Sandgate is about two miles from Folkestone in East Kent and has a population of about five thousand people and is one of those places which can be seen as a large village or a small town.
My main reason for going there was to visit H.G Wells house (which is now a care home) and to see if I could find any trace of John Ruskin being there in the 1880s. I quite easily found the Wells house which is more or less at the bottom of a set of steps leading from the incredibly beautiful clifftop promenade called The Leas which is geographically in Folkestone and is well worth a visit as the views and the light are absolutely stunning.
Wells commissioned the architect C.F.A Voysey to build the house for him in about 1899 and it was here that two of his sons were born and where he wrote both Ann Veronica (1909) and Tono-Bungay (1909) as well as Kipps (1905). The famous writer lived there between 1901-1909 when I am told that he was more or less forced to leave Sandgate due to his infidelities and lifestyle which shocked many. His former residence has not suffered much change over the years and is very much as Wells would have known it.
Sadly I did not find much trace of John Ruskin as the house in which he stayed was demolished many years ago. Always a little fragile Ruskin stayed in Sandgate as he was very low in spirits (probably depression) and it was thought that the sea air and the sheer space of the place would help him. But John recorded his dislike for grey dreary Sandgate and did not enjoy his stay although it appears that his spirits were lifted during his time by the sea as he started travelling again.
What I did find was the birthplace of that marvellous actress Hattie Jacques (1922-1980) and her house (which appeared empty at the time of my visit) can be found towards the end of the high street (number 125) towards Hythe. It is painted blue and white and is on the left hand side.
Sandgate also has Sandgate Castle (1539) and is twinned with Sangatte in France which is almost opposite to its English twin across the channel.
Apart from the spectacular Saga building on the hill I thought I would find a slightly run down coastal town which had seen better days. I had expected to find a few charity shops and one of the much loved/hated Poundland plus a chippie or two. How wrong I was as I could not see any charity shops and the nearest Poundland was likely to have been in Folkestone. I cannot remember even finding a newsagent (there was most likely one there) and as for chippies there were none or at least they were well hidden.
But what I did find was a number of antique shops which really surprised me as I did not think that I would find them in Sandgate.
This said at the time of my visit (February 2022) the town was just recovering from Storm Eunice and was to some aspect hibernating. When I asked one of the locals he told me that the shops tended to be open during the fairer months when Sandgate gets busy as like a lot of coastal towns in East Kent it has a beach to die for. The strange thing was that some of the shops that looked closed were semi open with distinct signs of life in the parlour and elsewhere (this does seem peculiar to antiqueshops). One was open and for a short while I looked into the window as there were a number of interesting items.
But if the Arcade has taught me one thing it is the rough value of things and my senses were alerted when I saw what was being asked for a rather ordinary set of inter-war plates which were not from Clarice or Susie or Miss Rhead or anybody else that I recognised.
Obviously I would imagine these were for the tourist trade when people sometimes buy unusual mementoes and do not take the cost into account (we are all guilty of this and even I have paid over the odds for a first just for something to read in the evenings in darkest Cornwall). I still have the Alberto Moravia book in my bookcase and whenever I look at it it brings back memories of St Ives/Zennor in the winter. This said my wallet still has not forgiven me.
Other antique shops in the town were solidly closed with large items of furniture and the odd jardiniere and for some reason a few Staffordshire ceramic dogs (don’t you love them?). These shops, although hibernating, looked like they could open at any time with a strong cup of coffee on a warm sunny day.
My favourite shop was what loosely can be described as a junk shop as my attention was attracted to a black and white photograph of the gorgeous Richard Chamberlain during his Dr.Kildare days. Add to this the whole history of the twentieth century in its window. I could have spent hours in there and have come out with Monty’s toothbrush. Not much was visibly priced but it all seemed reasonable to the pocket. But alas as it was February it was closed for the season.
Strangely, although I did not purchase anything I felt like I had seen a large number of must-have items (Dr.Kildare) and was therefore quite satisfied and the only items in my man bag were a few pieces of driftwood for Caron to decorate.
My pleasure of the day was further increased when I enjoyed a great cup of Earl Grey in a cafe called Loaf (recommended) in the high street. It was opposite yet another closed and truthfully rather neglected antique shop and a really tremendous retro garage with (wait for it) a flat roof where cars and vans were displayed awaiting sale.
It reminded me so much of the toy garages that we used to play with when we were young and the world was all about endless summers. It was painted in the green red and white of the Castrol brand and although it was now selling cars instead of gas it was a joy to look at and my pleasure was further enhanced when I walked up a short hill that overlooked the garage and found that (yes) it had skylights embedded in the roof.
Like most places, Sandgate is better seen in the summer but on the day of my visit it was so white bright that one could not really see things clearly when facing the sun.
I have only just skimmed and there is so much more to see in Sandgate and the surrounding area as Folkestone and Hythe are not far away and Dungeness although a little distant can be reached on foot or by car and most famously on a miniature train.
One can drive from Folkestone to Sandgate quite easily (I walked which is a distance of about two miles) and Folkestone West railway station is not that far away (Sandgateactually had its own station on a branch line between 1874 and 1951).
If you are energetic then you can walk from Folkestone Central railway station which is about a forty-five minute walk. Folkestone is a very arty town and your visit will be rewarded with the exhibition of various pieces of art some rather tucked away (keep your eyes peeled) and I challenge you to find the piece by Yoko Ono.
My absolute favourites are the brightly coloured beach huts on the promenade between Sandgate and Folkestone, one of which is an homage to Nicholas Hawksmoor and needs to be seen to be believed.
Caron and I are planning to visit Sandgate when the winds become softer and the swallows return and whilst there I hope to be reunited with Dr. Kildare.
If you are in the area do try to visit Sandgate but if you buy the photograph of Dr. Kildare before me then I will never speak to you again.
Happy Hunting
