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A Brief History
Walmer and its close neighbour Deal are,
today, relatively unspoilt residential seaside towns. However,
they have had a turbulent past - not least the arrival of Julius
Caesar and his legions on Walmer beach in 55BC. the decision
of Henry VIII, fearful of invasion, to build the castles
at Deal, Walmer and Sandown in 1540 and a reputation for smuggling
and the excesses that once went with Deal's role as a major
port and safe anchorage for sailing ships from the 1400s to
the 1800s. To read more.... CLICK
HERE. |
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Important dates
A list of significant dates in the history of Walmer and Deal.
To see it, CLICK
HERE. |
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Deal Memorial Bandstand
Following the IRA bombing of the Royal Marines Barracks in Deal
on 22 September 1989, Deal Round Table asked for ideas for a
suitable memorial. It was suggested a new bandstand should be
built as a living tribute to the 11 musicians who had died.
Thanks to the untiring efforts of a small group of volunteers,
the dream became a reality and the new bandstand held its Opening
Concert and Handing Over Ceremony on 2 May 1993. For the history
of the Memorial Bandstand on Walmer Green in words and photos,
CLICK
HERE. |
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Jubilee Mosaic
HM the Queen's Golden Jubilee Mosaic, was created on Walmer
Green in 2002 as an arts project by three schools in Walmer
parish - The Downs School, The Parochial School and Walmer School
- together with local businesses and residents. For the history
of this community project in words and photos, CLICK
HERE. |
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Deal and Walmer in World War II
During Walmer and Deal's wartime role in what became known as
"Hell Fire Corner", it is estimated 65 local people
were killed by bombs or shells, 59 seriously injured and close
on 200 slightly injured. Some 200 bombs and 100 shells fell
on the town, resulting in destruction or damage to nearly 5,000
properties. To read more about Deal and Walmer in World War
II, CLICK
HERE. |
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Local People's Reminiscences
Local residents' reminiscences and first-hand accounts of significant
past events as well as everyday life in Walmer and Deal. New
contributions are invited. To read more, CLICK
HERE. |
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Upper Walmer - a brief history
The original old village of Walmer is today's Upper Walmer.
It developed around a Manor House and an associated farm and
the Old St Mary's Church, dating from the early 12th century.
By Victorian times the small agricultural community had become
a thriving village with a school, shops, inns, a large brewery
and a convent with a chapel. For a brief history of Upper Walmer,
CLICK
HERE. |
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Upper Walmer in the 1920s and 1930s
Mrs Audrey West was brought up in Walmer in the 1920’s
and '30s. Here she recalls her earliest memories of Upper
Walmer including local shops and businesses, the schools and
churches, the pubs and development of the Hawksdown estate.
For more, CLICK
HERE.
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The Royal Marines
Walmer and Deal have a long and proud association with the Royal
Marines. To read about the area's past military connections
and the more recent conversion of the former barracks into housing,
CLICK
HERE. |
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Nevill Gardens
A brief history of the area around the Nevill Gardens cul-de-sac
at Upper Walmer compiled in September 2005 by local resident
Mike Hirst. To read more, CLICK
HERE.
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Walmer Aerodrome
The flat grassy plateau at Hawkshill Freedown on the southern
edge of Walmer parish was a World War I aerodrome and has
a memorial to the pilots who flew from there and were killed
fighting in France. To read more, CLICK
HERE.
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Walmer in 1890
A detailed walking tour of Walmer Parish in 1890 from the
book “Records of Walmer” by Charles R. S. Elvin.
To read more, CLICK
HERE.
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Photo Album
Photographs and artists' impressions of
Walmer in years past. To open the album, CLICK
HERE.
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Read about Walmer and Deal
For a reading list,
compiled with the help of Kent County Council's Arts and Libraries
Service, CLICK
HERE.
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| Researching Family
History
If you are hoping to trace records of ancestors
who may have lived in Walmer, WalmerWeb has a whole
page of advice and useful web links. CLICK
HERE.
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Links to more local history on other
websites....
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| Please note: WalmerWeb
is not responsible for the content of external websites. |
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