Dymchurch probably means the 'judge's church', from the Saxon word 'dema' meaning 'judge' and 'cirice' as 'church', it is first recorded in about 1100 as Deman circe.
A 20ft high sea defensive wall was built by the Romans to protect their harbour at Port Lympne, and ran for about 4 miles. The effect of this wall together with the Rhee Wall they erected between New Romney and Appledore ensured that the rich alluvial land deposited by the river Limen (Rother), initially used as salt pans, slowly through time, became rich and fertile farmland.
The Normans built the small parish church of St Peter and St Paul in the 12th Century. The first recorded Rector was Richard de Bello in 1260. The church remained virtually unchanged for nearly 700 years. In 1821, the population of Dymchurch increased and the north aisle was extended and the nave re-roofed. Its font was once thrown out, possibly by Protestant dissenters, and then restored in the 15th century, after being recovered from a ditch. The church has been used for storing smuggled goods, as were most of the others on Romney Marsh . This started in the reign of Edward I, when a duty was placed on the export of wool, which was in great demand throughout Europe.
In the 12th Century, the right to self-governing of the land in the area was given to a body called Lex Marisci; in exchange, people were to keep the sea wall maintained. In 1250, the Jurats of the Level of Romney Marsh , an ancient organisation whose headquarters existed at Dymchurch, were allowed the privilege of governing themselves in exchange for maintaining the sea wall.
The long history of conflict associated with the Romney Marsh is largely the result of its nearness to the continent. There is early evidence of Roman, Viking and Saxon invasions and settlements dating back to the third century AD. Dymchurch was part of the Napoleonic defences of England in the early 1800's. Three Martello towers and a Redoubt were located there, together with the Royal Military Canal, to protect against a Napoleonic invasion. At the time, the only people who lived in Dymchurch were a few fishermen, or smugglers.
On the 16th July 1927, the Romney Hythe and Dymchurch Railway opened a station at Dymchurch.
