This part of Hythe was once a windswept shingle beach enclosing a sheltered harbour with a narrow entrance.
It was then a hive of activity with fishing boats, fighting ships and merchantmen trading with the Continent.
Following several disasters - The Black Death, a huge storm at sea and an earthquake - the harbour silted up and the town's prosperity waned.
During WWII, Marine Parade was a prohibited area, covered with coils of barbed wire and pill boxes armed with machine-guns.
