Snowy Dungeness...................

Not a lot to report - except snow again today. Twice in a fortnight and at least half an inch! I can see a national emergency being declared. How will we get to the shops?

Mind you Dungeness does aquire a certain magic - covered in a soft white blanket - and the erie grey power station merging into the lighter grey sky looks like a film set awaiting its cast and crew to bring it to life.

Still snowing so must go and awake the Huskies and get the snow plough warmed up!

Todays scenes:

Help Wanted

We get many emails through the website requesting assistance in tracing long lost relatives associated with Dungeness and for the most part relate to the turn of the century (20th).   The problem is life comes to an end (for most of us at some time) and the numbers of elderly 'local' resident diminishes each year.   The eldest resident went to a nursing home many years ago and apart from one elderly lady there is no one else with the history to even pre war days (WW2).   So if she doesn't know and younger generations have not inherited the history of past inhabitants then there is a problem in helping enquires.   However there may be someone out there who does have some history in their memory banks and therfore a precis of a couple of recent enquires follow:-

A Mr King from Hampshire has enquired about the property 'Retreat', where his grandmother resided, possibly as a tenant, from 1928 to 1932.   He is trying to establish the history of the building - who built it/owned it etc.   Anyone there who can help?

A second enquiry from Hampshire - looking for anyone with history on Peter (Percy) Steward born in/on Dungeness in 1917 and a property called Seagull Cottage.

2010

Happy New Year to all our reader!

Since creating the blogg facility last year have simply not been able to comprehend the method of attaching anything new!    But  2010 New Year resolution will be 'to master it!'  Cannot even find the spill chiker!

Well all the hype of 'global warming' has been tempered recently with the onset of the first significant snow at Dunge for many years but only a sprinkle - not like the old days.    25 miles away - blizzards but sunshine and beautiful sunrises here.

Just before Christmas we saw the departure of Ken and Sylvia Oiler, ex local councillors and stalwarts of 'keep Dungenss unspoilt' brigade.   Members of one of the oldest 'original' Dungeness fishing families they put a great deal of time and effort into ensuring things 'got noticed' here - wish them well in their continued retirement.  

Recently a lot of publicity, national newspapers and tv, regarding the sale of a 'shack' with panoramic views of the east wall of the nuclear power station.   The agents neglected to inform potential purchasers that this 'unique' little property with magnificant views across the beaches was also bathed in the shadow and radiant glow of the now defunct 'A' Station.   Up for around a quater of a million pounds it finally sold to a local family!   The chap who complained bitterly that he had been mislead by the agents details and wasted a journey to Dungeness would seem to be a bit of a trouble maker or just dim.  Who in the world doesnt know that Dungeness does not have nuclear power stations or indeed travelled down without first checking on the internet??

If you have £1.5 million to spare there is quite a nice place available!!  Details upon request (brown envelpoe and £ notes please)

There was a recent, well attended, meeting (makes a change) of the local 'Residents Association' to discuss, with Shepway District Council, the vagaries of planning applications and consent for rebuilding/modernising shacks on the beach.   Alas I was not able to attend the meeting and alas no feedback was made available to the rest of the populace who could not attend.   Word has it  there were the usual gripes from the usual gripers but overall the meeting was, evidently,  a success albeit lacking in any firm outcome or positive decisions.   The main area of concern seems to be the 'wierd and wonderful' structures now being created and 'definately not in keeping with the area'   I think what is ovelooked is that part of Dungeness's uniqueness has always been the variety of buildings/shacks and that they have evolved over the years.   Half of the estate started life as railway carriages and the other half small purpose built bungalows, albeit timber framed for the most part.   The railway carriages had bits added to them and the reult an assortment of shapes and sizes.   The 'Rubber House' was probably the first to break the mould and become something a little out of the ordinary and was accepted.   The 'Wine Glass' is slated for being 'not in keeping.'    It is different yes but if all were reconstructed as per my neihbours' properety (very well done I might add) in wood shiplap painted white (or black as the last dictat indicated) the estate would end up as a twee little village - which it isn't, wasn't and never should be!  Some of the loudest critisisms come from neglected eyesore owners.

Dungeness property sales

The latest sale seems to be that of the church and one time meeting place of the 'Buffalo's' for a reputed £180,000.00. This ex air raid shelter has served the community for many decades as Church, residents meeting place and 'Buffalo Lodge. It is alleged the building was left to the reisidents and should not have been sold, certainly without it being publically announced that it was for sale.

The new owners of 'Channel View', one of the few remaining properties in need of restoration have submitted plans for its redevelopment so lets hope there are no hold ups there. Usually get a few 'wingers' who complain about everything making objections but over the past couple of years Shepway Council have been a little more understanding uin their agranting planning permission for various designs in the 'new' properties.

There was a time when the then narrow minded planners insisted in new developments being clad in timber and painted balck. This would have lead dungeness becoming a twee little village of sameness instead of the uniqueness for which it is known.

First attempt at a blog...........

First attempt at a blog to augment Dungeness web site (dungeness.org.uk). As the first posting I wanted to reproduce a 'newsletter' dated June 1999, which as then secretary to Dungeness Residents Association, I sent out at the time which seemed to ruffle a few feathers. (Unfortunately I have not found a way of importing text from an outside source although have managed photographs). Following the newsletter thre followed a 'coup' and I was ousted from my grand position whilst on holiday. I returned to find I had resigned due to pressure of work! And since then committee has been next to useless with no information being passed to residents. Mind you since 1999 the face of Dungeness has changed - well not so much the 'face' as the incumbents?. As the fisher folk made good they moved out to 'proper' houses and following the interest in the place by the likes of film director Derek Jarmen prices have rocketed form the £750.00 I paid to figures in excess of £200,000.00.

Dungeness sundry........

9 September 2009 

Due to the following Dereck J has and also the interests created over the years by BBC gardening programmes DJ’s garden is very much ‘open to the public’ although as you say it is nice to have boundaries respected (nothing worse than to have a couple, hands clasped around their eyes peering into ones abode – (it has happened to me) to see what creature lurks within. Many people have, in the past, asked why do you live here? And the answer is ‘because I have had the choice!’. Nowadays, with changes in attitude as to what life is really about, the comments are usually to the effect ‘wish we could afford to live here. As you say property values are high – but where else can you buy such desolate solitude (well nearly).

  

Planners only allow re-development of shacks providing something original remains behind – i.e. railway carriages. Most shacks to the south of the estate still have the carriages hidden within and others quite clearly untouched. You probably saw ‘Channel View’ which has recently been sold and will retain the rather beautifully wood carriage within when re-developed. 

As for litter – most left by anglers and visitors but a lot brought in by the westerly winds. We have a warden but it would take ten people full time to keep it under control. The odd crisp packet, that may make a good photograph, may well ‘blow on’ to another location but the broken bottles; tin cans etc are a nuisance. Ideally would like to find out who the culprits are and deliver said junk to their front lawn! For some reason I suspect they would object!!

  

Webmaster

Dungeness revisited

29 August 2009 I recently visited Dungeness after a forty year gap. My previous visits in my twenties, had beach fishing as their purpose and were mainly made at night in winter to take advantage of the warm water outlet from the power station. My latest visit on 21 August was to photograph this wonderful place after being prompted to do so by images seen on the web. I enjoyed my day immensely, first picturing the old boats and derelict sheds etc and finished by visiting Prospect Cottage. While taking pictures of Prospect Cottage from the road I was joined by a couple who asked if I thought they could wander around the garden. Having read the signs re: respecting the property boundaries, I replied that I did not think it right to do so. While we were chatting a gentleman came from the cottage (I thought to ask us to move on), and invited us to look around the garden. He was the father of the current owner and was spending a week at the cottage. We were able read John Donne's poetry on the side wall and visit the sculpture garden created by Derek Jarman. I took several pictures here but from ground level in a 2 dimensional image the scrap and driftwood sculptures tend to disappear against the vegetation. Readers should not view this as a general invitation. I am interested in those cottages based on rail carriages and in how old the carriages are and where they came from. I remember them as being old 40 years ago. I shall make more visits to record as many as possible. I did photograph one from the road near the new lighthouse and someone told me that while some of the carriages have broken down or rotted away or been otherwise removed, the exterior shape has been preserved in the existing buildings. Can anyone confirm this? I am surprised at the prices of the property there but not greatly so. I did not expect to find myself (a lover of hill walking and mountain country even at 62), enjoying this flat and at first glance, seemingly barren (and in poor weather very grim), place so much yet Dungeness grew on me and I very quickly changed my thoughts from "why would anyone choose to live here" to "what a wonderful magical place, truly different from anywhere else I've seen". There is something very special about Dungeness. I hope it remains so. On the question of rubbish on the beach. - well I don't live there so maybe I "don't get a vote", but photographically it is all part of the "different beauty" of Dungeness. Strangely, I would have been annoyed to see such as sweet wrappers or crisp packets and drink cans around and I would have removed them from any scene which I was to photograph (and taken them away as is my practice). However, I was careful not to remove or even move "to a better place in my picture" anything of the long dropped and windblown general detritus of the fishing industry. This scene of desolation and rotting dereliction and decline of the fishing industry is a major draw for photographers and sightseers who no doubt contribute to businesses on the beach area. The bare shingle beach, old (and new) cottages, unusual but lovely vegetation, derelict boats, sheds, rails and winch gear and the wildlife reserve all set against the power station is an anachronism but that is the magic of Dungeness. There is much more for me to see and I will return soon and perhaps make regular visits through the 4 seasons. If any reader is interested I have to date just a few pictures in colour and B+W on a photo website called "Perfectly captured" to which I shall add daily over the next few weeks. 

The easiest way to see them is to link to my own gallery there: http://www.perfectlycaptured.com/showgallery.php/cat/500/ppuser/228

  

For my part I shall have to search out a copy of the book, Dungeness remembered.

Finally, may I say what a pleasure it is to enter "railway carriages, Dungeness" into my browser and find such a mine of local information as in this newsletter.

  

Many thanks. Vic Chapman.