Dengemarsh - also Denge Marsh or The Denge was was one of the earliest parts of the Romney Marsh to be reclaimed from the sea; this is recorded in a charter of A.D. 744. Together with Dungeness it is a national nature reserve (NNR), a Special Protection Area (SPA), a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and part of the Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). It is also the only desert in Northern Europe. The 19th century author and cleric Richard Harris Barham, Rector of St Dunstan, Snargate, wrote in his book The Ingoldsby Legends: The World, according to the best geographers, is divided into Europe, Asia, Africa, America, and Romney Marsh. it still feels a world apart today!