The town has been a significant maritime port since the Middle Ages, and was associated with Dover as part of the Cinque Ports in the 15th century. It became a popular place for holidaymakers in the 18th century, owing to easy access via the Thames, and later with the arrival of the railways. Popular landmarks include the sandy beaches and the Dreamland amusement park. During the late 20th century, the town went into decline along with other British seaside resorts, but attempts are being made to revitalise the economy.
Margate was listed in the Domesday Book of 1086 as lying within the hundred of Thanet and the county of Kent.[2]
Margate was recorded as "Meregate" in 1264 and as "Margate" in 1299, but the spelling continued to vary into modern times. The name is thought to refer to a pool gate or gap in a cliff where pools of water are found, often allowing swimmers to jump in. The cliffs of the Isle of Thanet are composed of chalk, a fossil-bearing rock.
Margate gives its name to the relatively unknown yet influential Battle of Margate, starting on 24 March 1387, it was the last major naval battle of the Caroline War phase of the Hundred Years' War. Despite the battle being named after Margate, very little actually happened near the coastal town - the battle is named after Margate as this was where an Englishfleet of 51 vessels that was anchored at Margate Roadstead first spotted a Franco-Castilian-Flemishwinefleet of around 250-360 vessels. The English gave chase after the undermanned wine fleet and finally defeated the fleet a day later on 25 March 1387 off the coast of Cadzand, Zeeland, Netherlands.
The town's history is tied closely to the sea and it has a proud maritime tradition. Margate was a "limb" of Dover in the ancient confederation of the Cinque ports. It was added to the confederation in the 15th century. Margate has been a leading seaside resort for at least 250years. Like its neighbour Ramsgate, it has been a traditional holiday destination for Londoners drawn to its sandy beaches. Margate had a Victorian jetty which was largely destroyed by a storm in 1978.[3]
In the late 18th century, the town was chosen by the physician John Coakley Lettsom as the place in which he would build the Royal Sea Bathing Hospital, which was the first of its kind in Britain.
The Turner Contemporary art gallery occupies a prominent position next to the harbour, and was constructed there with the specific aim of revitalising the town.[5] The Thanet Offshore Wind Project, completed in 2010, is visible from the seafront.[6]
Governance
Margate is an unparished area with charter trustees. In 2021 there was a proposal to convert the unparished area into a civil parish and replace the charter trustees with a town council.[7]
Margate was incorporated as a municipal borough in 1857. This was abolished in 1974, since which date Margate has been part of the Thanet district of Kent. The town contains the seven electoral wards of Margate Central, Cliftonville West, Cliftonville East (both Cliftonville wards were formally Margate Cliftonville from 1973 to 2003), Westbrook, Garlinge, Dane Valley and Salmestone. These wards have seventeen of the fifty six seats on the Thanet District Council. At the 2007 Local Elections, nine of those seats were held by the Conservatives, seven by Labour and one by an Independent.[8]
Climate
Margate experiences an oceanic climate (Köppen climate classificationCfb) similar to much of the United Kingdom. Like almost all of southern Britain, Margate experiences mild temperatures, and is complemented by a high amount of sunshine; a nickname for the town is "Sunny Margate". Rainfall is quite low, making Margate one of the driest towns in Kent.
Margate had a population of 40,386.[11] The urban area had a population of 46,980 at the 2001 census, increasing to 49,709 at the 2011 census (5.8% increase).[12]
Religion was recorded as 71.6% Christian, 17.1% no religion, 0.7% Muslim, 0.3% Buddhist, 0.3% Jewish, 0.2% Hindu, 0.1% Sikh; 0.3% had an alternative religion and 9.8% did not state their religion.[11]
For every 100 females, there were 92 males. The age distribution was 6% aged 0–4years, 16% aged 5–15years, 5% aged 16–19years, 31% aged 20–44years, 23% aged 45–64years and 19% aged 65years and over.[11]
11% of Margate residents had some kind of higher or professional qualification, compared to the national average of 20%.[11]
Economy
At the 2001 UK census, the economic activity of residents aged 16–74 was 33.8% in full-time employment, 11.8% in part-time employment, 8.0% self-employed, 5.5% unemployed, 2.2% students with jobs, 3.9% students without jobs, 15.5% retired, 8.3% looking after home or family, 7.9% permanently sick or disabled and 3.6% economically inactive for other reasons. The rate of unemployment in the town was considerably higher than the national rate of 3.4%.[11]
The industry of employment of residents was 17% retail, 16% health & social work, 13% manufacturing, 9% construction, 8% real estate, 8% education, 7% transport & communications, 5% public administration, 6% hotels & restaurants, 2% finance, 1% agriculture and 6% other community, social or personal services. Compared to national figures, the town had a relatively high number of workers in the construction, hotels & restaurants and health & social care industries and a relatively low number in real estate and finance.[needs update]
Transport
Margate railway station, which was constructed in 1926 to designs by Edwin Maxwell Fry
Most bus services in Margate are operated by Stagecoach South East; with routes linking the town with Canterbury, Herne Bay and Ramsgate and many more. Frequent Loop buses, ensure that travel around the isle is easy. These services leave every 5-7 minutes (day times) from Cecil Square, in both directions; towards Cliftonville and towards Westwood Cross. [14]
A National Express route, which operates between London Victoria and Ramsgate, calls at Margate seafront, Northdown Park and Cliftonville.[15]
Tourism
Margate Clock Tower and buildings on the sea frontEntrance to DreamlandThe Scenic Railway roller coaster at Dreamland
For at least 250 years, Margate has been a leading seaside resort in the UK, drawing Londoners to its beaches, Margate Sands. The bathing machines in use at Margate were described in 1805 as;
four-wheeled carriages, covered with canvas, and having at one end of them an umbrella of the same materials which is let down to the surface of the water, so that the bather descending from the machine by a few steps is concealed from the public view, whereby the most refined female is enabled to enjoy the advantages of the sea with the strictest delicacy.[16]
The Dreamland Amusement Park is situated in the centre of Margate, operating since 1920, it was closed in 2006, and reopened in 2015 following a lengthy campaign by the "Save Dreamland Campaign" group. Its Scenic Railway roller coaster is the second oldest of its type in the world, and is now Grade II* Listed.[17] It is one of only two early-20th century scenic railways still remaining in the UK; the only other surviving UK scenic railway is in Great Yarmouth and was built in 1932. The Margate roller coaster is an ACE Coaster Classic.[18]
Cliftonville, next to Margate, had a classic British Arnold Palmer seaside mini golf course. It closed and was illegally converted to a skate park, which was later shut down by the council amid Safety Concerns.[19]
Tudor House
There are two notable theatres, the Theatre Royal in Addington Street– the second oldest theatre in the country– and the Tom Thumb Theatre, the second smallest in the country, in addition to the Winter Gardens. The Theatre Royal was built in 1787, burned down in 1829 and was remodelled in 1879 giving Margate more national publicity. The exterior is largely from the 19th century.[20] At this current time, both Theatre Royal and Winter Gardens are closed. Theatre Royal closed on 28th April 2022, with the Winter Gardens following suit on 14th August 2022. [21]
An annual jazz festival takes place on a weekend in June.
In September, an annual car show commences known as "Oh So Retro" featuring classic and retro vehicles, trade stalls and family-friendly entertainment.[22]
Margate Museum in Market Place explores the town's seaside heritage in a range of exhibits and displays, and is now opened at weekends by a team of volunteers.
First discovered in 1798, the Margate Caves (also known as the Vortigern Caves) are situated at the bottom of Northdown Road. They reopened in 2019.[23]
The Shell Grotto, which has walls and roof covered in elaborate decorations of over four million shells covering 2,000 square feet (200m2) in complex patterns, was rediscovered in 1835, but is of unknown age and origin. It has been designated as a Grade I listed building.[24]
The Walpole Bay Tidal Pool is a Grade 2 listed tidal sea bathing pool built in 1937.[25] The pool covers over four acres and its dimensions are 450ft long, 300ft wide at the seaward end and 550ft long at the landward end. The water in the pool is refreshed by the incoming tide twice a day and fresh water springs rise from the beach within the walls.[26]
The former chairman of the Margate Civic Society, John Crofts, had a plan to develop a centre that would explore and show the link that the painter J. M. W. Turner shared with Margate. Turner described the Thanet skies as the "loveliest in all Europe." In 1994 Crofts became increasingly determined to create such a gallery and in 1998 the Leader of Kent County Council met a number of people from the art world to discuss the idea. They hoped that the centre would regenerate the once-thriving town of Margate and offer an alternative to Margate's traditional tourist trade. In the late 1990s, the County Council offered to fund the building of the Turner Gallery. Additional funding was contributed by the Arts Council England and South East England Development Agency. In 2001 the Turner Contemporary was officially established. The view from the gallery is similar to that seen by Turner from his lodging house.[27]
To reduce the cost, Thanet District Council chose a new site inland from the harbour wall. The scheme was supported by the artist Tracey Emin, who was brought up in Margate. The building itself was designed by David Chipperfield Architects after the abandonment of the design by Snøhetta + Spence architects. Building work started in 2008 but the project's initiator, John Crofts, died in 2009. The Turner Contemporary Gallery officially opened on 16 April 2011.[28]
Across the road from the gallery in Margate Old Town there is a community of independent shops. Accessed from the seafront via Market Street, Duke Street and King Street this area is clustered around the old Margate Town Hall in the centre of the Market Place.[29] There is also a small museum in the town hall complex which provides information about the history of Margate. In 2012 Margate was chosen as one of the towns to benefit from the Portas Pilot Scheme aimed at regenerating some of Britain's high streets.[30]
New businesses started flocking to Margate in the late 2010s. “There’s been a whole bunch of businesses opening up ... Cliffs ... which is a sort of multipurpose space. Coffee, food, yoga, a record store. It does everything,” Dom Bridges of skincare brand Haeckels, told New Statesman in 2017, adding that many were cropping up in Cliftonville, where locals wouldn't buy.[31]
Historic sites
The Jetty, c.1905
There is a 16th-century, two-storey timber-framed Tudor house built on a flint plinth in King Street.[32]
Margate's Jubilee Clock Tower was built to commemorate Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee in 1887, although not completed until 1889.[33] It had a Time Ball mechanism, mounted on a mast atop the tower, which was raised a few minutes before 1pm each day and dropped at precisely 1pm, thereby allowing residents, visitors and ships to know the exact time. This was, of course, in the days before wireless transmission of time signals.[34] The tower was Grade II listed in 1973.[33] The Time Ball fell out of use many years ago, but following a suggestion by Arnold Schwartzman OBE RDI, a former Margate resident, Margate Civic Society raised funds to have the time ball repaired and brought back into use. This was successful, and a civic ceremony celebrated the restoration on 24 May 2014, Queen Victoria's birthday and the 125th anniversary of the Clock Tower's official opening. This was short lived though and unfortunately, the time ball stopped working again with the pole it is affixed to having been left unrepaired. More recently it has been left leaning at a very precarious 75-degree angle.
Draper's Mill is a smock mill built[35] in 1845 by John Holman. It was working by wind until 1916 and by engine until the late 1930s.[36] It was saved from demolition and is now restored and open to the public.
Margate features at the start and as a recurrent theme in Margate writer Iain Aitch's travelogue, A Fete Worse Than Death. The author was born in the town.
Margate features as a destination in Graham Swift's novel Last Orders and its film adaptation. The character Jack Dodds had asked to have his remains scattered at Margate, and the book tells the tale of the drive to Margate and the memories evoked on the way.
Margate features in the 2021 novel Dreamland by Rosa Rankin-Gee. The novel is set a little in the future from the present day in "the once refined but now rundown seaside town of Margate."[37][38]
"Margate Fhtagn" is a song by UK steampunk band The Men That Will Not Be Blamed For Nothing. The story related in the song combines the Victorian tradition of the seaside holiday with the works of H. P. Lovecraft, specifically the Cthulhu Mythos, to tell the tale of a Victorian family going on a seaside holiday to Margate, which gets interrupted by Cthulhu rising from the sea.[39]
"Die Muschel von Margate" (Seashells from Margate) is a song written by Kurt Weill and Felix Gasbarra from 1928. It featured in Konjunktur (Oil Boom), a play by Leo Lania in which three oil companies fight over the rights to oil production in a primitive Balkan country, and in the process exploit the people and destroy the environment.[40]
A photochrom print of Margate Harbour was used by the icelandic-american band Low Roar as an album cover for ross., the band's 4th album released in 2019.
The Libertines recorded their 2024 album All Quiet on the Eastern Esplanade in The Albion Rooms in Cliftonville, the Hotel, Bar and recording studio that the band owns. The title of the album is a reference to the Eastern Esplanade in Cliftonville where The Albion Rooms are situated. [43][44]
Film and television
In 1971, the BBC TV series Softly, Softly: Task Force episode "Sunday, Sweet Sunday", written by Alan Plater, was filmed in Margate. The episode has many shots of the town and seafront, including Dreamland.
In 2021, The Walpole Bay Hotel & Museum is featured in episode 3 of the ITV comedy drama The Larkins.[47]
In 2022, Margate was featured as a location in the BBC Drama series Killing Eve. The seafront, and Dreamland also serve as filming locations for the film Empire of Light which was filmed in 2022, and the video for "A new bohemia" by the Pet Shop Boys.[48]
Malle Mile Beach Race is an organised motorcycle racing on the beach festival. In recent years, a popular beach race has been held at Barmouth, Wales; however, this event differs as it is run along the lines of a motocross event on a shorter motocross-style circuit.[50][51][52]
Beach Cross Racing takes place twice a year, usually in March and October, and is known as Margate Beach Cross. The event, which is organised by QRAUK in conjunction with Island Events and Thanet District Council, has proven to be popular with not only British riders but with a huge number of riders from the Continent. The event has both quads and solos racing around a specially prepared course on Margate's main sands and it attracts many thousands of visitors. [53]
Local media
Margate had two paid-for newspapers, the Isle of Thanet Gazette and Thanet Times (which ceased publication in 2012[54]), which are owned by Northcliffe Media.[55] Free newspapers for the town include online-only Isle of Thanet News;[56] the Thanet Extra, part of the KM Group; and yourthanet, part of KOS Media. Local radio stations are KMFM Thanet, owned by the KM Group, community radio station Academy FM (Thanet); and the county-wide stations Heart Kent, Gold and BBC Radio Kent. Thanet Community Radio also offers an online community podcasting service for Ramsgate, Broadstairs, Margate and the wider areas of Thanet.[57]
Local news and television programmes are provided by BBC South East and ITV Meridian. Television signals are received from the Dover TV transmitter [58] and the local relay transmitter.[59]
The Isle of Thanet is a peninsula forming the easternmost part of Kent, England. While in the past it was separated from the mainland by the 600-metre-wide (2,000 ft) Wantsum Channel, it is no longer an island.
Ramsgate is a seaside town and civil parish in the district of Thanet in east Kent, England. It was one of the great English seaside towns of the 19th century. In 2021 it had a population of 42,027. Ramsgate's main attraction is its coastline, and its main industries are tourism and fishing. The town has one of the largest marinas on the English south coast, and the Port of Ramsgate provided cross-channel ferries for many years.
Herne Bay is a seaside town on the north coast of Kent in South East England. It is 6 miles (10 km) north of Canterbury and 4 miles (6 km) east of Whitstable. It neighbours the ancient villages of Herne and Reculver and is part of the City of Canterbury local government district, although it remains a separate town with countryside between it and Canterbury. Herne Bay's seafront is home to the world's first freestanding purpose-built Clock Tower, built in 1837. From the late Victorian period until 1978, the town had the second-longest pier in the United Kingdom.
Broadstairs is a coastal town on the Isle of Thanet in the Thanet district of east Kent, England, about 80 miles (130 km) east of London. It is part of the civil parish of Broadstairs and St Peter's, which includes St Peter's, and had a population in 2011 of about 25,000. Situated between Margate and Ramsgate, Broadstairs is one of Thanet's seaside resorts, known as the "jewel in Thanet's crown". The town's coat of arms' Latin motto is Stella Maris. The name derives from a former flight of steps in the chalk cliff, which led from the sands up to the 11th-century shrine of St Mary on the cliff's summit.
Margate Football Club, originally called Margate Town, is an English football club based in the seaside resort of Margate, Kent. The club's first team play in the Isthmian League South East Division. The club was known during the 1980s as Thanet United.
Dreamland Margate is an amusement park and entertainment centre based on a traditional English seaside funfair located in Margate, Kent, England. The site of the park was first used for amusement rides in 1880, although the Dreamland name was not used until 1920 when the park's Grade II* listed Scenic Railway wooden rollercoaster was opened.
Thanet is a local government district in Kent, England. The council is based in Margate and the district also contains the towns of Broadstairs, Ramsgate and Westgate-on-Sea, along with several villages. It takes its name from the Isle of Thanet, a former island which gradually became connected to the mainland between the 12th and 16th centuries.
Westgate-on-Sea is a seaside town and civil parish on the north-east coast of Kent, England. It is within the Thanet local government district and borders the larger seaside resort of Margate. Its two sandy beaches have remained a popular tourist attraction since the town's development in the 1860s from a small farming community. The town had a population of 7,517 at the 2021 Census.
Birchington-on-Sea is a village in the Thanet district in Kent, England, with a population of 9,961.
South Thanet was a constituency in Kent.
North Thanet was a constituency in Kent. It was represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since its 1983 creation until abolition by Sir Roger Gale, a Conservative.
East Thanet is a British parliamentary constituency in the Isle of Thanet in Kent, represented since 2024 by Polly Billington of the Labour Party. The seat previously existed, under the name Thanet East, from 1974 to 1983, returning one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Further to the completion of the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, it was re-established as East Thanet for the 2024 general election. It is primarily the successor to the former South Thanet parliamentary constituency.
Cliftonville is a coastal area of Margate in the Thanet district of Kent, England. It includes the Palm Bay estate, built in the 1930s with wide avenues and detached and semi-detached houses with driveways, garages and gardens.
The A254 is a short road running northwest–southeast on the Isle of Thanet in East Kent. The whole length of the road is within Thanet District Council and is a non-primary route.
Margate was a "limb" of Dover in the ancient confederation of the Cinque ports. It was added to the confederation in the 15th century.
Ramsgate Harbour railway station was a railway station in Ramsgate, in the Thanet district of Kent, England. Opened in 1863 as part of the Kent Coast Railway company's extension of its line from Herne Bay, it was conveniently situated for the seaside resort's beach, but it closed in 1926 after a reorganisation of railway lines in the Thanet area.
Arlington House is an 18-storey residential apartment and commercial block in the Brutalist style on the seafront of Margate, Kent, England, next to Margate railway station and Dreamland Margate. It was developed by Bernard Sunley and designed by Russel Diplock, and is known for every apartment having a sea view.
The Margate Jetty was a pier in Margate, Kent, in England initially constructed of wood in 1824. It was rebuilt in iron in 1855 and extended and added to over the years. It closed in 1976 over safety concerns and was severely damaged in a storm two years later. Demolition took many years and some parts remained until 1998.
Jimmy Godden was one of the most high-profile businessmen in Kent, England prior to his death from cancer. He was famous for his involvement in a range of high-profile venues and projects including Dreamland Margate, the Rotunda Amusement Park in Folkestone, and Ramsgate Pleasure Park.
↑ Thanet Offshore Transmission Assets(PDF) (Report). Office of Gas and Electricity Markets. July 2009. Archived(PDF) from the original on 27 October 2020. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
Oulton, W.C. Picture of Margate, and Its Vicinity [1820] Paternoster Row, London: Baldwin, Cradock, and Joy. (2005 reprint) Ramsgate, Kent: Michaels Bookshop, ISBN1-905477-20-1. Title page of original edition: Google Books
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