Pegwell Bay is a shallow inlet in theEnglish Channelcoast astride theestuary of theRiver Stour north ofSandwich Bay, betweenRamsgate andSandwich inKent. Part of the bay is anature reserve, with seashorehabitats includingmudflats andsalt marsh with migratingwaders andwildfowl. The public can access the nature reserve via Pegwell Bay Country Park, which is off theA256Ramsgate toDover road.
Archaeologists suggest that Pegwell Bay was the landing site forboth Roman invasions of Britain byJulius Caesar. In 2017 theUniversity of Leicester excavated a large fort dating from 54 BC; it was the previous lack of such evidence that had prevented historians from fixing the exact site of Caesar's landing.[1]
Pegwell Bay as it was in 1858 is recorded in a much-reproduced landscape painting byWilliam Dyce, now in theTate Gallery:Pegwell Bay, Kent – a Recollection of October 5th 1858.[2]
A pleasure pier was built in the 19th century in an effort to establish a seaside resort to rival nearby Ramsgate. This was not a success however, and was dismantled before the end of the century.
A full-size replicaScandinavianlongboat complete with shields is situated by the main road on the low clifftops above Pegwell Bay to commemorate the first Anglo-Saxon landings in England hereabouts. The replica, namedHugin, sailed from Denmark to Thanet in 1949 to celebrate the 1,500th anniversary of theAnglo-Saxon invasion of Britain, the traditional landing ofHengist andHorsa, and the betrothal of Hengist's daughter,Rowena toVortigern,King of the Britons. Out of 53 crewmen only the navigator, Peter Jensen, was a professional seaman. Historic conditions were faithfully observed but with the addition of asextant. TheHugin was offered as a gift to Ramsgate and Broadstairs by theDaily Mail in order for it to be preserved for centuries. The ship underwent extensive restoration in 2004–5.[3][4]
NearbyEbbsfleet is the site of the landing of the first Christian mission to southern England, bySt Augustine, in 597 AD, commemorated bySt Augustine's Cross.
The Bay has treacherous bogs at low tide amongst the otherwise firm sands. These are used as plot points inDennis Wheatley's 1938 thriller,Contraband. The attached map of Kent in the book shows two of the heroes in difficulties at Pegwell Bay.
At the north east corner of the bay are the remains ofHoverlloyd's cross-channelRamsgate Hoverport. Vehicle and passenger carryinghovercraft operated from here from 1969 until 1982. For a time, the hoverport was used as an administrative and engineering base byHoverspeed after all passenger services had ceased. However, the former activity moved to Dover in October 1985 and the latter (mainly used for craft overhauls) in late December 1987 with the buildings demolished in 1992.[5] The hovercraft pad, car-marshalling area and approach road are the sole identifiable features that remain at the site.[6]
The Belle Vue Tavern was constructed around 1797, and became known for its seafood.[7]
The Pegwell Bay Hotel is aGrade II listed hotel complex in the village centre. It was constructed in the mid 19th century by James Tatnell, and opened as Tantell's Hotel.[8][9] The hotel consists of three storeys and an attic, with a tower andbelfry in the centre.[8]