Following a move from SE London to Cliftonville - in Margate - here is a daily photographic record of my personal observations during a year spent in or around the Isle of Thanet and Kent. (March 2008).

DAYS 211 - 300

DAY 300 - ROCK DOC WALKS:

Organised by the Thanet Coast Project anyone is invited to "learn the language of the rocksÉ chalk cliffs, flints & fossils, with the Rock Doc. Join Dr Alasdair Bruce as he leads you through 80 million years of history around the Thanet Coast. All walks start at 11am & last between 1-2 hrs" This walk concentrated on Cliftonville.

DAY 296 - MICHAELS WHOLEFOODS:

Ex Royal Marine Michael Pile started his business in the early eighties and now supplies bulk products for manufacturers, caterers and self-serve bulk retail (scoop) operations. From Northdown industrial Park in St. Peters the company delivers over 200 branded product ranges from such names as Pataks, Ferns, Blue Dragon, Cypressa, Sunita, Amoy, Plamil, Alpro, Meridian, Percol, and many more to the whole of the South of England, from Land's End to Bristol in the West, and from Ipswich to the English Channel in the East as well as businesses in The Channel Islands, Latvia, Spain, France, Portugal and Finland.
www.michaels-wholefoods.co.uk

DAY 295 - PINES CALYX:

A new, healthy, sustainable cliff top conference venue just 90 minutes from London - it is located in St Margaret's Bay on the Kent coast within a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The Pines Calyx is purpose built, site-specific, flexible in approach and, being situated within the organically managed six acre Pines Garden, the centre's award winning environmental architecture allows it to visually blend into the surrounding landscape. It utilizes locally resourced rammed chalk (for walls), naturally vented air, heat exchange and daylight to make this a unique exemplar within the field of healthy and sustainable design and a venue that is 'nutritious' for mind, health and ecology.
www.pinescalyx.co.uk

DAY 291 - TOWARDS GUSTON:

A view from the A258 near Dover showing The Lane at Guston - a former working windmill (circa 1850) that has been extended and updated to offer "cool looking and uber smart spacious living accommodation" with a third of an acre of landscape gardens. (Currently for sale at £575,000).

DAY 290 - THANET EARTH:

Fresca Group, the UK's largest fresh produce supplier has joined forces with three independent Dutch salad crop growers to build seven eight-metre high glasshouses, between Brooks End and Monkton, where tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers can be produced on a ground-breaking scale increasing their UK production levels by 15%. The 91-hectare site (about 222 acres) has been officially named 'Thanet Earth' and as the land is stripped an archaeological investigation is taking place in areas where buried remains would otherwise be damaged by the new building works. Archaeologists know from previous excavation and survey in the surrounding area that this part of Thanet has a long history and is worthy of investigation.

DAY 289 - BRUSSELS SPROUTS:

Brassica oleracea, Brassica gemmifera, also known as baby cabbage, is a green vegetable of the cabbage family which produces many small heads along its stem. Native to Europe it is thought to have been cultivated in Belgium in the 13th century (hence the name) and in the early 19th century in Britain it was thought of as a luxury vegetable, it is served with traditional English Christmas dinner.

DAY 288 - CHANDLER & DUNN LTD:

Chandler and Dunn Ltd is a Farming and Fruit Growing company situated between Sandwich and Canterbury comprising two farms - Lower Goldstone, near Ash, and Perry Farm at Wingham. Their enterprises include apples, pears, plums, gooseberries, wheat, peas, beans, barley, potatoes, oil seed rape, pedigree Sussex cattle, sheep, and a huge variety of fresh meat that is "locally produced the natural way" - sold out of the Laurels at Lower Goldstone.
www.chandleranddunn.co.uk

DAY 287 - SARRE WINDMILL:

This commercially working typical Kentish smock mill, situated off the A253 at Sarre, is now fully restored and has been grinding by wind power since 1991 after a 70 year break. The mill was built in 1820 by the Canterbury millwright John Holman and in 1854 its height was increased by approximately nine feet, achieved by jacking up the wooden tower structure and building supporting brickwork in the gap. A steam engine was installed for auxiliary power in 1861 which was replaced by a gas engine in 1907. The semi-derelict mill tower was purchased by the Hobbs family in 1985.

DAY 285 - THE ROSE INN:

The small but beautiful village of Wickhambreaux, in the valley of the Little Stour, gets its name from the Saxon Wickham - a dwelling by a marsh - and the suffix added later when in the 13th century, the land was owned by the de Breuse family. It is on the road from Canterbury to the Ancient Cinque Port of Sandwich and has the church, manor house, rectory, water mill and inn surrounding the green. The pub is a quirky 'local' with a restaurant and a choice of BITTER (Adnam's), IPA (Greene King) and ROCKING RUDOLPH (Hardys and Hansons) ales.

DAY 284 - ECO HOUSE BUILD:

A state-of-the-art 'green' home is nearing completion in Bishopstone Drive - Herne Bay. A unique combination of eco features are designed into the build including Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs) for wall and roof construction, argon filled double glazing, underfloor heating on both floors, Ventilation with Heat Recovery (VHR), solar thermal water heating, photovoltaic array and gravity-based rainwater management system, incorporating a 1200 litre buried storage tank. Designed by E-Con and built by DC Manyweathers & Co.
www.ecological-construction.com

DAY 282 - KEARSNEY ABBEY:

The beautiful gardens at Kearsney Abbey provide a peaceful spot to relax and enjoy nature. The gardens are laid out as informal park land and are based around two ornamental lakes that the River Dour flows through. The Abbey itself was demolished many years ago.

DAY 281 - SNOWDROPS:

The snowdrop (Galanthus Nivalis) - an early-flowering bulb plant of the daffodil family - is one of the most eagerly-awaited flowers, heralding the end of the British wintertime. Indeed, it is said to be the first flower of spring, symbolising purity and the cleansing of the earth after winter. Here in a Cliftonville garden they are found on New Year's day.

DAY 279 - VUE, WESTWOOD CROSS:

Thanet's latest multi-screen cinema complex (ten screens) that opened in the wake of the closure of The Dreamland Cinema in Margate. It offers a licensed bar, cafe, digital projection, a satellite screen and The Evolution Screen - a new concept consisting of a range of seating options to suit all tastes, like enormous beanbags, two or four-seater sofa pods for couples or families, and individual deluxe seats.

DAY 278 - SOUTH FORELAND LIGHTHOUSE:

A Victorian lighthouse built on top of the cliffs between Dover and St. Margaret's at Cliffe that once protected shipping from the treacherous Goodwin Sands and which ended its life as a working facility in 1990. It was also used by Marconi to experiment with radio messages and the world's first ship to shore radio transmission took place on Christmas Eve 1898, when the South Foreland received a message from the East Goodwin lightship. In 1899 the lighthouse exchanged the first international radio messages with Wimereux near Boulogne in France. It is now managed by the National Trust.

DAY 277 - THE TICKLED TROUT:

This picturesque 17th century riverside Inn set on the River Stour welcomes you to the beautiful village of Wye, near Ashford. The pub has a traditional interior bar with brickwork, beams and an open fire - a modern conservatory is set aside as a dining area although you can eat either there or in the bar. The Trout serves good quality traditional English dishes such as Hot Pot, Braised Steak in Red Wine, Game Casserole and Whole Shoulder of Lamb. A wide selection ales are promised here.

DAY 276 - CHEERING UP THE NEIGHBOURS:

One of many seasonally decorated houses. This one in Westbrook.

DAY 275 - SUNSET ACROSS PEGWELL BAY:

Seen in the distance is Richborough Power Station - build in the late 50's and early 60's it burned over 3 million tonnes of coal, most of which came from the nearby Kent coalfields. In 1971 it converted to burning oil and is now closed and derelict.

DAY 274 - ROCKING RUDOLPH:

A full bodied, dark, malty and fruity premium Christmas Ale with a refreshing bitter finish - from the Westgate Brewery in Bury St Edmunds. A welcome aperitif before a Christmas dinner.

DAY 273 - THANET OPEN CENTRE:

A project where local homeless and lonely people can find shelter, food and company over the Christmas and new year period as well as medical and social support. The site is below the former St Paul's Church Vicarage in Northdown Road which has recently undergone an impressive renovation provided completely by voluntary contribution - including supply of paints, carpets, computers, tents, blankets, a large screen tv and food. Local residents are encouraged to supply wrapped gifts that will be of use to those needing this refuge. For this we must thank The Scrine Foundation which is a registered charity that aims to improve the lives of vulnerable or marginalized people using the hard work undertaken by their many volunteers and their paid employees.
http://www.scrine.org

DAY 272 - PILLOW TALK:

This double fronted shop facing the harbour at 12-13 Marine Drive sells a range of sexy lingerie, fantasy wear and other adult toys and novelties.

DAY 271 - EDITH COURT:

In Victoria Road this building was once a Cottage Hospital - established in 1876 - and was visited by Queen Victoria herself. The hospital was enlarged as a memorial to King Edward 7th in 1913 and since then it has been a library before becoming flats.

DAY 268 - RICHBOROUGH ROMAN FORT:

Evocatively sited amid the East Kent marshes, Richborough is perhaps the most symbolically important of all Roman sites in Britain, witnessing both the beginning and almost the end of Roman rule here. Though now two miles from the sea at Sandwich, in AD 43 the site overlooked a sheltered lagoon harbour. Here, all but certainly, the invading Roman forces first landed and established a bridgehead. This event was later commemorated by a mighty triumphal arch, whose cross-shaped foundations still survive here. Proclaiming that the Roman conquest of Britain was complete, this also provided an impressive gateway for arrivals at what became the province's main entry port.

DAY 266 - PEGWELL BAY HOTEL:

"The Pegwell Bay Hotel is ideally located on the cliff top at Pegwell and enjoys stunning panoramic views over the English Channel. The seaside town of Ramsgate is located just a few minutes drive away with its golden, sandy beach, Royal Harbour and busy town centre. It has 42 fully refurbished en-suite bedrooms, residents lounge area with bar, ample car parking, function rooms and an adjoining pub - The Sir Stanley Gray". Owned and run by Thorley Taverns.

DAY 265 - TUDOR CHRISTMAS:

The Tudor House in King Street, Margate (See DAY 5) throws open its doors for three days by its owners Thanet District Council, with help from the East Kent Maritime Museum which runs Margate Museum and the Ramsgate Maritime Museum. Visitors can enjoy looking at Tudor foods and decorations as well as taking the opportunity to do some Christmas shopping, with traditional arts and crafts including glass beads and objects made by silversmiths, felt-makers, wood-carvers, icon painters and mosaic makers, available for purchase.

DAY 263 - SANTA COMES EARLY:

Part of a seasonal display on a house front in Norfolk Road.

DAY 262 - NORTHDOWN ROAD ILLUMINATIONS:

Christmas lights decorate Northdown Road through Cliftonville.

DAY 261 - ROUTE 022:

A National Express coach service running between Ramsgate - Broadstairs - Cliftonville - Margate - Herne Bay - Whitstable - Bluewater - Lewisham and London. Five journeys Mondays to Fridays. Here picking up at Eastern Esplanade.

DAY 260 - THE GRAND OLD DUKE OF YORK:

Prince Frederick Augustus belonged to the House of Hanover - born on 16 August 1763 - and his father George III decided that his second son would pursue an army career. Frederick's second field command was with the army sent to invade Holland in conjunction with a Russian corps d'armŽe in 1799 but following the Duke of York's arrival with the main body of the army a number of disasters befell the allied forces due to the Duke's lack of combat experience, the lamentable state of the British army at the time and the intervention of pure bad luck during the campaign - hence the enduring rhyme about his "ten thousand men". This in Duke Street, Margate Old Town.

DAY 259 - WHITE MILL:

White Mill in The Causeway, Ash Road, Sandwich was built in 1760 and still has most of its original wooden machinery. The Engine House, restored in 1995, contains a Lister petrol engine which can be used to drive a Plate Mill to grind corn into flour. The Miller's Cottage, built in the 1830's, and outbuildings are a rare survival of a complete milling site. Run for almost 100 years by the Stanley family, the windmill was supplying flour and animal food throughout the Victorian era, and worked on until 1957. The White Mill Museum is housed in the Miller's Cottage and other buildings surrounding the mill. There are exhibits of Farming and Craft tools, Kitchen & Laundry equipment, plus a complete Wheelwright's workshop and a Blacksmith's workshop complete with forge.

DAY 251 - THE FIGHTING TEMERAIRE:

The Temeraire became a symbol of naval heroism. She was the second ship in the line of battle at Trafalgar and when she tried to pass the Victory to take on herself the fire directed at Nelson's ship, Nelson ordered her to keep astern. She held back, receiving the enemy's fire without returning a shot - then later in battle she went to the flag ship's rescue, incurring much damage in doing so. On 6 September I838 the artist JM Turner was seen on board a Margate steamer sketching the passage of the Temeraire upriver to Beatson's ship breaking yard at Rotherhithe.

DAY 250 - PORTA MARIS PORTUS SALUTIS:

"Gateway to the Sea, Gateway to Health" - The Heraldic Arms for Margate. This on the window above the door of the Old Town Hall.

DAY 249 - CHOCOLATE SAMOOSAS:

Served with Cardaman Sauce, this incredible desert is a favorite to finish any meal at the Indian Princess restaurant in Kings Street (See DAY 141) where the experience of eating just gets better and better.

DAY 248 - CHRISTMAS LIGHTS:

The decorations along Margate High Street are switched on - an evening accompanied by live music and entertainments for children at the Piazza and fireworks over the harbour.

DAY 245 - "OOPS":

A high tide can surprise an unsuspecting tourist.

DAY 244 - BLEAK HOUSE:

Bleak House (formally Fort House) is one of the most prominent buildings in Broadstairs which was built in 1801 as a residence for the captain of the Fort - high up on the cliffs over looking the harbour. A later owner renamed it "Bleak House" as he claimed it to be the house in the novel but this is a fallacy as the one in the novel was located in Hertfordshire. Dickens wrote the greater part of his most famous novel David Copperfield here and he not only played with his children in the garden but he would also take a drink, smoke a pipe and chat with local fishermen in 'The Tartar Frigate' public house in the street below. The Lifeboat House is seen on the right. (DAY 241).

DAY 242 - ART FOR ALL:

The opening of an exhibition - 'Thanet & Beyond'. Photographs by husband and wife team Stephen and Leonie Stock together with sculptures by Heidi Village at The Community Pharmacy Gallery, 16 Market Place in The Old Town.

DAY 241 - LIFEBOAT HOUSE (BROADSTAIRS):

Lifeboats arrived in Broadstairs in 1850 and it has been suggested that news of the loss of the Irish Packet Royal Adelaide with 250 lives, on the sands off Margate on 6 April 1850, was the prompt that led to old Thomas White to present one of his lifeboats to his home town that summer. The lifeboat saw its first use on the 6th March 1851 when the brig Mary White became trapped on the traitorous Goodwin Sands during a severe gale blowing from the north. The station closed in 1912 after 62 years of active service - 269 lives having been saved.

DAY 240 - BIG SCREEN FOOTBALL:

The end of England's campaign to qualify for the European Championships as watched in a local pub in Cliftonville.

DAY 239 - THANET IS BEAUTIFUL:

A photo and film competition - The 10 finalists have now been selected from over 150 entries and the public is invited to vote for their favourite. You can vote online, by post, by text or in person at libraries in Broadstairs, Margate, Ramsgate, Birchington, Westgate and Cliftonville together with the Council offices in Margate from Friday 16 November until mid-day on Friday 30 November. The winner and two runners up will be announced on Friday 7 December and in the KM Extra newspaper.
http://www.thanet.gov.uk/news/focus_articles/thanet_is_beautiful/
thanet_is_beautiful_finalists.aspx

DAY 238 - ROYAL SEA BATHING HOSPITAL:

The Royal Sea Bathing Hospital that fronts onto the sea on the Canterbury Road was founded in 1791 by John Coakley Lettsom - opening five years later. Designed by Revd John Pridden, it pioneered sea-bathing (thalassotherapy) and open-air treatment for tuberculosis, though only in the summer months. After 1858, indoor salt water baths were provided and treatment could be taken more comfortably all year round. In 1996 it closed down and is now an almost complete development of private residences with extensive underground parking.

DAY 236 - GROWING CABBAGES:

You can not go far in Margate without experiencing the rural side of Thanet. Across the cabbage field is The Dane Valley public house in Dane Valley Road.

DAY 235 - SAND CASTLES:

Even on a chilly November morning there are those that will visit the sands of Palm bay.

DAY 234 - RECYCLING SITES IN THANET:

"More than 800,000 tonnes of domestic waste is produced by Kent households each year. That's enough to fill all three lanes of the M25 with refuse lorries parked nose to tail". The earth's limited natural resources are becoming increasingly scarce as they are mined, harvested and refined to make everyday items like newspapers, cans, textiles and glass bottles which means that active participation in recycling by us all is important - now more than ever. All Thanet Councils cleansing, waste management and recycling services are managed by the Waste & Recycling Department.
www.thanet.gov.uk/environment__planning/rubbish,_waste__recycling/
recycling/recycling_sites_in_thanet.aspx

DAY 233 - "TROLLEY DASH" (BOOZE CRUISE):

"Trolley Dash is an afternoon return fare to Calais - just £19 for a car + five people. Travel out on the 12:15 or 13:45 from Dover and return before midnight the same day. Perfect for loading your car with all the gifts, goodies and drinks you need for the festive season ahead". A short drive to Dover, just over an hour to make the crossing and no distance from the Seafrance ferry landing to a great many hypermarkets, this is a painless and fun afternoon's shopping. 'CPH La Grande Boutique Du Vin' - Rue Marcel, Doret - had "a fine selection of champagnes and a broad range of wines from all regions of France available for tasting, every day until 7.30pm".

DAY 231 - PEGWELL BAY:

The view across the "deep-channelled swathes of Spartina grass" and the mud and sand of the estuary of the River Stour to the chalk cliffs of West Cliff and the South of Ramsgate. The bay is where three out of five of the most important invasions of Britain took place. First were the Roman invasions, then Hengist and Horsa in AD449 - who came from Scandinavia in Viking ships - and finally St. Augustine in AD597 who brought Christianity to Britain for the very first time. Pegwell Bay is most famous for its wildlife and the birds in particular.

DAY 228 - STORM SURGE:

A storm surge is primarily caused by the wind pushing the sea towards the coast, but can also be coupled with low air pressure. If pressure decreases by one millibar, the sea level rises by one centimetre. While this doesn't sound much, across the whole sea this can represent a significant volume of water. The Margate Harbour Wall at high tide takes the brunt of this rare weather event - but there is no damage and no flooding.

DAY 226 - CAULIFLOURS:

A view across Updown Farm along the Ramsgate Road with Invicta House off Millmead Road in the distance.

DAY 223 - BYGONES ARCHITECTURAL RECLAMATION:

"Bygones is one of the largest reclamation yards in the UK, with a hugely varied stock housed in a 19th century builders yard with its own parking. Bygones will undertake restoration and repairs in marble, stone, glass, metal and wood." Incredibly friendly and helpful staff and a host of marvelous items for the house and the garden. Nackington Road, Canterbury.
http://bygones.net

DAY 220 - THE QUEENS HIGHCLIFFE HOTEL:

The Queens (previously known as the Highcliffe) was bought by the Butlins company in 1955 and was one of four purchases marketed jointly as The Cliftonville Hotels. The Queens Hotel had a small indoor swimming pool with underwater viewing windows and it's rumoured that Billy Butlin got the idea from here to install them at all his camps. This pool was later used as a dolphinarium with a pair of dolphins and sealions. The Queens Highcliffe Hotel was located in Queens Gardens and was demolished in the late 1970s.

DAY 219 - MARGATE 1940 (JOHN BETJEMAN):

"We know from his letters that Betjeman visited Margate in 1929 while staying at nearby Birchington with his convalescing employer. This visit alone would have been sufficient to acquaint him with Margate's pre-war gaiety, the innocent pleasures it offered as a family seaside resort as well as the more upmarket pretensions of its eastern extension, Cliftonville. There were probably subsequent visits, one of which must have taken place in the early years of the second World War, as recorded in the poem 'Margate, 1940'. The evocation of the resortÍs former glories poignantly conjures up, by contrast, the neglected, bomb-battered desolation it had become".

DAY 218 - RECULVER TOWERS (& ROMAN FORT):

An imposing landmark, the twin 12th-century towers of the ruined church stand amid the remains of a Saxon monastery and important Roman 'Saxon Shore' fort that guarded the Wantsum Channel - the two mile wide stretch of water that separated the Isle of Thanet from the mainland. The towers are the remains of the Medieval church of St. Mary's and are known as the "Two Sisters", after Frances and Isabella St Clare, members of Faversham Abbey. Most of the Roman remains has been lost to the sea and investigations in the 50's suggest the fort was built in about 210AD and was about 600 feet long.

DAY 217 - TREASURE SEEKERS:

With the sluices open and the sea water drained from the Bathing Pool at Walpole Bay, treasure seekers with metal detectors look for lost items.

DAY 216 - WALPOLE BAY HOTEL (& LIVING MUSEUM):

"Relive the elegance of a bygone era. From the moment you enter the hotel you step back in time to the ambience of a bygone era. It was built for discerning guests in 1914, extended in 1927 and is now being lovingly restored to her former glory by the bishop family." There are museum exhibits displayed on all five floors inc. original Lincrusta panelling installed by Louisa Budge in 1914 and gentleman's urinals from 1927 . The hotel, that is also renowned for hosting private events and as a media location, is in Fifth Avenue - Overlooking The Oval
www.walpolebayhotel.co.uk

DAY 213 - BELOW NEWGATE GAP:

These "track marks" can be seen when the tide recedes in Walpole Bay. Were they left by Mr Pettman's Bathing Machines? (from the late 19th C). Were they left by the East Kent Search & Rescue who are no longer based in Newgate Gap? Or were they left by the carts of the early Thanet farmers who cut these gaps in the chalk to collect seaweed to put on their fields.

DAY 212 - MARGATE CITADEL:

Head quarters of the local Salvation Army who are "a Christian Organisation and Registered Charity offering spiritual and practical support. Sunday worship 10.30 am and 5 pm Tuesday fellowship 2 pm. Thursday Luncheon Club 12 noon. Thursday Senior Circle 2.30 pm." Found in Union Crescent.

DAY 211 - HORSE AND GROOM:

With a ceiling bestrewn with hops this Ramsgate pub tucked away off York Street in Charlotte Court sells MASTER BREW, SPITFIRE & WHITSTABLE BAY ORGANIC ALE (Shepheard Neame Brewery) and has bar food, darts, pool and an interesting juke box.