Skulferatu #60 - West Pier Lighthouse, The Royal Harbour, Ramsgate, Kent

 

The town of Ramsgate is dominated by the rather impressive Royal Harbour and the lines and lines of boats moored up there.

 

The Royal Harbour, Ramsgate

 

After lunch of cod & chips and a cup of tea at a local chippy, I wandered off to have a look around the harbour.  In the afternoon sunshine it was busy with sightseers, fishermen and people pottering about on boats.  There were also flocks of noisy, squawking seagulls zooming around in their self-assured and cocky way.

 

The Royal Harbour, Ramsgate

 

West Pier Lighthouse as seen from the East Pier

 

Ne Pas Nager, Ne Pas Plonger, Ne Pas Courir

 

The Royal Harbour was given its title by King George IV in 1821, after he had visited the town several times. Seemingly he had so much fun in the place that he felt he had to bestow some honour on it, so he decreed that the harbour should be given the title of royal and that it could fly his royal standard three times a year.  It sounds a bit like one of those look at me presents where the giver doesn’t really give that much and it’s really all about them.  Still, saying that it, Ramsgate Harbour is the only Royal Harbour in the UK. 

 

In 1940, during World War II, Ramsgate was one of the places where many small boats gathered to take part in Operation Dynamo.  They sailed over to Dunkirk where they helped to ferry men on to waiting ships so that they could be evacuated back to Britain.  Over forty thousand of the men rescued during this operation were landed at Ramsgate.

 

After walking to the end of the East Pier at the harbour, I made my way round to the more picturesque West Pier and the lighthouse there.

 

West Pier Lighthouse and Seagulls

 

West Pier Lighthouse, The Royal Harbour, Ramsgate

 

Detail of lighthouse roof

 

The lighthouse was designed by the architect John Shaw and built in 1842.  It is not the original lighthouse, as the first one was built close to the end of the pier and was frequently damaged by ship’s yardarms as they entered the harbour.

 

I left the Skulferatu that had accompanied me on my walk in a metal structure at the side of the harbour, near to the lighthouse.

 

Skulferatu #60

 

Metal structure on the pier

 

Skulferatu #60 in the metal structure on the pier

 

Skulferatu #60 on the West Pier

 

Map showing the location of Skulferatu #60

 

The coordinates for the location of the Skulferatu are –

 

Latitude 51.327809

Longitude 1.421615

I used the following sources for information on the Lighthouse –

 

Tourist Information at site

 

Port of Ramsgate

Port of Ramsgate

 

Ramsgate, Kent's Coastal Heritage Town

Ramsgate Town - The Royal Harbour