ClIAl'. VIII.

BRITAIN.

889

In order tliat the drainage of the lands might in no way be injured, the tides were neverto be shut in by the great sluice, so as to pen upon the aprons of any of the sluices fordrainage, at a time when the levels were under water.

Snteaton’s instructions were in part followed, and considerable sums of money were ex-pended in endeavouring to arrest the movement of the beach from the west towards tlu*east; the groins raised to stop it filled as soon as they were carried out, and the surplusbeacii was forced into the harbour’s mouth.

The stone sluice falling to decay some years after was carried away by a river flood,when the inhabitants of live opposed its restoration ; the absence of the impediment havinggiven in one year 3 feet additional water in the harbour channel at the town quay.

The piers, wharf, and sluices, were in a few years completely silted up, when the masonrywas dug out, and the stones sold. This harbour has been entirely ruined in consequenceof excluding the tide, and depriving it of the benefits of its natural backwater; in shuttingout the sea and preventing its flooding the lands which were originally covered, muchvaluable pasture has been gained and improved, but Rye, as a port of importance, hasceased to exist.

A wooden pier on piles has been carried out on the eastern side, and embankments havebeen thrown up on the western, leaving an entrance between of 160 feet in width.

The average rise of spring tides is about 17 feet, and during neap tides from 9 to 12 feetat the pier-heads, whilst the lift in the bay is 22 feet; at low water the harbour is left dry.

'Hie depth of the channel up the river gradually decreases to the town, where there is14 feet water at the top of spring tides, but during neaps seldom more than 9 feet.

Tlie approach from the bay to the entrance of the harbour is very intricate and difficult,from the accumulation of sand and the winding course of the channel ; the shingle, whichextends on both sides of the harbour’s mouth, accumulates with winds either from thewestward or eastward of south, and forms banks, which, with the sand, block out the sea,and render the channel uncertain.

Folkestone . _This artificial harbour, formed by rubble stone piers, encloses an area of

14 acres; the western arm extends in a south-south-west direction, 140 yards across thebeach, and is united with the main pier, which is carried in a straight line east and by southabout 317 yards; a projecting pier has since been runout from the shore on the easternside, towards the south-west, 236 yards, leaving an entrance of 123 feet in width, open tothe east and by south.

Near the eastern extremity of the main pier, a groin has been constructed, which extendsat right angles 130 feet seaward, intended to stop the accumulation of shingle, but in spiteof this caution, it forms a bar at the harbour’s mouth.

lire rise of the spring tides is about 18 or 20 feet, and neaps 12 or 14 feet, but theharbour is entirely dry at low water, and the greater part of the interior is blocked up by abank of shingle, which rises several feet above the level of high water, leaving only a narrowchannel alongside the main pier.

At the north-western side, a small stream is pent up, for scouring the harbour at lowwater, which, with the assistance of manual labour, keeps the watercourse open, so as toallow vessels of 10 or 12 feet draught to come alongside the pier at high water.

Folkestone was the Lapis Populi of the Homans, the Folcestane of the Saxons , and theFulchestan of Domesday Book ; in the time of Leland it was “ mervelusly sore wasted withthe violence of the se,” since whose time greater ravages have been committed on thewhole extent of the coast. This town ranks among the Cinque Ports, and formerly was aplace of considerable importance.

Dover Harbour , or Portum Dubris , is of great antiquity, deriving its name probably fromthe British word Dwfyrrha, which signifies a steep and hilly place; this by the Saxons waschanged into Dorfa and Dofris, which in Domesday Book is made Dovere. The Homanshad a town on the south side of the river which flow’s into this harbour, and the WatlingStreet took its departure from it, where Biggin Gate formerly stood. The straits of Dover have always been the medium of intercourse between this country and the continent, andno port in England is of more importance; it is worthy of remark, that before the pierwas carried out there were no banks or shelves of beach to be seen, but all was clean seabetween Archcliff Tower and Castle Cliff.

In ancient times the sea flowed over the greater part of the valley in which the town isnow’ situated, and the harbour w’as considerably more inland, towards the north-east, than atpresent. Little is recorded of it until the time of Henry VII. , w’hen a round tower wasbuilt on the south-west side, to which vessels were moored to rings let into it, and as theyrested secure here, it was called the Little Paradise. In the following reign the pier w’ascommenced under the direction of Sir John Thompson, who held the living of St. James inthe tow’n of Dover ; it was carried out on the south-west side of the bay, directly eastwardinto the sea, for a distance of 131 rods. It was formed of tw r o rows of main piles, 26 feetin length, shod with iron, and driven into the main chalk; these were fastened together by

c c 3