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Broadstairs, Kent

Historical Description

Broadstairs, the ancient name of which is Bradstow, but in some documents designated Broadstayers, is a growing town on the NE coast of Kent, about midway between Margate and Ramsgate, with a station on the L.C. & D.R., 77 miles from London, and a head post office (R.S.O.) It is an ancient place, was the scene of a fierce battle in 853 between the Saxons and the Danes, had extensive fortifications, pierced by a sea-gate with a portal arch, some part of which remains, took its name from the " broad stairs " which led up from the sea-gate, possessed a little above the fortifications a Lady chapel of so high repute that ships lowered their topsails in going past it. The village was a favourite resort of Charles Dickens, and is described in his " Bleak House." It is now much frequented as a bathing-place. It has good accommodation, and a firm sandy beach, and commands splendid views. It is really an offshoot of St Peter's, with which it is united for the purposes of local government. The district extends from Kingsgate to Dumpton, including North Foreland, and possesses a sea frontage of nearly 4 miles. " St Mary's shrine at Bradstowe " was famous in the 15th century. Area of the urban sanitary district of Broadstairs St Peter, 1442 acres; population, 5234; of the ecclesiastical parish of Holy Trinity, 2933. The living is a rectory in the diocese of Canterbury; value, £185. Patron, the Vicar of St Peter. The church was built in 1828, and had a tower added in 1852. There are Baptist, Congregational, Roman Catholic, and Wesleyan chapels, and a weekly newspaper is published.

Transcribed from The Comprehensive Gazetteer of England & Wales, 1894-5

Administration

The following is a list of the administrative units in which this place was either wholly or partly included.

Ancient CountyKent 
HundredRingslow 
LatheSt. Augustine 
Poor Law unionThanet 

Any dates in this table should be used as a guide only.


Church Records

The register of baptisms dates from the year 1850.

Findmypast have the following online for Broadstairs, Calvinistic Methodist: burials 1830-1836

Findmypast have the following online for Broadstairs, Holy Trinity: baptisms 1850-1912, marriages 1851-1928, burials 1810-1841


Churches

Church of England

Christ Church, Osborne Road
Holy Trinity (parish church)

The parish church of the Holy Trinity, erected in 1840, is of flint with stone facings in the Early English style, and has a tower containing a clock and one bell: there are 650 sittings.

Baptist

The Baptist Chapel, High Street
The Baptist Chapel, Queen's Road

The Baptist chapel, in Queen's road, built in 1908 at a cost of £2,000, is an edifice of brick with stone dressings, in the Gothic style, from designs by Mr. E. E. Moody, architect: it includes a clock tower, and will seat about 450 persons: the old chapel alongside, built in 1897, is now used as a Sunday school.

Congregational

Congregational Chapel

Methodist

Methodist Chapel

Roman Catholic

Our Lady Star of the Sea, St. Peter's Park Road

Directories & Gazetteers

We have transcribed the entry for Broadstairs from the following:


Maps

Online maps of Broadstairs are available from a number of sites:


Newspapers and Periodicals

The British Newspaper Archive have fully searchable digitised copies of the following Kent newspapers online:


Visitations Heraldic

The Visitation of Kent, 1619 is available on the Heraldry page, as is also The Visitation of Kent, 1663-68.

DistrictThanet
CountyKent
RegionSouth East
CountryEngland
Postal districtCT10
Post TownBroadstairs

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