EDUCATIONINACTION
THE WHITSTABLE COASTAL TRAIL CONT .
© Alex Hare
© Chris Fulcher / Visit Kent © Alex Hare
6 . Shipwrights Lee
Shipwrights Lee was the site of the last yard to build boats on Island Wall . Ships were built or repurposed here for fishing , the Coal Run to the North East , and for D-Day .
You may also find a ‘ Blue Plaque ’ marking the house of the inventor of the deep-sea diving helmet as Whitstable is the home of deep-sea diving and salvage dating back to the 1800s .
7 . Old Haven Inlet
Here , longshore drift creates a spit with shelter and marsh behind – ideal for a variety of uses . Salt extraction from pans started in around 1300 ( now drained for Seasalter Golf Club !). Increasing trade led to smuggling in the 1800s , mainly of French perfume and spirits , so the Coastguard set up on the spit with their cottages seaward of Island Wall ! Enroute , you ’ ll pass the Blue Plaque on Peter Cushing ’ s house too .
8 . Railway Footbridge
Defence of the ‘ narrow ’ Thames Estuary has always been essential : you can see Essex on the far side . Out to sea , among the wind turbines , are the Maunsell anti-aircraft forts built early in WW2 .
By the railway crossing , among the weeds , can you also find the WW2 Tank traps ?
Geology & Environment – Did You Know …?
The North Kent coast is formed predominantly of London Clay , although to the west of Whitstable it is covered by salt marsh , developed as sea level rose over the last 6000 years or so . London Clay erodes easily , allowing many fossils to be found on the foreshore near Tankerton slopes .
Whitstable ’ s beach ( partly artificial ) helps to break the force of the waves during winter storms that might otherwise flood the town .
Ecology & Wildlife – Did You Know …?
A large number of animals , birds and plants can be seen along the Whitstable coast , many on the beach , although what can be seen will depend on the season . Two birds that are present all year in the harbour and on the foreshore are the Oyster Catcher and Turnstone . Plant-wise , you may see the Yellow Horned-Poppy , a specialist of coastal shingle habitats , or Hog ’ s Fennel .
Archaeology – Did You Know …?
The coast near Whitstable has been inhabited for over 10,000 years , with flint artefacts found dating from between about 10,250 and 5,500 years ago when sea level was probably 10m lower than now . Artefacts of Bronze Age , Iron Age and through to the Roman Age have all been found .
History & Industry – Did You Know …?
The more recent history includes evidence of a Copperas industry , fish traps , an Anglo-Saxon boat , a Tudor ship wreck , and a range of WW2 military defence works . It also includes what some call the last armed battle against an enemy that took place on British soil – The Battle of Graveney Marsh .
Significantly , two sections of the Trail are Sites of Special Scientific Interest : Swalecliffe and Tankerton slopes . In addition the coastline from the harbour to Seasalter , extending to the Seasalter Levels and Graveney Marshes , forms part of the Swale Marine Conservation Zone .
The Gamecock Restoration
Users of the Coastal Trail can also view the ongoing restoration of a 43-foot wooden Oyster Yawl called ‘ The Gamecock ’ in the harbour . Built locally in 1906 , this craft spent all its working life dredging for oysters in the Swale and it is now registered as a National Historic ship .
Formed in 2014 , Whitstable Maritime is a Registered Charity that helps residents , visitors , schoolchildren and students to discover our maritime heritage ; explore our marine environment ; contribute to our coastal economy ; and improve their wellbeing .
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