Castles of the British Isles

One of those castles which is not really a castle, the story behind Whitstable Castle (or Tankerton Towers as it has also been known) began in the fifteenth century.

The mineral alum was in high need as it was being used to fix dyes in cloth to prevent the colours from running. Queen Elizabeth I licensed a search for fresh deposits, and one was found in the cliffs at Tankerton. The resulting product was known as 'copperas'.

The first mine opened in 1588 and a good deal of money was made from it. A copperas house was built on the site of today's Wyn Ellis Almshouses on the northern side of Tower Parade (directly in front of the castle grounds).

Other smelting works were built on the site of what is now the bowling green (directly in front of the castle, on the eastern side of Tower Hill), as well as by Whitstable Harbour which was born as a result of this trade, and on the site of the Castle Tea Gardens, immediately north of the bowling green on the northern side of Tower Hill.

The first dwelling to be connected with the copperas works stood between the modern sites of the castle and the bowling green. Tankerton manor (the lands, rather than a specific building) was inherited by Elizabeth Radford of London in 1773. She increased her land holdings and the works and, in 1780, married a London businessman and 'Freeman of the Glovers Company' named Charles Pearson.

He also purchased several copperas works, although the industry was now in decline. Pearson began demolishing the copperas works around 1790 and used the bricks to build an octagonal tower.

The Pearson home became known as the 'Manor House' although little is known of its layout. In 1798 the tower chimney was replaced by a staircase.

By 1820 the Pearsons had five children and were living in Greenwich, but every summer they travelled down to Kent. The manor house was extended to provide extra accommodation, and the family spent the summer of 1821 there, bringing down maids and bedding as they did not own a carriage.

It was now that Charles Pearson embarked on a fresh adventure, involving himself in the proposal for a 'Canterbury and Whitstable Railway' to link Canterbury traders with the harbour. A company was formed with Pearson as one of the owners and main investor, together with notable pioneers of the railway age which included George Stephenson.

The railway was planned to terminate on land which Pearson owned on the eastern side of the harbour, but local opposition meant that the station was built within the harbour grounds (the 'first station' - see 'Railway Walks: Whitstable to Canterbury', in the links below).

Pearson, always eager not to miss an opportunity, turned his station into a hotel. This became the first 'Pearson's Arms'. The building of the railway ran into delays and financial difficulties, and Charles Pearson died in 1828, two years before the railway opened.

His estate was inherited by his son. Charles Pearson Junior, born in 1786. He continued to use the house as a summer residence. The tower became neglected and in need of work, so he sold it to his cousin by marriage, one Wynn Ellis.

Of all its various owners, Wynn Ellis had the most significant impact upon the castle building. Wynn Ellis became the Liberal MP for Hertford, as well as being a magistrate and public figure. But he also kept a mistress, Susan Lloyd, at what was now known as Tankerton Tower.

Wynn Ellis did repair the building though, removing the ivy and laying the foundations for a new west wing and bell tower. This was finished in 1840, and by 1842 he had added North Lodge - which stood where the front car park is - and South Lodge which still exists behind the present toilet block.

Another lodge was added at the main gateway, now home to the Castle Preschool. The estate extended from the Bennells Avenue end of Tankerton to Oxford Street at the other end of Whitstable.

Ellis leased the Pearson's Arms in 1850 for use as a coastguard station, while purchasing more land in the area and adding a conservatory to the tower.

Ellis demolished the Pearson's Arms in 1873 and built the almshouses in memory of his now-late wife, setting up a charitable trust which exists to this day. When he himself died he was laid to rest in an imposing mausoleum on land he had given to All Saints Church on the edge of town (see 'Churches of Whitstable) in the links. This can still be seen on the south-western side of the churchyard.

The estate was bequeathed to Susan Alinda Lloyd, his daughter by his mistress. She became lady of the manor and held an annual manorial court until her death in 1884. Realising the potential of the developing Tankerton resort, the latest owner formed the Tankerton Bay Estate.

A road was built through the grounds and building plots were sold, but the tower and grounds soon had to be mortgaged. For several years the tower was rented out, before being sold in 1897 to Thomas Adams, now under the name of Tankerton Castle.

In 1921 the castle passed into the hands of Mr Albert Mallandain, a paper manufacturer. He and his wife would rent it out as a summer residence, and changes were made to the building. A fine new staircase and extensive additional oak panelling were both added to match original designs.

When Mallandain and his wife retired to their home in Surrey, the castle was purchased by Whitstable Urban District Council, in 1935. Many changes were made to the property. Concerts and dances were held on the site of the tennis courts. The bowling green was opened in 1936, and the gardens were opened to the public in 1948.

Following local government re-organisations in 1972, the castle remained empty until 1975. Then the Whitstable Society formed the 'Castle Centre Association' with the aim of using the castle for the benefit of the people of Whitstable.

The castle was run on an independent basis, with Canterbury City Council remaining as the landlord to maintain the building's exterior. In 2004 a new committee began a complete interior upgrade, also securing KCC 'Approved Venue' status for weddings and civil ceremonies.

This brought in much-needed income to regenerate the castle and enable it to return to its original role as a venue for family celebrations, major local events, and community activities. A heritage lottery grant allowed a new trust to be formed in 2008 to take over the running of the castle and gardens.

Five photos on this page taken by P L Kessler, and three by Janann Blanchard, taken June 2023.