Lydd Walk: Town Centre【4K】

Located in the county of Kent, and around 15 miles southwest of Folkestone, is the town of Lydd.

Geographically, Lydd is situated on Romney Marsh, about three miles inland from the English Channel. Its name is derived from Old English 'hlid', meaning 'slope' or 'gate'.

During the medieval era, Lydd was a limb of the neighbouring Cinque Port of New Romney. The Cinque Ports were towns across the southeastern coast that provided naval vessels to the Crown in return for tax exemptions and trading privileges. 'Limbs' in this sense typically refer to smaller neighbouring towns that played supporting roles in providing maritime defence.

At the heart of the town is the Church of All Saints. This is believed to contain remnants of a Romano-British basilica from the 5th century, although the building standing today is predominantly medieval. Measuring 199 feet (61 metres) from east to west, it is the longest church in Kent, as well as being one of the tallest in the county at 132 feet (40 metres). The church is Grade I listed, and due to its stature, is referred to as 'The Cathedral of the Marsh'.

Lydd's fortunes as a prosperous coastal town declined from around the 16th century as the coastline itself began to shift, leaving the town at its present location, around three miles inland. During the 18th and early 19th centuries, it became associated with smuggling, taking golden guineas to France and bringing in tea and brandy.

Since the late 19th century, Lydd has been a garrison town, although now used for manoeuvres rather than having army companies based here permanently.

In 1881 a railway station opened in Lydd. This connected the town to the village of Appledore, and later, Dungeness. Lydd's station closed to passengers in 1967 as part of the Beeching Cuts. Today, public transport to the town consists of direct buses from New Romney, Rye and various other nearby settlements. The town is also home to Lydd International Airport, also known as London Ashford Airport. This opened in 1954, though it should be noted that its services consist primarily of private flights, charter services, and training general aviation.

👇 SUBSCRIBE TO 4K EXPLORER FOR NEW VIDEOS EVERY WEEK 👇
https://www.youtube.com/4KExplorer?su...

Filmed: 6th June 2024

Link to the walk on Google Maps: https://maps.app.goo.gl/ALS572xWNh4TL...

Filmed on a Sony FDR-AX700 with a Zhiyun Crane 2 and a Sony ECM-XYST1M Stereo Microphone.

TIMESTAMPS:

0:00 Skinner Road
1:56 Cannon Street
3:19 High Street
8:11 Station Road
11:12 Church Villas
11:54 All Saints Church