St Margaret-at-Cliffe
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
St Margaret-at-Cliffe is a three part village situated just off the coast road between Deal and Dover in Kent, England. The heart of the village is about two miles from the sea with the residential area of Nelson Park further inland and The Bay area situated along and below the cliffs.
[edit] History
During World War II most of the population were moved out and guns with their attendant military personnel were moved in. Most of the guns were anti-aircraft but there were smaller pieces intended to prevent German shipping from travelling along the French coast. There were two 15 inch guns called "Jane" & "Clem" and there were also the two famous ex-Navy 14 inch guns called "Winnie" and "Pooh". They originally came from the battleship HMS King George V. On one occasion when Winston Churchill was visiting, it is rumoured that that "Winnie" was fired and the officer-in-charge saluted and reported, "A direct hit, Sir". "On what ?" enquired Winston, "Er - France, Sir". There was a wooden dummy of "Pooh" but it obviously did not fool the Germans as legend has it that they dropped a wooden bomb.
Channel swimmers and submarine telephone cables start from here. The cliff above is where the sun is supposed first to reach the UK every morning.
During the war Sir Peter Ustinov was stationed here and liked it so much that he bought a house on the cliffs after the war. The house is now owned by Miriam Margolyes, both have hosted functions to raise funds for our new Village Hall.
At the other end of the beach there are cottages two of which were owned by Noel Coward and Ian Fleming.
[edit] External links
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Dover District in Kent, South East England: |
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Alkham • Ash • Ashley • Aylesham • Barfrestone • Capel-le-Ferne • Coldred • Coombe • Deal • Denton • Drellingore • East Langdon • Eastry • East Studdal • Elvington • Eythorne • Finglesham • Goodnestone • Great Mongeham • Little Mongeham • Guston • Hacklinge • Ham • Hougham without • Kearsney • Kingsdown • Langdon • Lydden • Marley • Martin • Martin Mill • Maxton • Nonington • Northbourne • Preston • Richborough • Ringwould • Ripple • River • Sandwich • Shepherdswell • Sholden • Snowdown • St Margaret-at-Cliffe • Staple • Stourmouth • Sutton by Dover • Temple Ewell • Tilmanstone • Walmer • West Langdon • West Studdal • Whitfield• Wingham • Woodnesborough • Wootton • Worth |
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| The town of Dover List of places in Kent |
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