67-521: Denge Marsh / ˈ d ɛ n dʒ / , also spelled Dengemarsh and occasionally called the Denge , is a part of Romney Marsh in Kent . Its north-west boundary is the town of Lydd ; to the south-east is Denge Beach and Dungeness . In Roman times, the area which is now Romney Marsh was under water. Lympne and Appledore , which are now on the northern edge of Romney Marsh, were coastal ports. There were islands in
134-520: A branch of supermarket chain Sainsbury's , but the town retains much of its character. The former almshouses in West Street are noted historic buildings of Kent; they were founded in 1610 by John Southland, an important local magnate, and rebuilt in 1734. Adjacent to these is Plantagenet House and No 3 Old Stone Cottage, which originated as a single house constructed c. 1300–1350. Researchers think it
201-534: A distinct breed. Some cross-breeding with Leicester sheep took place at around that time, to improve their characteristics. They are dual-purpose animals, producing good meat and quality wool. They are particularly adapted to wet conditions, being resistant to foot rot, while their fleeces stay healthy in the harsh conditions found on the Marsh. They are also resistant to the liver fluke parasite. Their wool has fibres which are finer than all other breeds of longwool sheep, and
268-452: A major importer of wine, was relocated on higher land, with a harbour consisting of 82 wharfs. Those same storms, however, helped to build up more shingle; such beaches now ran along practically the whole seaward side of the marshland. By the 14th century, much of the Walland and Denge Marshes had been reclaimed by "innings", the process of throwing up an embankment around the sea-marsh and using
335-647: A medieval canal that brought water from higher up the river Rother . The main road is the A259 from Rye , which is narrow and winding to Brookland and Brenzett, where it splits in two. One arm becomes the A2070 and runs parallel to the railway to link the Marsh to Hamstreet , Ashford and the wider world. The other, still the A259, is good only as far as the junction with Lydd Lane (B2075) and leads to New Romney , Dymchurch , Hythe and eventually, Folkestone . The local bus routes on
402-510: A series of violent storms broke through the coastal shingle banks, flooding significant areas and returning it to marsh, and destroying the harbour at New Romney . In 1287, water destroyed the port town of Old Winchelsea (now located some 2 mi (3 km) out in Rye bay), which had been endangered because of its proximity to the sea since at least 1236. Winchelsea, the third-largest port in England and
469-460: A single line extension was built with an unprotected level crossing to an exchange siding with the adjacent Romney Hythe and Dymchurch Railway station on the opposite side of the Station Road; it was used to deliver coal to that railway. The signal box was taken out of use in the 1950s and goods service was withdrawn in 1964. The station was closed in 1967 and replaced with a bus service. New Romney
536-404: A substantial facility just outside Lydd, where a mock urban 'townscape' complete with full-size houses, streets, etc., provides an appropriate environment for counter-terrorism and civil disorder training. Some of the lost communities on the Marsh are instances of the modern decline of the rural communities; others occurred over the centuries. In 1348, for example, many villages were decimated by
603-510: Is a long-distance footpath which starts at Gravesend , Kent . It traces the coast as it was in Roman times as far as Hastings , East Sussex . It is 153 miles (246 km) long, and its route crosses the northern edge of the Marsh. The idea for the path was conceived in the 1970s and it was officially opened on 22 June 1980 by the Archbishop of Canterbury . Throughout its history, the proximity of
670-449: Is a market town in Kent , England, on the edge of Romney Marsh , an area of flat, rich agricultural land reclaimed from the sea after the harbour began to silt up. New Romney, one of the original Cinque Ports , was once a sea port, with the harbour adjacent to the church, but is now more than a mile from the sea. It is the headquarters of the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway . New Romney
737-403: Is a result of the effects of longshore drift , which disperses shingle and sand deposits, from west to east, with heavier stones accumulating in the area known as Greatstone, while far smaller shingle is to be found in great quantities at Littlestone. Very fine sand is found further east at neighbouring St Mary's Bay. In the latter part of the thirteenth century a series of severe storms weakened
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#1732855717393804-488: Is a sparsely populated wetland area in the counties of Kent and East Sussex in the south-east of England. It covers about 100 square miles (260 km ). The Marsh has been in use for centuries, though its inhabitants commonly suffered from malaria until the 18th century. Due to its location, geography and isolation, it was important for smugglers between the 17th and 19th centuries. The area has long been used for sheep pasture: Romney Marsh sheep are considered one of
871-644: Is easily accessible by road, sitting astride the A259 (which runs from Folkestone to Havant ). Several bus services run to and through New Romney from Hastings , Folkestone and Ashford . New Romney has one dedicated weekly newspaper, the Kentish Express (published by the KM Group ) is the only weekly newspaper for the Romney Marsh covering the town. There is also the Folkestone Herald (which incorporated
938-509: Is not significantly different in age from the nearby village of Old Romney . However New Romney, now about a mile and a half from the seafront, was originally a harbour town at the mouth of the River Rother . The Rother estuary was always difficult to navigate, with many shallow channels and sandbanks. The names of two local settlements, Greatstone and Littlestone, are a reminder of these aids. Another possible explanation for these place-names
1005-436: Is particularly good for hand spinning. A flock book for the breed has been maintained since 1895. Romney sheep were exported around the world from the early 19th century onwards. The first flocks were sent to New Zealand, where they adapted to their new environment well, and are still the most prolific breed in the country. They have since been shipped to many parts of England, Australia, Patagonia , Canada, Brazil, Portugal,
1072-511: Is possible to find two or three lanes apparently leading to the same village. Many of these lanes are built on the remains of enclosures used to "in" the Marsh. There is a dramatic section near Brookland , where a lane linking the Woolpack pub to Lydd is perched 2 or 3 m above the surrounding farmland, on the "Hook" wall. The section of road between Brenzett and Lydd Lane end is built on the Rhee wall,
1139-626: Is still in place about a mile short of Dungeness. In the early 21st century, it is used to transfer spent fuel from the nuclear power plant. The Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway , a 15 in ( 381 mm )-gauge miniature railway and the only miniature railway in the British Isles ever to have been incorporated under the Light Railways Act 1896 , has been operating along the Romney Marsh coast since 1927. It runs for 13.75 miles (22.13 km) from Hythe to Dungeness. The Saxon Shore Way
1206-512: The Black Death . The few survivors moved to other places. The villages, shown below with the modern Ordnance Survey map information on Sheet 189, were: The flat, almost empty landscape and numerous waterways created an ideal environment for smuggling from the 17th until the early 19th century. The traffic was two-way, since wool was smuggled from this area to the Continent. The main gangs on
1273-535: The Cinque Ports . The Romney Marsh has been gradually built up over the centuries. The most significant feature of the Marsh is the Rhee Wall (Rhee is a word for river), forming a prominent ridge. This feature was extended as a waterway in three stages from Appledore to New Romney in the 13th century. Sluices controlled the flow of water, which was then released to flush silt from the harbour at New Romney. Ultimately,
1340-569: The Falkland Islands and the United States. However, for Downland sheep that were often taken to the marshes to be fattened before sale, 19th-century reports suggest the Romney pastures were highly likely to result in the animals becoming ill with liver fluke and thus their meat becoming contaminated. Whitlaw suggests that this was probably due to the cultivation of buttercups in the region during
1407-553: The Mapp and Lucia novels; Russell Thorndike , author of the Doctor Syn novels; and the children's writer Monica Edwards , author of Romney Marsh books. She changed the name of Rye Harbour to "Westling", Rye is renamed "Dunsford", and Winchelsea is known as "Winklesea". Rosemary Sutcliff 's 1955 historical novel Outcast depicts Roman efforts to build the Rhee Wall and reclaim land from
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#17328557173931474-599: The Pipe Line Under The Ocean , or PLUTO, oil was pumped to France under the English Channel for use by allied troops. New Romney is the main centre of population on the Romney Marsh. Founded in 1610 by John Southland and formerly known locally as just "Southland's", John Southland's Community Comprehensive School, the only secondary school in the area, was renamed The Marsh Academy in August 2007. Like many towns on
1541-686: The River Rother and the River Brede . Martello towers are fortifications that were built by the British Army for coastal defence during the early nineteenth century and the Napoleonic Wars . Seventy-four towers were built along the south coast; Tower 1 was at Folkestone, overlooking the harbour, and Tower 74 guarded the beach at Seaford in East Sussex . Six were built in pairs in Dymchurch to protect
1608-536: The Romney Marsh Herald in 2014, published by Kent Regional News and Media). The local radio station for New Romney is KMFM Ashford which contains Marsh-based adverts amongst a county-wide station, and New Romney is also served by the county-wide stations Heart , Gold and BBC Radio Kent . Cinque Ports Radio 100.2FM is the community radio station for Romney Marsh and has been broadcasting since 7 March 2022 replacing Shoreline FM which now broadcasts online to
1675-570: The Romney Marshes Area IDB . Romney Marsh is adjacent to the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty , which is less developed than many other areas in Kent and Sussex. The decline in sheep prices meant that even the local stock (sold around the world for breeding for over two centuries) became unsustainable. Turfing had always been a lesser practice due to the grassland kept short by
1742-447: The sound mirrors , also known as acoustic mirrors at RAF Denge : they are large concrete structures, built as an experiment between 1928 and 1930. Sound could be focussed onto microphones, so giving an early warning of the approach of enemy aircraft. The invention of radar made them obsolete. 50°56′15″N 0°55′15″E / 50.93750°N 0.92083°E / 50.93750; 0.92083 Romney Marsh Romney Marsh
1809-454: The 1830s. In the 18th and 19th centuries, men known as lookers were hired to look after the large flocks of sheep in the expanses of Romney Marsh. The lookers' huts were their temporary accommodation and store for tools. A hut was about 10 feet (3.0 m) square with a tiled roof and a chimney, a small window and a fireplace. The hut was particularly important at lambing time: the looker's family would regularly visit him, bringing supplies for
1876-461: The 18th-century Sussex smugglers. According to Norman Wright's book The Famous Five: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know , Rye's history inspired Enid Blyton when she wrote Five Go to Smuggler's Top. The 1947 British historical drama film The Loves of Joanna Godden , based on the novel by Sheila Kaye-Smith and directed by Charles Frend , is set in Romney Marsh. The 1963 a three-part television series entitled The Scarecrow of Romney Marsh,
1943-420: The English Channel. They were important for both trade and defence. Romney and Hythe were two of the ports within the Romney Marsh; Rye and Winchelsea were later added as "Antient Towns". Rye replaced Romney as one of the main five when Romney's port was silted in. The Royal Military Canal stretches for 28 miles hugging the old cliff line that borders the Romney Marsh from Hythe in the north east to Cliff End in
2010-507: The Marsh Link Line is the Ashford to Hastings line, with stations at Hamstreet , Appledore , Rye , and Winchelsea . The one-time branch to New Romney from Appledore (its small offshoot to Dungeness closed in 1937) was closed to passenger traffic in 1967. It was possible to travel directly from Dungeness to London, and the 2-hr journey time was quicker than by road and rail today. The line
2077-492: The Marsh are operated by Stagecoach in East Kent and link it to Ashford, Canterbury , Dover , Folkestone, Hastings , Northiam and Tenterden . National Cycle Route 2 passes through the area; the section between Rye and Lydd is mostly off-road. From Lydd to Hythe, it uses quiet lanes; from Hythe it is possible to cycle along the sea wall to Folkestone, and ultimately (off-road) to reach Dover. The main line railway known as
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2144-531: The Marsh became the property of the Priory of Canterbury in the 9th century, when the lands owned by the double minster of Lyminge were transferred to Christ Church, Canterbury . Prior Wilbert granted a tenancy on their land in Misleham, now part of Brookland parish, to a man called Baldwin, sometime between 1155 and 1167, for "all their land in Misleham which lies in the Marsh, in so far as Baldwin can inclose it against
2211-702: The Marsh were the Hawkhurst Gang , the Mayfield Gang, and the Aldington Gang , known also as "the Blues". Smugglers on the Marshes were known as Owlers . The name was rumoured to be derived from the owl-like sounds they used to communicate at night. Romney Marsh has been represented in a distinguished literary history. Three authors who specifically used the marsh as settings for their works were E. F. Benson , author of
2278-677: The Pipe Line Under The Ocean. It was to pass under the English Channel, and was intended to supply fuel to the Allied forces that would be involved in Operation Overlord (the 1944 invasion of Normandy). There are two military establishments on the Marsh: the Hythe and Lydd Ranges . The latter has a large danger area marked on maps south of Lydd towards the sea. The Metropolitan Police also have
2345-542: The RSPB were concerned about possible detrimental effects of the wind farm on bird populations, as the location is close to a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and a European Union Special Protection Area (SPA), because if provides habitat for large numbers of migratory birds . Bewick swans and shovellers spend the winter there, while there are large breeding populations of common terns , little terns and Mediterranean gulls . The enquiry concluded that
2412-873: The Romney Marsh sluices from potential invading French forces. One of these, Martello Tower No. 24 is closest to its original condition, and has its cannon. It is open to the public during the summer months. The towers were built between 1805 and 1808, when Napoleon was a threat. Prior to World War II, experiments to detect enemy aircraft with huge concrete acoustic mirrors were conducted at Greatstone . The large concrete mirrors were built between 1928 and 1930 as an early warning system in case of approaching German aircraft. While they could detect slow moving aircraft before they were visible, they were less effective as aircraft got faster, and operators struggled to distinguish between aeroplanes and seagoing ships. They were superseded by radar technology in 1935, and abandoned in 1939. Germany's Operation Sea Lion plan included crossing
2479-414: The area had now been reclaimed from the sea. Today, shingle continues to be deposited in the harbour. As a result, all the original Cinque Ports of the Marsh are now far from the sea. Dungeness Point is still being added to (especially near Dungeness and Hythe ), though a daily operation is in place to counter the reshaping of the shingle banks, using boats to dredge and move the drifting shingle. Much of
2546-507: The area, including Lydd. Denge Marsh, south-east of Lydd, was one of the earliest parts in the area to be reclaimed from the water by drainage; this is recorded in a charter of A.D. 744. Reclamation of the adjacent area, the present-day Walland Marsh which is to the north-west of Lydd, continued through the Middle Ages. Drainage dykes, known locally as sewers, were built. At the north-eastern edge of Denge Marsh, near Greatstone-on-Sea , stand
2613-453: The battle was lost: the harbour silted up and New Romney declined in importance. The Rhee kept part of the old port open until the 15th century. The wall at Dymchurch was built around the same time: storms had breached the shingle barrier, which had protected it until that time. It is a common misconception that both these structures were built by the Romans. In 1250 and in the following years,
2680-409: The church, have steps leading down into them from the present pavement level. New Romney is one of the original Cinque Ports of England, although its importance declined rapidly during the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries after the loss of the harbour. Archaeological investigations in 2007 during replacement of the town's main drainage have cast new light on the medieval origins and development of
2747-535: The coastal defences of Romney Marsh, and the South England flood of February 1287 almost destroyed the town, as it did destroy the nearby ancient parish of Broomhill. The harbour and town were filled with sand, silt, mud and debris, and the River Rother changed course to run out into the sea near Rye , Sussex. The mud, silt and sand were never entirely removed from the town, which is why many old buildings, especially
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2814-529: The end of the Last Glacial Period , around or before the time of the Roman occupation. The strain responsible was most probably Plasmodium vivax , as records and texts describe agues or fevers at three or four-day intervals. Prior Anselm , of nearby Canterbury, recorded in the 1070s and 1080s a case that had every appearance of malaria. Although five indigenous mosquito species are capable of being hosts for
2881-462: The flat marsh during an invasion across the English Channel . The government planned to flood the area to prevent troops and equipment from crossing the area. Thousands of concrete pillboxes were built in Kent; 6,500 of the crumbling structures remain standing to this day. The ancient Royal Military Canal was well guarded with troops, pillboxes and barbed wire. Training was provided in the area for
2948-520: The low-tide to let it run dry by means of one-way drains set into the new seawall, running off into a network of dykes called locally "sewers". In 1462, the Romney Marsh Corporation was established to install drainage and sea defences for the marsh, which it continued to build into the 16th century. By that time, the course of the Rother had been changed to its channel today; most of the remainder of
3015-484: The malarial parasite, only the Anopheles atroparvus species breeds in sufficient numbers here to act as an efficient vector. However, P. vivax likes brackish waters and, with the recreation of the old coastal wetlands coming into favour, this could expand the future malarial parasite host reserve. Together with the average temperatures in England increasing due to climate change, English malaria may become re-established in
3082-453: The marsh it has an impressive Norman church, the Church of St Nicholas , in the centre of town. This church originally stood at the harbourside, and its entrances are several feet below ground level. The church is also notable for the boat hooks still evident on the side walls. New Romney's historic high street has several small and interesting shops. A few businesses closed after the opening of
3149-455: The marsh to the European mainland meant that this area was in the front line whenever invasion threatened. In AD 892, one such invasion was successful. The Danish fleet of 250 ships sailed right into the Rother and took the fortress at Appledore (allegedly built by King Arthur ), which they destroyed. The importance of the Cinque Ports was in their strategic location at the narrowest part of
3216-409: The marshes. Roads across the Marsh have always been narrow and winding. This is partly because of the hundreds of sewers and smaller drainage ditches, and because the grazing land is far more important than the roads. The lack of road signs and few villages can make navigating across the marsh very confusing for outsiders. Several minor roads have no finger posts at junctions at all and at others, it
3283-479: The most successful and important sheep breeds. Featuring numerous waterways, and with some areas lying below sea level, the Marsh has over time sustained a gradual level of reclamation, both through natural causes and by human intervention. An electoral ward in the same name exists. This ward had a population of 2,358 at the 2011 census. Romney Marsh is flat and low-lying, with parts below sea level. It consists of several areas: The River Rother today flows into
3350-465: The past, people who lived in the marsh frequently suffered from malaria , then known as ague or marsh fever , which caused high mortality rates until the 1730s. It remained a major problem until the completion of the Royal Military Canal in 1806, which greatly improved the drainage of the area. This disease probably arrived here with mosquitoes as soon as the weather became warm enough after
3417-416: The project would not adversely affect the conservation areas, and the two organisations entered into a formal agreement with Npower Renewables to monitor and manage the area, with Npower funding the programme. Sheep have formed an important part of the economy of Romney Marsh for over 700 years. Romney Marsh sheep were bred from European white face, long-tailed sheep, but by 1800 they were considered to be
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#17328557173933484-478: The qualifying rounds of The Open Championship . The Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway has a station at the extreme east of New Romney, which as well as being a major tourist attraction was also used by students travelling to school until 2015. The station is about three-quarters of a mile east of the historic town centre. New Romney was once serviced by the New Romney and Littlestone-On-Sea railway station which
3551-697: The rise and fall of a smuggling gang leader in Deal, Kent , a notorious smuggling town further down the coast. Many other well-known writers have been associated with the area: Henry James lived in Rye; Daphne du Maurier lived in Hythe for a few years during World War II; H. G. Wells , Joseph Conrad , Ford Madox Ford , Stephen Crane , Radclyffe Hall , Noël Coward , Edith Nesbit , Rumer Godden , Malcolm Saville , and Conrad Aiken also lived in marsh towns. Conrad's daughter, Joan Aiken , set her children's book, Cold Shoulder Road, in Romney Marsh. Rudyard Kipling and his poem, "A Smugglers' Song", are also associated with
3618-519: The same area as Shoreline Easy and previously broadcast on 100.2FM since January 2020 In 1951 the Richard Burton , Roger Livesey , and Honor Blackman film Green Grow the Rushes was made on location in and around New Romney and in nearby St Mary in the Marsh . In 1762 Thomas Fairfax, 6th Lord Fairfax of Cameron named the town of Romney in present-day West Virginia in the United States after
3685-465: The sea below Rye , but until 1287 its mouth lay between Romney and Lydd . It was tidal far upstream, almost to Bodiam . The river mouth was wide with a huge lagoon , making Rye a port at its western end. That lagoon lay behind a large island, which now makes up a large part of the Denge Marsh, on which stood the ports of Lydd and the old Winchelsea . All these ports were affiliated to (as "limbs" of)
3752-403: The sea"; Baldwin's Sewer (drainage ditch) remains in use. The marsh has since become covered by a dense network of drainage ditches that once supported large farming communities. These watercourses have been maintained and managed by internal drainage boards (IDBs) for sustainable water levels since the 1930s. In April 2001, the five drainage boards responsible for the marsh amalgamated to form
3819-516: The sea. A fictitious Romney Marsh estate near Charbury is a key setting in The Eagle Has Flown (1991) by Jack Higgins , the quasi-sequel to The Eagle Has Landed . Both are related to World War II. The latter novel was adapted as a successful motion picture starring Michael Caine . Modern-day novelist George Chittenden captures smuggling on the Kent coast in his highly praised debut children's novel, The Boy Who Led Them (2012). It follows
3886-471: The secret Auxiliary Units , men who would be deployed in case of an invasion. Four advanced landing ground airstrips were built on Romney Marsh in 1942, for use by fighters and light bombers; these were used for flights in 1944 against the German flying bombs . The miniature Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway was used by the government to run armoured trains during construction of Operation Pluto , known as
3953-425: The sheep reared upon it, but farms are increasing in size to compensate for the decline in sustainable livestock farming. Some view this as unsustainable due to the damage to soil ecology of the Marsh. The only other alternative, since 1946, has been for farmers to turn to arable farming, changing the landscape from a patchwork of small family farms to a few extensive arable production units. A 59.8 MW wind farm
4020-582: The south west. It was conceived by Lt-Col Brown of the Royal Staff Corps of field engineers in 1804, the time of the Napoleonic Wars , as a way to ensure that an invasion by the French could not use the marsh as a bridgehead. John Rennie acted as consultant engineer, and the work was completed in April 1809. A military road was built on the inland side of the canal, which consisted of two parts, joined by sections of
4087-399: The town. New Romney Town Hall was built in 1702. During World War II a fleet of floating concrete harbour sections (called Mulberry Harbours ) were towed across the English Channel to France to aid the Allied landings. One of these harbour pieces remains, embedded in a sandbank just off the coast by Littlestone-on-Sea, and is clearly visible at low tide. Further up the coast during
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#17328557173934154-528: The week. There were 356 lookers' huts recorded in 1870; the practice of living out on the Marsh at certain times of the year was ending in the 1930s, and few are now left. A hut at Cold Harbour Farm near Brookland , built about 1900, is a Grade II listed building . There is a reconstructed hut at the Visitor Centre in Romney Warren Country Park . The Romney Marsh Countryside Partnership
4221-569: Was constructed by Npower Renewables at Little Cheyne Court, 7 kilometres (4.3 miles) west of Lydd and commissioned in March 2009. There were objections to the planned development from Kent County Council , Shepway District Council , English Nature and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), and so a public enquiry was held to consider the application and objections. English Nature and
4288-552: Was originally the home of the Master of The Hospital of St John the Baptist, a large secular establishment. The hospital was operating by c. 1260 and flourished until the close of the fifteenth century. Three-quarters of a mile north of the town is the links golf course at Littlestone-on-Sea. The golf course was a favourite of Denis Thatcher , late husband of former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher , and has been used several times for
4355-580: Was part of the Lydd Line. The station was sited halfway between New Romney and Littlestone-on-Sea. As built the station had two platforms and a small goods yard with four sidings, a goods shed, cattle dock, coal wharves, end loading dock, water tower and other small buildings. The up platform was rarely used in latter years other than as a livestock loading dock. The station was originally called New Romney & Littlestone with on-Sea being added in October 1888. In 1927
4422-581: Was produced for the Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color TV series. It described the adventures of Dr. Syn . Parts of it were filmed at St Clement's Church in Old Romney, Romney Marsh. The three-part series was edited into a motion picture and released in the United Kingdom and subsequently Europe, Central America and South America. It debuted on American television in 1964. New Romney New Romney
4489-583: Was set up in June 1996, as a sister project to the White Cliffs Countryside Partnership. With the help of volunteers, it manages and maintains various sites across the Marsh. The non-profit organisation aims to care for the special landscape and wildlife of the Romney Marsh and Dungeness while encouraging people to enjoy and understand the countryside through volunteer work, guided walks, cycle rides, countryside events and children's activities. In
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