, J Eddison 1992 Arch Implications of A259 Dymchurch By Pass (RMRT) (Unpublished document). SKE6774.

Eddison, J., 1992, A Report on the Archaeological Implications of the Proposed By-Passes for St. Mary's Bay & Dymchurch, J Eddison 1992 Arch Implications of A259 Dymchurch By Pass (RMRT) (Unpublished document). SKe6774.

<1> Not applicable, SMR Kent uncatalogued index entry, Romney Marsh earthworks survey, SEAS, 1996. (Miscellaneous Material). SKE6440.

<2> English Heritage, 1965, Dover Castle (Scheduling record). SKE6594.

Sources and further reading