CHAPTER LIX 



THE ROMNEY MARSH 



The native home of the Romney Marsh sheep is in the county 

 of Kent in southeastern England, where it is also known as the 

 Kent breed. Kent has an area of 1520 square miles, and on the 

 north is bordered by the river Thames and the North Sea and on 

 the east by the latter body of water. This is a fertile agricultural 

 county, famous for its hop fields, with an undulating surface in 

 part, but with much low land. The district known as Romney 

 Marsh is located in southeast Kent and in the eastern part of 

 Sussex. The land is about level with the sea, from which it is 

 protected by sea walls built centuries ago. "The soil is usually a 

 deep alluvial clay interspersed with portions of infertile sand or 

 gravel," says Wrightson, " and the area is traversed by wide ditches 

 full of water." This region is sparsely settled and is largely 

 devoted to the Romney Marsh sheep ; here they are kept in large 

 numbers, grazing in the summer on the rich pastures. The climate 

 is moist and comparatively mild. 



The early type of Romney Marsh was rather comparable with 

 other breeds in being deficient in rib, heavy of bone, long of leg, 

 and coarse of wool. Very little is known of the early history of 

 the breed, but it seems evident that in the first part of the nine- 

 teenth century Leicester blood was extensively used, though not 

 with special success. Leicesters reduced the size and constitution, 

 although improving the form and maturing qualities. 



In 1855, referring to these sheep, Professor Wilson thus de- 

 scribes the breed : 



The head and legs are white ; the head long and broad, with a tuft of wool 

 on forehead ; no horns ; necli long and thin ; breast narrow with moderate fore 

 quarters ; the body long with flattish sides and sharp chine ; loins wide and 

 strong ; the belly large ; thighs broad and thick ; and legs and feet large, 

 with coarse bone and muscle. They are very hardy and are well adapted for 

 the bleak and exposed district of the Romney Marshes. They also bear stock- 

 ing closer than other breeds, as it is not unusual to see six or eight fattening 



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