Whitstable
Coordinates: 51.3607° N 1.0257° E Map of Earth showing lines of latitude (horizontally) and longitude (vertically), Eckert VI projection; large version (pdf, 1. ...
Population	30,000
OS grid reference	TR107667
District	City of Canterbury
Shire county	Kent
Region	South East
Constituent country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	WHITSTABLE
Postcode district	CT5
Dial code	01227
Police	Kent
Fire	Kent
Ambulance	South East Coast
UK Parliament	Canterbury
European Parliament	South East England
List of places: UK • England • Kent

Whitstable is a town in Kent, England with a population of 30,000. It is a seaside resort, on the North Sea coast, facing Essex across the Thames Estuary and the Isle of Sheppey across the Swale. It is technically within the city limits of Canterbury six miles inland. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (600x800, 11 KB) Summary Description: A blank map of the United Kingdom, with country outline and coastline; contact the author for help with modifications or add-ons Source: Reference map provided by Demis Mapper 6 Date: 2006-21-06 Author: User... Image File history File links Red_pog. ... The British national grid reference system is a system of geographic grid references commonly used in Great Britain, different from using latitude or longitude. ... The districts of England are a level of subnational division of England used for the purposes of local government. ... The City of Canterbury is a local government district with city status in Kent, England. ... Metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties are a level of subnational division of England used for the purposes of local government. ... This article is about the county in England. ... The region, also known as Government Office Region, is currently the highest tier of local government subnational entity of England in the United Kingdom. ... South East England is one of the nine official regions of England. ... This is an alphabetical list of countries of the world, including independent states (both those that are internationally recognised and generally unrecognised), inhabited dependent territories and areas of special sovereignty. ... Motto: (French for God and my right) Anthem: God Save the King/Queen Capital London (de facto) Largest city London Official language(s) English (de facto) Unification    - by Athelstan AD 927  Area    - Total 130,395 km² (1st in UK)   50,346 sq mi  Population    - 2006 est. ... This is an alphabetical list of the sovereign states of the world, including both de jure and de facto independent states. ... A post town is a required part of all UK postal addresses. ... UK postal codes are known as postcodes. ... The CT postcode area, also known as the Canterbury postcode area[1], is a group of postal districts around Birchington, Broadstairs, Canterbury, Deal, Dover, Folkestone, Herne Bay, Hythe, Margate, Ramsgate, Sandwich, Westgate-on-Sea and Whitstable in England. ... The UK telephone numbering plan, also known as the National Numbering Plan, is regulated by the Office of Communications (Ofcom), which replaced the Office of Telecommunications (Oftel) in 2003. ... Kent Police is the police force covering Kent in England, including the unitary authority of Medway. ... A Fire Appliance belonging to the Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service The fire service in the United Kingdom has undergone dramatic changes since the beginning of the 21st century, a process that has been propelled by a devolution of central government powers, new legislation and a change to operational... Kent Fire and Rescue Service is the statutory fire and rescue service for the county of Kent covering a geographical area south of London, to the coast and including major shipping routes via the Thames and Medway rivers. ... Crest of NHS ambulance services in England Crest of the Scottish Ambulance Service In the UK, the majority of ambulance services are provided under the National Health Service through local ambulance trusts. Each trust is specific to a county or area, and so the country is divided across a number... As of 1st July the NHS Ambulance Services Trusts of Kent, Surrey and Sussex are being joined together to form a new South East Coast Ambulance Service . ... The United Kingdom House of Commons is made up of Members of Parliament (MPs). ... Canterbury is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. ... This is a list of Members of the European Parliament for the United Kingdom in the 2004 to 2009 session, ordered by name. ... South East England is a constituency of the European Parliament. ... List of cities in the United Kingdom List of towns in England Lists of places within counties List of places in Bedfordshire List of places in Berkshire List of places in Buckinghamshire List of places in Cambridgeshire List of places in Cheshire List of places in Cleveland List of places... This is a list of cities, towns and villages in the ceremonial county of Kent, England. ... Ronda, Spain Main street in Bastrop, Texas, a small town A town is a community of people ranging from a few hundred to several thousands, although it may be applied loosely even to huge metropolitan areas. ... This article is about the county in England. ... Motto: (French for God and my right) Anthem: God Save the King/Queen Capital London (de facto) Largest city London Official language(s) English (de facto) Unification    - by Athelstan AD 927  Area    - Total 130,395 km² (1st in UK)   50,346 sq mi  Population    - 2006 est. ... The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view. ... The North Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean, located between the coasts of Norway and Denmark in the east, the coast of the British Isles in the west, and the German, Dutch, Belgian and French coasts in the south. ... Essex is a county in the East of England. ... The Thames Estuary is a large estuary where the River Thames flows into the North Sea. ... View towards Minster from Elmley Marshes The Isle of Sheppey is a small (36 square miles, 94 km²) island off the northern coast of Kent, England in the Thames Estuary, some 38 miles (62km) to the east of central London. ... Canterbury is a cathedral city in east Kent in South East England and is the seat of the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Primate of All England, head of the Church of England and of the worldwide Anglican Communion. ...

The town was recorded in the Domesday Book (1086) as Witenestaple and held three manors. The one at Seasalter included eight fisheries, Northwood supplied seven saltworks, and at Swalecliffe pigs were kept using pannage. The ancient town continues to support an agricultural and fishing community. A line drawing entitled Domesday Book from Andrew Williamss Historic Byways and Highways of Old England. ... Events Domesday Book is completed in England Emperor Shirakawa of Japan starts his cloistered rule Imam Ali Mosque is rebuilt by the Seljuk Malik Shah I after being destroyed by fire. ... Fishing is the activity of hunting for fish by hooking, trapping, or gathering animals not classifiable as insects which breathe in water or pass their lives in water. ...

The name Witenestaple evolved into Witstapel according to 1184 sources, and Whitstapl by 1226. Records from 1610 make reference to the modern name, Whitstable. The name comes from "the meeting place of the white post", a commonly used landmark at the time of its inception. One of its suburbs is Tankerton. Events Carmelite Order approved by Pope Honorius III Frederick II calls Imperial Diet of Cremona Births June 21 - King Boleslaus V of Poland (died 1279) Abul-Faraj, Syriac scholar (died 1286) Bar-Hebraeus, Syriac historian and bishop (died 1286) Deaths March 7 - William de Longespee, 3rd Earl of Salisbury, English... // Events January 7 - Galileo Galilei discovers the Galilean moons of Jupiter. ... A suburb of Whitstable, Tankerton was a commercial development by the Tankerton Estate Company in the late 19th century, and was designed with a grid of streets leading from the shoreline. ...

The Sea Cadet Corps traces its beginnings to Whitstable after the Crimean War. The first of the Naval Lads' Brigades was started in the town by the Rev Henry Barton about 1856. The brigades became the Sea Cadet Corps in 1904. Badge of the Sea Cadet Corps. ...

Whitstable oyster fisheries

The town is best known for its oysters, formerly harvested offshore and still served in restaurants in the town. Whitstable Oyster Fishery Company is one of Europe's oldest commercial ventures, and its oysters were exported across the Roman Empire during the Roman occupation of Britain. Whitstable has its own oyster festival that takes place in July and is one of, if not the most, prominent oyster festivals in England. Crassostrea gigas, Marennes-Oléron Crassostrea gigas, Marennes-Oléron Crassostrea gigas, Marennes-Oléron, opened The name oyster is used for a number of different groups of mollusks which grow for the most part in marine or brackish water. ... Motto: Senatus Populusque Romanus (SPQR) The Roman Empire at its greatest extent, c. ...

In 1480 Whitstable acquired a fish market in St Margaret's Street, a tradition that lasted until the mid-19th century. The town's connection with the sea extends to watersports, and the annual waterskiing championships take place during the summer. Recreational skiiers typically use two skis — other techniques abound. ...

The world's first steam-hauled passenger railway

On 3 May 1830 the Canterbury and Whitstable Railway, locally known as the Crab and Winkle Line (after the initial letters), was opened, linking Whitstable with the cathedral city of Canterbury. It was the world's first steam-hauled passenger railway (the first true passenger railway was opened on Swansea Bay, South Wales on 25 March 1807). William James produced the plans for the railway, which was six miles long and was built at a cost of £83,000. May 3 is the 123rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (124th in leap years). ... Liberty Leading the People by Eugène Delacroix commemorates the July Revolution 1830 (MDCCCXXX) was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... The Canterbury and Whitstable Railway, sometimes referred to colloquially as the Crab and Winkle Line, opened in 1830 between Canterbury and Whitstable in the county of Kent, England. ... Canterbury is a cathedral city in east Kent in South East England and is the seat of the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Primate of All England, head of the Church of England and of the worldwide Anglican Communion. ... Swansea Bay (Welsh: Bae Abertawe) is an inlet of the Bristol Channel lying south of Swansea, Wales. ... Approximate extent of South Wales South Wales (Welsh: ) is an area of Wales bordered by England and the Bristol Channel to the east and south, and Mid Wales and West Wales to the north and west. ... March 25 is the 84th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (85th in leap years). ... Year 1807 (MDCCCVII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar). ... For other people named William James see William James (disambiguation) William James (January 11, 1842 – August 26, 1910) was a pioneering American psychologist and philosopher. ...

At first, trains were operated by stationary winding engines up the inclined planes and by a locomotive for the rest of the journey. The locomotive used was the Invicta, an 0-4-0 inclined cylinder tender locomotive built by Robert Stephenson of Newcastle for £635, which pulled three carriages. After 10 years, Invicta was retired and survived as scrap until restoration began in 1898 and continued intermittently until 1977. The painstaking restoration work was finally completed by the volunteers of the National Railway Museum in York, and the locomotive was returned to Canterbury in time for the 150th anniversary celebrations of the line on 3 May 1980. A stationary engine is an engine that does not move. ... An inclined plane is a plane surface set at an angle, other than a right angle, against a horizontal surface. ... Great Western Railway No. ... Statue of Robert Stephenson at Euston Station, London Robert Stephenson FRS (October 16, 1803–October 12, 1859) was an English civil engineer. ... Locomotives arranged around the turntable in the Great Hall. ... York is a city in North Yorkshire, England, at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss. ... May 3 is the 123rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (124th in leap years). ... 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday. ...

Whitstable was once home to the world's oldest railway bridge, but this was demolished in 1970, leaving only Old Bridge Road, which used to pass under it, in commemoration.

The world's first season tickets were issued for this line: they were sold to Canterbury passengers travelling to the beach at Whitstable for the summer season.

About 40% of the line has now been reopened as a footpath and cycleway under the stewardship of a local charity, the Crab and Winkle Line Trust.^[1] Plans exist to extend the path along the old line into the centre of Whitstable to the harbour.

Whitstable Harbour

Whitstable Harbour was built in 1832. An extension of the railway service ran to it until 1953, connecting it to Canterbury and London. There were also small sailing boat ("hoy") and steam ship services from the harbour direct to London for many years into the 20th century. It is still in use today.

The Street

A notable feature of Whitstable is The Street, a natural shingle bar to the east of the harbour, that runs out to sea, at right-angles to the coast, for a distance of about half a mile. It is revealed only at low tide - walkers regularly ignore the warning notices on the beach and get cut off by rising tides.

The Great Fire of Whitstable

On the evening of Wednesday, 16 November 1869, Whitstable was devastasted by a huge fire that swept through the closely built area along The Wall, west of the harbour. November 16 is the 320th day of the year (321st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 45 days remaining. ... 1869 (MDCCCLXIX) is a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Sunday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar. ...

Given that the population of the town was a little under 2,000, the disaster that befell the little fishing harbour must have been big news across the region, as the fire drew a crowd of 10,000 spectators.

It was the local coastguard who on 16 November at about 10.45pm spotted flames coming from the roof of a shop. He raised the alarm and a large crowd gathered. Little could be done to prevent the progress of the fire, which burst through the roof and spread to other parts of the building, fanned by a brisk north-easterly wind. Her Majestys Coastguard is the agency of the government of the United Kingdom concerned with co-ordinating rescue at sea. ... November 16 is the 320th day of the year (321st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 45 days remaining. ...

Telegrams and mounted messengers were sent to nearby Canterbury and Faversham calling for such fire engines as were available. Although the Whitstable fire engine had arrived, time was lost in obtaining water and getting the hose into use. The engine was then fouled by sand and seaweed drawn up with seawater from the beach. Canterbury is a cathedral city in east Kent in South East England and is the seat of the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Primate of All England, head of the Church of England and of the worldwide Anglican Communion. ... Faversham is a town in Kent, England, in the district of Swale, roughly halfway between Sittingbourne and Canterbury. ...

Despite the combined efforts of the four fire engines the blaze continued unabated as far as the premises of one Josiah Reeves, mast and block maker, where its further progress was abated by a break between the buildings.

However, winds caused the inferno to be carried into Marine Street, and Harbour Street beyond, causing great damage in the intervening space where almost all the buildings were destroyed.

It was not until nearly eight o'clock the next morning that the flames were extinguished, although firemen stayed for several hours to put out the smouldering embers.

Seventy-one buildings were destroyed, of which 25 were houses, the remainder being stores and workshops along the seawall and in Marine Street. Damage is estimated to have been not less than £10,000 and perhaps as much as £13,000.^[2]

Offshore developments

Offshore, the Maunsell Forts stand visible from the shoreline. They were constructed during World War II to defend the south coast from Nazi invasion. The forts were made redundant in the late 1950s and used in the 1960s by a pirate radio station. Some now house webservers. The Maunsell Sea Forts were small fortified towers built in the Thames and Mersey estuaries during World War II to aid in the defence of the United Kingdom. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... National Socialism redirects here. ... The term pirate radio usually refers to illegal or unregulated radio broadcasting. ...

The sea off Whitstable is the site for an offshore windfarm, consisting of 30 wind turbines, each 140 metres high, providing electricity for half the homes in the Canterbury district. This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...

Famous residents

• Peter Cushing 1913 - 1994
• William Somerset Maugham 1874 - 1965
• Alan Davies 1966 -

Peter Cushing OBE Cushing (left) in the television adaptation of Nineteen Eighty-Four in the winter of 1954 on BBC Television. ... W. Somerset Maugham as photographed in 1934 by Carl Van Vechten. ... Alan Davies (born 6 March 1966) is an English comedian and actor best known for starring as Jonathan Creek on the popular TV mystery series of the same name. ...

Affiliations

Whitstable is twinned with:^[3]

• Dainville, France
• Borken, Germany
• Říčany, Czech Republic
• Albertslund, Denmark
• Mölndal, Sweden

Image File history File links Flag_of_France. ... Dainville is a large town in the canton of Dainville in northern France. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Germany. ... Borken is the name of three places in Germany: A city in North Rhine-Westphalia; see Borken, North Rhine-Westphalia A district in North Rhine-Westphalia around Borken; see Borken (district) A city in Hesse; see Borken, Hesse borken can also be internet slang for broken, referring to a game... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_Czech_Republic_(bordered). ... Location of Říčany in the Czech Republic See other locations named Říčany. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Denmark. ... Albertslund is a municipality in eastern Denmark, in the county of Copenhagen on the island of Zealand. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Sweden. ... Mölndal is a Municipality in Västra Götaland County, in western Sweden. ...

Additional information

The town's first official football match took place in 1885, and under the name Whitstable United the club played against the Whitstable College. Regular matches were held on a Friday at "Mr Saddleton's field", near the railway station, until the club obtained a home, named the Belmont ground from 1888. A century on, and the club now known as Whitstable Town^[4] is still competing against its rivals on the north Kent coast. Football (soccer) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ...

The town is criss-crossed by numerous small alleys that were used by fishermen to reach the boats on the beach. Many of these are now registered as public rights of way and are still in frequent use. Squeeze Gut Alley is one of the more famous and at its entrance on to Island Wall most people have to turn sideways to navigate it.

Island Wall is probably one of the most picturesque parts of town with numerous houses and cottages dating from the mid 19th century. These include old pubs such as the Neptune and the Wall Tavern, and "Dollar Row", the cottages at one end of the street (Island Wall). (So named because they were built from the proceeds of a salvage operation on a ship carrying silver dollars.) It is also home to the Favourite, one of the few remaining Whitstable oyster yawls. Some of the houses have lost much of their character in recent years as the historical heart of the buildings have been ripped out to make fashionable holiday homes for well-heeled buyers from London, known in the town as "DFLs" or "Down from London".

Cushings view is an area of whitstable near the Whitstable Oyster Fishery Company restaurant. It affords beautiful views of the sea, especially on a summers day.

In fiction

Whitstable is one of the settings of the 1998 novel Tipping the Velvet by the British author Sarah Waters, and also of the subsequent 2002 BBC drama adaptation, and the hometown of the protagonist Nancy Astley. The portrayal involves not much more than her home and the family establishment, an oyster restaurant, and a pebble beach with oyster beds. The town and The Neptune Hotel also feature toward the end of Peter O'Toole's latest film Venus. Tipping the Velvet is a novel written by Sarah Waters and published by Virago. ...

Somerset Maugham's novel Cakes and Ale (1930) is set in his childhood home town, Whitstable. Maugham renamed the town Blackstable in the book but the names and description of places around the town, including The Duke of Cumberland and Joy Lane, clearly identifies it. The BBC made a TV production in 1975 of Cakes and Ale. It was, however, filmed in Rye, Sussex. W. Somerset Maugham as photographed in 1934 by Carl Van Vechten. ... Binomial name Secale cereale M.Bieb. ... Sussex is a historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. ...

References

External links

• Whitstable Yacht Club
• Simply Whitstable - discussion, photos and history
• Alternative tour of town
• Town history
• O ysterTown - includes town history and genealogy info
• See Whitstable
• Whitstable Town Football Club
• Whitstable Cricket Club
• Whitstable Oyster Festival