Historic buildings in Ramsgate facts for kids
Ramsgate is a lovely seaside town located in Kent, England. In 2001, about 39,639 people lived here. Ramsgate was a very popular English seaside town in the 1800s. Its main attractions are its beautiful coastline and beaches. The town's main jobs are in tourism and fishing. Ramsgate has one of the biggest marinas on the south coast of England. For many years, the Port of Ramsgate also offered ferry trips across the English Channel.
A famous Christian missionary, St Augustine, arrived near Ramsgate in 597 AD. He was sent by Pope Gregory the Great. Today, the town is home to the Shrine of St Augustine.
Ramsgate was once part of the Confederation of Cinque Ports. This was a group of important coastal towns.
The building of Ramsgate Harbour started in 1749 and finished around 1850. This harbour is special because it's the only 'Royal Harbour' in the United Kingdom. Because Ramsgate is close to mainland Europe, it was a key place for ships to leave from. This was true during the Napoleonic Wars and for the Dunkirk evacuation in 1940. An old guide from 1863 praised Ramsgate. It mentioned its "glorious sands," great bathing, hotels, and "bracing climate."
The famous architect A W Pugin and his sons lived in Ramsgate. They designed several important buildings here. These include St Augustine's Church, The Grange, and The Granville Hotel.
Contents
- Exploring Ramsgate's Historic Churches
- Ramsgate Library: A Story of Rebirth
- The Montefiore Tomb: A Special Replica
- Ramsgate Jewish Cemetery
- Townley House: A Royal Connection
- The Hart Havens
- Albion House: A Grand History
- Mount Albion House
- The Granville Hotel
- Royal Victoria Pavilion
- West Cliff Lodge
- Ramsgate Railway Station
Exploring Ramsgate's Historic Churches
Ramsgate has several important churches. St Augustine's is a Catholic church. It is England's special shrine to St. Augustine of Canterbury. St Laurence and St George are both Church of England churches. They serve the Anglican community. Other churches include Holy Trinity and St Ethelbert's Catholic Church.
St Laurence-in-Thanet Church
The first church in the Thanet area was St Laurence-in-Thanet. It was built in 1062. It was rebuilt many times over the centuries. The biggest changes happened in the 1500s. A famous person buried in its churchyard is Augusta Emma d'Este. She was the wife of Thomas Wilde, a Lord Chancellor.
St Augustine's Church: A Special Shrine
St Augustine's Church is on the west side of Ramsgate. The architect, A. W. N. Pugin, built this church himself. He built it between 1845 and 1852. It is in the neo-Gothic style. This church is seen as one of Pugin's most important buildings. Pugin and his family are buried inside the church.
The church is named after St. Augustine. He was the first Archbishop of Canterbury. He landed in Ramsgate in 597 AD. He brought Christianity back to Britain. Pugin gave the church to the Catholic Archdiocese of Southwark. This was before he died in 1852. In 2012, the church became a shrine to St. Augustine. This was the first shrine to him in 500 years. The original shrine was destroyed long ago.
A monastery was built across the road from the church. It was for Benedictine monks. This was the first Benedictine monastery in England since the Reformation. Pugin's son, Edward, designed it. St. Augustine's church was the monastery's church until 2010. Today, St Augustine's is a place of history and religion. It is open to visitors.
St George's Church
The Parish Church of St George is near Ramsgate's High Street. Its tall lantern tower was added to help ships navigate. It looks out over the town. A famous comic actor, John Le Mesurier, is buried in its churchyard.
Holy Trinity Church
Holy Trinity Church is on the East Cliff of Ramsgate. Its foundation stone was laid in 1844. The church cost £3,000 to build. The land was given by Augusta Emma d'Este.
St Ethelbert's Church
St Ethelbert's is a Catholic church on Hereson Road. It was designed by Peter Paul Pugin. The church opened in 1902.
Montefiore Synagogue
The Montefiore Synagogue was built in 1833. It was designed by David Mocatta. This elegant building was the private chapel of Sir Moses Montefiore.
Ramsgate Library: A Story of Rebirth
Ramsgate library was first built in 1904. Andrew Carnegie paid for it. In 2004, a fire destroyed the library. This happened just before its 100th birthday. The new library was built using the old building's outer walls. It reopened in 2009.
The Montefiore Tomb: A Special Replica
Sir Moses Montefiore's tomb in Ramsgate is next to the Montefiore Synagogue. It is a copy of Rachel's Tomb in Israel. It holds the tombs of Sir Moses and Lady Montefiore. They are buried side by side.
Ramsgate Jewish Cemetery
The Ramsgate Jewish Cemetery has a prayer hall called an Ohel. It also has about 400 graves. The Ohel and its wall are protected historic buildings. The cemetery was started in 1872. Mr. Benjamin Norden bought the land and gave it to the Jewish community.
Some notable people buried here include:
- Lazarus Hart - a Mayor of Ramsgate
- Joseph Barnett – another Mayor of Ramsgate
- Jacob Van den Bergh – from Unilever
- Mabel Miriam Sainsbury – from the Supermarkets family
- John Crowe Twyman – a photographer
Townley House: A Royal Connection
Townley House is a historic building on Chatham Street. Mrs Mary Townley designed it in 1780. While she was still a princess, Queen Victoria stayed here for holidays. Today, it is part of a furniture store. The building was almost torn down in the 1960s. But it was saved by Norman and Harold Farley.
The Hart Havens
The Hart Havens were built in 1923. They were designed in a 16th-century style. They are located on Thanet Road.
Albion House: A Grand History
Albion House was built around 1791 or 1792. It was designed to be a grand home. Mary Townley, one of England's first female architects, bought the property in 1810. Many important people stayed at Albion House. The Archbishop of Canterbury stayed there in 1810. The Duchess of Kent and her daughter, Princess Victoria (who became Queen Victoria), also stayed there in 1835.
After Mary Townley's death in 1839, the house was rented out as a holiday home. Later, it became a social club for men. By 1857, it was a lodging house. This means people could rent rooms there for holidays. In 1900, Ramsgate Council bought the house. They used it as their offices until 1974. In 2014, Albion House reopened as a fancy hotel. Its restaurant is named Townley's, after Mary Townley.
Mount Albion House
Mount Albion House was built in 1798. It was the home of Augusta Emma d'Este. Dr. John Collis Browne, who created the medicine Chlorodyne, died here in 1884. A special plaque remembers him.
The Granville Hotel
The Granville Hotel was built by Edward Welby Pugin in 1869. It started as eight large houses. Later, it was turned into a hotel. Now, the building is made up of private apartments.
Royal Victoria Pavilion
The Royal Victoria Pavilion is on Ramsgate seafront. It opened in 1904. This building has been changed into a pub by Wetherspoons. It opened in 2017 and is their largest pub.
West Cliff Lodge
West Cliff Lodge was first called Royal Villa. It was built by a Mr. Benson. He was the uncle of Helen Lumsden. She was engaged to Augustus Pugin for a time.
Ramsgate Railway Station
Ramsgate railway station is a beautiful building. It is considered one of the best New Classical railway stations in southern England. It was built between 1924 and 1926 by Edwin Fry. It is a protected historic building.
