Page 78 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - England's South Coast

76  ENGLAND ' S SOUTH C O AST REGION B Y REGION

Environs
On the east side of Thanet,
Broadstairs is a calmer alter-
native to Margate. Dickens
often came here to write – his
landlady was the inspiration
for Betsy Trotwood in David
Copperfield. Her house, where
he stayed, is now the Dickens
House Museum, with his writing
desk and other exhibits.
Just south of Thanet is
Richborough Roman Fort. Now
a large grassy site with several
Colourful shops on Harbour Street in Whitstable's town centre ruined buildings 3 km (2 miles)
inland, this was where Claudius’s
w Whitstable  Shepherd Neame Roman invaders (see p34) first
17 Court St, Faversham. Tel 01795 landed in AD 43 before taking
Kent. Map F1. * 30,000. 3 @ 542016. Open 10:30am–4:30pm
n The Whitstable Shop, 34 Harbour Mon–Sat. & 8 times vary, control of Britain.
St; 01227 770060. ( Thu, 2nd & check website for details. =
4th Sat. _ Oyster Festival: late Jul. ∑ shepherdneame.co.uk E Dickens House Museum
∑ canterbury.co.uk/canterbury- 2 Victoria Parade, Broadstairs.
district/Whitstable.aspx Tel 01843 861232. Open Easter–mid-
e Margate Jun & mid-Sep–Oct: 1–4:30pm daily;
Celebrated for its oysters since Kent. Map F1. * 55,000. 3 @ mid-Jun–mid-Sep: 10am–4:30pm
Roman times, Whitstable is n The Droit House, Stone Pier; daily; Nov: 1–5pm Sat, 1–4:30pm Sun.
the prettiest of the old fishing 01843 577577. ( last Sun of the & = ∑ dickensmuseum
towns on the North Kent coast, month. ∑ visitthanet.co.uk broadstairs.co.uk
with brightly painted buildings, T Richborough Roman Fort
atmospheric alleyways, a busy On the north side of the Isle Richborough Rd, near Sandwich.
little harbour and a long shingle of Thanet, Margate is a classic Tel 01304 612013. Open Apr–Sep:
beach lined with colourful huts. English seaside resort, with 10am–6pm daily; Oct: 10am–5pm
The town's relaxed charm a long sandy beach, big daily; Nov–Mar: 10am–4pm Sat &
has made it a popular weekend boisterous amusement parks Sun. Closed 1 Jan & 24–26 Dec.
escape, with plenty of lively and other attractions. Recently & 7 with assistance. = œ
restaurants specializing in local the town has modernized ∑ english-heritage.org.uk
fish and seafood, especially its image with Turner
during the bustling Oyster Contemporary, an arts centre
Festival each July. There are also that celebrates Margate’s Turner and Margate
many unusual shops where connections with artist J M W Often considered the greatest
artists and craftspeople sell their Turner. It is set in a spectacular of all English painters, Joseph
creations. On the beach, the walk modern building that hosts Mallord William Turner (1775–
westwards is especially lovely. cutting-edge exhibitions. 1851) was a Londoner, but
Just west of the town is first visited Margate when
Environs Quex Park, an attractive park he was 11, attending school
To the west, the characterful old set around an elegant 19th- there for a while. As an adult
town of Faversham was also century mansion. It also houses he returned and painted the
once an important river port, the engaging Powell-Cotton town’s harbour and seascapes
time and again. Obsessed
but its narrow creek is now Museum, which features with the qualities of light, he
mainly used by yachts. From the predominantly African art said that “the skies over Thanet
River Swale, medieval streets run and artifacts, as well as unique are the loveliest in Europe”.
up to the lively Market Square wildlife dioramas. The site of the house where
and the 16th-century Guildhall. he stayed is now fittingly
Modern Faversham is famous E Turner Contemporary occupied by the Turner
for its beer, brewed from local Rendezvous. Tel 01843 233000. Contemporary art centre.
Kent hops. Shepherd Neame, Open 10am–5pm Tue–Sun. 7 -
founded in the 16th century, = ∑ turnercontemporary.org
is the oldest continually E Quex Park and
operating brewery in Britain. Powell-Cotton Museum
It offers guided tours, including Birchington. Tel 01843 842168.
tastings, which should be Open Museum & Gardens: 10am–
booked in advance. Visitors 5pm Tue–Sun. House: Apr–Oct:
should note that children under 1–4pm Tue–Sun. & 7 - = Margate, painted by Turner in 1822
12 years are not admitted. ∑ quexpark.co.uk
For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp174–5 and pp185–6

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