Across Romney Marshes

The flat, windy marshlands, topped with sweeping skies, present an unusual picture in southern England. Stretching endlessly to the horizon, the marshes are laced with watery hollows and quiet footpaths, and dotted with the ruins of abandoned churches. The light here takes on an eerie clarity and even the buildings are different with small, squat churches and secretive little houses that look as if they are trying to shrink into the landscape. Romney Marsh was originally an expanse of ever-changing salt marsh and tidal creeks, reclaimed from the sea first by the Romans and then the Saxons – the name is thought to derive from the Saxon 'Rumnea' meaning marsh water.

This walk takes you between two historic marsh villages, starting at Ivychurch. The Inn sits next to St George's Church, built in the 1360s. The church is peaceful today but it hasn't always been this sleepy. During the Civil War, Cromwell's soldiers slept here and even stabled their horses in the church. In later years, when smugglers roamed the marshes, churches were often used to hide contraband such as tea and spirits. St George's was certainly used as a hiding place. At one time the vicar was unable to take Sunday service because, according to the sexton, the 'pulpit be full o' baccy and vestry be full o' brandy'. In those days tea was so expensive that locals couldn't afford it, so they made their own version with local herbs. During World War II, the church was used as a secret food store in case the country was invaded. Inside the church you can see some stone seats along one wall. These were reserved for the elderly in the days before churches had pews.

Keeping the church to your left, walk along the road past the phone box and continue for several hundred paces until you reach Home Farm on your left. At the end of its railed garden, take the footpath directly opposite, via the gap in the hedge on your right. Go diagonally downhill across this field, keeping the radio mast on your right-hand side. When you reach the far corner, turn to your right to step over a large drainage pipe into the next field, and walk ahead along the hedge line past a small racetrack. Once you’re past the racetrack, turn half right and walk to the edge of the field, where you will find a gate followed by a plank bridge into the next field. Turn immediately left as far as the corner of the previous field, where the rush-lined drainage ditch takes a sharp right-angled bend, then strike half right across the unmarked open field to the far side. Aim just to the right of a cluster of small trees in the hedge line. Here you cross a hand-railed plank bridge leading on to a grassy track known as Yoakes Lane.

Turn right, ignoring the second plank bridge directly ahead of you. Continue along Yoakes Lane as it winds through the unfenced fields. It is easy to follow. Ahead of you is a line of wind turbines. At the end of Yoakes Lane, pass through the gap beside double metal gates, and walk out towards the A259.

At the main road, walk briefly left along the grass verge, and where you see the sign for the village of Old Romney, cross over (carefully) and take Millbank Lane ahead of you for a few paces. Take the first turn on your left down a narrow hedge-lined alley called Old School Lane, emerging at a junction. The Rose & Crown pub lies immediately to your right. Turn left here and walk past some modern houses, taking the second turning on your right back to the A259. Cross back again and take the lane ahead of you for a few hundred paces. Take the signed track on your right to have a look at St Clement’s Church.

Retrace your steps and continue up Five Vents Lane, bearing left opposite a barn to walk around the curve of a medieval moat. This once protected an ancient manor house but there is no trace of the house now. All that’s left is the semi-circular moat itself, a habitat for water plants, including marsh mallow. Just before you get back to the lane, take the waymarked footpath bearing off to the left of a large drainage ditch. Follow this path through several fields, crossing a couple of footbridges (one is tricky to negotiate) over the ditches until you arrive back at Yoakes Lane. Then cross the second footbridge ahead of you and retrace your steps to Ivychurch.