Day 1: Arrival

Make your way to one of the quieter parts of England’s glorious south coast and the charming small town of Rye, overlooking Romney Marsh and the coast from its hilltop setting (see the ‘Hotel’ and ‘How To Get There’ tabs above for directions and further information).

Check-in at the historic Mermaid Inn, in the heart of the old town, and meet your tour leader, Dr Christopher Cole, for an early evening walking tour of Rye before enjoying an included 3-course evening meal in the hotel, well-known for its use of local produce and its fine Tudor dining rooms.

Day 2: The Eastern Marsh

Today we get a feel for the landscape and heritage of Romney Marsh by exploring its eastern side. Our first stop is the tiny hamlet of Burmarsh, where we visit the church of All Saints, commissioned by William the Conqueror’s half-brother in the 12th century and still in fine condition. At Eastbridge we discover our first lost village of the Marsh, and then at Newchurch we find a peaceful village green, the leaning tower of the splendid St Peter and St Paul’s church, and an important RAF history.

We stop for lunch at the Star Inn, St Mary-in-the-Marsh, which has been welcoming guests since the 15th century, including Noel Coward who lived next door. The local church is also full of interest, with its fine Norman tower and grave of Edith Nesbit, author of the Railway Children. We conclude the day with a visit to the colourful seaside village of Dymchurch, with its glorious sandy beach and rich history. A sea wall was begun here by the Romans, and by Medieval times Dymchurch was home to the Lords of the Level. It was also a base for some of England’s most notorious smugglers, whose exploits inspired the Dr Syn stories of local author Russell Thorndyke.

Day 3: Across the Marsh

At Fairfield we find the most iconic of Romney Marsh’s hidden churches, standing alone in a field and the sole survivor of the lost village it once served. Our visit here is a true step back in time. Nearby in the quiet village of Brookland, the Church of St Augustine offers a unique octagonal, wooden bell tower, and the adjacent Royal Oak pub offers a great home-cooked lunch in it’s Elizabethan rooms. In the afternoon we make our way to the market town of Hythe, one of the jewels of the Kentish coast with its historic centre and Victorian seafront promenade. Of particular interest is the Church of St Leonard’s, famous for its crypt housing thousands of human bones and skulls, the largest collection in Britain and an important scientific resource. It is said that some of the dead could be Saxons, Danish raiders or men killed at the Battle of Hastings.

Day 4: The Western Marsh

Today we focus on the western half of the Marsh, much of which was still under the sea in Medieval times. Its landscape history is a dramatic story of interaction between people and environment as whole towns have become landlocked, new harbours have arisen, and dry land has come and gone. The town of Lydd was once an island. Its impressive church is one of the longest and tallest in Kent and recent studies have identified a 5th century Romano-British basilica in its walls. The small village of Ivychurch centres around its very large St George’s Church, known as the ‘Cathedral of Romney Marsh’, and the adjacent pub, the Bell Inn, which is a great place to stop for lunch.

Old and New Romney are about 2 miles apart and between them lies the lost village of Hope, with only its lonely church ruins left standing. Both Old and New Romney have Saxon origins and are not actually much different in age, just two ends of a long harbour on the estuary of the River Rother. The prefixes ‘old’ and ‘new’ came about in Norman times as the harbour grew, only to disappear virtually overnight in the Great Storm of 1287, which diverted the river and left both towns landlocked. The Church of St Nicholas in New Romney still has mooring rings in its walls, where ships were once tied up. Founded in 1066, it is one of the oldest Norman structures in England. It may even have been the final resting place of King Harold, after his death in the Battle of Hastings.

Day 5: Winchelsea & the Heart of the Marsh

Old Winchelsea was completely destroyed in the Great storm of 1287, but was quickly rebuilt on the orders of King Edward I, who recognised its importance as one of the Cinque Ports. Dominating the new town centre was the church of St. Thomas the Martyr, named after Thomas Becket, the archbishop who was murdered in Canterbury Cathedral in 1170. Planned on a grand scale as a magnificent Gothic edifice, it appears to have been only partially completed, but there are several notable tombs located within the church, and outside is the resting place of comedian Spike Milligan.

Heading into the heart of Romney Marsh, we discover our final clutch of three fascinating little churches. St. Augustine’s at Snave is one of the smallest of the Marsh churches, while St. Eanswythe’s at Brenzett is named after an Anglo-Saxon princess from the 7th century, when the church is thought to have been founded. It was here that Edith Nesbitt found inspiration for her ghost story, Man-Size in Marble. Finally, we come to St. Dunstan at Snargate, where the Rev. Richard Harris Barham, author of the humorous tales The Ingoldsby Legends, was vicar from 1817 to 1829. The wall painting of a great ship in the north aisle is dated to around 1500AD, and was a symbol that not only recognised the local shipbuilding industry, but also that it was safe for smuggler to store their contraband within the confines of the church.

We include a farewell dinner this evening in one of Rye’s finest restaurants, to celebrate our time together exploring the mysteries of Romney Marsh.

Day 6: Departure

Check-out after a leisurely breakfast and make your way home. Before leaving, why not climb St Mary’s clock tower for wonderful views of the town and its surrounding countryside, or pop into Lamb House next door, home of the author Henry James? Why not stay longer and explore more of the area?