Fascinating Facts

• Most people know that E. Nesbit, author of The Railway Children and Five Children & It is buried in the churchyard at St Mary the Virgin. But did you know that also buried here is James Chittenden – a breeder of the famous Romney Sheep?! The bloodline of New Zealand’s Romneys can be traced back to the Chittenden flock at St Mary-in-the-Marsh!
• The Great Storms of the 1200s flooded huge parts of the marsh and buried much of New Romney – the entrance at St Nicholas’ church shows where the ground level once was. Flood marks can still be seen!
• Dymchurch is famous for its sea wall, which protects the marsh from flooding. The wall features in many artworks by internationally renowned painter Paul Nash.
• The octagonal wooden bell tower at St Augustine’s in Brookland is very unusual and subject to many local legends. A popular myth is that the steeple looked down at a wedding service to see such a beautiful bride marrying such an unpleasant groom that it jumped off the church in shock!

Images LtoR 1st row then 2nd row: Romney Sheep; Craig Moncrieff : New Romney, St. Nicholas Door : Paul Nash’s Dymchurch Sea Wall and St. Augustine’s Bell Tower; by Jules and Jenny