Lympne
Encyclopedia
Lympne is a village situated on the former sea cliffs above the Romney Marsh
in Kent
. It lies approximately 11 km (6.8 mi) west of Folkestone
, 2 miles west of Hythe
and 17 km (10.6 mi) east of Ashford
.
In Roman
times Lympne was known as "Portus Lemanis
", from which the modern name is derived. It lay at the end of the Roman road from Canterbury
, known today as Stone Street. It was the location of a "Saxon Shore
fort", and, according to the Roman "Notitia Dignitatum
", it was garrisoned by a "numerus Turnacensium" from Tournai
in northern Gaul
. Its remains are situated at the bottom of the south-facing cliffs. In Anglo-Saxon
times the fort was given the name "Stutfall", meaning "fold in which a stud
, or herd, is kept".
St. Stephen's church and Lympne Castle
overlook Romney Marsh, the church being significantly older, and close by Lympne Hill figures in the Doctor Syn
stories.
From 1923 onwards Lympne Aerodrome was home to the Lympne light aircraft trials
and air races. In the 1930s it was the starting point for several long distance record flights, including a solo one to Cape Town
by Amy Johnson
in 1932
, and also ones by her later-to-be husband Jim Mollison
. Jean Batten
later flew from Lympne to Darwin
, beating Johnson's long-distance record, in 1934
. The airport has now been closed and turned into an industrial estate.
Lympne has a Village Hall, a Village shop, Hairdresser and Public House (The County Members), as well as a village football team, LVFC (Lympne Village Football Club).
Lympne straddles the B2067 road from Hythe, Kent to Aldington
, Hamstreet
and Tenterden
. The nearest railway station is at Westenhanger
. Lympne is also well-known for John Aspinal's Port Lympne Zoo
, which occupies the ridge of hills upon which the village stands. Nearby Newingreen
is reputedly the site of England's first motel on the A20.
, the English narrator Bedford — the sole survivor of the Moon expedition — attempting to land the antigravity sphere anywhere on Earth, has the good fortune to land it on the seashore at Lympne, reasonably close to his departure point. A local boy enters the antigravity sphere without Bedford's permission, and accidentally activates it ... sending himself and the sphere into space, never to return.
Romney Marsh
Romney Marsh is a sparsely populated wetland area in the counties of Kent and East Sussex in the south-east of England. It covers about 100 mi ² .-Quotations:*“As Egypt was the gift of the Nile, this level tract .....
in Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
. It lies approximately 11 km (6.8 mi) west of Folkestone
Folkestone
Folkestone is the principal town in the Shepway District of Kent, England. Its original site was in a valley in the sea cliffs and it developed through fishing and its closeness to the Continent as a landing place and trading port. The coming of the railways, the building of a ferry port, and its...
, 2 miles west of Hythe
Hythe, Kent
Hythe , is a small coastal market town on the edge of Romney Marsh, in the District of Shepway on the south coast of Kent. The word Hythe or Hithe is an Old English word meaning Haven or Landing Place....
and 17 km (10.6 mi) east of Ashford
Ashford, Kent
Ashford is a town in the borough of Ashford in Kent, England. In 2005 it was voted the fourth best place to live in the United Kingdom. It lies on the Great Stour river, the M20 motorway, and the South Eastern Main Line and High Speed 1 railways. Its agricultural market is one of the most...
.
In Roman
Roman Britain
Roman Britain was the part of the island of Great Britain controlled by the Roman Empire from AD 43 until ca. AD 410.The Romans referred to the imperial province as Britannia, which eventually comprised all of the island of Great Britain south of the fluid frontier with Caledonia...
times Lympne was known as "Portus Lemanis
Portus Lemanis
Portus Lemanis was the name of an ancient Roman fort, settlement and port in southern Kent. The modern village of Lympne derives its name from the ancient port.-History:...
", from which the modern name is derived. It lay at the end of the Roman road from Canterbury
Canterbury
Canterbury is a historic English cathedral city, which lies at the heart of the City of Canterbury, a district of Kent in South East England. It lies on the River Stour....
, known today as Stone Street. It was the location of a "Saxon Shore
Saxon Shore
Saxon Shore could refer to one of the following:* Saxon Shore, a military command of the Late Roman Empire, encompassing southern Britain and the coasts of northern France...
fort", and, according to the Roman "Notitia Dignitatum
Notitia Dignitatum
The Notitia Dignitatum is a unique document of the Roman imperial chanceries. One of the very few surviving documents of Roman government, it details the administrative organisation of the eastern and western empires, listing several thousand offices from the imperial court down to the provincial...
", it was garrisoned by a "numerus Turnacensium" from Tournai
Tournai
Tournai is a Walloon city and municipality of Belgium located 85 kilometres southwest of Brussels, on the river Scheldt, in the province of Hainaut....
in northern Gaul
Gaul
Gaul was a region of Western Europe during the Iron Age and Roman era, encompassing present day France, Luxembourg and Belgium, most of Switzerland, the western part of Northern Italy, as well as the parts of the Netherlands and Germany on the left bank of the Rhine. The Gauls were the speakers of...
. Its remains are situated at the bottom of the south-facing cliffs. In Anglo-Saxon
History of Anglo-Saxon England
Anglo-Saxon England refers to the period of the history of that part of Britain, that became known as England, lasting from the end of Roman occupation and establishment of Anglo-Saxon kingdoms in the 5th century until the Norman conquest of England in 1066 by William the Conqueror...
times the fort was given the name "Stutfall", meaning "fold in which a stud
Stud farm
A stud farm or stud in animal husbandry, is an establishment for selective breeding of livestock. The word "stud" comes from the Old English stod meaning "herd of horses, place where horses are kept for breeding" Historically, documentation of the breedings that occur on a stud farm leads to the...
, or herd, is kept".
St. Stephen's church and Lympne Castle
Lympne Castle
Lympne Castle is a mediaeval castle near the village of Lympne, Kent, above Romney Marsh.Today, it is used primarily as a venue for corporate events and weddings. It is generally not open to the public. The Estate Manager is Rod Aspinall....
overlook Romney Marsh, the church being significantly older, and close by Lympne Hill figures in the Doctor Syn
Doctor Syn
The Reverend Doctor Christopher Syn is the smuggler hero of a series of novels by Russell Thorndike. The first book, Doctor Syn: A Tale of the Romney Marsh was published in 1915. The story idea came from smuggling in the 18th century Romney Marsh, where brandy and tobacco were brought in at night...
stories.
From 1923 onwards Lympne Aerodrome was home to the Lympne light aircraft trials
Lympne light aircraft trials
The Lympne Light Aircraft Trials were held to encourage the development of practical light aircraft for private ownership, with a strong but not exclusive emphasis on fuel economy. They were held in 1923, 1924 and 1926. Each year saw different restrictions on engine size, framed initially in terms...
and air races. In the 1930s it was the starting point for several long distance record flights, including a solo one to Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
by Amy Johnson
Amy Johnson
Amy Johnson CBE, was a pioneering English aviator. Flying solo or with her husband, Jim Mollison, Johnson set numerous long-distance records during the 1930s...
in 1932
1932 in aviation
This is a list of aviation-related events from 1932:- Events :* The Canadian Siskins aerobatic team is retired.* James Work founds the Brewster Aeronautical Corporation.-January:...
, and also ones by her later-to-be husband Jim Mollison
Jim Mollison
James Allan Mollison was a famous Scottish pioneer aviator who set many records during the rapid development of aviation in the 1930s.-Early years:...
. Jean Batten
Jean Batten
Jean Gardner Batten CBE OSC was a New Zealand aviatrix. Born in Rotorua, she became the best-known New Zealander of the 1930s, internationally, by taking a number of record-breaking solo flights across the world....
later flew from Lympne to Darwin
Darwin, Northern Territory
Darwin is the capital city of the Northern Territory, Australia. Situated on the Timor Sea, Darwin has a population of 127,500, making it by far the largest and most populated city in the sparsely populated Northern Territory, but the least populous of all Australia's capital cities...
, beating Johnson's long-distance record, in 1934
1934 in aviation
This is a list of aviation-related events from 1934:-Events:* Sir Alan Cobhams Flight Refuelling Ltd. develops the looped-hose aerial refueling system, a weighted cable let out of a tanker aircraft and grabbed by a grapnel fired from the receiving aircraft...
. The airport has now been closed and turned into an industrial estate.
Lympne has a Village Hall, a Village shop, Hairdresser and Public House (The County Members), as well as a village football team, LVFC (Lympne Village Football Club).
Lympne straddles the B2067 road from Hythe, Kent to Aldington
Aldington, Kent
Aldington is a village and civil parish in the Ashford District of Kent, England. The village centre is eight miles south-east of the town of Ashford...
, Hamstreet
Hamstreet
Hamstreet is a village in Kent, in South East England.The village is located some 6 miles south of Ashford on the A2070, the main road between Ashford and Hastings...
and Tenterden
Tenterden
Tenterden is a Cinque Port town in the Ashford District of Kent, England. It stands on the edge of the Weald, overlooking the valley of the River Rother....
. The nearest railway station is at Westenhanger
Westenhanger
Westenhanger is a small village in south east Kent. It is home to Folkestone Racecourse and to Westenhanger Castle. It is located just south of Junction 11 of the M20, on Stone Street, the Roman road which runs from Lympne to Canterbury. Westenhanger also has its own railway station....
. Lympne is also well-known for John Aspinal's Port Lympne Zoo
Port Lympne Zoo
Port Lympne Wild Animal Park near the town of Hythe in Kent, England is set in and incorporates the historic mansion and landscaped gardens designed by architect Sir Herbert Baker for Sir Philip Sassoon during World War I....
, which occupies the ridge of hills upon which the village stands. Nearby Newingreen
Newingreen
Newingreen is a village near Folkestone in Kent, England. It is situated on the A20, near Junction 11 of the M20. Historically it was at the junction of Stone Street and the road to Folkestone.The village contains the global headquarters of Holiday Extras....
is reputedly the site of England's first motel on the A20.
Lympne in fiction
In H.G. Wells's 1901 novel First Men in the MoonFirst Men in the Moon
First Men in the Moon, also known as H.G. Wells' First Men in the Moon, is a 1964 science fiction film directed by Nathan Juran. It is an adaptation by the noted science-fiction scriptwriter Nigel Kneale of the H. G...
, the English narrator Bedford — the sole survivor of the Moon expedition — attempting to land the antigravity sphere anywhere on Earth, has the good fortune to land it on the seashore at Lympne, reasonably close to his departure point. A local boy enters the antigravity sphere without Bedford's permission, and accidentally activates it ... sending himself and the sphere into space, never to return.