Whitstable Castle Lottery bid

Return to Countryside main page

Heritage Lottery Funded Whitstable Castle is the only public park in Whitstable. The aim of this project is to improve the quality and experience offered by the buildings and gardens to provide a focal point for community activity.

Whitstable Castle is sited on rising ground about half a mile to the east of the harbour. It is surrounded by parkland supporting dense mature tree cover so appears green and secluded.

The historic grade II listed castle building came into council ownership in 1935. Before this date it Whitstable castle aerial view had been in private ownership and only occasionally opened to the public. The first part of the building, an octagonal tower, was built in 1790's by the first owner, Charles Pearson. A series of successive owners added to the building over its two-hundred year existence. Perhaps the best known was Wynn Ellis, who in c1845, funded a major enlargement of the main castle building.

In 2003, Canterbury City Council decided to begin the long and complicated process of applying for lottery funding to restore and adapt the main building, toilet block and surrounding park for use by a wider range of local people and visitors.

Whitstable castle and the surrounding public park received a Heritage Lottery Fund and Big Lottery Fund grant award of £2,063,000 in June 2008. This money, together with a contribution of £494,218 plus staff time and expertise from Canterbury City Council will enable the Castle building and park to be made accessible and welcoming to visitors. It is hoped the site will become an educational and cultural hub for local people with occasional musical and theatrical events complementing the already well-established activity calendar.

Press release for 14th July regarding the successful Lottery bid

Heritage Key improvements forming part of the successful lottery bid:

Main castle building:

New entrance ramp and steps
New reception space
New lift providing access to most levels
Existing toilets to be rationalised
New Adams room extension to replace the existing
Roof and structural repairs
Kitchen improvements

Toilet block:

Existing building structure to be repaired
New layout with disabled WC and baby-changing facility

Gardens:

Creation of larger rose garden with restored fountain
New toddlers play space
Improved parking environment with increased capacity
Enlarged grass terrace and new paved sun terrace to castle building over-looking bowling green
Creation of Regency style garden layout with appropriate paths, planting and furniture
Addition of lighting to main routes and signage throughout gardens
New boundary railings and gates able to be locked at night
New gardeners compound space for storage and plant propagation

Tea garden:

Repairs to flights of steps in terraced garden
New fixed timber bench seats
Earth-modelling and planting to define outdoor performance area

The Whitstable Castle Approved master plan (PDF 866KB)

Future management of the site

The site is already used for weddings, christenings, family celebrations, educational and recreational activities all of which will continue to raise important revenue funding to sustain the site and its facilities well into the future.

Previously the site was managed jointly by the City Council and a group of volunteers called the Castle Centre Association. Once the restoration works have been completed, which is expected by late 2009, the site will be managed solely by a charitable trust made up of local people.

Volunteers are welcome and anyone interested in becoming involved with the project should contact the newly formed Whitstable castle trust based at the castle.