Colin Crosby Heritage Tours

Whitstable

Whitstable is a seaside town on the North Kent coast, 6 miles from Canterbury. It is at the mouth of the Swale, which separates the Isle of Sheppey from the rest of Kent.

The town is famous for the quality of its oysters, which were intrduced by the Romans.

The harbour, now used for yachting and fishing, was the 19th century port for Canterbury, and for steamboats to Australia.

The Castle has a brick tower built in the 15th century, but most of the building was added in the 19th century.

The railway line from Canterbury to Whitstable, known locally as the Crab and Winkle Line and opened in 1830, was one of the world`s earliest railways. It was the first line to carry passengers, and the first to provide a link to a port. The line was closed in 1953.

A finger of land known as The Street points out for over a mile towards Essex.

Whitstable has the oldest golf clubhouse in England.

The writer Somerset Maugham lived at Whitstable as a boy, and the actor Peter Cushing lived here for the last 35 years of his life.

Blue Badge Guide Colin Crosby is available to lead Guided Walks around Whitstable for groups.