Reculver Towers and Roman Fort

If you happen to be travelling through Kent, the Reculver Towers and Roman Fort is a perfect place to stop. You’ll find them situated between Margate and Whitstable, a little ways off the A299. If you’re coming from Margate turn left on Heart in Hand road, and turn right at the T intersection. Keep following that road, it will change names to Sweechbridge Road to Reculver Lane. If you’re coming from Whistable turn left off the A299 directly onto Sweechbridge Road.

Keep following Reculver Lane and you’ll eventually come to a car park directly across from a pub called the King Ethelbert Inn,. If you don’t want to go to the pub there are public washrooms available in a building next to the car park, though you will have to pay for them. If memory serves me there is a designated area where children can play with some equipment, though if I’m wrong I do know that there’s still plenty of open area for children to run around.

To the right of the car park you’ll find what you’re really here for, the Reculver Towers and Roman Fort. The towers are the remains of a medieval church for the Reculver area, though are themselves a remodeling of an older monastery. They’re less towers and more facade in my opinion, as it and the foundational stones are the only ruins to be seen.

As one google review states ‘there isn’t actually a Roman fort” there, which is more or less true, but you will find plaques all around the area explaining the history of the area. The fort was first built by the Romans to guard against Saxon invasion. In today’s terms, it would be like if the United States built a fort on Canadian soil to stop the Canadians from invading; something they’ve actually done, though with dubious effectiveness. Through erosion and the cannibalisation of stones for other projects like the Reculver Towers the original form of the buildings are lost; but in a way the fort is still present through those re-used stones!

Apart from the history and the ruins the area is an ideal place for a rest stop. I spent most of my time there reading the plaques, wondering whether or not I’d be able to climb the towers Assassin’s Creed style if I tried my best, admiring the sea, and just enjoying the company of a friend. We even spotted a seal!

You need very little to enjoy this lieu, just a bit of money if you want to use the bathroom or have a pint, and perhaps a sweater as the wind off the sea can get chilly. They aren’t necessary but if you want to bring a set of binoculars you can take a better look at any seals who decide to visit, and the the WW2 defense towers and windmills which you can see from the shore.

Wear a mask, wash your hands, and stay safe gentle reader.