Seasalter: Coastal Trails and Maritime History

Seasalter offers two clearly distinct themes to focus on when planning your trip: coastal trails and landscapes on the one hand, and church and maritime history on the other. First consider whether a specific route or the historical development of individual landmarks matters more to you. This will help you tailor your stay to the themes that are most important to you.

Coastal Trails and Landscapes

The Whitstable Maritime Coastal Trail heads west from West Beach towards Seasalter. Its extended route reaches Seasalter; along the westbound extension, the trail passes The Oyster Pearl. The starting point, direction and destination give the route a clear framework for orientation. West Beach lies at the start of the described route, with Seasalter at its western endpoint.

The Earth, Wind and Water Nature Trail is 5 to 12 miles long. The information about the two trails answers different planning questions: for the Coastal Trail, the focus is on the starting point, westbound direction and destination; for the Nature Trail, it is on the distance range. When assessing the trails, you can first decide whether the route described or a specific length gives you more guidance. This lets you consider direction and distance as separate aspects of your planning.

Seasalter’s undeveloped coastline offers opportunities for recreation. It complements the trail themes with a distinct landscape perspective. If you would rather plan your stay around the character of the coastline than a particular route, this viewpoint can also help you choose the focus of your trip.

Seasalter’s Maritime Heritage

Seasalter was probably the earliest regulated oyster fishery on the north coast of Kent. The remains of the Old Brig on the foreshore at Seasalter, near Whitstable in Kent, add a historical landmark to this maritime theme. They are designated as a Scheduled Monument.

The wreck appears to have been reused for oyster fishing in the late 18th century, as accommodation and a packing store. More recent investigations indicated that the exposed hull was exceptionally well preserved and extended more than 0.7 metres deep. The Old Brig thus offers both a possible history of use and specific features of the preserved hull. Together with the probable early oyster fishery, it provides a perspective on different aspects of the area’s maritime history.

Traces of Seasalter Old Church

Seasalter Old Church was first built on this site in the late 12th century. Fragmentary Early English masonry survives from the chancel of the former church; this medieval feature is of particular interest. The site’s early building history and a specific remnant of the chancel thus stand out as historical reference points.

H. Marshall’s work in 1845 was an early Victorian remodelling of the façade and continued the church’s use as a mortuary chapel. In terms of chronology, the first building on the site in the late 12th century contrasts with this remodelling of the façade. The date of 1845 identifies the work as a distinct later phase; the continued use as a mortuary chapel adds an aspect of use to the building’s history.

Discover more destinations: Tenterden, Lydd, West Peckham, Marden, Newenden, Willesborough, Broad Oak Brede, Newington

For the broader travel overview: Kent.