Hythe Canal & Unit 1
Sunday morning, and I was up with the larks. It’s always nice to relax with a coffee before the rest of the house awakens. Vanessa was first up—she was working in Folkestone today—and I needed to be away early as well, to meet my walking friends in Hythe. We had a great outing today: a 6.5 km trek along the banks of the Royal Military Canal, with a midway cuppa at the Hythe & Dymchurch railway station. Afterwards, a fantastic lunch at Unit 1, a shed-come-microbar nestled next to the canal in West Hythe. They host a different pop-up kitchen every day… Floss’n’Bambz today with wonderful American diner-esque street fare. Thanks to Anna, Marcus, Pasha, Julia, Ben, Charlotte, Tamara, Nicola, Caroline, and Mila for coming along on the walk today!
At home in the evening, we ended up with a very late supper. After the walk, I got my head down for an afternoon nap, but ended up sleeping till after six. Raff was at church for much of the afternoon, and poor Vanessa had a very long day. The clinic where she works had a new surgeon today, who took twice as long as usual to do every procedure—as a result, she did not get home till nearly 7 pm. Raff and I cooked a very nice pulled chicken potato-topped pie from Gousto… yum!
I did a little research into the history of the Royal Military Canal in Hythe… here’s a potted summary:
The Royal Military Canal stretches for 28 miles (45 km) from Seabrook near Folkestone to Cliff End near Hastings, following the old cliff line that borders Romney Marsh. Completed in 1809, it is the third longest defensive monument in the British Isles, after Hadrian's Wall and Offa's Dyke. The canal was conceived during a national emergency, when Britain faced the real threat of invasion from Napoleonic France.
The origins of this remarkable engineering feat can be traced back to 1804, when Lieutenant-Colonel John Brown of the Royal Engineers proposed the canal as an alternative defensive measure against flooding in Romney Marsh. While inundating the marsh had been the accepted defence strategy, Brown argued persuasively that this would require ten days to implement and cause significant disruption even in the event of false alarms. His ingenious plan was to create a water barrier that would halt the advance of Napoleon's forces should they attempt to use Romney Marsh as a bridgehead for invasion.
On 26th September 1804, the concept received enthusiastic endorsement from William Pitt the Younger, the Prime Minister, and the Duke of York, who served as Commander-in-Chief of the British Forces. John Rennie was appointed consulting engineer, and Pitt personally undertook the delicate diplomatic task of persuading local landowners to agree to the new waterway. The first sod was ceremonially cut at Seabrook, near Hythe in Kent on 30th October 1804, marking the beginning of this ambitious military project.
Initially, progress was disappointingly slow, with only six miles completed by May 1805. This prompted direct intervention from Pitt, who dismissed the contractors and Rennie. The work subsequently resumed under the direction of the Quartermaster-General's department, with Lieutenant-Colonel Brown taking command. The workforce comprised civilian navvies who dug the canal, while soldiers constructed the defensive ramparts. At its peak, up to 1,500 men were employed in the construction effort.
The canal was built in two distinct sections, with the longer stretch running from Hythe in Kent to Iden Lock in East Sussex, and a smaller section extending from the foot of Winchelsea Hill to Cliff End. These sections were connected via the Rivers Rother and Brede. A distinctive feature of the canal's design included "kinks" or sharp double bends positioned every 500 yards (460 metres). These salient points were not accidents of geography but deliberate defensive features, enabling artillery to fire along the length of the canal should invaders attempt to cross. The excavated soil was deliberately piled up on the landward side to form a defensive parapet, behind which troops could move protected from enemy fire.
The project was completed in April 1809 at a total cost of £234,000 (equivalent to approximately £10 million in today's terms). It was one of only two canals entirely funded by the state, the other being the Caledonian Canal. Originally designed to be 19 metres wide and 3 metres deep, practical considerations of time and escalating costs led to the canal being eventually constructed to approximately half these dimensions in most places. In total, 22.5 miles were dug by hand, with the remaining 5.5 miles comprising the River Rother and River Brede.
The historical context of the canal's creation cannot be overstated. By 1803, France had declared war on England for the third time in a decade. Napoleon had assembled his Grande Armée—167,000 soldiers with 2,340 flat-bottomed boats—and was poised to cross the Channel. He had famously boasted: "With three days' east wind I could repeat the exploits of William the Conqueror". The canal formed the third line of defence in Britain's strategic plan, after the Royal Navy patrolling the English Channel and the line of 74 Martello Towers built along the south coast.
Although the Royal Military Canal was primarily constructed as a defensive measure, it also served a secondary purpose in controlling smuggling from Romney Marsh. Guard houses were built at each bridge along its length, although historical records suggest these had limited success due to corrupt guards. After the Napoleonic threat receded, the canal found a new purpose. It was opened for public use, and tolls were charged to recoup some of the substantial investment. Barges carried shingle and other cargo, while a regular passenger service operated between Hythe and Rye. This commercial activity period continued until the Ashford to Hastings railway opened in 1851, which diverted much of the traffic. The last toll-paying barge recorded travelling through Iden Lock was in December 1909.
During the Second World War, the canal regained its military significance. As part of preparations against a potential German invasion, the 31st Independent Brigade Group manned the canal, fortifying each salient with concrete pillboxes and barbed wire entanglements. Many of these pillboxes remain visible today. In the German invasion plan, codenamed Operation Sea Lion, the paratroopers of the 7th Flieger-Division were tasked with securing crossing points over the canal on the first day of the assault. This historical echo of the canal's original purpose demonstrates its enduring strategic value.
The Royal Military Canal has become a valuable ecological and recreational resource. The eastern 7km section, owned by Folkestone & Hythe District Council, has benefited from a £3.5 million restoration funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund. The project has enhanced the canal's environmental features while improving visitor access. The waterway has been recognised with the prestigious Green Flag Award, acknowledging its high standards of maintenance and community value.
The canal environment is now managed as three distinct ecological zones. Reach 1, extending approximately 4km between West Hythe Dam and Scanlons Bridge, forms part of the Royal Military Canal Local Wildlife Site designation and contains the most species-rich and diverse habitats. Reach 2, the central 1.5km section between Scanlons Bridge and Twiss Road Bridge, is maintained as formal parkland. Reach 3, the final 2.5km from Twiss Road Bridge to Seabrook, includes areas of variable ecological interest, with parts designated as Local Wildlife Sites. The canal and its surroundings provide habitat for numerous species, including kingfishers, great spotted woodpeckers, long-tailed tits, treecreepers, finches, and thrushes. Rarer visitors, such as the little egret, great egret, and squacco heron, have also been recorded.
Recreational opportunities abound along the Royal Military Canal Path, an excellent waymarked trail featuring interpretive panels that explain the area's historical and environmental significance. The path accommodates walkers, cyclists, and horse riders, with sections that are accessible to users with disabilities. Picnic tables and benches are strategically placed along the route, and facilities for fishing and boating are conveniently available. The canal hosts traditional events, such as the Hythe Venetian Fete and Hythe Festival, which celebrate its place in the community's cultural heritage.
