Situated on the Thames Estuary in southeast England, the North Kent Marshes are an overlooked but vital swathe of land. For centuries, trade has flowed in through the estuary and the surrounding wilderness harbours a rich history. In the 18th century, plague outbreaks ravaged Europe and ships were quarantined in the nearby Medway. The low-lying terrain provided the ideal conditions for smugglers, as small vessels would target ships transporting goods to the capital, allegedly sneaking the contraband down underground tunnel networks once ashore. It was against this illicit backdrop that Charles Dickens set the early parts of Great Expectations (1861), where the escaped convict Magwitch takes refuge in the marshes. 

Since 2011, I have been photographing in this same marshland close to my home, finding solace in the landscape through walking. The project This Land, which is still ongoing, was realised on these solitary walks that fostered a reconnection with nature as I passed derelict industry reclaimed by the wild, herds of grazing sheep and lone birds drifting across a monotone sky. This is a land that is continually being shaped by the elements and the civilisations that pass through it and that must now face new threats from coastal erosion, pollution and overdevelopment.

This Land was published as a photobook in 2021 by Photo Editions (www.photoeditions.pub)