Sea level and coastal changes in the past 10,000 years, with particular Reference to Romney Marsh, Walland Marsh and Dungeness
Dr. Michael J. Tooley
In an introductory statement, attention was drawn to the size of the Romney Marsh area and the valleys feeding the area and the extent and diversity of the sedimentary environments represented. The area occupied more than 100 sq miles and was made up of more than 52,000 acres of marine alluvinm, tidal flat and salt marsh deposits, 8,000 acres of shingle, 400 acres of sand dune and 900 acres of peat within 42 in of the surface. The range of surface altitudes was + 0.6 m to + 12 m 0.D., and the majority of the reclaimed tidal flats and salt marshes lies 2.5 m below Mean High Water of Spring Tides.
The stratigraphic record of each of these sedimentary environments was imperfectly known and a systematic, interdisciplinary programme of research was required. The "older deposits', shingle, sands, clays and peats, described by R. D. Green (1968) in the Soil Survey Memoir, were capable of further sub-division as aobasis for palaeoenvironmental reconstruction. Sections from Appledore Dowels and the Horsemarsh Sewer Valley, Kenardington were described: at the latter, three marine episodes were described and fluctuating water levels indicated from the presence of macrofossils of Cladium and Pinus.
A context for the stratigraphy observed was given in consideration of global sea-level changes during the past 10,000 years, recent vertical movements of the British Isles and the breaching of the continental land bridges around the British Isles, including the formation of the Strait of Dover.
Some practical applications were given, such as the effects of rising sea-level on the erosion and movement of unconsolidated sediments, the location of power stations, such as Dungeness, the effectiveness of land drainage, coastal defence and insurance risk.
