Hythe: A History

Hythe is the favourite Kent town for many people. An historic Cinque Port and seaside resort, great defensive interest and unusual charm add to its appeal as a quintessential small English town. Its Golden Age was from the 11th to the 14th centuries, when, along with the other Cinque Ports, it was responsible for the defence of this most vulnerable corner of England. The gradual silting of its harbour, coupled with a serious fire and a bad bout of the Plague, led to its decline in status. But far from becoming a 'Port of Stranded Pride', Hythe was re-invented as a military town during the Napoleonic threat. The School of Musketry was established there, the famous Royal Military Canal was dug, and Martello Towers were erected as defensive bastions. Still features of the local landscape, the canal, in particular, remains a wonderful asset that runs right through the heart of the town. Hythe grew into a middle ranking seaside watering place, with indoor baths based on the grand spa buildings of Bath and Cheltenham, and a quaint horse tram that ran for four miles along the sea to Sandgate. In recent years the world-famous Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway has attracted thousands of visitors, as has the traffic-free High Street, with its fascinating mix of building periods and styles, now a shopper's delight! From the High Street ancient narrow alleys climb the hillside to the majestic parish church of St Leonard. This is the first book to combine an authoritative, readable history of the town with an extensive collection of interesting old photographs, drawn not only from the authors' own archives but also those of other respected local historians, most of which have never previously been published. In particular, Hythe's eastern suburb of Seabrook, which has been totally overlooked in previous histories of the town, is included for the first time, and in detail.