St Mary in the Marsh

St Mary in the Marsh
St Mary in the Marsh
	The church of St Mary the Virgin, St Mary in the Marsh
	St Mary in the Marsh Location within Kent
Population	2,819 (2011)
District	Folkestone and Hythe;
Shire county	Kent;
Region	South East;
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	Romney Marsh
Postcode district	TN29
Police	Kent
Fire	Kent
Ambulance	South East Coast
UK Parliament	Folkestone and Hythe;
	List of places UK England Kent 51°00′51″N 0°56′33″E / 51.0142°N 0.9424°E

St Mary in the Marsh is a village and civil parish near New Romney in Kent, England, situated in the heart of Romney Marsh in one of its least densely populated areas, with most local amenities available 3 miles away in New Romney or St Mary's Bay at 2 miles. The village centre consists of about forty homes, a few scattered farms and The Star Inn, along with the church of St Mary the Virgin and the St Marys Hut, now closed. St Mary's Bay is also in the parish. A group of villagers have established a charity "St Mary in the Marsh Project Fund" with the aim of building a new community hub.

History

It is probable that there was a Saxon church on the site originally known as "Siwold's Circe". This was superseded after the Norman invasion by a stone built church with a splendid three tier tower of Kentish ragstone. The oldest parts of the church date to about 1133 AD. The chancel was extended in about 1220 AD and the spire added around 1450 AD. Inside is a plaque commemorating Edith Nesbit, author of The Railway Children, who lived at St. Mary's Bay and is buried in the churchyard. There are many interesting features of the building which warrant a visit.

St Mary in the Marsh is surrounded by the stark beauty of the marshes and the open landscapes of rich farmland.