For 2000 years or
more the biggest draws to Whitstable were its valuable salt and it's Oyster
beds - home to the delicious un-shucked delicacies
that lay claim to the bottom of the English Channel and still do to this
day. Later "Witenstaple" appeared in the "Domesday"
book
In the
1820's the first diving helmet was developed in Whitstable harbour.
Then
in 1830 one of the world's greatest engineers and his locomotive "The
Invicta" made Whitstable and nearby Canterbury famous with the
world's first passenger railway, which was also designed to haul cargo
such as fish and other seafood from Whitstable harbour. Tourists and
beach-lovers were "locomoted" from Canterbury on the return
journey. This later extended to London.
In
1837 the very first steam ship ever to Australia left Whitstable harbour.
Later in this century the world's first sea scouts were marching by and
playing their music.
So
what's Whitstable famous for now? Quite simply it's the same as it always
been - The towns beloved harbour and it's seafood.
Arguably
a fine seafood restaurant near London is the Crab & Winkle sitting in the
heart of the harbour, above the fish market overlooking the fishing boats
below. More about the C&W fish restaurant here...
