Ramsgate in Kent, boasts 900 Grade 2 listed buildings, more than Bath! With beautiful architecture, including some impressive Victorian & Georgian examples, an abundance of history, a harbour, marina, cliff top views, long stretches of beaches, quirky shops & cafes. And to top the lot, the largest pub in Europe! It is well worth a visit.
A few Ramsgate facts:
* In 449AD the Vikings landed and settled here.
* Has the only ‘Royal Harbour’ in Great Britain which was bestowed by George the 4th.
* Was a chief embarkation point both during the Napoleonic Wars and the evacuation of Dunkirk in 1940. Around 40,000 rescued Allied troops were landed here from Dunkirk.
* Boasts 900 listed buildings in the town with more than 200 in the vicinity of the harbour.
* Was the most bombed seaside town in the UK during WW1.
* Vincent Van Gogh moved here in April 1876 (age 23) and lived at 11 Spencer Square.
* A network of deep shelter tunnels covering 4 miles were built prior to WW2 & opened on 1 June 1939. They linked to a former railway tunnel and could provide shelter for 60,000 people. In 2014, part of this network has been reopened for visitors.
* AW Pugin 1812 – 1852, the English architect whose work culminated in him designing the interior of Westminster Palace and the iconic clock tower which houses Big Ben lived here. For a man who was only 40 when he passed away and had been ill for several years, it is amazing the number of buildings he designed & influenced.
* Mary Townley née Gosling (1753–1839) was an English architect and designed several buildings in Ramsgate during the late 18th century, making her one of England’s earliest female architects. Her most notable building was Towley House.
* Hosts the biggest pub in Europe – Royal Victoria Pavilion. The Edwardian grade 2 listed building had laid empty for 10 years prior to it being renovated by Wetherspoons at a cost of 4.5 million £ in 2017. Keeping the original design features, the pub has 2 floors, covers a huge 16,500 square feet and can feed 1000 hungry visitors in one sitting!
* The harbour was built as a result of the Great Storm of 1703. Many ships were destroyed, the worst disaster to befall the Royal Navy in peacetime.
JMW Turner, 1775 – 1851, the English artist was also well known as ‘the painter of light’. He wrote of the area where he went to school at age 11, “the skies over Thanet are the loveliest in all Europe”. It was here he painted more than 100 oils and watercolours.
I must agree with Mr Turner, the morning light was fantastic and great for seascape photography.
A marvellous seaside town with something to interest everyone.
Check out my Kent VLOG below to see my iPhone photographs from the area.
