ABOUT SANDGATE

Sandgate spans 2 & 1/2 kms of Kent coastline between Folkestone and Hythe. It fringes the English Channel and clusters beneath steep wooded slopes.

Attractively located between Folkestone and Hythe, the charming coastal village of Sandgate is worth much more than a passing visit.  

A few minutes journey from both towns by car or bus - or an easy seafront walk or cycle ride - you'll find beaches with long views over the Channel, a High Street famous for antiques and collectables, a wonderful selection of inns and restaurants, including traditional fish and chips, as well as small independent shops.

Although small - the parish boundary spans two miles of coast and extends inland up steep wooded hills - Sandgate has a fascinating history which embraces the times of Henry VIII, smugglers, the threat of Napolionic invasion and vital military roles in two world wars.  Social reformers and celebrities of literature and the arts have made their home in the village

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HISTORY

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1256 SANDYGEAT as first recorded, denotes a gate or cleft in the sandstone hills through which the Enbrook flows to meet the sea.

1539 During the Reformation, when relations with France and Spain are strained to the limit, Henry VIII orders the building of Sandgate Castle

1794 Shorncliffe Camp is established on the heights overlooking Sandgate. The War Dept. purchases 229 acres of open land and more . . .

1803-5 The Castle is on watch again. Peace with France has been brief and 25 miles across the Channel Napoleon and his Grande Armee are poised