* Freehold
This grade ii - listed end of terrace house makes a rather elegant full stop to
the genteel Georgian street Chapel Place, once known as the ‘Harley Street’ of
Ramsgate for its abundance of doctors and dentists. Unfolding over three
stories and a cellar, this London stock brick four - bedroom house is
characterised by the high ceilings and copious natural light typical of the
Georgian era. The house has recently undergone a complete and sympathetic
restoration, including restored windows and flooring to a high specification.
To the rear, a courtyard garden sits alongside the kitchen return, creating a
direct connection between the two that conjures the perfect environment for
hosting. The location, within Ramsgate’s historic conservation area, ensures a
peaceful setting that is still close to the centre of town and the beach.
Setting the Scene
Set on the eastern coast of the Isle of Thanet, Ramsgate is a limb of the
Cinque Port town of Sandwich. Its heritage dates back to the Medieval period,
but it developed into the town it is today following the completion of
Ramsgate Harbour, around 1850. This spurred its emergence as a popular seaside
resort with a plethora of hotels, restaurants, and a long promenade.
Ramsgate’s resort status was also helped by early royal patronage, Princess
Victoria having favoured the historic Albion House hotel.
Ramsgate’s strategic position and role as a port made it a target for enemy
bombing raids in World War I and World War II and this opened up pockets of
the town for subsequent redevelopment. These very different influences in
Ramsgate’s development have combined to confer the town a rich mix of historic
building types in close proximity which is rarely seen elsewhere. For more
information, please see the History section below.
The Grand Tour
Distinct from the rest of the terrace in finish and proportion, the house has
a number of elegant details that set it apart. Its rusticated base and ornate
plaster windows borrow rhythms and language from classical architecture,
whilst the original curved marble sign indicates the elevated importance of
its first incarnation as ‘Kent House’.
Today, the dark olive - green front door opens into a spacious entry hall,
replete with original Carrara marble steps up into the hallway proper. Upon
entering, a view directly through to the sunny courtyard creates a visual link
to the outdoors and a great source of light. Guests are announced by a brass
tubular doorbell which resonates happily through the house. Pared - back
original floorboards run throughout, one of many considered design decisions
made in the recent whole - house renovation which included the refurbishment or
replacement of all external windows.
The living room, ideally situated for a sun - drenched morning spent reading, is
brightly lit by large double - sash windows and Little Greene’s ochre - hued paint
‘Sunlight’. Thoughtfully salvaged shutters and minimalist linen café curtains
allow for privacy from the street, while an original fireplace with Charnwood
wood burner is perfect for evenings in.
A china blue dining room anchors the plan, adorned with new, refined
plasterwork and a fireplace resplendent with coloured tiles. New timber - framed
French doors open out directly into the courtyard garden with access onto
Chapel Place Lane through a large double gate. A concise bathroom is
discretely located in the hallway and is tiled with Calacatta Viola marble.
Recently constructed within the shell of a tumbledown lean - to, the kitchen
stretches out into the back of the plan and includes a considerable utility
space to the rear with a freestanding butler sink, great for muddy paws and
sandy wellies. Core materials of oak and limestone complement one another and
give a resounding durability to this convivial space. A very spacious cellar
sits beneath the entire footprint; a vast and versatile space, it is unusually
well - lit by two large windows facing the street.
Ascending to the first floor, a well - proportioned room painted in ‘Sir
Lutyen’s Sage’ by Little Greene – which is currently organised as a living
room but equally suited to a principal bedroom – opens out onto a balcony
perfect for watching the world go by. A refined fireplace, with a working wood
burner, is flanked by custom shelving, and stripped original oak floorboards
run throughout.
To the rear is a bedroom, currently used as a studio, with a high sash window
that floods the space with diffused light. A contemporary concrete basin from
Ashbee and Stone sits to the side of an elegant original fireplace. Prescient
plumbing could allow for the installation of a bath in the future.
Between the two rooms is a handsome jewel - box bathroom painted in Little
Greene’s ‘Bronze Red’ in contrast to the striking Rosso Levanto marble floors
and ornate antique sanitaryware.
Two further bedrooms can be found on the second floor, each of a generous size
with large sash windows. The larger bedroom has a broad aspect with views
reaching across Ramsgate to the sea beyond. Both bedrooms are serviced by a
sleek bathroom clad in Salome polished marble and finished with Lefroy Brooks
fittings.
The Great Outdoors
To the rear of the plan is a courtyard garden, bordered with featherboard
fencing that creates a private oasis and has direct access to Chapel Place
Lane. It is best enjoyed in the morning sunlight, but in the summer, it is
perfect for eating alfresco after the heat of the sun has subsided. With an
L - shaped plan, there is ample space for storing bikes.
Out and About
Ramsgate is swiftly developing quite a cultural scene, with new restaurants
opening all the time; Union Cafe serves as a yoga studio and an excellent
place for lunch, or it is a short walk to the historic harbour for wonderful
fresh fish and chips at Peter’s Fish Factory, or a coffee at Archive
Homestore. There are plenty of good Kentish pubs nearby; the Ravensgate Arms
is excellent, and its owners have recently opened an outpost at The Boating
Pool. For cliff - top views of Pegwell Bay, there’s no better spot than the
Belle Vue Tavern, perched on the rocks at the western end of town. Other local
favourites include The Modern Boulangerie for pastries, The Royal Albion Hotel
for a drink, House and Simply Danish for antique homeware and Potters for
plants and accessories.
Ramsgate has wide sandy beaches that sit below the promenade and cliff - top
walks that lead along the coast, past some of the best coves Kent has to
offer; Stone Bay, Joss Bay and Botany Bay each have sheltered sandy beaches
backed by stark white cliffs. It’s under an hour’s walk along the Saxon Shore
Way to Broadstairs, which has enjoyed a palpable resurgence in recent years.
The town has a thriving community of independent shops and restaurants
including Wyatt and Jones, which features in the Michelin guide as a
specialist in locally sourced seafood, and The Funicular Coffee Shop built
into the old ticket office of a long - decommissioned clifftop funicular. The
old town itself remains a haven of antique shops, cafes, and Morelli’s ice
cream parlour is a wonderfully over - the - top institution on the sea front.
Ramsgate is well connected to the rest of the area of Thanet by train and
road, meaning that the towns of Margate, Deal and Canterbury can all be
accessed in under 30 minutes. Regular connections to London are provided by
train from St Pancras and London Victoria.
Council Tax Band: C

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