Interesting Aspects of Margate's History
- Tami
- Sep 28, 2019
- 1 min read
Updated: Dec 10, 2019
There are a lot of things in the seaside town of Margate but one particular thing that I am interested in about Margate is the Shell Grotto. Therefore, I am going to be exploring some of the history within this blogpost, starting with the Shell Grotto.
The Shell Grotto was discovered in 1835. I find it interesting as it seems that no one knows where it came from and who made it. I find it amazing that it is made entirely out of shells and that is is quite long (21 metres). On the 22nd May 1838, the Shell Grotto was announced to be opened as a public attraction, it has since been under private ownership. The owner of the Shell Grotto in 1932 had decided to change the lighting from electric to gas which over time darkened the once-colourful shells.
Margate has been a leading seaside resort for over 250 years as it has been a popular destination for Londoners who wished to see the sea. It was recorded as Meregate in the 13th century but the spelling continued to vary. The name refers to a pool gate found in it.
The Dreamland amusement park in Margate has a long winding history, which I am not actually going to write about but it is home to the UK's oldest roller coaster, the Scenic Railway. The Scenic Railway and Dreamland were both closed in 2006 but were reopened in 2015 after the full restoration of the Scenic Railway and a re-imagined Dreamland being made.
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