About St Saviour's

The church of St Saviour's was built as part of the Victorian development of the Westgate-on-Sea estate and was consecrated in July 1884. Now, more than 130 years on, it sits at the heart of Westgate-on-Sea on the north coast of Kent.

The Parish of Westgate-on-Sea

Westgate-on-Sea is a small town (population 6996 in 2011 census) on the north coast of the Isle of Thanet in the County of Kent.

It has two wide, cliff-fringed, sandy bays with blue flag bathing, and its sea front is unspoiled by shops or amusements.

It lies two miles west of Margate and two miles east of Birchington. It is fifteen miles from Canterbury and seventy miles from London and is bisected by the A28 road from Canterbury to Margate.

There is a good rail service to London and a frequent bus service to Canterbury and to the Thanet towns. Westgate-on-Sea is within easy reach of the channel ports.

The town, which dates only from the mid-nineteenth century, has expanded considerably since 2000.

Although there are still many Victorian and Edwardian houses remaining, there has been much new building, including two McCarthy and Stone Retirement Complexes and a large “estate”, St Augustine’s Park, of up-market houses on the south side of the town. However there are some areas of social deprivation.

Many of the new flats and those in converted properties are second homes; some are bought by owners intending to retire to Westgate-on-Sea later. Others have bought them for use by their extended families for weekends and holidays.

There is a large number of one bedroom flats in converted properties which are let, and some social housing in the southern part of the town.

The town has a good selection of small shops and restaurants, many family-run, with two pharmacies, a Post Office, doctors’ surgery, dentist, opticians, library, and cinema.

Westwood Cross Shopping Centre and Hartsdown Leisure centre are a short drive away, as is the Crematorium. The Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother A&E Hospital and the Pilgrims’ Hospice are at Margate.

There is not much employment in the town apart from in the retail and commercial sectors and in education, but many Westgate-on-Sea people are employed in Thanet in the nearby towns in the NHS, Local Government and in business. Some work in Canterbury or commute to London.

Education in the parish is provided at all levels, from the Piggy Bank Nursery and community playgroups, through St Crispin’s infant school, St Saviour’s C of E Junior School, Chartfield Independent primary school and the Ursuline College.

Secondary education, including some grammar schools and St Georges C of E School, is provided in Thanet and further education at Thanet College and the Broadstairs Campus of Christ Church Canterbury University.

The Church Organisation

St Saviour's is part of the Seamarsh Group in the Deanery of Thanet within the Diocese of Canterbury.

The Seamarsh Group is the Church of England in Acol, Birchington, Minnis Bay, Chislet, Minster, Monkton, St Nicholas-at-Wade and Westgate-on-Sea.

The Deanery of Thanet comprises 26 churches across Thanet, in Margate, Ramsgate, Broadstairs and those in the Seamarsh Group.

Canterbury Diocese, the oldest diocese in England, stretches from Maidstone to Thanet, the Isle of Sheppey to the Romney Marsh and includes 334 churches in 247 parishes, along with 103 church schools.

Read more about the Canterbury Diocese