Whitstable Castle, or Tankerton Towers as it was first called, was built in the late 1790’s and was originally a private family home. It has had many owners since then and for 40 years in the mid 20th Century until 1972, it was the offices for Whitstable District Council. In the 1975 a local association was formed with the aim of making the castle available for the benefit of local people. The work of the association gained momentum over the years and, following a successful Heritage Lottery bid, the gardens have undergone a stunning transformation over an eighteen month period of restoration and redesign. The gardens have a large variety of unique plants which were established when the gardens were first laid out in the 18th century ,. On the lower terrace seating is provided to allow visitors to rest and take in the stunning views and fresh sea air. Across the road, just a short walk from the main Castle, is the Castle Tea Gardens, with lush herbaceous borders and terraced lawns, once again with dramatic views out to sea across the Thames Estuary to the Isle of Sheppey ,and beyond to the Essex coastline. Children will enjoy Dollar Dan’s Tankerton Cove, an imaginative and attractive play area created with natural materials, surfaces of different textures, water, sand and level changes. It is intended for children up to the age of 8, and parental supervision is advisable for younger children.
Easy access information
This park and open space has well surfaced routes suitable for visitors with pushchairs and/or wheelchairs, and has no width restricting features, such as stiles or non RADAR kissing gates.
