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Deal, enjoy its narrow lanes stretching down to the shingle beach, visit the Maritime Museum or stroll along the pier. Deal TownIn 1539, during war with France, Henry VIII built three castles at Walmer, Deal and Sandown. A small fishing village grew up on the shore between the Castles and became the bustling port of Deal. Sandown Castle was destroyed by the sea but Deal and Walmer Castles are now maintained by English Heritage.
The infamous Goodwin Sands are just a few miles offshore and while they caused countless shipwrecks, they also provided a natural harbour, “the Downs”, between the town and the sands. During the 1700’s as many as a thousand sailing ships could be anchored in The Downs.
The Timeball Tower opened in 1853 to give accurate time to ships in “the Downs”. It was restored and opened as a museum in 1985. |
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| Traditional Fishing Boats |
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| Promenade and Time Ball |
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Deal was famous for boatbuilding, its luggers and galleys prized by mariners all over the world. No luggers survive today but an original galley can be seen in the Deal Maritime and Local History Museum in St George’s Road. |
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