Within the visitor centre you will be able to find the Pugin and St Augustine education and research information and archives , making this the one place you need to go to find out more about Thanet ’ s fascinating history .
St Augustine was the founder of the Christian Church in southern England , and as such he is one of the most important religious figures when it comes to our great history . The fact that he landed in Thanet makes him all the more interesting , and soon it will be possible to discover as much about the man as the experts can possibly tell us .
Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin also created something – or rather , many things . Instead of building a church ( and a Church ), Pugin was a Victorian architect who is responsible for the gorgeous Gothic Palace of Westminster , and it was Ramsgate that he called home .
The centre will provide facilities for visitors , schools and the local community to learn more about these two ‘ sons of Thanet ’ through teaching sessions , talks and displays . The first exhibition will take place this summer .
Take a look at www . augustine-pugin . org . uk to discover more .
NEW SKILLS : TAKE UP A HOBBY
The New Year is the perfect time to take up a new hobby , and Thanet is the perfect place to find one that will suit you .
Thanet has a wide range of classes to join in with including those at East Kent College ( www . kentadulteducation . co . uk ). Courses at East Kent College include sculpture , clothesmaking , creative writing , stained glass , acrylic and watercolour painting , life drawing , sewing , pottery , silversmithing , photography , computing , Tai Chi , and many more . Clayspace Studio ( http :// clayspace . org . uk ) in Margate is a professional ceramics studio that offers a choice of guided courses or drop-in sessions where you can try your hand at making something wonderful out of clay .
NEW TO YOU
At this time of year , when the weather is a little … damp , and our pockets are a little empty , things that are free and can be enjoyed on a rainy day have to be a bonus . Thanet has a lot of them , and they can all be found at www . visitthanet . co . uk / itinerary-planner .
Examples of free things include Turner Contemporary , the Spitfire and Hurricane
Memorial Museum , the Viking Shop Hugin , Pegwell Bay , coastal walks and cycling . And for rainy days , there is the Petticoat Lane Emporium , the Powell-Cotton Museum , Shell Grotto , the Hornby Visitor Centre , the Ramsgate Tunnels and Dreamland ’ s arcade and roller disco .
NEW TO US
2017 is an exciting year for Thanet with a plethora of upcoming events . Here are just a few of those coming up in February to get you in the mood for trying something new :
Shape Adam Reynolds Memorial Bursary ( 7 Feb – 30 Apr ) www . turnercontemporary . org
Channel Dash 75th Anniversary ( 12 Feb ) Royal Harbour , Ramsgate
Broadstairs Blues Bash ( 17-19 Feb ) www . broadstairsbluesbash . com
Geek ( 17-19 Feb ) www . dreamland . co . uk / www . geek-play . com
Viking Coastal Trail © Explore Kent
Spitfire and Hurricane Memorial Museum
Botany Bay
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