Westward facing and on the border of Margate’s Old Town and Cliftonville, this three-bedroom apartment offers Georgian seaside living with a decidedly contemporary edge. Set on the third floor of the Grade II-listed Paragon Court, its elevated position and large sash windows afford coastal views out along the clifftops, reaching as far as Reculver Towers. From here, it’s easy to see why Turner declared that “the skies over Thanet are the loveliest in all of Europe”.
Setting the Scene
Built in the late Georgian era following Margate’s accession as the seaside resort for the wealthy and fashionable, Paragon Court is an integral landmark in the town’s architectural landscape. While Margate’s principal stylistic allegiance was to London’s suburbs during this period, other influences can here be detected. Once draped with canopied balconies, there are touches of the elegant terraces of Brighton or Cheltenham in its stuccoed and ordered façade.
Following the development of Clifton Lido and Paragon Court, the area became a centre of Victorian and Edwardian Margate leisure, including the council-constructed bandstand on Fort Paragon. With the construction of the pioneering Winter Gardens, the area was renowned for its musical performances throughout the 20th century. For more information, please see the History section.
Grand Tour
The heart of this home is the bright and contemporary kitchen and living space. While the far-reaching views out of sash windows draw attention towards the coastline, the calm and cosy living/dining area is equally a sight for sore eyes. It’s easy to imagine hunkering down as a storm gathers here, or basking in the golden hues of a summer sunset with a glass of wine.
Bespoke and well-organised, the kitchen’s units are topped with a pink concrete work surface and faced in a warm plywood that echoes the timber floorboards underfoot. This modern material palette is continued throughout the apartment to craft storage, a vanity unit and a built-in bed. The effect is a considered cohesion that allows the whole home to be read as one.
There are three bedrooms in all, two of which face west and share the same expansive views as the kitchen. The bathroom is clad in jungle green terrazzo tiles that contrast pleasingly with more pink concrete.
Out and about
The seaside town of Margate is known for its wonderful creative community and abundance of galleries and contemporary art spaces. It’s home to the Turner Contemporary, named after landscape painter J. M. W. Turner, a brilliant contemporary art space with far-reaching views over the sea and is a less than 10-minute stroll from the house. Gallery Carl Freedman, also less than a 10-minute walk from the apartment, is a newer addition to the art scene, with murmurs of further creative initiatives to follow.
Among the favoured restaurants are Angela’s, a sustainable seafood bistro, and its sister restaurant, Dory’s, a fantastic seafood bar that works closely with Kentish fishermen and independent growers to build its menus. Other much-loved dining spots include Sargasso, Bottega Caruso, Sete and the fabulous brunch spot opposite Paragon Court, Forts. Pub Rose in June is tucked away and makes a wonderful stop after a walk along the seafront. Little Swift is an excellent choice for cocktails and natural wine and Dive is a must for margaritas and tacos. Independent retailers include clothing shop Werkhaus, Haeckels, a skincare shop with treatment rooms, and the cosy Margate Bookshop. Be sure to visit Dreamland, a vintage theme park with rides, musical acts and a drive-in cinema.
The beachfront is a natural attraction, leading to numerous walks such as the Viking Coastal Trail (an eight-mile hike linking the towns of Ramsgate, Broadstairs and Margate along Kent’s cliffs and beaches). Walpole Bay Tidal Pool is a short walk away and is a perfect spot for a dip. The nearby coastal towns of Broadstairs and Ramsgate are also well known for their array of pubs, restaurants and independent shops, as are Herne Bay and Whitstable, which are slightly further afield.
Margate has excellent links to London, with services to London St Pancras in under an hour and a half or London Victoria in one hour and 45 minutes. There are trains to Canterbury in half an hour, which is also a short drive away.
Tenure: Leasehold
Lease Length: Approx. 112 years remaining
Service Charge: Approx. £3000 per annum. Works to redecorate the communal parts of the building are scheduled, to be managed within the existing service charge amount.
Ground Rent: £300
Council Tax Band: A
History
Margate has a vital role in the history of the seaside holiday as a pioneering location of the concept. The 1750s saw Margate as the home of the first bathing machines, the first Georgian square built in a seaside town, the first development beyond the historic footprint of a coastal town, and the first development created specifically to serve holidaymakers.
As the influx of tourism gained pace throughout the 18th century, Margate was transformed from a small working fishing town into a haven for society, attracting nobility for the ‘season’ in the same fashion as the spa city of Bath. The benefits of the sea air and bathing led to Margate becoming a desirable location to convalesce; The Royal Sea Bathing Hospital – the first of its kind – was opened in 1791.
The town’s proximity to London meant that Margate had already long been at the vanguard of seaside discovery for many living in the city. However, the dawn of the railway in the first half of the 19th century meant that coastal towns further afield suddenly opened up as destinations for wealthy holidaymakers, and Margate faced competition for the first time. Yet its pioneering spirit remained, and when the first trains arrived in Margate in 1846, the town became the first viable holiday destination for lower-middle-class tourists. This brought the concept of a holiday to the masses and drove forward reforms to working standards, such as The Bank Holiday Act of 1871.
The town grew rapidly throughout the 19th century, expanding eastward to the area of Cliftonville. This area was built as a retreat from what had become a bustling and boisterous town centre, boasting its own beaches and offering a more sedate pace of holiday. The beaches around Cliftonville remain very popular in part thanks to the Grade II-listed Walpole Bay Tidal Pool constructed in 1937 during the Physical Fitness Campaign, which saw the large-scale building of Lidos and sports facilities. Margate was recently granted the Government Town Deal fund, allocated for the future regeneration of Margate and Cliftonville, including the restoration of the Walpole Bay Tidal Pool.
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