* Freehold
This handsome five - bedroom house is within the Westgate - on - Sea Conservation
Area in Kent. The red brick Dutch gabled façade is a striking elevation along
the terrace: Windows are set under arched heads with decorative keystones, and
the Flemish bonded brick is finished with stone dressings. Internally, living
spaces have been renovated with a playful palette of vibrant blues and greens
that complement a plethora of original features. A few minutes from the house
are the blue flag beaches at St Mildred’s Bay and Minnis Bay, as well as
Westgate - on - Sea's train station, which runs direct services to London St
Pancras in an hour and a half, making this house a wonderful seaside retreat.
Setting the Scene
Westgate Bay Avenue and the surrounding area were predominantly farmland until
the late 19th century, when it was developed with private villas and lodging
houses, Westgate - on - Sea’s first doctors and its vicarage. Between 1906 and
1910, this house was home to the artist Louis Wain, a prolific late - Victorian
illustrator of anthropomorphised cats and kittens, whose life was recently
dramatised in the film The Electrical Life of Louis Wain. Wain made hundreds
of drawings for magazines, newspapers, books and postcards, and, during his
time living on Westgate Bay Avenue, was heralded by the press as ‘the world’s
most famous cat artist’. For more information, please see the History section.
The Grand Tour
Beneath an arched entrance porch is the front door, which opens to a hallway
with original pine floorboards and walls finished in 'Pink 01' by Lick. From
here are the living room, the dining room and the kitchen, organised in a
lateral arrangement, with each room flowing into the next. The living room is
at the front of the house, where light filters through the windows of a canted
bay to imbue the room with a warm and bright atmosphere. On one wall is an
original fireplace, complete with carved jambs and a corniced overmantel
washed in 'Pea Green' by Edward Bulmer to complement the bottle green - tiled
hearth and 'Invisible Green' walls. The window shutters can be closed, and, on
stormier days, a seat by the fire is a cosy spot to hunker down with a
favourite book.
The dining room opens directly from the living room. The walls, moulded
cornicing and picture rail here are painted in ‘Parma’ by Farrow & Ball. There
is plenty of space for a long table in the middle of the room, and an original
cabinet on one side of the fireplace is a handy place for glasses and
crockery. A door to the garden can be opened wide to admire the plantings
outside, making the room an excellent space for hosting indoor - outdoor summer
parties.
At the rear of the plan is the kitchen composed of yellow and teal coloured
cabinetry, with a double sink and a four - ring induction hob set into the
central island. There is space for a breakfast table to be set at the end of
the room in front of sliding doors opening to the leafy patio garden. A handy
WC is accessible from the kitchen, as is a staircase descending to the
basement floor where there are generous storage rooms and two further
reception rooms currently in use as a playroom and a music room.
A staircase with 'Hague Blue' balustrades and a mahogany handrail rises to the
first floor. At the front of the plan is the primary bedroom, where a large
window overlooks the garden below. Here, a Victorian fireplace with a pretty
blue tiled has an inbuilt cupboard in the alcove on one side. A wide arch
connects the bedroom with a generous en suite bathroom, where a bathtub placed
centrally atop the original weathered pine floorboards. There is a rain - style
shower in one corner and the door to a walk - in wardrobe. The second bedroom is
at the rear, with a smaller WC just in front.
On the second floor are three further double bedrooms and a family bathroom.
Two of the bedrooms are at the front of the house, their paned windows framing
glimpses of the sea beyond.
The Great Outdoors
The garden and expansive patio extends behind the house, accessed directly
from the kitchen and dining rooms to create an open indoor - outdoor feel in
milder weather. Bordered with mature perennials and climbing plants, the
garden is perfect for outdoor entertaining, with ample room for a barbecue and
dining furniture. Raised beds have been incorporated along painted timber
fencing to create the perfect space for growing herbs, flowers or even
vegetables. An established laurel tree casts gentle shade along the back patio
and wisteria curls tendrils along a back corner filling the space scent in the
spring. A bamboo hedge line imbues the space with a sense of seclusion despite
its town location.
Out and About
There are two blue flag beaches in the Victorian town of Westgate - on - Sea, St
Mildred’s Bay and Minnis Bay. The cliff - lined and sandy St Mildred’s Bay is
only a five - minute walk from the house, has a long promenade ideal for brisk
coastal walks which can be finished at the Bake and Ale House on St Mildred’s
Avenue, a microbrewery serving a changing offering of warming Real Ale and
Cider.
Staple Stores, less than a 10 - minute walk from the house, is an artisanal
bakery and café championing traditional techniques for its bloomers, pastries
and scones, and is a lovely place to pick up a morning coffee and a cinnamon
bun. For an evening meal, the newer restaurant Quince is nearby, with a
changing menu of seasonal dishes built around local produce.
Margate is a five - minute drive along the coast and is home to a wonderfully
creative community as well as an abundance of galleries and contemporary art
spaces. It’s home to the Turner Contemporary, named after landscape painter J.
M. W. Turner and designed by architect David Chipperfield Architects. The
contemporary gallery Carl Freedman, has also recently opened, with murmurs of
further creative initiatives to follow.
Among the favoured restaurants in Margate are Angela’s, a sustainable seafood
bistro, and its sister restaurant, Dory’s, a fantastic seafood bar priding
itself on working closely with Kentish fishermen and independent growers to
build its menus. Other much - loved dining spots include Sargasso, Bottega
Caruso, and Sete, while the Rose in June pub is a wonderful stop after a walk
along the seafront. Little Swift is an excellent choice for cocktails and
natural wine, while Dive is a must for margaritas and tacos. Independent
retailers include clothing shop Werkhaus, Haeckels, and the cosy Margate
Bookshop.
The Viking Coastal Trail can be picked up in Westgate, the eight - mile hike
linking the town with Margate, Broadstairs and Ramsgate along Kent’s cliffs
and beaches. Broadstairs and Ramsgate are also known for their array of pubs,
restaurants and independent shops, as are Herne Bay and Whitstable, which are
slightly further afield.
Westgate - on - Sea has excellent links to London, with services to London
Victoria in just over one and a half hours and trains run from nearby Margate
Station to London St Pancras in approximately an hour and a half.
Council Tax Band: D

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