Also known as: Meregate, St John in Thanet, Margat

Originally a small fishing village known as Meregate, Margate transformed in the 18th century into one of England's pioneering seaside resorts, famously promoted for the health benefits of sea bathing. Historically a limb of the Cinque Port of Dover, it grew rapidly through the 19th and 20th centuries as steamboats and railways brought waves of holidaymakers from London. The settlement is noted for its maritime heritage, the Royal Sea Bathing Hospital founded in 1791, and its eventual development into a major leisure destination featuring the Dreamland amusement park.