ON THE EROSION OF THE SEA-COASTS OF ENGLAND AND WALES. 363 



hand, is built on a series of beaches that run parallel to the shore. At 

 the latter place the first formed beach seems to have been at a lower level, 

 and at the north end of Deal cuts off the sea from the low marshy flat 

 behind. When the gasometer was put down some years ago, it was found 

 this marshy peaty soil was of considerable depth. The sand-hills likewise 

 cover some old beach. 



My visits to New Romney and Lydd beach have been few and far 

 between, but on the last occasion, some five years ago, I visited Lydd, 

 New Romney, and Dymchurch, the beach at Dungeness was still 

 advancing, and the ridges of shingle making semicircular curves ; while 

 at Romney and Dymchurch the sea was attacking the land. 



Why the beach should so accumulate at Dungeness is not apparent, 

 nor would prevailing winds account for it ; it is certain that the beach 

 travelling towards the north-eastern shores is arrested to its detriment. 

 I believe we must look for some other cause than the winds, such as a 

 change in the velocity or direction of the flood tide. It is evident from 

 historical data that a beach formei'ly existed between New Romney and 

 Hythe that protected the shore at Dymchurch. The remnant of this 

 beach is apparent in the neighbourhood of Hythe, the falls of which are 

 figured in Mr. Drew's Memoir on the Geology of Romney Marsh, surveyed 

 in I860.' Mr. Drew has quoted some ancient charters, notably that of 

 King Egbert, a.d. 833, which had been brought to his notice by Canon 

 Jenkins and Mr. Mackesoir in favour of a notion they entertained with 

 respect to the ancient river Lienen, which they supposed washed the base 

 of the Lynn Roman Castrum. But it will be seen that if the place called 

 Sartum in this charter is to be identified with the place now called 

 Sandton, between West Hythe and Butler's Bridge, the charter quite 

 contradicts their inference with regard to the River Lienen, which places, 

 the I'iver south of that place, not on the north of it, as the Castrum now 

 stands. It will be seen in reference to the Geological Survey Map of 

 Romney Marsh that the ridges of shingle lines which tend inwai'ds 

 towards Hythe and West Hythe from Dymchurch Redoubt are but the 

 remains of a much larger gathering of shingle which must have existed 

 here, and in Roman times had defended the Dymchurch marshes from 

 inundation. 



2. — List of Stones from Dunge^iess. Collected hy Rev. F. Gkll iclben at 

 Lydd (notv Hector of Edhurton, Sussex). Examined in Geological 

 Survey Office, February 23, 1889. 



General Remarks. — Manj' of the stones are from the Wealden beds, 

 probably of the Sussex coast. 



Two may be from the Budleigh Salterton Pebble bed (6 and 43). 



One is very like Cornish Elvan (7*) ; four others may possibly be 

 Cornish Elvans (9,* 15,* 18,* 27*). The general aspect, however, of the 

 igneous rocks is not such as one would expect in Cornish rocks. 



Foreign pebbles from other parts of the Southern Coast (and also 

 those in the ' Drift ' at Selsea) have been referred to the rocks of Brittany, 

 &c., and such may also have been the origin of them. 



It must always, however, be remembered that ballast may be thrown 

 out of ships at the ports along the coast, and also that ships travelling in 

 ballast only may be wrecked, and their contents be thrown up on the 

 beach. 



' See Memoir on Romney Marsh, p. 20. 



