A new community garden created on a historic site in Ramsgate will officially open on Saturday 19 September as part of the Heritage Open Days festival.
The Sea Captain’s Garden, outside Ramsgate Leisure Centre, has been brought back to life by the Ramsgate Historic Quarter Scheme with support from the town’s Happy Mondays group.
The garden stands on land once associated with the mansion of sea captain Captain Thomas Abbott, born in the 17th century, and a surviving wall beside the site is believed to have formed part of the mansion’s kitchen garden.
Ramsgate Historic Quarter Scheme founder Robert Milton Wallace said: “We wanted to create a garden for the benefit of the community and we’ve seen many positive benefits already — even before officially opening it.”
After a delay with a contractor, members of Happy Mondays stepped in to help prepare the site, digging, weeding and clearing the land ahead of planting and the installation of bench footings.
Robert added: “The Happy Mondays team have been amazing and without them we would have struggled to achieve our opening deadline of 19 September as part of the Heritage Open Days festival.
“We still have some work to do on the garden and the Happy Mondays team are helping with that. We hope to involve more volunteers as it grows and, over the coming months, to add plants and seating so that it becomes greener and more vibrant over the next year or so.”
Robert thanked the Happy Mondays team, the Asda Foundation, Kent Community Foundation and Ramsgate Town Council for supporting the project.
“This project represents the amazing things that communities can achieve when they work together,’ he said. “We have already seen the benefit during construction. The whole experience has been really positive.”
Elinor Seath, CEO of Remixd CIC and Happy Monday project lead, said: “It has been fantastic working with Ramsgate Historic Quarter on this project and it shows the impact you can have when a group of people come together who want to have a positive effect on their community.”
The Heritage Open Day event, including the new green opening, runs from 11am to 4pm
Urban green spaces can support stress reduction, social interaction and environmental benefits, from cleaner air to more habitats for birds and insects. The Sea Captain’s Garden is intended to become a greener, more welcoming space for residents, visitors and community volunteers.
The Ramsgate Historic Quarter is one of the oldest parts of the town and covers the area from the top of the High Street towards the Southeastern Road junction, running down past Paradise and the area of the Rose in England pub as well as spreading to sites such as Townley House in Chatham Street. It was developed in the 17th and 18th centuries, and was home to sea captains and merchants connected with Ramsgate’s busy port.
Paradise is believed to be Ramsgate’s oldest street. Its name probably originates from its position between a brewery on one side and a convent on the other.
It is known for distinctive architecture including Dutch-gabled rows and grand sea captains’ mansions built with handmade bricks and recycled ships’ timbers.
Find out more at: Ramsgate Historic Quarter Scheme.
