Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Dymchurch sea wall, believed to be medieval in origin by Mr Charles Stokes. According to 13th century records, the wall was not necessary until the eroding shingle banks had been breached. However, it was hardly mentioned in the records until the 16th century, and incurred little expense until 1700. Originally the wall was not continuous but was erected in sections as breaches in the shingle bank occurred. As erosion increased the sections were linked up to form a continuous wall. In the early years of the 18th century fragment breaches required expensive maintenance and between 1803 to 1806 £50,000 was spent on reconstruction.

Monument Types

• SEA DEFENCES (SEA DEFENCES, Medieval to Modern - 1200 AD? to 2050 AD)

Full description

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[TR 1158 3064] Dymchurch Wall [NAT] (1)

Dymchurch sea wall, believed to be medieval in origin by Mr Charles Stokes. According to 13th century records, the wall was not necessary until the eroding shingle banks had been breached. However, it was hardly mentioned in the records until the 16th century, and incurred little expense until 1700. Originally the wall was not continuous but was erected in sections as breaches in the shingle bank occurred. As erosion increased the sections were linked up to form a continuous wall. In the early years of the 18th century fragment breaches required expensive maintenance and between 1803 to 1806 £50,000 was spent on reconstruction. In 1826 it was faced with stone for the first, time, but has continued to be a source of danger and expense. (2)

The single long street in Dymchurch runs directly below the sea wall for two-thirds of its length without once getting a glimpse of the sea. (3)

With the threat of a Napoleonic invasion, plans for the vulnerable south coast were drawn up. If the fleet put to sea at Boulogne, the coastal marshes were to be flooded by opening the sluice gates, letting in the sea at high tide, and even by knocking a hole in the sea wall at Dymchurch. Eventually, plans were dropped as impractical.(4?)

The sea wall is visible on historical aerial photographs viewed as part of the South East Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment NMP. The sea wall appears to have been greatly enlarged from 1941 to 2006, where images show new sea wall construction in progress. (5-6)

<1> OS 1:10000 1978-9 (OS Card Reference). SKE48164.

<2> 1930, Reports on Preceedings: Summer Meetings 1929, Arch Cant 42 1930 264 (Article in serial). SKE7819.

<3> Newman, J., 1980, Buildings of England: West Kent and the Weald, Bldgs of Eng W Kent and the Weald 1980 263 (J Newman) (Monograph). SKE7817.

<4> Sutcliffe, S., 1972, Martello Towers, Martello Towers 1972 47-8 (S Sutcliffe) (Monograph). SKE7818.

<5> Vertical aerial photograph reference number (Photograph). SKE54576.

<6> Vertical aerial photograph reference number (Photograph). SKE54577.

Sources and further reading