IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Priory Mews, BIRCHINGTON, CT7 9EE

This small garden centre on Albion Road is owned by a lady called Garnett, who also provides flowers for coffins, as well as other coffin decorations such as placards, garlands and bouquets. Sadly, the business closed down at the beginning of this year (2009) - it is currently unoccupied, but I'm sure some other business will take it over soon. Garnett now works in a trinket shop on nearby Station Road. I took this image, however, for the delightful lamp post in the garden centre (probably dating to the 1950s), which I believe is a tungsten "open" lantern (the lantern has no bowl, which allows tungsten lamps to shine freely down onto the road below). The lamp post is still standing today, despite the business' closure. View taken from the nearby car park for Brills (a DIY centre next door), looking west-southwest.

On Alpha Road, close to town centre.

Shops and other premises at The Square, Birchington.

Seen from Station Road.

The Smugglers Restaurant at number 212 Canterbury Road was built in the late 17th century. Constructed of brown brick with red brick dressings under a tile roof with shaped Dutch gables. Listed, grade II, with details at: https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1203373 Birchington-on-Sea is a seaside village some 7 miles east of Herne Bay and some 3½ miles west of Margate. There is evidence of occupation from the Iron Age. As a resort, the village has a tourism based economy, with hotels, caravan parks and leisure attractions. Many retirees make the village their home.

Named after the Powell family that lived in Quex House, this pub is situated on the corner of Station Road and Canterbury Road. Canterbury Road can be seen in the foreground.

On Albion Road.

This well can be found dead opposite Birchington Roundabout and is only just about inside the bottom-left hand area of the square. The well's cup, so I'm told, was originally still attached to it, but perhaps somebody clambered over the low railings and stole it. The lantern at the top of the well is unlit at night, so perhaps it is more of an ornamental feature rather than an illuminator - I didn't look to see if there was still a lamp in it. This view was taken looking strictly north, more or less parallel with my shot of All Saints Church from Albion Road.

On the Square, roundabout junction on the A25 Canterbury Road and Birchington High Street (heading left).

As seen in Image The sign shows sailors (presumed smugglers, as there was no port) unloading cargo close to Reculver Towers. Birchington was first recorded in 1240 as Birchenton, a name derived from the Old English words 'bircen tun', meaning a farm where birch trees grow. The shield also shows the three half-lion/half boats of the Coat of arms for Cinque Ports.