Westcliff and artificial beach

The history of the Westcliff has been extensively researched on the Ramsgate Society web page click here to view. Here are a few extracts.
"Thomas Warre (1752-1824) had purchased West Cliff in 1817. His family came from Somerset and were notable in the port wine trade; their company still is today. Besides Ramsgate, Thomas had one house in Stratford Place off Oxford Street and another in St Petersburg Russia. On his death in 1824, he left £60,000 in cash to relatives and West Cliff was inherited by his nephew John Ashley Warre (1787-1860).
John A Warre appeared in Ramsgate's poll book of 1832. His eminence was confirmed when on 1st October 1836, Princess Victoria and her mother arrived to stay for two months. Variously MP for Hastings, Lostwithiel. Taunton and Ripon, Warre was also Magistrate and Deputy Lieutenant for Kent, President of the Ramsgate Seaman's Infirmary where he laid the foundation stone on 17th August 1849. His son John Henry Ware (1825-1894) inherited in 1860 and he too became a Magistrate in Ramsgate and life Governor at the Seamen's Infirmary. When he died In 1894 he was buried in St Lawrence Churchyard. His brother Arthur Braithwaite Warre, is probably best remembered for donating 7 acres of land to Ramsgate in March 1897: the Warre Recreation Ground. His heir and eldest daughter, Caroline Ashley Warre married Charles Murray Smith on 8th June 1904 and West Cliff became the Murray-Smith Estate."

"The West Cliff Lift was built in 1929 by W W Martin for £3,328. On Friday 6th June 1930, Ramsgate Mayor JSG Langley opened the bowling green. Messrs Sharman Ltd built small shelters and tennis pavilions. It was a major scheme and costs were considerable: private roads, £26,616; Royal-Esplanade, £19,082; under cliff drive and wall, £47,637; upper promenade; £9,655; work prior to cliff top levelling, £32,688; shelters, putting greens, hard tennis courts, bowling greens, £11,104; rockwork chine and planting, £4,506, Bandstand and shelters estimated at £9,225. The eventual pleasure gardens’ bandstand and pavilion by architect Basil C Deacon FRIBA. now the boating pool and café, cost £18,526. W W Martin built terraces with seating for 2,000. The bandstand in reinforced concrete proved very challenging when demolished in February 1961, but in 1929 columns, walls and terraces were finished in artificial stone of the Italian Renaissance style and the tea pavilion was furnished with Lloyd Loom chairs supplied by R G Dunn & Sons Ltd of Queen St, Ramsgate. The Mayor of Ramsgate, Alderman T H Prestedge opened the estate on Friday 2nd August."

In 1938 the authorities at Ramsgate decided to improve the narrow beach on the western (southern) edge of the town by transporting 14,000 tons of sand from the wide eastern beach at a cost of £7000. The experiment was a success and the West Beach (or Artificial Beach, as it was known to locals) was very popular with holidaymakers both before and after the war. 
At the bottom of the Westcliff lift were several chalets however after the Sally Ferry came to the port and Military Road was extended these were demolished and a new block of chalets were built. With the rundown of the area these were also demolished.

At the Western edge of the Westcliff is the original car access to the artificial beach which started life as Courtstairs Chine (Westcliff Chine) a single track road originally a Victorian promenade route to the beach.

In the background is Westcliff Terrace now private residences

The boating pool has seen many reincarnations but was originally a bandstand

 Walking along the promenade above the beach Eastwards we have the lookout cafe and screaming alley, so called because a horse and cart went over the cliff at this point (allegedly)

Right next to Screaming alley where the toilets are today was this building

Continuing the walk your have Pugin's house and St Augustines Catholic church

Another missing tourist venue was "Castlewode" the model village that was a feature for 50 years that closed in 2003. Here is a link to its closure
Here is a video of the attraction video
Near to the end of the prom just before the Westcliff Hall is the former Regency hotel now all private residences.

To the East of the Westcliff is the Westcliff Hall dug out of the chalk and opened in 1914 prior to this it was a bandstand opposite to the Paragon and the Churchill Tavern. History of the site and what might be the next stage in its future can be found here (link to Project Motorhouse)

 Health n Safety rules :)

The hall today looking rather sorry for itself

One other little known building with remains was the Paragon Baths built right next to the cliff face after the original baths were removed when the Churchill Tavern was built in 1860. The old entrance to the Victorian toilets is still visible even if the toilets are buried under the tarmac.

 Isabella baths demolished 1860's

remains of the Paragon baths allegedly under the promenade by the Westcliffe Hall.