Westwood, Kent

Human settlement in England

Broadstairs and St Peter's

District

Thanet

Kent

Region

South East

CountryEnglandSovereign stateUnited KingdomPost townMARGATEPostcode districtCT9Dialling code01843PoliceKentFire Kent Ambulance South East Coast UK Parliament

North Thanet

List of places: UK; England; Kent

51°21′43″N 1°23′42″E / 51.362°N 1.395°E / 51.362; 1.395

Westwood is a village and retail estate in Thanet district of Kent, England, and 1.9 miles (3.1 km) south of Margate.

History

Westwood developed on the road between Margate and Ramsgate (now designated the A254). Most of the village is in the civil parish of Broadstairs and St Peter's.

Haine Hospital opened as an isolation hospital in 1902.^[2] A 2015 car park collapse beneath the Westwood Cross Primark store revealed underground tunnels believed to have been constructed during World War I training exercises. Researchers suggested they were subsequently used as air raid shelters for servicemen at the hospital and then sealed up.^[3]^[4]

The village became a focus for retail development towards the end of the 20th century, and is now one of four designated Town Centres in Thanet.^[5]

Economy

Shopping centres in Westwood include Land Securities' Westwood Cross, and Hammerson's East Kent Retail Park and Westwood Gateway Retail Park.^[6]

Notable residents

Entertainers Kate and Harry Rickards had a country home called "Westwood Lodge" in the village in the early 1900s.^[7]^[8]

References

^ Estimated from Census 2021 parts of Thanet 004E 1,540 and Thanet 014E 1,527
^ National Archives https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/hospitalrecords/details.asp?id=462&page=25
^ Diebelius, Georgia (1 August 2017). "Secret abandoned cave network discovered under Primark". Archived from the original on 17 October 2019. Retrieved 21 August 2022.
^ McDougall, Lauren (6 July 2018). "The story behind those hidden tunnels beneath Primark in Westwood Cross". KentLive. Archived from the original on 1 January 2021. Retrieved 21 August 2022.
^ Thanet Local Plan https://www.thanet.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/LP-adjusted.pdf
^ Building Design News (2009). "CNP Appointed on £4.5M Hammerson Retail Park Project". "CNP project development redevelopment community property developing News 280109". Archived from the original on 7 April 2010. Retrieved 24 April 2010.
^ s.n. (3 September 1909). "Social Items" Archived 10 November 2019 at the Wayback Machine. The Northern Miner, p. 6. Retrieved 17 October 2019.
^ Historic England (2017). "Westwood Lodge. Listed Building 1446506" Archived 17 October 2019 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 17 October 2019.