Westgate-on-Sea Heritage Centre

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Westgate-on-Sea Heritage Centre

CHECK WEBSITE FOR DETAILS OF OPENING TIMES. Founded in 2007, the Westgate Heritage Centre aims to tell the story of Westgate on Sea in Kent.

www.westgateheritagecentre.org.uk

29/05/2026

The next Heritage Centre talk will be on Saturday 6th June 2026. Simone Breugem and Chris Sandwell will be talking about Mutrix Farm and other farms in the area. The photo shows the Garlinge Farm's barn and cottages on the Canterbury Road - you can see the spire of St James Church in the background. This very rural scene has now changed completely and there are houses on the site and a petrol station opposite.

The talk will take place at Christ Church United Reformed Church, Westgate Bay Avenue, Westgate-on-Sea, CT8 8SN. Doors open at 10 am and the talk starts at 10.30 am. Tea/coffee and scones will be available to buy together with publications about the history of Westgate-on-Sea. All are welcome and non-members pay just £3 on the door.

28/04/2026

The next Heritage Centre talk will be on Saturday 2nd May 2026. This time, we look a little further away from Westgate-on-Sea. The entertaining and amusing Ian and Val Carter-Chapman are coming back to talk about "Hassocks and Haystacks: A stroll through St Peter's encountering a cow in a tree, smallpox in the pub and smugglers in the High Street. But what secrets lie within the walls of the ancient church? And Castles and Contraband: Spies, thespians, writers, cannons, follies, 'owling' and a 'Woman in White' abound in the story of North Foreland and Reading Street - along with how Kingsgate got its name".

The talk will take place at Christ Church United Reformed Church, Westgate Bay Avenue, Westgate-on-Sea, CT8 8SN. Doors open at 10 am and the talk starts at 10.30 am. Tea/coffee and scones will be available to buy together with publications about the history of Westgate-on-Sea. Non-members pay just £3 on the door.

26/03/2026

On Saturday 4th April 2026, Pat Orpwood will be talking about "Reculver - ruins, religion and romance".

The talk will take place at Christ Church United Reformed Church, Westgate Bay Avenue, Westgate-on-Sea, CT8 8SN. Doors open at 10 am and the talk starts at 10.30 am. Tea/coffee and scones will be available to buy together with publications about the history of Westgate-on-Sea. Non-members pay just £2 on the door.
Look forward to seeing you there.

28/01/2026

On Saturday 7th February, Sally Whitworth will give an illustrated talk on the "Early Days of Westgate-on-Sea" and tell the stories of some of the characters who lived and worked in the 'new town'.

The talk will take place at Christ Church United Reformed Church, Westgate Bay Avenue, Westgate-on-Sea, CT8 8SN. Doors open at 10 am and the talk starts at 10.30 am. Tea/coffee and scones will be available to buy together with publications about the history of Westgate-on-Sea. Non-members pay just £2 on the door.

Look forward to seeing you there.

The sketch shows Adrian Square in the 1870s.

22/12/2025

On Saturday 3rd January 2026, Michael Cates and Robin Colyer will talk about Margate Windmills and Millers. Michael will talk first about lost mills in the area and Robin will follow, speaking about the restoration of Drapers, the last surviving mill. The photograph is an early image of Drapers Mill.

The talk will take place at Christ Church United Reformed Church, Westgate Bay Avenue, Westgate-on-Sea, CT8 8SN. Doors open at 10 am and the talk starts at 10.30 am. Tea/coffee and scones will be available to buy together with publications about the history of Westgate-on-Sea. Non-members pay just £2 on the door. Looking forward to seeing you there.

02/12/2025

On Saturday 6th December – Jose Gibbs and Sue Finch will talk about ‘The Story of the Black and White Bridge and the Sunken Garden, Westbrook’. An illustrated look at the building of the bridge over the railway, closing of the level crossing and what to do with the large hole left on the cliff top!

The talk will take place at Christ Church United Reformed Church, Westgate Bay Avenue, Westgate-on-Sea, CT8 8SN. Doors open at 10 am and the talk starts at 10.30 am. Tea/coffee and scones will be available to buy together with publications about the history of Westgate-on-Sea. Non-members pay just £2 on the door. Looking forward to seeing you there.

The photo is of the Sunken Gardens in the 1950s.

04/11/2025

On Thursday 6th November, James Brazier will be giving a similar talk to the Margate Civic Society as he gave to the Westgate-on-Sea Heritage Centre in June this year - "Remembering Dunkirk (Operation Dynamo)". For those who missed the June talk or would like to hear the talk again, the Margate Civic Society is always happy to welcome non-members to their meetings.

James will talk about Margate's hugely important role in the evacuation from Dunkirk- the massive rescue effort by the Royal Navy and civilian volunteers during WWII, rescuing over 338,000 British and Allied troops from the beaches and harbour of Dunkirk, France, between 26th May and 4th June 1940. James will also talk about the local service men who lost their lives in Operation Dynamo and about the local commemoration of Operation Dynamo since 1965.

The Margate Civic Society welcomes all visitors to the talk, which starts at 7.30 pm. (Doors open at 7 pm). Non-members of the Margate Civic Society pay just £3.50 on the door. Teas, coffees and cakes are available to buy and there will also be a raffle. Local publications and other items will be on sale. The meeting will be held at Holy Trinity Church Hall, St Mary's Ave, Margate CT9 3TN. (The car park is in St Mary's Avenue and the entrance to the hall is through the car park).

The photo shows French troops evacuated from Dunkirk at Margate train station.

30/10/2025

On Saturday 1st November 2025, Chris Wyer's talk will be about - "Westgate's Items of Historic Interest - Before They Are Gone Forever". Chris will be talking about items of local interest in the town, which are in danger of disappearing or have already 'gone forever'. Members may remember the 'Milk' sign on the chimney of the old Setterfield Dairy which was blown down in high winds a few years ago.

This talk will take place at Christ Church United Reformed Church, Westgate Bay Avenue, Westgate-on-Sea, CT8 8SN. Doors open at 10 am and the talk starts at 10.30 am. Tea/coffee and scones will be available to buy together with publications about the history of Westgate-on-Sea. Non-members pay just £2 on the door. Looking forward to seeing you there.

28/09/2025

On Saturday 4th October 2025, Jill Beechey will be talking about the Great Storm of the 16th October 1987. In the early hours of the 16th October, hurricane winds (reaching 120 mph) affected much of the South of England. Properties in Westgate-on-Sea were severely damaged and Jill will talk about her personal experiences of the storm. The photo shows firemen in St Mildred's Road dealing with a chimney stack that had blown down.

This talk will take place at Christ Church United Reformed Church, Westgate Bay Avenue, Westgate-on-Sea, CT8 8SN. Doors open at 10 am and the talk starts at 10.30 am. Tea/coffee and scones will be available to buy together with publications about the history of Westgate-on-Sea. Non-members pay just £2 on the door. Looking forward to seeing you there.

02/09/2025

On Saturday 6th September, Pat Orpwood will be talking about the fascinating subject of 'Jane Austen in Kent'.

The painting of Ramsgate shows the town around the time Jane visited there.

This talk will take place at Christ Church United Reformed Church, Westgate Bay Avenue, Westgate-on-Sea, CT8 8SN. Doors open at 10 am and the talk starts at 10.30 am. Tea/coffee and scones will be available to buy together with publications about the history of Westgate-on-Sea. Non-members pay just £2 on the door. Looking forward to seeing you there.

Address

Westgate Bay Avenue
Westgate On Sea
CT88NX

Opening Hours

10am - 12pm

Website

https://www.westgateheritagecentre.org.uk/

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