Romney Marsh: Survival on a Frontier

Romney Marsh lies at the frontier between land and sea. It consists entirely of land gained from the sea and, being below the level of the high tides, has always been threatened by flooding. Four ports now stranded miles from the sea and another lost to the sea bear witness to great changes in the coastline. The book charts the history of human occupation of a very specialised and difficult environment over the last 2000 years. Advances were made when both environmental and economic conditions were favourable. But when difficulties became insuperable, especially in Roman times and again in the thirteenth century, the inhabitants retreated. The struggle for survival continues and the book concludes with the challenges facing the twenty-first century. The book reflects the work of the Romney Marsh Research Group, founded in 1983 by Professor Barry Cunliffe and Jill Eddison. It brings together the recent work of archaeologists, historians and geographers, and presents an up-to-date interpretation of the area. With numerous illustrations (many in full colour), this book will delight and inform anyone interested in Romney Marsh - or in changing coastlines or sea levels.