DAYS
5
TOUR CODE
RMMC-27
COST
£1575
DAYS
5
TOUR CODE
RMMC-27
COST
£1575
This five-day tour delves into both famous and lesser-known churches as we undertake a journey into the history of the Marsh while exploring the details that are all too easy to miss at a first glance.
Overview
“The world, according to the best geographers, is divided into Europe, Asia, Africa, America and the Romney Marsh” – so claimed Richard Harris Barham’s alter ego, Thomas Ingoldsby, in his 1837 Legends.
Yet much of this tranquil land, positioned between low-lying hills and the English Channel, may not have existed had the Romans and subsequent settlers not reclaimed it from the sea. We are fortunate that they did, because today the landscape is full of natural charm and echoes of the past – not least the famous Romney sheep, who have grazed the Marsh for centuries, and the smugglers, who once considered it a haven for their illicit trades.
A clergyman himself, Barham must have been only too familiar with the Marsh’s famous churches. Renowned for their variety, they boast long and fascinating histories, some dating back to the early medieval period. Most were built with their medieval communities in mind and reflect their characters: isolated and weather-beaten (a great storm in 1287 changed the geography of the area and the Marsh was badly hit by the Plague) but harbouring unexpected treasures. Indeed, their scale was often a reflection of the importance of the parish or the stature of the building's patron.
St Clement’s in Old Romney is one of the oldest churches in Kent, with distinctive medieval features, and St Nicholas’s in New Romney traces a fascinating history thanks to its position on the harbourfront. St Dunstan’s in Snargate possesses a 16th century nave roof and a stunning wall painting of a ‘great ship’, while the Church of St Mary the Virgin, located in St Mary in the Marsh, contains elegant medieval features; it is also the burial place of children’s author and poet Edith Nesbit.
Travelling back further in time, we will explore All Saints in Lydd, notable for its very early history, dating back to the 5th century. Meanwhile, evocative stories will come to life as we explore sites such as St George’s in Ivychurch, where it is rumoured that old smugglers’ tunnels connect the church to the pub next door. St Thomas the Martyr Church in Winchelsea was named after Thomas Becket, and St Thomas à Becket Church in Fairfield features original timberwork as well as demonstrating the iconic structure of the Marsh.
Our tour will introduce us to these and other famous and lesser-known churches, narrating the overarching history of the Marsh while providing the details that are all too easy to miss at a first glance.
“Everyone has heard of Romney Marsh, but surprisingly few have been there. The locals say that newcomers are easy to spot because of their look of surprise and delight.
For a ‘fifth continent’, it is tiny, perhaps only about 100 square miles and very flat, jutting into the sea between Rye and Hythe. Over the years it became clear that the Marsh was ideal for producing three things: sheep, smugglers and churches. Without doubt we will see plenty of the first and perhaps hear something of the second, but we will be focusing on the third.
Very little is standard, but we can rejoice in the churches’ quirkiness, whether it’s the free-standing bell tower at Brookland or the pink pews at Old Romney. The delicate ship mural at Snargate and the ancient font at Brookland are famous, as are the Hythe skulls, but we will be looking in detail at what else these churches have to offer”
– Tour Director Imogen Corrigan
Tour Director
Imogen Corrigan
Imogen Corrigan is a medieval historian who holds a first-class degree in Anglo-Saxon and Medieval History from the University of Kent.
This tour will be led by Imogen Corrigan, BA, MPhil. Following almost 20 years in the army, from which she retired in the rank of Major, Imogen obtained a first-class degree in Anglo-Saxon and Medieval History from the University of Kent and subsequently an MPhil from the University of Birmingham. Her book Stone on Stone: The Men who Built the Cathedrals was published in 2019. She is an accredited Arts Society lecturer and a Freeman of the Company of Communicators.
- ACE customer on the 2026 Romney Marsh Churches tour led by Imogen Corrigan
Our Accommodation
We will be based throughout at the three-star voco The Clifton Folkestone, an IHG property located close to Folkestone’s famous Leas Cliff Top Promenade and occupying stately Victorian buildings. Customers rate this hotel particularly highly, praising its comfort levels, scenic location and service.
Itinerary
Day 1
Tour assembles at voco The Clifton Folkestone, Folkestone, for four nights. 1330 welcome and introductory lecture: A General Introduction to the Marsh & Surrounding Area followed by visits to St George’s Church, Ivychurch (rumoured smugglers’ tunnels connecting the church to the pub next door) and St Dunstan’s Church, Snargate (stunning wall painting of a ‘great ship’).
Day 2
Morning: Church of St Peter & St Paul, Newchurch and Church of St Thomas the Martyr, Winchelsea (named after Thomas Becket). Afternoon: St Eanswith’s Church, Brenzett and St Augustine’s Church, Snave.
Day 3
Morning: All Saints’ Church, Burmarsh (lowest church on the Marsh) and St Mary’s Church, Rye (beautiful west window donated by E F Benson). Afternoon: St Mary the Virgin Church, Stone-in-Oxney (medieval glass, Roman altar) and Church of St Peter & St Paul, Appledore (medieval altar slab, 12th century floor tiles).
Day 4
Morning: St Thomas à Becket Church, Fairfield (iconic structure of the Marsh, original timberwork) and All Saints’ Church, Lydd (early history dating back to the 5th century). Afternoon: St Nicholas’s Church, New Romney (fascinating history and harbourside position) and St Clement’s Church, Old Romney (one of Kent’s oldest churches, with distinctive medieval features).
Day 5
Please note the visits this morning are time permitting. St Augustine’s Church, Brookland (detached wooden bell tower); St Mary the Virgin Church, St Mary in the Marsh (elegant medieval features; burial place of Edith Nesbit) and St Leonard’s Church, Hythe (including crypt). Return to Folkestone where tour disperses approx 1530 at the station followed by the hotel.
Frequently Asked Questions
To read our full list of frequently asked questions please visit our general FAQs here.
What is the maximum group size of this tour?
What is the deposit cost for this tour?
What tour staff will be on this tour?
Am I fit enough to travel on this tour?
Fitness Requirements
The majority of ACE Cultural Tours are active in nature. To make the most of our time in a destination and provide excellent value for money, they are busy – there are often several visits included each day. As such, our tours require a certain minimum level of physical and mental fitness, mobility and stamina.
Many visits will involve navigating several steps, uneven ground, steep ascents and descents, and could involve embarking and disembarking aircraft, coaches, trains and cruise vessels. Plenty of walking, punctuated by lengthy periods of standing, is the norm. Some tours may involve long coach journeys.
It is essential that all customers are sufficiently fit and able enough to fully participate. Furthermore, every tour comprises a group of guests. We cannot allow the entire group to be negatively impacted by one participant, either holding up the pace we reasonably need to maintain or disproportionately requiring the attention and support of the tour staff.
We carefully consider the intensity, fitness and other requirements of each itinerary and describe them on the tour pages of our brochures and website. Please study these descriptions closely. When you call to book, we will reiterate those requirements and ask you to confirm that all group members are indeed fit enough and otherwise able to meet the criteria. It is your responsibility to answer fully and honestly. If it transpires that you are not able to keep pace with the tour and/or it reasonably appears you are negatively impacting (or are reasonably likely to negatively impact) the enjoyment of the rest of the group (including their ability to complete all scheduled visits), we may ask you to sit out certain days/visits, take a taxi at your own expense (if available in the location), or even, if we consider there is no other reasonable alternative, ask you to leave the tour and make your own way home.
This tour requires a good level of fitness, and participants should meet ACE’s minimum fitness criteria as outlined in our Booking Terms & Conditions. Travellers should be particularly prepared for walks across uneven, hilly, steep and grassy terrain in order to access some of the churches – notably at Hythe and Rye – and we will also cross some busier roads. The ground can be slippery underfoot, and there may be uneven steps into the churches, with handrails not always available. The churches can be dimly lit and chilly, and not all are easily accessible by coach, which on occasion necessitates a longer (sometimes uphill) walk of up to half a mile at a time.
As a minimum, participants should be able to successfully complete the following self- assessment tests:
- Walk for one hour at a reasonable pace and without needing to take a break to rest
- Climb at least two flights of stairs at a reasonable pace
- Stand unaided for at least 30 minutes
- Stand up and sit down ten times in one minute
- Carry or otherwise move your own luggage
Please ensure you have read and understand our full fitness requirements as described in our terms and conditions.
UK Government Travel Advice
For additional travel information from the UK government please consult the following pages.
Cost Details
Romney Marsh Churches
June 14 - 18, 2027
Included: accommodation based on sharing a standard twin or double bedded room, four breakfasts, four dinners with wine, water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes.
Not Included: travel insurance, standard double room for single use supplement £145.
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