NANNY GOATS AND NAZIS
This is an excerpt from the book "Life On Marsh" Available here
All images on this page are created by Andy Holyer
The isolation of Dungeness has not only encouraged and fostered but protected smuggling and other illegal activities over the years. The off the beaten track situation and somewhat mysterious reputation kept most people away and allowed a whole range of unusual practices and customs to develop, some of which persist to this day.
As with many isolated locations with difficult and dangerous access,
Dungeness had and to some extent still has a very healthy barter economy.
Most of the locals not only fished, but also kept goats for fresh milk, which
roamed the shingle eating everything in their path – so much so that the area
was locally known as Nanny Goat Island until recently. The area was also
grazed by flocks of Lydd sheep within living memory. Both sets of ruminants
helped to keep the shingle bare of all but the hardiest vegetation, allowing the
area to evolve some of the unique flora and fauna it now boasts. Paradoxically,
since the area has become more and more protected grasses have taken root. It
is said that very soon they will have carpeted nearly all of the shingle,
strangling out most of the unique plants and animals that are supposed to be
protected.
This is an excerpt from the book "Life On Marsh" Available here
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