Walks
over weekends during the summer. Shortly, you’ll come across a
footbridge which crosses the Broadstairs to Margate railway. As you cross the bridge, check out the spray can mural depicting Dickens characters against a Turner-inspired background. The mural was created by local young people in partnership with Network Rail and the Thanet Community Safety Partnership.
You are now walking along the St
Peter’s footpath, a very pleasant piece of open land. It was once owned by the churchwardens of St Peter’s Church who sold the land for 10 shillings (50p) to Stephen Shallows, a local Baptist. He used the land to hold open air Baptist worship as Baptists were persecuted in England during the 17th century. The footpath crosses ‘Shallows Road’ which apparently derives its name from an underground stream that surfaced here.
Look out for St Peter’s Church built in the late Norman Style in the 1070s. It has a wooden roof dating from the 1600s. In the reign of King Henry VIII, archery practice was compulsory and took place near to the church. The church tower was used as a signalling tower during the Napoleonic war when four men kept watch from it, the church has the right to fly the White Ensign as a result of this involvement. The churchyard is possibly the longest in the country and in 1966 heavy rain caused graves to sink a whole 18 inches.
Entering the High Street of the pretty village of St Peter’s, the birthplace of Edward Heath, Prime Minister from 1970-1974, the village is more well- known nowadays for its costumed tours which run through the summer months. As you pass through St Peter’s look out for more Dickens inspired mosaics. There are 24 mosaic panels set within a landscaped area. There is one that features Turner and Dickens face to face appearing to be of similar age, but in reality Turner was already in his 30s when Dickens was born in 1812. The mosaics were made by children from Upton Junior School alongside members of the local community.
Three and a half miles into your walk and heading towards Broadstairs, you’ll pass Crampton Tower Museum. The artefacts, housed in the tower itself commemorate the work of Thomas Russell Crampton who was a much respected engineer during the 19th century. He designed the Crampton Water Tower for his own water company known as the Broadstairs Water Company. As you pass by, stop to admire this flint built tower – it’s located adjacent to Broadstairs railway station.
To find out about other walks in Kent
including our #GoOutside campaign, please visit the Explore Kent website
www.explorekent.org. Follow @explorekent on Twitter and Facebook and share your experiences with us!
You are almost at the end of your walk
now; look out for Pierremont Hall, an impressive white building that was built in 1785. Queen Victoria stayed here when she was eight years old and had her own white donkey, called Dicky, which she took to the beach for rides. Pierremont means St Peter’s Mount in French and once stood in grounds in excess of 30 acres. It was sold to the local council in 1927 for £5,500 and still houses council offices today.
Your walk ends at the Dickens House
Museum in Broadstairs. A Tudor building, it was extended in Victorian times and owned by a Miss Mary Pearson during the time when Dickens was a frequent visitor to Broadstairs. Dickens later based a character in his
novel, Betsey Trotwood in David Copperfield, on her. The house was named Dickens House at the end of the 19th century and opened as a museum in 1973. It houses Dickens memorabilia including his writing slope!
From here, you can either retrace your
steps or take the bus or train back to Margate. It’s another way to take in this quintessential Kentish seaside area and admire the coastal views. You can also begin your walk here in Broadstairs and walk to Margate.
Defining the works of a lifetime this inspiring corner of Kent has left a cultural imprint on the world – whether you are a Dickens or Turner fan, this walk gives you a unique insight into an inspiring history.
Mid Kent Living 25
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