Vale Square

The stuccoed house is ornamented with Greek Revival details such as giant pilasters, terracotta urns and ball and steeple finials

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This grand stuccoed Victorian villa overlooks Vale Square, one of the most historic green spaces in the Kentish coastal town of Ramsgate. Built as part of a prestigious residential project in the 1840s, this 2,427 sq ft semi-detached house is now Grade II-listed and has been meticulously restored by the current owners, one of whom is an interior designer. Surrounded by gardens on three sides, the house has uninterrupted views over Vale Square and is set back from the quiet lane with its own private gated driveway. While the house is less than a 10-minute walk from Ramsgate’s harbour, beach and high street, Vale Square’s generous plots, dense greenery and endless birdsong all contribute to a feeling of tranquility and seclusion. Ramsgate is well-connected to London and the nearby towns of Margate, Deal and Broadstairs, with direct trains running to London St Pancras in just 75 minutes, making this a wonderful seaside retreat and base from which to explore the historic Kent coast.

Setting the Scene

Set on the eastern coast of the Isle of Thanet, Ramsgate is a limb of the Cinque Port town of Sandwich. Its heritage dates back to the medieval period, but it developed into the town it is today following the completion of Ramsgate Harbour, around 1850. This bolstered its reputation as a popular seaside resort with a plethora of hotels and restaurants and a long promenade. Ramsgate’s resort status was also helped by early royal patronage, Princess Victoria having favoured the historic Albion House hotel. Ramsgate is now home to the country’s only Royal Harbour, a status that was bestowed by King George IV in 1821.

Vale Square is a group of Victorian villas constructed in a single phase between 1839 and 1846 by James Creed Eddels, a hosier from Piccadilly, London, who envisioned a prestigious, fashionable and secluded neighbourhood of villas centred around a rectangular green space. Originally marketed as “Ramsgate Vale”, it is believed Eddels was seeking to compete with the design of nearby Liverpool Lawn, a series of late Georgian townhouses grouped around the eponymous lawn, which had been built a few years earlier. Today, this “Grand Old Dame” has been masterfully returned to her former glory following a seven-year restoration project, always with the utmost respect for the original Victorian design – in some cases replacing or recreating features – while simultaneously endeavouring to create a comfortable home with modern practical features. For more information, please see the History section.

The Grand Tour

The stuccoed house is ornamented with Greek Revival details such as giant pilasters, terracotta urns and ball and steeple finials. Its façade has recently been refreshed with Keim paint in French Grey and restored plaster mouldings. Entry to the house is through a columned porch with a half-glazed door and rectangular fanlight, which leads to a double-height entrance hall. All the interiors in the house have been redecorated; restored original pine floorboards stretch across the whole ground floor, with the exception of the study that sits just off the entrance hall. Here, pure wool herringbone carpets from Alternative Flooring have been laid and continue up the stairs and throughout the bedrooms on the upper floors.

A large reception and sitting room is accessible from the entrance hall. Double-height ceilings hint at Regency proportions; although the house is early Victorian, it was built as an elegant neoclassical resort home. The original front and back doors have been restored alongside the original timber sash windows which have been updated with period-appropriate brass fittings. Draught-proofing brushes were also fitted to the sash windows and doors to improve insulation. Throughout, the original cornicing has been carefully refurbished and some of the previous ceiling roses replaced with plaster roses, sympathetic to the period of the house.

An enormous floor-to-ceiling triple-bay window, which the current owners have fitted with bespoke curved glass, falls to the front of the sitting room. Both rooms have working open fires, and some of the original but broken Royal Doulton chimneypots have been replaced with octagonal and trellis-style pots, in keeping with the period. Throughout most of the home there are stylish cast-iron radiators with brass fittings.

The heart of the home – a wonderful open plan kitchen/dining space – sits on the lower-ground floor. The kitchen is brilliantly contemporary and comprises Corian worktops set against white cabinetry and engineered oak floors. The kitchen was finished by the current owners, who installed metro-tile backsplashes and the sturdy oak shelves on the walls. A wood-burning stove has also been fitted to the dining room fireplace.

A refined staircase, complete with original handrail that was restored and French polished by an antique furniture restorer, leads from the grand entrance hall to the floors above. The first floor is home to two bedrooms, one with a luxurious en suite bathroom. This bathroom features octagonal mosaic floor tiling and metro tiles on the walls. Here, as in the rest of the bathrooms, there are a range of vintage-style fittings and fixtures. A roll-top bathtub is complemented by a bespoke separate shower enclosure. This exceptional attention to detail even extends to the skirting which has been fitted in both bathrooms, as per the original profiles.

Two generous bedrooms occupy the top floor of the house. These rooms share a bathroom, which has a Victorian-style shower over a bathtub and built-in shelves with discreet lighting. This bathroom also features mosaic-tiled floors against white metro-tiled walls.

The Great Outdoors

To the front of the house is a private gated gravel driveway, which provides off-street parking for up to three cars. Borders are planted with hydrangeas and box, and a beautiful acanthus and privet in the planted beds outside the front bay window provide dappled shade and extra privacy. The house claims one of the largest private gardens of Vale Square; the generous front garden wraps around the left side of the house, where a bespoke timber trellis draped with wisteria shields a useful garden shed from view.

From the ground floor entrance hall, steps rebuilt with reclaimed bricks lead down to a stone patio and wide lawn, with herbaceous borders planted with lavender, Iceberg roses and Pittosporum running along custom featherboard fencing. A new timber deck is set back from the house and is the perfect space for alfresco dining and entertaining. The same reclaimed bricks used for the steps were used to restore parts of the rear façade, with conservation-standard lime pointing.

Today, the square’s lush communal gardens are well-maintained by the Vale Square Residents’ Association. All residents of the square can pay a small fee to join the association, which hosts neighbourhood events throughout the year including an annual tea party and picnic. The area can also be used for private parties.

Out and About

Ramsgate is swiftly developing quite a cultural scene, with a variety of independent shops, restaurants and cafés within walking distance. It is less than a 10-minute walk to the historic harbour for wonderful fresh fish as well as new cafés, including Archive Homestore. A nearby boutique hotel, The Falstaff, runs a locally-beloved coffee shop and deli on Addington Street. This street has a number of independent retailers and vintage boutiques, including some wonderful antique furniture dealers such as Paraphernalia. Other local favourites include Little Ship, Flavours by Kumar and the Dining Rooms at Albion House. Sundowners are a must at the Albion House or the Royal Harbour Brassiere, located at the end of the harbour arm, both of which command fabulous sea views. The recently opened Union Café serves as a yoga studio and an excellent spot for lunch. The Modern Boulangerie is known for its freshly baked bread, while Sorbetto serves authentic Italian ice cream. Waitrose is only five minutes’ walk from the house.

It’s under an hour’s walk along the coast to Broadstairs, which has enjoyed a palpable resurgence in recent years. The town has a thriving community of independent shops and restaurants including the Michelin-starred Stark and renowned seafood spot Wyatt and Jones. The Funicular Coffeehouse is built into the old ticket office of a long-decommissioned clifftop funicular. The old town itself remains a haven of antique shops and cafés and Morelli’s ice cream parlour is a wonderfully over-the-top institution on the seafront.

Nearby Margate is also experiencing an exciting period of change, and is home to the internationally renowned Turner Contemporary art gallery along with the recently restored Dreamland amusement park. Head towards Sandwich, about eight miles south, to check out Delf Farm Shop for locally grown produce and Updown Farmhouse for a luxurious staycation or gourmet meal (or both). Both are accessible by car in less than 20 minutes. Only a few minutes further is The Dog at Wingham, a gastropub and boutique hotel.

The house’s setting on the Kent coastal path means it is possible to walk along the promenade to Margate and beyond or stroll along the endless sandy beaches when the tide is low. Pegwell Nature Reserve is also an excellent place for a relaxing walk. There is plenty to do within the town, including visiting the Victorian tunnel system or going to one of the many art galleries that have opened on the other side of the harbour. Ramsgate Festival of Sound, in late August, turns the town into a buzzing hub.

Ramsgate is well connected to the rest of the area of Thanet by train and road, meaning that the towns of Margate, Deal and Canterbury can all be accessed in under 30 minutes. Vale Square is a one-mile walk from Ramsgate station, which runs fast direct services to London St Pancras in approximately 75 minutes. The Eurostar is easily reached at Folkestone.

Council Tax Band: E

Please note that all areas, measurements and distances given in these particulars are approximate and rounded. The text, photographs and floor plans are for general guidance only. Inigo has not tested any services, appliances or specific fittings — prospective purchasers are advised to inspect the property themselves. All fixtures, fittings and furniture not specifically itemised within these particulars are deemed removable by the vendor.

History

Ramsgate sits within a string of seaside towns on the coast of the Isle of Thanet, once a distinct entity to England before the channel that separated it from the mainland silted over.Over the years, the number of towns grew to include what are known as ‘Limbs’ – Deal, Faversham, Folkestone, Lydd, Margate, Ramsgate and Tenterden, plus Rye and Winchelsea, which became Head Ports. Today the Confederation comprises seven head ports and seven limbs and still plays an active part in the formal affairs of state.

The earliest known reference to Ramsgate was in 1275 when it was referred to in Anglo-Saxon terms as ‘Remmesgate’, meaning Ravens Cliff Gap. It remained under the jurisdiction of Sandwich until the 18th century when the merits of the sea waters as a remedy for ailments were increasingly acclaimed. This instigated the influx of health tourists to the area which kickstarted the construction of affluent hotels and residences for those travelling from London to take in the healing waters. The arrival of the South Eastern Railway’s branch line in the mid-18th century saw Ramsgate emerge as a popular seaside resort, and in 1863 the addition of the London Chatham and Dover line, paired with spectacular sea views, made Ramsgate a prime location for development.

Simultaneously, Ramsgate became known as a strategic point for naval operations. The construction of a new harbour saw it emerge as a critical launching point in the Napoleonic Wars, and as a launch base for those headed on the rescue mission to Dunkirk in WWII. Ramsgate’s strategic position made it a target for enemy bombing raids in both World Wars, opening up pockets of the town for subsequent redevelopment. These very different influences in Ramsgate’s development have combined to confer the town a rich mix of historic building types in close proximity which is rarely seen elsewhere.

A final claim to fame for Ramsgate is that Vincent Van Gogh lived here for a year in 1876, stating that “this town has something very singular, one notices the sea in everything”.

Vale Square — Ramsgate, Kent
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