Trinity Square

Rooms are bathed in the coastal light that filters in through large windows

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This elegant Grade II-listed three-bedroom townhouse is a fine example of late-Georgian architecture in the heart of the Margate Conservation Area. The quietly sophisticated façade of mottled brick, canted bays and sash windows on Trinity Square sets the tone for the considered palette of materials, colour and finishes used in the exacting renovations undertaken by the current owners. To the front are views over the leafy square, and to the rear is a courtyard garden swathed with jasmine and climbing roses. Located in Margate’s Old Town, the house is close to some of the town’s best restaurants and independent shops, and only a few minutes from the coast.

Setting the Scene

Trinity Square sits on the border between Margate’s Old Town and Cliftonville, an area that saw rapid expansion in the 19th century as the coastal town grew to accommodate wealthy holidaymakers. This house is a fine example of the era’s restrained Georgian style, with one-over-one sash windows below unadorned lintels. The primary entrance of the house demonstrates more intricate decoration as the heavy front door sits within a round-headed doorcase of fluted pilasters, moulded architrave and an ornate plaster surround. For more information, please see the History section.

The Grand Tour

At the top of a short set of stone steps is the panelled front door of the house, painted in a Brouns & Co linseed oil paint and set with brass furniture. The door opens to the hallway, where woodwork, dado rails and cornices are painted pale green to complement the raw plastered walls and original pine floorboards. This calming and pared-back palette continues throughout the house.

The hallway opens to a kitchen at the rear of the plan, where a sash window overlooks the rose-planted courtyard garden. The kitchen is composed of timber cabinetry topped with a reclaimed Iroko worktop from Retrouvius and set into the alcoves on either side of a cast-iron fireplace. In the centre of the room, a large kitchen island is set with a Belfast sink and a four-ring induction hob, making an excellent surface for preparing a feast, or pulling up a stool and perusing the morning paper. The kitchen is open to the dining room at the front of the house, an arrangement that makes for a wonderful double-aspect space. A bay window at the front of the house takes in views over Trinity Memorial Gardens.

From the hallway, a staircase ascends to the first-floor landing, which opens to the living room at the front of the plan. The living room occupies the full width of the house and basks in the light that filters through its large windows. On one side is a cast-iron fireplace with a neatly carved surround, while delicate crown moulding tops the space. To the rear of the first floor is a double bedroom with views over the courtyard.

On the second floor are the large primary bedroom with an original built-in wardrobe and the spacious family bathroom. The bathroom is clad in lush green tiles and finished with brass fixtures. A ceramic sink is atop a reclaimed cabinet that chimes with the period origins of the house; a roll-top bathtub sits opposite and is ideal for a long soak on a winter’s day.

The lower-ground floor is home to a further double bedroom at the front and a spacious WC to the rear that has been finished with contemporary birch-ply cabinetry and tiles. From here, there is access to the courtyard garden.

The Great Outdoors

At the rear of the house, a glazed door opens from the kitchen to a bright courtyard garden. A carpet of cobblestones is laid underfoot and vines of jasmine and roses climb over the bounding brick walls. On one side, a raised bed is ideal for planting with climbing flowers or herbs to make a lovely backdrop to an alfresco lunch during the warmer months.

A shed at the back of the garden is useful for keeping pots, tools and seeds.

Out and About

The seaside town of Margate is known for its wonderful creative community and abundance of galleries and contemporary art spaces. It’s home to the Turner Contemporary, named after landscape painter J. M. W. Turner, a brilliant contemporary art space with far-reaching views over the sea and is a less than 10-minute stroll from the house. Gallery Carl Freedman, also less than a 10-minute walk from the apartment, is a newer addition to the art scene, with murmurs of further creative initiatives to follow.

Among the favoured restaurants are Angela’s, a sustainable seafood bistro, and its sister restaurant, Dory’s, a fantastic seafood bar that works closely with Kentish fishermen and independent growers to build its menus. Other much-loved dining spots include Sargasso, Bottega Caruso, Sete and the fabulous brunch haunt, Forts. Pub Rose in June is tucked away and makes a wonderful stop after a walk along the seafront. Little Swift is an excellent choice for cocktails and natural wine and Dive is a must for margaritas and tacos. Independent retailers include clothing shop Werkhaus, Haeckels (a skincare shop with treatment rooms), and the cosy Margate Bookshop. Be sure to visit Dreamland, a vintage theme park with rides, musical acts and a drive-in cinema.

The beachfront is a natural attraction, leading to numerous walks such as the Viking Coastal Trail (an eight-mile hike linking the towns of Ramsgate, Broadstairs and Margate along Kent’s cliffs and beaches). Walpole Bay Tidal Pool is a short walk away and is a perfect spot for a dip. The nearby coastal towns of Broadstairs and Ramsgate are also well known for their array of pubs, restaurants and independent shops, as are Herne Bay and Whitstable, which are slightly further afield.

For more inspiration, why not look to The Modern House’s guide to Margate?

Margate has excellent links to London, with services to London St Pancras in under an hour and a half or London Victoria in one hour and 45 minutes. Canterbury can be reached quickly by car or by train, the latter taking around 30 minutes.

Council Tax Band: C

Please note that all areas, measurements and distances given in these particulars are approximate and rounded. The text, photographs and floor plans are for general guidance only. Inigo has not tested any services, appliances or specific fittings — prospective purchasers are advised to inspect the property themselves. All fixtures, fittings and furniture not specifically itemised within these particulars are deemed removable by the vendor.

History

Margate has a vital role in the history of the seaside holiday as a pioneering location of the concept. The 1750s saw Margate as the home of the first bathing machines, the first Georgian square built in a seaside town, the first development beyond the historic footprint of a coastal town, and the first development created specifically to serve holidaymakers.

As the influx of tourism gained pace throughout the 18th century, Margate was transformed from a small working fishing town into a haven for society, attracting nobility for the ‘season’ in the same fashion as the spa city of Bath. The benefits of the sea air and bathing led to Margate becoming a desirable location to convalesce; The Royal Sea Bathing Hospital – the first of its kind – was opened in 1791.

The town’s proximity to London meant that Margate had already long been at the vanguard of seaside discovery for many living in the city. However, the dawn of the railway in the first half of the 19th century meant that coastal towns further afield suddenly opened up as destinations for wealthy holidaymakers, and Margate faced competition for the first time. Yet its pioneering spirit remained, and when the first trains arrived in Margate in 1846, the town became the first viable holiday destination for lower-middle-class tourists. This brought the concept of a holiday to the masses and drove forward reforms to working standards, such as The Bank Holiday Act of 1871.

The town grew rapidly throughout the 19th century, expanding eastward to the area of Cliftonville. This area was built as a retreat from what had become a bustling and boisterous town centre, boasting its beaches and offering a more sedate pace of holiday. The beaches around Cliftonville remain very popular in part thanks to the Grade II-listed Walpole Bay Tidal Pool constructed in 1937 during the Physical Fitness Campaign, which saw the large-scale building of Lidos and sports facilities. Margate was granted the Government Town Deal fund in 2021, allocated for the future regeneration of Margate and Cliftonville, including the restoration of the Walpole Bay Tidal Pool.

Trinity Square — Margate, Kent
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