DUNGENESS, promontory, south coast of Kent, England, near the town of Lydd. It is a low-lying broad bank of shingle, forming the seaward apex of the great Romney marshes. Its sea ward accretion by the formation of curved shingle beaches, is about 6 ft. annually. The sea quickly drops into deep water, which is not the case of the other headlands of the south coast. A lighthouse (5o° 55' N., o° 58' E.) stands on the ness. There are also here Lloyds' signalling station, coast-guard stations, and the terminus of a branch of the Southern railway.
The name Dungeness has also been applied elsewhere; thus the point on the north side of the eastern entrance to Magellan strait is so called, and there is a town of Dungeness near a promontory on the coast of Washington, U.S.A. (Strait of Juan de Fuca).