The Late Holocene Evolution of Denge Marsh, Southeast England: a Stratigraphic, Sedimentological and Micropalaeontological Approach

Stratigraphic, granulometric and micropalaeontological investigations of the sedimentary interface between the Dungeness shingle complex and Denge Marsh have been carried out to establish the late Holocene sedimentary evolution of the Romney Marsh region. The arenaceous and argillaceous sediments overlying the buried shingle topography are of intertidal origin and indicate the gradual infilling of an initially deep tidal environment following an extensive period of peat deposition which affected the majority of the area. The cause of this rather sudden marine inundation is considered to be storm breaching of the shingle complex, although the timing of this event is difficult to determine without further chronological investigations.