insideKENT Magazine Issue 29 - August 2014 | Page 99

TOWNSPOTLIGHT
S P O T L I G H T

O N

Whitstable

BY GEMMA DUNN

Boasting an infamous oyster trade, locally owned boutiques, vibrant galleries, award-winning eateries,
a working harbour, active community and strong maritime connections, it's little wonder Whitstable
has been listed by The Times as one of the Top 20 Coolest Places in the UK. The epitome of the
idyllic seaside resort, this buzzing Kentish coastal town has character, and it has it in spades.

history in brief
Populated in the Palaeolithic Age, the Bronze
Age and the Iron Age, Whitstable certainly boats
a rich history of sorts. In fact, archaeologists have
previously discovered remains that link the coastal
town to a Roman settlement, and have since
identified that the native oyster was harvested
during this period too.
The first official recording of Whitstable was in
the Domesday Book of 1086. Under the
administration of nearby Canterbury, the town
was entitled Witenstaple, translating to 'the
meeting place of the white post', in reference to
a local landmark. It was later changed to
Whitstaple and eventually, Whitstable, in 1610.
Much like many of Kent's seaside towns,
Whitstable began to blossom in the mid-18th
century, after improved transport links – including
a road built between London and Canterbury –
meant increased trade from the capital and
beyond. Private landowners had sold the rights
to harvest the oyster beds, and the town, as it is
today, became known for this flourishing custom.
Yet, it wasn't only goods being transported to
and from the town. By the end of the 18th century,
the first seaside resorts had been established
and Whitstable had begun to benefit from the
passengers travelling in of a weekend.
By the turn of the 19th century, the tourist scene
thrived as the world’s first steam-hauled
passenger service freight train opened, running

for six miles from Westgate in Canterbury to
Whitstable. Two years on, it was also the first
railway port of its kind certified to carry goods –
mainly coal – to and from ships.
Today, while the town's coal industry has
diminished, Whitstable's notable oyster trade and
well-earned title as one of the UK's top seaside
destinations, certainly has not.

things to do
Whitstable Castle and Gardens – Situated on
the border of Whitstable and the suburb
of Tankerton, this historic build is now managed
by the Whitstable Castle Trust, and its grounds
provide the only publ