The History of Romney Marsh from its Earliest Formation to 1837. With a Glance at its Adjacencies, and Some Remarks on the Situation of the Ancient Anderida.

London: John Russell Smith, 1849. 1st Edition . Hardcover. Good. First edition. Hardback (rebound in plain red library cloth with gilt titling to spine). 22.5 × 14cm, viii [8], 182pp, 32pp publisher's ads. Illustrated with a lithograph frontispiece (if the site of the castle of Anderida), five maps, three of which are folding, (map of the marshes, plan of the city of Anderida and castle, plan of the castle of Anderida, map of the marsh at the Conquest, and a sketch [map] of the harbour of Rye and Winchelsea), and a folding illustration of a grant of Edward I to Edmund de Passeleye, this was the first history of Romney Marsh, the sparsely populated wetland area in the counties of Kent and East Sussex. The history begins with the natural formation of the salt marsh and the arrival (and departure) of the Romans, the changes to the Marsh during the years of the Conquest through erosion, meteorological events and human management, concluding with the beginning of the Victorian era. Condition: This copy is in very good condition for age, despite being an ex-library copy (from Wye College). The book has been professionally rebound and the binding is tight, with just a little straining to the binding. Discard marks to ffep and half-title but not stamped anywhere else. There is light scattered foxing to the first few pages but the main body of text is in very clean condition. All maps and illustrations are present, the main map of Romney Marsh has a closed 4cm tear where bound in and some taped repair to the blank reverse, the remaining maps in very good order, with just one small tear to the a fold on one. Overall, a very strong readable copy of this rare title.