Dungeness

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See also Dungeness River for the river in Washington and Punta Dungeness for the Chilean headland.

Dungeness is the headland of a shingle beach on the Romney Marsh in Kent, England. It is also the name given to a "village" situated along the beach: and to an important ecological site on the same location.

Contents 1 Ecology 2 Lighthouses 3 Power stations 4 Communications 4.1 Roads 4.2 Railways 5 Defence uses 5.1 Acoustic mirrors 5.2 Operation Pluto 6 The "village" 7 The Landscape 8 Music 9 Other uses 10 External links

[edit] Ecology

The name Dungeness derives from Old Norse nes: "headland", with the first part probably connected with the nearby Denge Marsh. Popular etymology ascribes a French origin to the toponym, giving an interpretation as "dangerous nose".

Dungeness is one of the largest expanses of shingle in the world. It is of international conservation importance for its geomorphology, plant and invertebrate communities and birdlife. This is recognised and protected in large part through its conservation designations - National Nature Reserve (NNR), Special Protection Area (SPA) and Special Area of Conservation (SAC).

There is a remarkable and unique variety of wildlife living at Dungeness. Over 600 different types of plant (a third of all those found in Britain). It is one of the best places in Britain to find insects such as moths, bees, beetles and spiders; many of these are very rare, some found nowhere else in Britain.

The flooded gravel pits, both brackish and fresh water, provide an important refuge for many migratory and coastal bird species. The RSPB have a bird sanctuary there and every year thousands of bird watchers descend on the peninsula to catch a glimpse of a rare bird from the bird observatory.

One of the most remarkable features of the site is an area known as 'the patch' or by anglers as 'the boil'. The waste hot water and sewage from the nuclear power stations are pumped into the sea through two outfall pipes, enriching the biological productivity of the sea bed and attracting seabirds from miles around.

[edit] Lighthouses

There have been five lighthouses at Dungeness.

At first only a beacon was used to give warning to sailors, but this gave way to a proper lighthouse during the reign of James I in 1615. As the sea retreated, this had to be replaced in 1635 by a new lighthouse nearer to the water’s edge. As more shingle was thrown up, a new and more up-to-date lighthouse was built near the sea in 1792. In 1901 lighthouse number four was commissioned; then in 1961 its modern successor, the black and white lighthouse number five, was commissioned and the Old Lighthouse became a tourist attraction. Its 167 steps give visitors a bird’s eye view of the shingle beach.

[edit] Power stations

Main article: Dungeness Power Station

There are two nuclear power stations at Dungeness, the first built in 1965 and the second in 1983. They are located within a wildlife sanctuary that has been deemed a Site of Special Scientific Interest. As with all thermal power stations, many birds are attracted to, and flourish in, the warmer water created by the station's outflow. The power station planners and management are very aware of their responsibilities to the local environment.^{[citation needed]}

Before the September 11 attacks of 2001, guided tours of the operating nuclear power station were available, but they were stopped due to security fears. Because tours of the active station were no longer possible, the visitors' centre found it hard to attract visitors, and in 2003 was forced to close permanently. The centre has since been demolished and rebuilt as an office building within the power station site. Some have expressed hope that at some time in the future tours may be able to resume and the centre will reopen.

The older power station closed on 31 December 2006[1], but the newer station has recently had its operating licence extended to 2018. [2]

[edit] Communications

[edit] Roads

There are two roads giving access: one from Lydd in the north-west; and from the north at New Romney along the coast.

[edit] Railways

Main article: Dungeness railway station

A branch from the Marshlink Line at Appledore to New Romney was opened by the South Eastern Railway: it had a short branch line to a station at Dungeness, which was closed to passengers on 4 July 1937; it was closed completely when the Lydd to New Romney section closed on 6 March 1967. The remains of the line to Lydd is used to transport waste from the nuclear power stations. The track of the railway is shown on Ordnance Survey map sheet 89, and a number of local cottages have been constructed from old carriages.

The Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway, first opened to New Romney in 1927, was extended to a station at Dungeness a year later.

[edit] Defence uses

The beach and marshes have been used for military training and there are marked Danger areas.

[edit] Acoustic mirrors

Denge is the site of a set of acoustic mirrors, known as the "Listening Ears". Built between 1928 and 1930, the three massive concrete structures formed an experimental early warning system that aimed to detect invading aircraft by focusing sound waves. The site was chosen as being one of the quietest in Britain. Their different forms are evidence of their experimental nature; they were not particularly effective and were abandoned when radar became available. English Heritage and English Nature have joined forces to provide public access to the site.

[edit] Operation Pluto

In 1944 some of the world's first submarine oil pipelines were laid between Dungeness and France in Operation Pluto.

[edit] The "village"

Dungeness is not truly a village, more a scattered collection of dwellings. Some of the homes (small wooden houses in the main) are owned and lived in by fishermen, whose boats lie on the beach; some are occupied by people trying to escape the pressured outside world.

Perhaps the most famous house is Prospect Cottage, formerly owned by the late artist and film director Derek Jarman. The cottage itself is painted black, with a poem written on one side in black lettering. The garden however is the main attraction. Reflecting the bleak, windswept landscape of the peninsula Derek Jarman's Garden is made of pebbles, driftwood, scrap metal and a few hardy plants. A book "Derek Jarman's Garden" is available, ISBN 0-500-01656-9.

There are more solidly-built houses around the site of the power stations.

[edit] The Landscape

Liverpool University and the Romney Marsh Research Trust have produced an excellent interactive website, which shows how this area of England evolved. The current landscape is of relatively recent origin (late medieval) and was further altered when the marsh was drained and replaced by the large arable fields of industrial agriculture. The web site links ecology, geomorphology and human history in an accessible format for the non specialist.

• http://www.romneymarsh.net/

The serene other-worldliness of Dungeness is potentially under threat from plans to lengthen the runway of a nearby airfield to accommodate large passenger jets.

[edit] Music

Dungeness has begun to appear regularly in music videos, album covers and adverts. Dungeness appears on the covers of albums as diverse as So much for the city by The Thrills and Aled by Aled Jones. Athlete have on song on the album Vehicles and Animals called Dungeness which is about the area. The Dungeness landscape, the light house and the powerstation can also be seen on Sky channel E4 at the beginning and end of advertising breaks. It also featured in an episode of the BBC detective serial 'The Inspector Linley Mysteries'. One glitch saw a thrilling chase start near the nuclear power station and end with the villain being caught by the policeman on a sand dune; the chase was poorly represented on screen as it must have gone on for some time - the nearest dunes are at Camber 8 miles away. Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly mention Dungeness and the lighthouse in their song Lighthouse Keeper. The Kent-based Hardcore Punk band November Coming Fire released a 2006 album entitled Dungeness, featuring a track called Powerstation which included a recording of waves on the beach.

[edit] Other uses

The Dungeness Crab is not connected with Dungeness; it is named for Dungeness, Washington.

Dungeness was the setting for a major part of an EastEnders special in March 2007. During the episode Kevin Wicks (played by Phil Daniels) was seen on the shingle and with another character visited Jarman's garden at Prospect Cottage. Wicks protested at the other character's removal of an item from the garden for use as a walking stick and replaced the driftwood-like branch back in its place. He mentioned Jarman and discussed the importance of leaving something behind after death. Later in a local inn, Wicks discussed the power station and shingle and the erosion that takes place. Wicks the character, a film buff, had been going through an emotional crisis and was missing from home for several weeks until this explanatory episode. Perhaps Derek Jarman's home was a cinematic pilgrimage for Wicks.

[edit] External links

• dungeness.co.uk - A free email service for residents of Dungeness and surrounding area
• Dungeness Bird Observatory
• Images of Prospect Cottage on SlowMotionAngel.com
• Dungeness acoustic mirrors
• Images of Dungeness
• PROSPECT - Dungeness-based art installation
• Extensive historical, geological and tourist information on the area by local resident

view • talk • edit  The district of Shepway in Kent, South East England with its suburbs, villages, towns and parishes:
Acrise • Brenzett • Brookland • Burmarsh • Capel-Le-Ferne • Cheriton • Denge • Dymchurch • Dungeness • Elham • Etchinghill • Folkestone • Greatstone • Hawkinge • Hythe • Ivychurch • Lade • Littlestone-on-Sea • Lydd • Lydd-on-Sea • Lyminge • Lympne • Newchurch • Newingreen • Newington • New Romney • Old Romney • Pedlinge • Postling • Romney Marsh • Saltwood • Sandgate • Sandling • Sellindge • Snargate • Stanford • Stelling Minnis • St Mary in the Marsh • St Mary's Bay • Tolsford • Westenhanger • West Hythe
The district of Shepway List of places in Kent

view • talk • edit  Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) in Kent, South East England
Alex Farm Pastures • Alkham, Lydden And Swingfield Woods • Allington Quarry • Aylesford Pit • Baker's Hole • Bourne Alder Carr • Brookland Wood • Charing Beech Hangers • Chattenden Woods • Chequer's Wood And Old Park • Cheyne Court • Church Woods, Blean • Cobham Woods • Combwell Wood • Cowden Meadow • Cowden Pound Pastures • Dalham Farm • Darenth Wood Dover To Kingsdown Cliffs • Down Bank • Dryhill • Dungeness • East Blean Woods • Ellenden Wood • Farningham Wood • Folkestone To Etchinghill Escarpment • Folkestone Warren • Gibbin's Brook • Great Crabbles Wood • Great Shuttlesfield Down • Greatness Brickworks • Halling To Trottiscliffe Escarpment • Ham Street Woods • Hart Hill • Hatch Park • High Rocks • Hoad's Wood • Holborough To Burham Marshes • Hollingbourne Downs • Hothfield Common • Houlder And Monarch Hill Pits, Upper Halling • Hubbard's Hill • Ileden And Oxenden Woods • Knole Park • Larkey Valley Wood • Lenham Quarry • Lullingstone Park • Lydden And Temple Ewell Downs • Lympne Escarpment • Lynsore Bottom • Magpie Bottom • Marden Meadows • Medway Estuary And Marshes • North Lade • Northward Hill • Oaken Wood • Oldbury And Seal Chart • One Tree Hill And Bitchet Common • Orlestone Forest • Otford To Shoreham Downs • Otterpool Quarry • Park Wood, Chilham • Parkgate Down • Parsonage Wood • Pembury Cutting And Pit • Peter's Pit • Polebrook Farm • Preston Marshes • Purple Hill • Queendown Warren • River Beult • Robins Wood • Romney Warren • Rusthall Common • Sandwich Bay To Hacklinge Marshes • Scord's Wood And Brockhoult Mount • Scotney Castle Seabrook Stream • Sevenoaks Gravel Pits • Sheppey Cliffs And Foreshore • Shorne And Ashenbank Woods • Sissinghurst Park Wood • South Thames Estuary And Marshes Southborough Pit • Spot Lane Quarry • Stodmarsh • Sturry Pit • Swanscombe Skull Site • Tankerton Slopes • Thanet Coast • The Swale • Tower Hill To Cockham Wood • Trottiscliffe Meadows • Walland Marsh • Wansunt Pit • Wateringbury • West Blean And Thornden Woods • Westerham Mines • Westerham Wood • Wouldham To Detling Escarpment • Wye And Crundale Downs • Yockletts Bank
List of Sites of Special Scientific Interest by Area of Search