Westgate-on-Sea, Kent

Westgate-on-Sea is a charming seaside town on the north-east coast of Kent, nestled between Margate and Birchington-on-Sea. Its development began in the 1860s, transforming from a small farming community into an exclusive coastal resort with two sandy beaches, St Mildred’s Bay and West Bay. Both bays feature sea walls and groynes to protect against flooding, with chalk cliffs framing the coastline. The beaches are recognised with a European Blue Flag Award for their cleanliness and safety.

The town’s history is rich, with archaeological finds including a Roman villa near Beach Road. Westgate once hosted a Royal Naval Air Service seaplane base during World War I, defending the Thames Estuary. The Victorian era left its mark with the construction of parish churches such as St James and St Saviour, the latter housing historic bells dating back to the 14th century. The Coronation Bandstand, built in 1903, later became the Westgate Pavilion theatre.

Westgate-on-Sea has attracted notable residents including the 19th-century surgeon Sir Erasmus Wilson, artist Sir William Quiller Orchardson, and illustrator Louis Wain. The town also inspired Sir John Betjeman’s poem “Westgate-on-Sea.” Its cultural heritage is complemented by the three-screen Carlton Cinema and the nearby Westgate and Birchington Golf Club, set on cliff tops.

The town’s geology is predominantly chalk, a legacy of its past as part of the Isle of Thanet, once separated from mainland Kent by the Wantsum Channel. The temperate climate supports local agriculture, with crops such as wheat and potatoes grown in surrounding fields. Westgate-on-Sea remains a place where history, natural beauty, and seaside leisure converge.