Hythe
Coordinates: 51.074° N 1.082° E Map of Earth showing lines of latitude (horizontally) and longitude (vertically), Eckert VI projection; large version (pdf, 1. ...
Population	14,170(Parish)
OS grid reference	TR158350
Parish	Hythe
District	Shepway
Shire county	Kent
Region	South East
Constituent country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Police	Kent
Fire	Kent
Ambulance	South East Coast
European Parliament	South East England

Hythe (pronounced haɪð) is a small coastal market town on the edge of Romney Marsh, in the District of Shepway (derived from Sheep Way) on the south coast of Kent. The word "Hythe" or "Hithe" is an Old English word, meaning "Haven" or "Landing Place". Image File history File links Download high resolution version (600x800, 11 KB) Summary Description: A blank map of the United Kingdom, with country outline and coastline; contact the author for help with modifications or add-ons Source: Reference map provided by Demis Mapper 6 Date: 2006-21-06 Author: User... Image File history File links Red_pog. ... The British national grid reference system is a system of geographic grid references commonly used in Great Britain, different from using latitude or longitude. ... A civil parish (usually just parish) in England is a subnational entity forming the lowest unit of local government, lower than districts or counties. ... The districts of England are a level of subnational division of England used for the purposes of local government. ... Shepway is a local government district in Kent, England. ... Metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties are a level of subnational division of England used for the purposes of local government. ... This article is about the county in England. ... The region, also known as Government Office Region, is currently the highest tier of local government subnational entity of England in the United Kingdom. ... South East England is one of the nine official regions of England. ... This is an alphabetical list of countries of the world, including independent states (both those that are internationally recognised and generally unrecognised), inhabited dependent territories and areas of special sovereignty. ... Motto: (French for God and my right) Anthem: God Save the King/Queen Capital London (de facto) Largest city London Official language(s) English (de facto) Unification    - by Athelstan AD 927  Area    - Total 130,395 km² (1st in UK)   50,346 sq mi  Population    - 2006 est. ... This is an alphabetical list of the sovereign states of the world, including both de jure and de facto independent states. ... Kent Police is the police force covering Kent in England, including the unitary authority of Medway. ... A Fire Appliance belonging to the Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service The fire service in the United Kingdom has undergone dramatic changes since the beginning of the 21st century, a process that has been propelled by a devolution of central government powers, new legislation and a change to operational... Kent Fire and Rescue Service is the statutory fire and rescue service for the county of Kent covering a geographical area south of London, to the coast and including major shipping routes via the Thames and Medway rivers. ... Crest of NHS ambulance services in England Crest of the Scottish Ambulance Service In the UK, the majority of ambulance services are provided under the National Health Service through local ambulance trusts. Each trust is specific to a county or area, and so the country is divided across a number... As of 1st July the NHS Ambulance Services Trusts of Kent, Surrey and Sussex are being joined together to form a new South East Coast Ambulance Service . ... This is a list of Members of the European Parliament for the United Kingdom in the 2004 to 2009 session, ordered by name. ... South East England is a constituency of the European Parliament. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_England_(bordered). ... The Romney Marsh is a sparsely-populated wetland area in the counties of Kent and East Sussex in the south-east of England. ... Shepway is a local government district in Kent, England. ... This article is about the county in England. ... Old English (also called Anglo-Saxon) is an early form of the English language that was spoken in parts of what is now England and southern Scotland between the mid-fifth century and the mid-twelfth century. ...

The town has a pretty, winding High Street lined with Medieval and Georgian buildings, a graceful Saxon/Norman church on the hill and a popular sea promenade. Hythe was once of such significance that it was defended by two castles, Saltwood and Lympne. The Town Hall (formerly Guildhall) was built in 1794 and its fireplace was designed by the famous Adam brothers. Hythe's market once took place in Market Square (now Red Lion Square) close to where there is now a regular Farmers' Market (every 2nd and 4th Saturday of the month). Hythe has an ancient Bowling Club, Lawn Tennis Club and Cricket Club – not to mention the popular Sailing Club. Lord Deedes is Patron of Hythe Civic Society and The Rev. Sampson is President of Hythe & District Gardeners Society. The hounds of The East Kent Hunt are kennelled in the nearby village of Elham. The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern times. ... Saxon may refer to: The Saxon people The Anglo-Saxon people Saxon language: Anglo-Saxon language (the ancestor language of English) Lower Saxon language (a variety of Low German) Old Saxon language (the ancestor language of Anglo-Saxon language) Upper Saxon dialect (a variety of High German) An inhabitant of... Norman may refer to: M.E. Norman, a steamboat that capsized in Memphis in 1925 Normans, a people who colonized Normandy and conquered England Norman architecture, styles of Romanesque architecture developed by the Normans Norman dynasty, a series of monarchs who ruled England and/or Normandy Norman language, a Romance... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Lympne (pronounced limm) village is situated on the once sea cliffs above the Romney Marsh in Kent. ... William Francis Deedes, Baron Deedes, PC (Bill Deedes, born Kent, England, June 1, 1913), is a veteran British journalist and ex-politician. ...

It is one of the original Cinque Ports of England, but although it is beside a broad bay on the English Channel, silting of the coast removed any sign of its harbour hundreds of years ago. Hythe was once geographically the central Cinque Port, between the ports of Hastings and New Romney to the west with Dover and Sandwich to the east. According to Hasted, a French fleet approached Hythe in 1293 and succeeded in landing up to 200 men, but "the townsmen came upon them and slew every one of them: upon which the rest of the fleet hoisted sail and made no further attempt". The town has had a succession of disasters, including a fire that destroyed about 100 houses. In 1348 the black death afflicted Hythe, and in 1400 the plague further reduced the town's population. Formally, in Kent and Sussex there are five Head Ports making up the Confederation of the Cinque Ports. ... Motto: (French for God and my right) Anthem: God Save the King/Queen Capital London (de facto) Largest city London Official language(s) English (de facto) Unification    - by Athelstan AD 927  Area    - Total 130,395 km² (1st in UK)   50,346 sq mi  Population    - 2006 est. ... Satellite view of the English Channel The English Channel (French: La Manche (IPA: ), the sleeve) is the part of the Atlantic Ocean that separates the island of Great Britain from northern France and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. ... Map sources for New Romney at grid reference TR0624 New Romney is a small seaside town in Kent, England. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Illustration of the Black Death from the Toggenburg Bible (1411). ... Bubonic plague is the best-known variant of the deadly infectious disease plague, which is caused by the enterobacteria Yersinia pestis. ...

The Royal Military Canal

View of Hythe ca. 1830, showing the military canal and four Martello towers near the shoreline. Source: Ireland's History of Kent.

Romney Marsh lies immediately to the west of Hythe. The Royal Military Canal runs across the northern edge of the Marsh, to Winchelsea, along with a series of Martello towers built at the same time along the coast from Folkestone to Seaford. Three of the many (43) towers along this coast survive at Hythe. One of these was converted into a house in the 1930s, the other two are on the beach and are owned and maintained by the Ministry of Defence. Geologically the town had developed upon a succession of parallel terraces, rising from the level ground around the Royal Military canal up towards the steep incline upon which the parish church of St Leonard was built. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (876x537, 416 KB) Summary Engraving of The Barracks and Town of Hythe, Kent from , 1831. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (876x537, 416 KB) Summary Engraving of The Barracks and Town of Hythe, Kent from , 1831. ... The Romney Marsh is a sparsely-populated wetland area in the counties of Kent and East Sussex in the south-east of England. ... The first sod of the Royal Military Canal was dug at Seabrook, near Hythe in Kent on 30th October 1804. ... Winchelsea is a small town in East Sussex, England, between the High Weald and the Romney Marsh. ... Martello towers are small defensive forts built by the British Empire at the time of the Napoleonic Wars. ... Folkestone Harbour, picture taken from the golf court Folkestone (pronounced fōkstun) is a coastal resort town in the Shepway district of Kent, England. ... Seaford is the name of a place in the United Kingdom: Seaford, East Sussex Seaford is the name of some places in the United States of America: Seaford, Delaware Seaford, New York Seaford, Virginia Seaford is also a place in Victoria, Australia: Seaford, Victoria This is a disambiguation page &#8212...

Running under Stade Street at one point, the old Royal Military canal (intended to help repel a threatened French invasion during the Napoleonic wars (1804–15)), gives central Hythe much of its character. Now shaded by tall trees, the canal, a defensive moat 30 ft (10m) wide passes into the marsh from the middle of the town. The Canal begins at Seabrook and runs through Hythe and across Romney Marsh to Winchelsea and is over 26 miles long and can be walked via footpath for its entire length. You need to start early and you will also need fine weather. From the High Street narrow alleys lead up to the steeper levels of the town. Combatants Allies: Austrian Empire[1] Kingdom of Portugal Kingdom of Prussia[1] Russian Empire[2] Kingdom of Spain[3] Kingdom of Sweden United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland[4] French Empire - Kingdom of Holland - Kingdom of Italy - Kingdom of Naples - Duchy of Warsaw - Kingdom of Bavaria[5] - Kingdom of...

The 11th century parish church of St Leonard

Shelf containing skulls in the crypt.

The large 11th century church can be found high above the town, some way up the hill; the tower at its eastern end was destroyed by an earth tremor in 1739 and restored in 1750. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (768x1024, 549 KB) Summary I took this picture myself on 14/08/05. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (768x1024, 549 KB) Summary I took this picture myself on 14/08/05. ... As a means of recording the passage of time, the 11th century was that century which lasted from 1001 to 1100. ...

Close up of a skull on the shelf showing a birds nest within.

The chancel, dating from 1220, covers a processional ossuary – a bone store, more commonly found on the continent – lined with 2000 skulls and 8,000 thighbones. They date from the medieval period, probably having been stored after removal, to make way for new graves. This was a common practice in England during the period but bones were usually dispersed, and this is thus a rare collection. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1024x768, 503 KB) Summary I took this picture myself on 14/07/05. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1024x768, 503 KB) Summary I took this picture myself on 14/07/05. ... An ossuary is a chest, building, well, or site made to serve as the final resting place of human skeletal remains. ...

Lionel Lukin credited with the invention of the lifeboat, is buried in the parish church yard of Hythe. Lionel Lukin (May 18, 1742 - February 16, 1834, Hythe, Kent, England) is considered by many to have been the inventor of the lifeboat. ... Severn class lifeboat in Poole Harbour, Dorset, England. ...

The castles at Saltwood and Lympne

Hythe was once of such significance that it was defended by two castles, Saltwood and Lympne. Saltwood derives its name from the village, in its shadow. During the reign of king Canute the manor of Saltwood was granted to the priory of Christ Church in Canterbury, but during the 12th century it for a while became the home of Henry d' Essex, constable of England. Saltwood Castle ca. ... Lympne Castle is a mediaeval castle near the village of Lympne, Kent, above Romney Marsh. ... Headline text Canute (anglicized form of Knut, from Old Norse knútr meaning knot, sometimes Cnut; Danish Knud) is the name of several kings of medieval Denmark, two of whom reigned also over England during the first half of the 11th century. ... Canterbury Cathedral is one of the oldest and most famous Christian structures in England and forms part of a World Heritage Site. ... Canterbury is a cathedral city in east Kent in South East England and is the seat of the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Primate of All England, head of the Church of England and of the worldwide Anglican Communion. ...

Thomas Becket had sought from King Henry II, for the Church, the restoration of the castle, as an ecclesiastical palace. Henry instead granted the castle to one of his loyal barons, Ranulf de Broc. (St. ... Henry II of England (5 March 1133-6 July 1189) ruled as Count of Anjou, Duke of Normandy, and as King of England (1154–1189) and, at various times, controlled parts of Wales, Scotland[], eastern Ireland, and western France. ...

That the castle had been returned to the control of Becket, as archbishop of Canterbury, and remained a church property until the reign of Henry VIII, when Hythe and Saltwood were to be sequestrated to the Crown, leads to the implication that some complicity in the murder of Becket, by the baron Rranulf de Broc was possible. It was during this time at Saltwood, on 28 December 1170, that four knights plotted the death of Becket, which took place the following day. Hugh de Moreville was one of the four knights who assassinated Thomas Becket, along with Reginald Fitzurse, William de Tracey, and Richard le Breton. Silver groat of Henry VIII, minted c. ... December 28 is the 362nd day of the year (363rd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 3 days remaining. ... Events December 29: Assassination of Thomas Beckett, Archbishop of Canterbury, in Canterbury cathedral City of Dublin captured by the Normans According to folklore, the Welsh prince Madoc sailed to North America and founded a colony. ... 13th century depiction of Thomas Beckets murder; Hugh de Morvile was among the assassins Hugh de Morville (died c. ... --Duk 13:36, 2 Jun 2005 (UTC) Categories: Possible copyright violations ... Categories: Historical stubs ...

From the moment Hythe came under Crown control the senior official of the town was also to become a bailiff appointed by the Crown, this state of affairs remained (uniquely for a Cinque Port) until 1575 when under a charter given by Elizabeth I, the town regained control of its domestic affairs. Elizabeth I (7 September 1533 – 24 March 1603) was Queen of England, Queen of France (in name only), and Queen of Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. ...

Curiously, however the last Crown bailiff of Hythe was also to become the first mayor of the town. His name was John Bredgman, a brass inscription baring his name remains in the parish church, dated 1581.

The Cinque port Court of Shepway

A monumental cross now indicates the position of what was once from 1358 a meeting place of the confederation of the Cinque ports, located several miles to the west of Hythe, and known then as "the Shepway crossroads". Shepway cross erected in 1923, the monument to the Court of Shepway, may be found beside the Hythe to Lympne road (B2067). The lathe of Shepway was the Saxon name for south east Kent, roughly corresponding with the modern District of Shepway, comprising Folkestone, Hythe, Romney Marsh and the nearby villages as far north as Elham.

Most people (including the inhabitants of nearby West Hythe and Lympne) seem to think that this monument exists to mark the spot where traditionally the Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports held his court for Shepway, and it is invariably referred to as the “Shepway Cross”.

In fact the Shepway Cross is a civic War Memorial erected in 1923 to commemorate the men of the Cinque Ports who went to war and those who never returned – its true title should be the Cinque Ports War Memorial. It was placed on the top of Lympne Hill because that was traditionally the site of the Court of Shepway. This unfortunate confusion has resulted from its positioning there.

The Shepway Cross was paid for and unveiled in August 1923 by Earl Beauchamp KG, the then Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports. The Archbishop of Canterbury Randall Davidson attended the unveiling ceremony.

The war memorial is now at risk and showing signs of serious decay. The lettering denoting the monument's true purpose is now hardly legible.

The Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Light Railway

Hythe is one of the terminals of the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway, the world's smallest public railway, running third-scale steam and diesel locomotives. The track runs a parallel course to the coastline passing through the towns of Dymchurch, New Romney and Dungeness, where there is a lighthouse, power station and RSPB National Nature Reserve. Two 15in trains Preparing train in Hythe The Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway is a 15 inch (380 mm) gauge heritage railway in Kent, England. ... Dymchurch lies on the Kent coast, south of Hythe and on the Romney Marsh. ... Map sources for New Romney at grid reference TR0624 New Romney is a small seaside town in Kent, England. ... Dungeness is the headland of a shingle beach on the Romney Marsh in Kent, England. ... The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) is Europes largest wildlife conservation charity. ...

The original founders of the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Light Railway were Captain JEP Howey and Count Louis Zborowski. Something of a hobby the project was begun in 1925, and opened in 1927. The locomotives and trains run on a narrow gauge of 15 inches (380 mm) in width, and the track is nearly 14 miles (23 km) in length. Louis Zborowski in the driving seat of Chitty Bang Bang 1 at Brooklands Count Louis Zborowski (20 February 1895 – 19 October 1924) was a racing driver and automobile engineer of Polish-American descent. ...

During the Second World War the service was taken over by the military and used to transport the secret Operation Pluto pipeline; it now carries children to nearby schools. Operation Pluto (Pipe-Lines Under The Ocean) was a World War II operation by British scientists, oil companies and armed forces to construct undersea oil pipelines under the English Channel between England and France. ...

Every two years, Hythe Corporation hosts the Hythe Venetian Fete, when local organisations and individuals create decorated floats which travel up and down the Royal Military Canal. The Hythe Venetian Fete is a floating tableaux(carnival) that dates back to the 1860s and takes place every two years on the Royal Military Canal at Hythe in Kent, England. ... The first sod of the Royal Military Canal was dug at Seabrook, near Hythe in Kent on 30th October 1804. ...

Folkestone and Hythe are represented in Parliament by Conservative Michael Howard, former home secretary and former Conservative party leader. Folkestone Harbour, picture taken from the golf court Folkestone (pronounced fōkstun) is a coastal resort town in the Shepway district of Kent, England. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The Rt Hon. ...

Local places of interest

• Brockhill Country Park
• Port Lympne Wild Animal Park & Gardens
• Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway
• Woodchurch Rare Breeds Centre

Brockhill Lake Brockhill Country Park was previously part of a large estate dating back to Norman times. ... Port Lympne Wild Animal Park, Nr Ashford, Kent, is set in 600 acres and incorporates the historic mansion and landscaped gardens designed by architect Sir Herbert Baker for Sir Philip Sassoon during World War I. Royalty and many other famous people have stayed at the mansion at the centre of... Two 15in trains Preparing train in Hythe The Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway is a 15 inch (380 mm) gauge heritage railway in Kent, England. ...

Notable people of Hythe

• The writer, painter and filmmaker Derek Jarman, lived at the isolated Prospect Cottage, nearby in Dungeness, where he created his famous seaside garden. It was here that he was "canonised" by the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence.
• The novelist Elizabeth Bowen spent part of her childhood in Hythe and retired to a house on Church Steps (overlooking the Parish Church) where she died.
• The novelist H.G. Wells built Spade House at nearby Sandgate.
• The novelist E. Nesbit, author of "The Railway Children", lived on Romney Marsh.
• Noel Coward lived at Goldenhaye Farm at nearby Aldington for many years.
• Saltwood Castle was the family home of Lord Deedes and was recently the home of Lord Kenneth Clark, the famous art historian, and his son Hon. Alan Clark, Conservative MP.
• The novelist Daphne du Maurier lived briefly with her young family at Hythe in the early years of World War II.
• Francis Pettitt-Smith, inventor of the marine screw propeller, was born and raised in Hythe, a plaque commemorating this can be seen on the wall above the premises of Paydens Chemist in the High Street.
• Michael Howard is the Member of Parliament for Folkestone and Hythe.
• Noel Redding (1945-2003), bassist with the Jimi Hendrix Experience, was raised on Romney Marsh and gave his first public performance at Hythe Youth Club.
• The Royal photographer, Lisa Sheridan, lived on the seafront at Hythe until her death in 1966.
• Hythe is also currently home to comedians Julian Clary and Paul O'Grady (aka Lily Savage)

Derek Jarman Derek Jarman (January 31, 1942 – February 19, 1994) was an English film director, stage designer, artist, and writer. ... Dungeness is the headland of a shingle beach on the Romney Marsh in Kent, England. ... From San Francisco, Sister Hellen Wheels, Sister Kitty Catalyst O.C.P. and Sister Flora Goodthyme at SFs club Mezzanine for Michael Brandon Blessing photo by Mark Englelhart used with permission Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence Float at the 2004 San Francisco Gay Pride Parade. ... Elizabeth Dorothea Cole Bowen (7 June 1899 – 22 February 1973) was an Anglo-Irish novelist and short story writer. ... H. G. Wells at the door of his house at Sandgate Herbert George Wells (September 21, 1866 - August 13, 1946) was an English writer best known for his science fiction novels such as The War of the Worlds and The Time Machine. ... Sandgate is a village near Folkestone in England. ... Edith Nesbit (married name Edith Bland; August 15, 1858 - May 4, 1924) was an English author and poet whose childrens works were published under the androgynous name of E. Nesbit. ... The Railway Children is a childrens book by Edith Nesbit. ... The Romney Marsh is a sparsely-populated wetland area in the counties of Kent and East Sussex in the south-east of England. ... Noel Coward Sir Noel Peirce Coward (December 16, 1899 – March 26, 1973) was an English actor, playwright, and composer of popular music. ... Aldington is a village and civil parish in the Ashford District of Kent, England. ... Saltwood Castle ca. ... William Francis Deedes, Baron Deedes, PC (Bill Deedes, born Kent, England, June 1, 1913), is a veteran British journalist and ex-politician. ... Photo of Sir Kenneth Clark Sir Kenneth McKenzie Clark, Baron Clark of Saltwood, OM CH KCB, (July 13, 1903 – May 21, 1983) was an English author, museum director, broadcaster, and the most famous art historian of his generation. ... Alan Kenneth Mackenzie Clark (13 April 1928 - 5 September 1999) was a British Conservative politician, historian and diarist. ... Dame Daphne du Maurier DBE (13 May 1907–19 April 1989) was a famous British novelist best known for her short story The Birds and her classic novel Rebecca, published in 1938. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... The Rt Hon. ... A Member of Parliament, or MP, is a representative elected by the voters to a parliament. ... Folkestone Harbour, picture taken from the golf court Folkestone (pronounced fōkstun) is a coastal resort town in the Shepway district of Kent, England. ... Noel Redding Noel Redding (25 December 1945 – 11 May 2003) was a rock & roll guitarist but best known as the bassist for The Jimi Hendrix Experience. ... Jimi Hendrix James Marshall Jimi Hendrix (November 27, 1942 - September 18, 1970) was an American guitarist, singer, songwriter and producer who is widely considered to be the most important electric guitarist in the history of popular music. ... Please wikify (format) this article or section as suggested in the Guide to layout and the Manual of Style. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...

External links

• Official Shepway site
• Information on the area surrounding Rye by local resident