SUBSIDENCE OF EASTERN ENGLAND. 99
coated slope to the westward, points to recent differential move-
ments as determining these conditions. The yew forest under
the marsh level at Dagenham has also been cited as evidence of
arrested drainage, and of the frequent or permanent flooding of
areas that were dry at no distant date, geologically speaking.
It must, however, be borne in mind that the severance of
Britain from the Continent would, by opening a second and
shorter passage for the Atlantic tidal wave, slightly raise the
high-water level on our eastern shores, and to that extent head
back the river-waters, and so flood land previously exempt from
more than its own share of the rainfall.
As a contribution to the discussion I trust we shall presently
hear on the subject, I propose to read some remarks from Dr.
Henry Laver, F.S.A., in a letter received since the foregoing
paper was written. Under date of 21st January 1909, he writes
as follows:—
"I am glad to see you are about to give your ideas and facts in reference to
the subsidence of Eastern England, Some question it; but, if they knew the
part as well as we do, I feel sure they would see things very differently. Many
years ago, I saw on the mud-flats east of Bradwell Chapel the remains of houses.
Tides must have been very different to have allowed these to be built. Old Joe
Ketcher often told me in my boyhood that he went on the flats in his younger
days, after a tremendous gale, which had lasted many hours or days, and the
sand and mud was removed more than he ever saw before, and there were
foundations of many houses. These were certainly Roman. A cousin of
mine told me he had seen them on other occasions, besides those when we saw
them. My father often mentioned them. He also told me on one of the
occasions of the meeting of the Court of Sewers that he had received orders in
reference to the raising of the walls of Fowlness, as the tides rose higher than
formerly. In many parts round our coasts and up the creeks, there are
evidences of tides rising higher, and you know of some yourself. Where we
crossed the marshes in going from Paglesham to Cricksea Ferry there is a bit of
land not requiring protection by sea wall, and it is very apparent there that tides
rise higher than they did.
"There is a bit of land on the Wick Farm, Tollesbury, where the ordinary
spring tide covers a part of some stetches which must have been clear of tide when
they were cultivated. Then, again, you saw in our Red-Hill work some stetches
on the saltings, which are now flooded every spring-tide (salting-tides we call
them). Further, Fowlness shows the same thing, as no doubt you remember.
"I do not agree with many of the conclusions of Spurrell in his paper on the
Thames marshes. He wishes it to be an accepted fact that Caesar crossed the
Thames at Tilbury, or near there. The Thames there is now more than forty
feet deep, I think, and I do not believe that it could ever have been forded
at any time since Ann. Dom. Julius Caesar gives us clearly to understand that it
could not be forded below where he crossed it at Cowey Stakes, and I do not
believe it was fordable below Woolwich when Claudius came.