The Shepway Cross presented by the then Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports, Earl Beauchamp in 1923 stands at the top of Lympne Hill at about the centre of the original Cinque Ports (Dover, Sandwich, Romney, Hastings, and Hythe). At this site The Court of Shepway established less than a century after the Norman Conquest of 1066,held sessions usually in the open, to resolve disputes between The Cinque Ports which the individual boroughs were unable to settle amongst themselves.
The Court was presided over by The Lord Warden who sat with freemen from the Ports, had powers equivalent to those of the Shire Courts which administered the law in England at the time.

 Today Shepway District Council, based in Folkestone, provides services for over 90,000 people from just west of Lydd, along the 'Kent Ditch', through Appledore, then east to include Newchurch, north including Elmsted, Stelling Minnis and Lyminge Forest, Hawkinge, part of Capel, and Folkestone itself.

St Leonard's Church

Prominently standing on the hillside overlooking the Town, the church dates back to the end of the eleventh century in the  Norman period, although there is evidence going back to earlier times.

For more infomation the history, music and life of the church:-

Church Hill leading from Bartholomew Street up the hill to St Leonard's Church. CENTURIES on the corner of Bartholomew Street (formally Duck Land) and Church Hill dates back to the eleventh century and would then have been close to the quayside. It is thought to have been the birth place in 1275 of Hamo who later became Bishop of Rochester in 1319, and who  in 1342 was granted a licence to found a hospital for 13 poor persons in this location. Many changes and alterations have occurred over the centuries and it remained an alms house until about 1949.

The Water Fountain presented to the Town by The Mayor, Thomas Judge in 1866. Originally placed  near the Town Hall but located in the Red Lion Square.

The Royal Military Canal

With the threat of invasion from Napoleon Bonaparte's  French  army, as part of Englands defences, the Royal Military Canal was dug   stretching about 28miles from Seabrook to Pett Level near Hastings. It was started in 1804 and completed in 1809. After the threat had passed the canal was used for general navigation and stocked with fish with tolls charged. Public boating became established on the canal, and continues today in the Summer months when boats may be hired near the Ladies Walk Bridge. The Hythe Venetian Fete which originated in the 1860's became an annual event  attracting many visitors to the Town. From 1954 it became a biennial event,  and the accompanying pictures are from the 2009 Venetian Fete.

The Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway

Opened on 16th July 1927 with a 15 inch gauge track running 8 miles from Hythe to New Romney and was  extended a further 5 miles to Dungeness a year later. It has a beautiful collection of steam engines and provides an exciting train journey across the Romney Marsh.

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