2 The Parish of <strong>Walmer</strong><strong>Walmer</strong> lies seven miles northeast of <strong>Dover</strong>, in East Kent, on a stretch of coastwhich extends from the famous White Cliffs to Sandwich Bay and the Isle ofThanet to the north. The shape of the parish is that of a long, thin trianglepointing to the north.To the north, the boundary between <strong>Walmer</strong> and Deal lies just before DealCastle, which, with its sister, <strong>Walmer</strong> Castle, dominates this part of the coastline.To the east is the natural boundary of the English Channel, reaching across theGoodwin Sands to the coast of France. The northernmost part of the parish,called Lower <strong>Walmer</strong>, is only just above sea level. Extending directlysouthwards along the coast, from Deal Castle and past <strong>Walmer</strong> Castle, is thethrough road to the former fishing village of Kingsdown – a distance of abouttwo miles. On the east side of the road is the coastal strip – comprising mainlymarine grassland, rich with wild flowers, and bordering the wide and steeplyshelved shingle beach.Inland from, and to the south of, <strong>Walmer</strong> Castle the coastal downs rise steeplyto a height of around 100 feet to form the undulating farmland that runssouthwards and westwards from Upper <strong>Walmer</strong>.The southern boundary, forming the base of the triangle, runs east to westthrough this rolling countryside and is about 1.5 miles in length. Panoramicviews to Deal and beyond are available from various points in Upper <strong>Walmer</strong>.The two mile long western boundary lies close to the Mill Hill ridge, where theearliest signs of settlement in the area, some dating from Neolithic times, havebeen discovered. This border is marked by the railway line which runssouthwest from Lower <strong>Walmer</strong> to <strong>Dover</strong>, as does the A258 which, as <strong>Dover</strong>Road, roughly bisects the parish.2
3 Historic <strong>Walmer</strong><strong>Walmer</strong>'s history and development are inextricably linked to its coastal location, tothe proximity of the notorious Goodwin Sands and to its nearness to mainlandEurope - and thus, at various times, to fishing, the victualling of ships, rescue andsalvage, the threat of invasion and, perhaps to a lesser extent, tourism.The origin of the name "<strong>Walmer</strong>" is uncertain and references can be found to atleast three possibilities. Firstly, that it derives from "Wahl Mere", indicating anancient and discrete community settled around a pool, secondly that it derives fromthe Latin "Vallum Mare", meaning a fortress against the sea and, thirdly that itderives from the meaning "the sea coast of the Weallas (or slaves)" - the slavesbeing those of the Jutish invaders of circa 450/500 AD.There is evidence of Neolithic,Bronze and Iron Age man in thearea and of Saxon settlements nearto the Old St. Mary's Church in<strong>Walmer</strong> itself - and it is alsogenerally accepted that it was at<strong>Walmer</strong> that Julius Caesar landedhis first expeditionary force in 55BC.Over the years, the growing localOld St. Mary’s Churchpopulation became increasinglyengaged in fishing and otheroccupations related to the sea. This process of change from agriculture was speededup, and consolidated, as changes in the coastline rendered it increasingly difficultfor shipping to use the harbours at <strong>Dover</strong> and Sandwich. Ships began to lay closeinshore in the calmer stretch of water (the Downs) between the coast and theGoodwin Sands - as much to take on supplies as to shelter.The threat of invasion during the Napoleonic wars led to the building of ArmyBarracks and the establishment of a naval hospital in <strong>Walmer</strong> - with livingaccommodation for dependants, and various support establishments, developingaround them. After the Battle of Waterloo, the military presence in <strong>Walmer</strong> wasreduced and parts of the Barracks served, firstly as the headquarters of the antismugglingCoastal Blockade and then as a coastguard station. From 1840 theBarracks housed various line regimentsuntil, in 1869, they were transferred to theAdmiralty to become The Depot, RoyalMarines. In 1930 some of the buildingsbecame the home of the Royal NavalSchool of Music - to become the RoyalMarines School of Music in 1950. In 1989,eleven musicians were killed by an IRAbomb - a tragedy that hastened thetransfer of the Royal Marines toPortsmouth. The Barracks closed inRNLI Lifeboat Station March 1996.The proximity of the Goodwin Sands, some four miles off the coast, led to theestablishment of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) lifeboat station at<strong>Walmer</strong> in 1856 and, apart from a fifteen year period (1912-1927), the station hasbeen in operation ever since.It was not until the nineteenthcentury that a rail link wasestablished at <strong>Walmer</strong> andencouraged visitors to the area tocompensate, at least in part, for thedecline in maritime relatedemployment.In the mid-16th Century, Henry VIII built <strong>Walmer</strong> Castle - one of three he builtwithin a mile or so of each other on this stretch of coast - as part of his defenceagainst invasion from Europe. Today, much altered and added to, it is the attractiveofficial residence of the Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports. The Duke of Wellingtondied at the castle, as Lord Warden, in 1852.Today, <strong>Walmer</strong> remains relativelyinsulated, but by no means isolated,from the worst excesses of modernday life - quietly and proudlyreflecting on its past, whileconfidently looking to the future.Former Royal Marines School of Music3