Ramsgate

Ramsgate forms part of the Isle of Thanet and is closely associated with its neighbouring towns of Broadstairs and Margate. The town's heyday was the Regency and Victorian eras when the well-heeled would holiday in the town, savouring its genteel culture. Nowadays the town remains a popular destination and has much to offer visitors.

Ramsgate exists in an area that has been crucial to British history. Just down the road at Richborough is the site of the Claudian Invasion of 43 AD and evidence of Roman settlement in Ramsgate was found in the 19th century. Viking chieftains Hengist and Horsa landed at Ebbsfleet in Pegwell Bay in 449 AD and were given the Isle of Thanet by Vortigern as thanks for their help in the first stages of the Anglo-Saxon invasion of Britain. In 597 AD, St Augustine landed at Ebbsfleet on his mission to convert Britain to Christianity and later became the first Archbishop of Canterbury.

In 1483, Ramsgate was adopted as a limb of Sandwich and by association, a member of the Cinque Ports Confederation. Ramsgate developed as a result of growing trade and prosperity in the 17th century. Throughout the 18th century many elegant Georgian townhouses, Nelson and Wellington Crescents on the east and west cliffs, and many small squares were built. Ramsgate was a fashionable place to stay in Regency times and became the haunt of many writers, artists and philanthropists.

A harbour was built in the town was as a result of the 1703 Great Storm. It wasn't until King George IV used the town as his departure point for a trip to Hanover in 1821 that the 'Royal' title was bestowed, after the King became so impressed by his welcome to the town. During the Napoleonic Wars, Ramsgate was a garrison town with thousands of troops going back and forth to various battles. In both the world wars, Ramsgate was one of the first places in Britain to be bombed by the Germans. During the 1940 Dunkirk Evacuation, the town acted as the central port for the rescue of the troops from France.

Ramsgate's harbour is still a working one with the advent of the Thanet Wind Farm. It still has a small fishing community, busy slipways and a port offering cross-channel ferry routes to the continent.

• 🌍 The Royal Harbour. The town of Ramsgate has the only designated Royal Harbour in the whole of the United Kingdom. The harbour dates back to the 18th century and was given its royal status by King George IV in 1821 when he received a rapturous reception by the townspeople after he chose the port as his point of departure and return for a trip to his native Hanover with the Royal Yacht Squadron. An obelisk commemorating the King's trip stands near the Maritime Museum. The construction of the harbour began in 1749 and was completed in 1850 after several different stages of development. Some aspects of the harbour were the work of John Shaw and his son, John Shaw Jnr, most prominent among these being the lighthouse on the western harbour arm. The harbour was an important embarkation point during the Napoleonic Wars and played a vital role during the 1940 Dunkirk Evacuations: it was from here and Dover that many of the "Little Ships" plied their way across the English Channel to help rescue the stranded Allied forces from the beaches at Dunkirk in the face of the oncoming Nazi hordes; in the harbour stands a memorial to the event and moored at the nearby George IV memorial pontoon is the MY Sundowner, one of the "Little Ships" that was once owned by the 2nd Officer of the Titanic, Charles Lightoller. Today, the harbour has one of the most vibrant yacting marinas on the south coast and, thanks to the nearby offshore Thanet Wind Farm, remains a working harbour. An extension to the harbour allows cross-channel ferries to berth at Ramsgate and LD Lines (cars only) TransEuropa Ferries (predominantly freight) run services to Oostende in Belgium. 
• 🌍 The Maritime Museum. Dominant over much of the harbour is the characteristic Maritime Museum. Built in 1817 by Benjamin Wyatt and George Louch, the building was built as the harbour clock house. In the 1980s, it was turned into the town's maritime museum, containing four galleries examining the maritime history of the local area and describing the development of the eponymous harbour. Also featured are many artefacts from the various shipwrecks of the treacherous Goodwin Sands. The building is also the site of the unique Ramsgate Meridian, where the town's own Mean Time was calculated as being 5 minutes and 41 seconds ahead of Greenwich. (updated May 2016)
• The Smeaton Dry Dock. Another point of interest around the harbour is the Smeaton Dry Dock. A pioneer of civil engineering, John Smeaton was asked to design a dry dock for the harbour and work started in the mid-1780s. The building of the dock was to be Smeaton's last project; he was to die in the post of Ramsgate Harbour engineer. 

• 🌍 Empire Steam Tug "Cervia". Adjacent to the dry dock is the 350-ton Empire Steam Tug "Cervia". She is the last seagoing Steam Tug in the United Kingdom and believed to be the last example of an Empire steam tug. Empire tugs were the British equivalent of the American Liberty Ships and were built for specific purposes; "Cervia" was built for the Normandy Invasion in 1944 to an 'invasion design' but she was not completed until after the Second World War and never saw active service. Her features include an armoured wheelhouse and gun emplacements. 
• The Main Sands. Ramsgate's main beach stretches towards the distant Broadstairs underneath towering chalk cliffs. Awarded a blue flag cleanliness award in 2010, the sands are busy in the summer months but don't get as crowded as the more popular beaches in Broadstairs and Margate. 
• 🌍 Ramsgate Tunnels. As the Second World War approached, Ramsgate Borough Council embarked on ambitious but controversial plans to create a network of Deep Shelter tunnels linking to a former Railway Tunnel which would provide shelter for 60,000 people. Despite resistance from government the plan was given the go-ahead and the network was formally opened by the Duke of Kent on 1 June 1939. The tunnels are again open to the public. You can now explore the tunnels and experience how people sheltered and lived in the town below the town. Tours last about an hour, and operate from Wednesday to Sunday every week. 
• Van Gogh, Elizabeth Fry and Karl Marx. Ramsgate is an historic Regency town and is full of streets of 18th century townhouses. In the late 1870s, Vincent Van Gogh took a job as a supply teacher for a short time at Mr Stokes's School at 6 Royal Road. He lived across the road at 11 Spencer Square whilst he was teaching and he took to sketching the view he had, taking in the harbour and the building that now houses the Churchill Tavern. 19th-century social reformer Elizabeth Fry lived in Bellevue Road for many years and would visit the prison ships passing in the channel on their way to Australia. Karl Marx and his comrade Friedrich Engels stayed in the town around 9 times, and they are supposed to have visited Hardres Street. 
• Nelson/Wellington Crescent. These two magnificent Regency terraces dominate the West and East Cliffs. The author Wilkie Collins stayed at 14 Nelson Crescent and is thought to have written The Woman in White there whilst Samuel Taylor Coleridge stayed at various addresses along Wellington Crescent. William Frith painted his famous A Day At The Seaside (better known as Ramsgate Sands) whilst staying in Wellington Crescent. 
• The Customs House. Built in 1893, this striking building on Harbour Parade is now home to the Town Council, the local Tourist Information and an arts and crafts workshop. 
• Military Road. The sweeping Military Road, with its monumental arches forming a characteristic backdrop to the harbour, was built around 1805 during the Napoleonic Wars. Its construction incorporates the Sailor's Church, Home for Smackboys and Jacob's Ladder. 
• Sailor's Church and Home for Smackboys. The Sailor's Church dates from 1878 and is still in use. Sea Scouts and Cadets use the rooms above the church, and the church is home to some interesting exhibits connected with Ramsgate's fishing heritage. The Home for Smackboys accommodated boys as young as 10 from the Minster workhouse who worked on the fishing smacks between 1881 and 1915. Adjacent to both buildings is Jacob's Ladder, a flight of steps leading up to the top of the Westcliff. Built by Jacob Steed in the early 19th century, the steps were said to have been a favoured means of access to and from the harbour for gold coin smugglers. 
• 🌍 Chatham House Grammar School, Chatham Street. Still in use, the impressive Chatham House was founded in 1797 as a private boys' school by William Humble. The building and its railings are Grade II listed and its architecture is in the style of gothic revival. Former Prime Minister Sir Edward Heath and television personality and humorist Frank Muir attended school here. 
• Albion House. Albion House was the holiday home in 1835 of the Duchess of Kent and her daughter, the future Queen Victoria. It was here that Victoria developed typhoid fever. Sir Francis Austen, brother of Jane and an Admiral of the Fleet lived at 14 Albion Place. 
• Edward VIII Type 'A' Pillar Box. Standing in front of the Royal Victoria Pavilion and still in use today is a very rare Type 'A' Edward VIII pillar box. Edward VIII was king for only a few months in 1936 before his abdication so the post box was produced within a very short time frame. 
• 🌍 The Grange. Augustus Welby Pugin's Gothic house built in 1845, The Grange can be seen in St Augustine's Road on the Westcliff (it is now rented out by the Landmark Trust). There are occasional opportunities to visit the house but these are few and far between. The house was the subject of a substantial renovation some years back by the Landmark Trust and appeared on a special episode of Channel 4's archaeological series Time Team. 
• 🌍 St Augustine's Abbey (next to St Augustine's Church and The Grange in St Augustine's Road.). Established in the mid-19th century, the abbey is one of only four Benedictine abbeys in the UK. 
• 🌍 St Augustine's Church. Built by Augustus Pugin in 1847 in the neo-Gothic style, St Augustine's serves the Catholic community of the town and the adjacent abbey. It is situated next to The Grange in St Augustine's Road. 

• St George the Martyr Church. Standing sentinel over the skyline of Ramsgate is the Church of St George the Martyr on Church Hill. Consecrated in 1827, the most striking feature of the church is the impressive lantern tower with its flying buttresses and balustrades that were constructed as a navigation aid for shipping in the English Channel. As a child, Queen Victoria worshipped here when she holidayed in Ramsgate. 
• Townley House. Just up from the town centre, in Chatham Street, is the Georgian Townley House. The house now accommodates a furniture store but once hosted the infant Queen Victoria for several months in the 1820s and was also visited by King William IV. 
• King George VI Park and the Italianate Greenhouse. Along Victoria Parade on the Eastcliff is King George VI Memorial Park which houses the Italianate Greenhouse. The greenhouse is a Grade II listed building and dates from the early 19th century. The park was formed of the grounds of Sir Moses Montefiore's Eastcliff Lodge and remains a haven of wildlife and a place to get away from the bustle of the town. 
• The Royal Victoria Pavilion. In a prime position next to the Main Sands and the Maritime Museum, this grand old building that dates from the Edwardian era was conceived as a Concert Hall and Assembly Rooms. It has been in a neglected state for some years but in its heyday it was the centre of attention in the town. 
• 🌍 St Laurence-in-Thanet Parish Church. The oldest church in Ramsgate, the church was established in 1062 and its architecture is from different medieval periods. It's in St Lawrence High Street. 
• 🌍 Montefiore Mausoleum and Synagogue. Sir Moses Montefiore was an internationally-renowned Jewish philanthropist who had close connections with the town of Ramsgate. When he died, Montefiore was laid to rest inside his own mausoleum which he had built some years previously and which can still be seen today near Dumpton Park Drive. There is also a synagogue next to the mausoleum that was also built by Montefiore. 
• Ramsgate Library (in Guildford Lawn a short walk from the town centre.). Built in 1904 by the Scottish-American philanthropist Andrew Carnegie, the library was all but destroyed by fire in 2004. A new building was constructed in its place using the shell of the old one and it was reopened in 2009. (updated May 2016)
• 🌍 Spitfire and Hurricane Memorial Museum, Manston Road CT12 5DF. During World War II, Manston was a vital Royal Air Force airfield and the Memorial Museum commemorates this history. Two aircraft, a Spitfire MkXVI and a Hurricane MkII, are housed within the museum buildings as are a host of military and civil memorabilia and a small, but popular, cafe. (updated Mar 2018)
• 🌍 Monkton Nature Reserve. The reserve constitutes 16 acres of a reclaimed chalk quarry and has many important habitats. There are over 350 species of flowering plants and the reserve is home to the first artificial bat cave constructed in the UK. The Thanet Observatory is also a feature of the reserve. (updated Jun 2020)
• The Viking Ship "Hugin". Found next to the village of Cliffsend in Pegwell Bay, on the A256 Sandwich road, this replica of Hengist and Horsa's ship sailed from Denmark to Thanet in 1949 to celebrate the 1,500th anniversary of their landing on the isle. On the lane between Cliffsend and Sevenscore is a Celtic Cross erected in 1884 to commemorate St Augustine's first sermon in Kent.
• Ebbsfleet. The site of two important events in British history: the 449AD landing of Hengist and Horsa, generally considered to be the start of the Anglo-Saxon Invasion of Britain and the landing of St Augustine on his mission from Rome to convert Kent and Britain to Christianity. Follow the A256 to the Ebbsfleet Lane turning.
• Minster Abbey. Founded in the 7th century, the ancient Benedictine Minster Abbey in the village of Minster is still run by nuns. The monastic buildings and gardens are open from May to September (2:45PM to 4PM) and year-round (Saturdays 11AM to noon). Hospitality packages are offered for conferences and retreats.

There are lots of things to do in Ramsgate such as walking, water sports, land-based fun and cycling. Take a stroll around Ramsgate's Royal Harbour and enjoy the thriving cafe culture alongside the marina.

• The Main Sands. Ramsgate's Main Sands were awarded an environmental Blue Flag award for its cleanliness (in 2010) and can be less crowded than the more popular beaches at Margate and Broadstairs. There is also a smaller, more secluded beach along the Western Undercliff (Royal Esplanade).
• Ramsgate Week. A prestigious international sailing regatta run by the Royal Temple Yacht Club, Ramsgate Week incorporates the IRC regional yachting championship and coastal series into a week full of fun events for all the family (July).
• Seaside Shuffle. Ramsgate's own jazz festival: 3 days of music events at different venues across the town in the middle of July.
• Ramsgate Arts Festival. The Arts Festival offers several different events throughout the year at venues across the town. The culmination of the Festival is the Summer Squall (August). (updated May 2016)
• Ramsgate International Film & TV Festival. An annual celebration of film-making with the aim of creating a one-stop media community. Films are given special screenings at venues across the town.(June).
• Granville Theatre and Cinema. With a cinema screen showing the latest movies, The Granville also offers a range of professional and amateur stage productions and runs regular workshops and other community events. Located on the Eastcliff (Victoria Parade).
• Bucket and Spade Run. Vintage cars take a leisurely drive along the East Kent coast from Faversham to Government Acre in Ramsgate (June).
• The Ramsgate Market. The market is held in the town centre weekly on Fridays and Saturdays.
• Walking and cycling. Ramsgate forms part of the Viking Coastal Trail which showcases Thanet's coastal beauty and uniqueness. The walk along the coast between Ramsgate and Broadstairs is very enjoyable, especially in the summer when such a walk can take in rockpooling, a quick paddle in the sea and an ice-cream bought from one of the small cafes along the way - although make sure that you watch the rising tide: unwary sightseers can easily be cut off by the sea along this stretch. When the tide is in, walk to Broadstairs along the top of the cliff, through King George VI Park and down into Dumpton Gap. A walk along the western clifftops can be interesting in both an aesthetic and historic sense. There are spectacular views of the harbour from the cliffs near the port and further towards Pegwell you pass The Grange, Augustus Welby Pugin's unique Gothic house built in 1845. If you persevere down into the small village of Pegwell, there are two public houses that offer panoramic views of the adjacent Pegwell Bay.
• Pegwell Bay Coastal Park and Kent Wildlife Trust Nature Reserve. Situated on the A256 to Sandwich and easily reachable by bike and by foot, Pegwell Bay is an internationally important area of saltmarsh and coastal scrubland that forms part of the Great Stour estuary. Ideal for birdwatching and nature walks, the reserve includes a bird hide, wheelchair access and information boards. The Coastal Park has a car park and a small mobile cafe. The Number 37 bus to Sandwich stops at the Sportsman Public House next to the park. (updated May 2016)
• Government Acre. In the summer, this public space on the Westcliff is often the venue for fairs and other events. (updated May 2016)
• The Sea Searcher The Sea Searcher is a small pleasure boat that offers regular trips around the harbour and seal-watching jaunts over to the nearby Pegwell Bay and visits to the Offshore Wind Farm. The booking hut is in front of the Maritime Museum (Harbour Parade). Alternatively, there is also a powerboat company that offers several trips in the local area.
• The Boating Pool. This family-based attraction has a restaurant, playground, boating pool, amusements and an art gallery. Situated on the Westcliff (Royal Esplanade).
• Blue Plaque Hunting. There are blue plaques dotted around the town dedicated to such famous people as Karl Marx, the Duke of Wellington, barrister and former Solicitor-General Sir William Garrow, author Wilkie Collins, actor John le Mesurier, writer John Gibson Lockhart and social reformer Elizabeth Fry.
• Ramsgate FC. The local football team is a member of the Ryman League Division 1 (South) and plays its games at the Southwood Stadium (Prices Avenue).
• Westwood Cross. The Westwood Cross shopping centre incorporates high street names, supermarkets, a multiplex cinema, a gym and a bingo hall. The Thanet Loop bus stops at Westwood and there are ample car parking spaces.

• Ramsgate Town Centre. Ramsgate town centre has most of the usual shops you would expect to find plus a few local stores of interest. More than most town centres, Ramsgate has a lot of charity shops and cafes that are dotted around Harbour Street, York Street and the High Street.
• Westwood Cross. Between Ramsgate and Margate is the Westwood Cross Shopping Centre. Westwood has a range of big-name clothes stores including Debenhams, Marks & Spencer, Burtons, TK Maxx and Next plus lots of cafes and bars to sit in and reflect on what you’ve bought. Here also can be found the big supermarkets such as Tesco, Sainsburys and Asda.

Ramsgate offers some of the best dining in the South East of England, with several well-regarded restaurants situated around the picturesque harbour including the renowned Surin Restaurant, Alexandra Ristorante and young businesses such as Eddie Gilberts and Age & Sons which have built up formidable reputations in a very short amount of time.

• Surin (Harbour Street; ☏ +44 1843 592001) is a UK top-5 Thai restaurant as recommended by the Good Food Guide, The Independent and Guardian newspapers and Time Out magazine. Or, try Siam's Kitchen (Albion Hill) or Saffron (Harbour Street)
• Alexandra Ristorante (Harbour Parade; ☏ +44 1843 590595) is an Italian restaurant that was established in 1987 and is very popular locally. Run by Maria and Luciano, the restaurant offers authentic and contemporary Italian fare. As a result of the restaurant's overhaul, thanks to its starring role in an episode of the Channel 5 programme The Restaurant Inspector, the Alexandra was nominated in the 2010 Kent Best Restaurant Awards.
• Eddie Gilbert's (King Street; ☏ +44 1843 852123) is a fishmonger business that doubles as a gourmet fish and chip shop, boasting a Michelin-trained chef and freshly-caught local produce. The restaurant has been reviewed favourably by The Observer, The Sunday Telegraph, The Sunday Times and Country Life magazine. Eddie Gilberts is a member of the Sustainable Restaurant Association.
• Age & Sons (Charlotte Court; ☏ +44 1843 851515). Situated in a wine warehouse that dates back to 1804, Age & Sons is run by the Leigh family and in its short existence has been a runner-up in the 2009 Independent Food and Drink Awards and was the recipient of a Bib Gourmand from Michelin. The restaurant boasts an extensive wine list and reasonably priced three-course meals.
• Alternatives include the Oak Hotel (Harbour Parade), The Churchill Tavern (The Paragon), The Royal (Military Road) and The Sovereign (Harbour Street).
• Peter's Fish Factory (Harbour Parade) offers traditional seaside fish and chips in a location close to the beach and marina.
• St Lawrence Tandoori Restaurant (High Street St Lawrence) is in the St Lawrence part of town and has a good selection of Indian cuisine. Alternatively, The China Garden restaurant (High Street) offers an a la carte menu and inexpensive evening buffets.
• Corby's Tea Rooms (York Street) is a popular establishment near the harbour that offers speciality teas and coffees, cream teas and various snacks.

Most of the usual chain restaurants and fast food outlets can be found in Ramsgate including McDonalds, KFC, Subway and Pizza Express (Harbour Parade). The nearest Burger King is at the Westwood Shopping Centre.

• The Churchill Tavern (The Paragon). An excellent place to try several traditional real ales. With commanding views over the harbour and port, the tavern often holds beer and cider festivals as well as regular music events and offers a selection of meals and snacks.
• Miles Cafe Culture (Harbour Parade; ☏ +44 1843 585008). A coffee house that has enviable views across the adjacent Marina, Miles remains an atmospheric, enjoyable place to while away a few hours and its pavement tables are rarely empty. Snacks are served as well.
• Pubs. Across Ramsgate are many public houses of varying quality. If you want the feel of a traditional pub warts and all in the middle of Ramsgate try places like the Red Lion (King Street) or the Horse and Groom (Charlotte Court). Elsewhere, the Montefiore Arms (Trinity Place) is popular with real ale drinkers who favour a well-kept pint of beer and was voted pub of the year in 2009 and 2011 by the Thanet branch of the Campaign for Real Ale.
• The Royal (Military Road) is the local nightspot and offers regular theme nights as well as DJs, karaoke and live bands in rotation.
• Gadds' Ramsgate Brewery. Founded in 2002 in the Belgian Bar, Gadds' Ramsgate Brewery is a thriving small local brewery now found in its own premises on the Pysons Road Industrial Estate. Look out for its beers in selected local pubs. Amongst those pubs that have served Gadds' beers are the Red Lion (King Street), The Port and Anchor (Albion Hill), The Churchill Tavern (The Paragon) and the Artillery Arms (Westcliff Road).
• Rokka. Another popular nightspot along Harbour Parade, this bar and restaurant offers theme nights and DJs, and an extensive range of food and drink.

As of Jan 2021, Ramsgate has 4G with all UK carriers. 5G has not reached this area.

• The Ramsgate Tourist Information office is in the Town Council building in the old Customs House on Harbour Parade.
• Thanet District Council's Tourism Service: ☏ +44 1843 577671

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• For more on Thanet tourism:
• For more on Ramsgate marina:

• London. London is, when using the high speed rail service, 1 hr 20 min away. On slower trains, the journey will take around two hours.
• Canterbury. Easily reached by bus or train, the ancient cathedral city of Canterbury is the hub of East Kent. The cathedral is, along with St Augustine's Abbey and St Martin's Church, a designated World Heritage Site. Other sights include the Marlowe Theatre and the Canterbury Tales, an interactive visitor attraction that takes you through scenes from Chaucer's famous book. Canterbury is also a great place to shop and has many attractive cafes, restaurants and pubs. Howletts Zoo is nearby at Bekesbourne. Trains take 20–25 minutes and leave Ramsgate twice-hourly whilst buses leave Ramsgate Harbour hourly.
• Dover. Another place within easy reach is Dover which boasts the eponymous castle as its main feature. Dominating the town, visiting the castle and the wartime tunnels underneath it can take a day up. Dover is also the main port in South-east England with cross-channel ferry services to Calais, Boulogne and Oostende. If you start early enough, it is possible to use Ramsgate as the starting point for a trip to Dover and a quick hop across the channel. The train is the easiest option to get to Dover since most bus services require a change in Sandwich. Trains take 30 minutes and run hourly.
• Broadstairs. Sometime home of Charles Dickens, Broadstairs is a beautiful, quaint, virtually unchanged little seaside town with a hugely popular beach in Viking Bay. Easily reached via the Thanet Loop bus service.
• Margate. Boisterous Margate offers sand, sea, amusements and the Turner Contemporary Art Gallery. Easily reached via the Thanet Loop bus service.
• Sandwich. The medieval Cinque Port town of Sandwich is close to Ramsgate and sits next to Sandwich Bay, where there is an RSPB-run nature reserve. You can also join the 160-mile Saxon Shore Way at Sandwich, the route of which stretches right along the South East coast from Hastings in East Sussex to Gravesend in North Kent. Buses are hourly from Leopold Street and travel through Pegwell Bay. Trains take around 10 minutes (hourly service).
• Deal. Deal is an old fishing town famous for its pier, the Timeball Tower, Deal Castle and Walmer Castle, official residence of the Warden of the Cinque Ports. Trains take around 15 minutes (hourly service).
• Minster. For the Kent International Airport. In Minster village itself is Minster Abbey. Regular bus services are run by Stagecoach and Eastonways.
• Manston. For the Spitfire and Hurricane Museum.
• Pegwell Bay. A Kent Wildlife Trust nature reserve within walking and cycling distance of Ramsgate.
• Whitstable. The small fishing town of Whitstable offers quaint and historic shops, pubs and restaurants.
• Folkestone. Folkestone is a traditional port town on the edges of the Romney Marsh area.