30 



Eedman's researches, that, at that time, Dungencss point was 

 just three miles from Lydd church, whereas in 1844 it was 

 three miles and seven eights. In the middle of the thirteenth 

 century some destructive storms forced the river to seek a new 

 channel. It then changed its course at Appledore and fell 

 into the sea at Rye, and from that time New Romney de- 

 cayed as a port. 



I will now speak of this Lydd beach. One charac- 

 teristic of this and all similar beaches, is that it 

 accumulates above high water mark, and thus drives back 

 the ocean and protects the land. At present the whole of 

 Romney Marsh is below high water mark, so that were it 

 it not for this protection and the Dymchurch wall connect- 

 ing it with Hythe, the marsh would be subject to constant 

 inundation. The whole of the beach is formed of rounded 

 chalk flints, which must have been derived from the South 

 Downs, washed by the sea. These flints washed out of the 

 cliffs and broken by the waves, arc carried by the sea cur- 

 rents directed by the prevailing winds, along the shore, till 

 deposited or checked by coimter currents ; and thus we 

 may suppose that prevailing south-west winds have accu- 

 mulated this beach. Now, it is worthy of remark that this 

 beach is accumulated in certain fulls or ridges which cor. 

 respond with periodical high tides, and as these ridges 

 remain, the beach shows a continuous succession of these, 

 marking the successive changes that have taken place in 

 the shore ; and thus we learn that an ancient beach which 

 existed west of Lydd, has been cut otf by the waves and de- 

 posited towards the east. Between Lydd and the sea, 

 certain breaks occur in the regularity of this beach, which 

 now constitute large fresh water ponds of some acres in 

 extent. The present beach is about eighteen feet above 

 low water mark. 



Now, with regard to the geology of the district, I may 

 observe that the Marsh is surrounded on one side by high 

 ground, consisting on the eastward towanls Uythc, of the 

 Escarpment of the Lower Green saud, and .south westward 

 by the Wealden beds, which I have represented by green and 



