| ramsgate history ramsgate then and now historic-buildings buildings-at-risk planning-matters | Ramsgate's Story - from the Year Dot to the Present Day Pages 1 2 Early in the Georgian age - 1714 to 1740 - the Vestry and Overseers of St Lawrence still controlled day to day work in Ramsgate, including the building of a Poor House in Sussex Street. This opened in April 1726. By 1785 Ramsgate had established an efficient government sufficient for it to have an 'Act' to pave, light and cleanse the streets of Ramsgate and to build a market house and hold a public market. Records show that for the year of 1799 the cost of cleaning the streets amounted to 42/- ,42 shillings (2 guineas) or £2.10p. Elegant Georgian houses with their beautifully proportioned sash windows were built throughout the 18th century, later evolving into the bow window fronted houses of the Regency Period, 1812 - 1820. Ramsgate also benefitted from the building of Nelson Crescent and Wellington Crescent with their fine Chinese Pagoda-style canopied balconies and 'delicate as gossamer' ironwork railings and supports, that further embellished these wonderful Regency properties throughout the period up to the Victorian era. The young Princess Victoria visited the town as a child in the 1830s.  Wellington Cresent. The harbour was built as a result of the Great Storm of 1703 which saw the loss of much shipping, the worst disaster to befall the Royal Navy in peacetime, though work did not begin until 1749. It was in September 1821 that George IV departed from the harbour for Hanover. On his safe return to Ramsgate, he was pleased to bestow the title 'Royal' upon the harbour, the only one in the country to be so honoured. An obelisk in Pier Yard erected out of granite commemorates this event. Around the turn of the century - and particularly 1792 to 1815, the Napoleonic War years - Ramsgate became a busy garrison town, with tens of thousands of troops embarking and disembarking through the harbour to take part in the many battles. This necessitated the town becoming fortified,though little trace remains today, with rifle shooting on the sands and Drill Parades in Spencer Square. Ramsgate Harbour was the only harbour available for such traffic as Dover and Folkestone harbours were not to be built until many years later. The town continued to grow during the Victorian period, and Ramsgate is particularly well endowed with some fine buildings from this time, though many properties, particularly further out from the town centre, have suffered the ravages of so called 'modernisation'. Examples include heavy chunky plastic windowframes and doors, pebble dashing and artificial stone cladding, which prevent the walls breathing thus encouraging internal damp. Ramsgate has had its share of both World Wars In WWI it had the dubious honour of suffering the first air raids, from Zeppelins, when much damage was suffered. It would also have acted as an 'out port' to the new 'secret port' of nearby Richborough, constructed from scratch to serve as a supply base for the army at the front in France. In WWII Ramsgate acted as a main port for the rescue of troops from Dunkirk. As the conflict continued the harbour played a significant naval role in the protection of Channel shipping and rescue. Today the harbour is given over to small fishing vessels and yachting marinas in both the inner and outer harbours whilst a new port, constructed outside and to the west of the old Royal harbour, handles ferries operating daily sailings to Ostend in Belgium.  Dutch Tall Ships visiting Ramsgate in April 2009 with the Ostend ferry arriving in the background. Ramsgate as a seaside town, like many around the country, no longer entertains the hordes of visitors who once came for a week or two beside the seaside. Instead, whilst Ramsgate still welcomes visitors, most come to enjoy the area as part of a wider touring holiday - or maybe for a long weekend. Many of these are genuinely surprised to discover what a wonderful town Ramsgate is with its architecture and history. The town is becoming recognised for its abundance of good Regency, Georgian and Victorian properties set around a variety of their own squares. A little secret of East Kent. 
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