Public Art Trail
Trail Map route includes : Courtstairs Park Fairy Garden | Hands & Molecule sculpture (David Barnes) | Lift Art (Lee Nichols/Robert Onion) | Vincent Van Gogh bust (Anthony Padgett) | Little Kraken | Upholstered Brick 3-Piece Suite (Rodney Harris) | Harbour Bar Lighthouse Facade | Abbott’s Hill Murals | Destiny (Gilbert Bayes) | Kent (Pugin) Steps | Peters Fish Factory Mural | Standing with Giants silhouettes | WHEE! by Mooch | Apollo and Daphne sculptures@Royal Victoria Pavilion | Augusta (Rainbow) Steps | E.W. Pugin bust (Owen Hale) | Montifiore Arms Mural (Dani Flowerdew) | and a Trail extension that incorporates the Ramsgate Raven Trail | Ramsgate Train Station Murals | wooden sculptures@Ellington Park | Starry Night wall art.
Images from Public Art Trail (chine to chine).
Here in Ramsgate, we love a walk or three and with our ever growing creative community we’ve got ourselves a public art trail which takes you from west to east or vice versa, either way, you are guaranteed to enjoy discovering these little gems stretching from chine to chine!
If we start from the west side of town, you will be transported into the Courtstairs Park Fairy Garden where you will spot the little painted doors and maybe even find some painted rocks. If you are lucky enough to find one, take a pic, upload it onto Thanet Rock Hunters Facebook page and then rehide! If you are totally in love with your find, you can keep it but still post about it as the artist loves to be thanked! Whilst you’re there, you may also spot the container shed, spray painted by the incredible graffiti artist, Vince Pugh – you can follow him on ‘vinceagramm’ to see more of his artwork!
Head east along the West Cliff Promenade for approximately 400 metres when you will come across the Hands and Molecule Sculpture which was installed in 2000, sculpted by British artist, David Barnes (1942-2021), commissioned by Sustrans to mark the opening of the National Cycle Network (route 15 Viking Coastal Trail) and funded by Pfizer who at that time, had a significant sized base in nearby Sandwich. This 2.5 metre bronze is a remarkable piece that celebrates scientists and their discoveries and was ahem, ‘erected’ two years after Pfizer released their little blue pills into the world!
Another 400 metres and you will come across artwork by Lee Nicholls on the upper level and Robert Onion and Lee Nicholls artwork on the ground level of this now, defunct Art Deco lift.
Continue along the West Cliff Promenade until you reach Paragon Promenade. Spencer Square is on your left and it is here where you will find the Vincent van Gogh bust nestled in the courtyard. It was gifted to the town in 2019 by Anthony Padgett . Anthony spent a year delving into the life of Vincent van Gogh in 2017 and created seven of these award winning busts and donated them to various locations around Europe and the UK where Vincent spent time living in. Our bust is finished in bronze but each one has been cast in a different medium. Note the base of the bust where you can see a revolver, pipe, paintbrush and paints.
Make your way back to the coastal road (Paragon and Paragon Promenade) and head 500 metres into the town centre into York Street, on the right hand side, half way up York Street, look up to see the ‘little kraken’ signage designed for the Little Kraken Restaurant (best viewed from across the road). The art work which extends to the restaurant windows is classed as signage but it’s just too distinctive not to include on the Art Trail. The Art (and the restaurant) ties heavily into maritime lore and local pirate-themed community imagery.
Head back down York Street and go through the arch into Albert Court, where you will find the Upholstered Brick 3-Piece Suite created by Rodney Harris and commissioned by Thanet District Council in 2000. The installation was funded by Arts Council England and SEEDA, and was a finalist in the Rouse Kent Public Art Award.
Head north into town for approximately 100 metres, past the Harbour Bar which has a striking lighthouse facade (designed by Jan Kattein Architects) and on to Kings Street, turn up onto Abbot’s Hill steps.
The artwork here was produced by several local artists including Gill Cleaver, Janie Grout and Anthony Thorne (who also paints incredibly detailed rocks for lucky people to find!) and all the work is inspired by Ramsgate’s history. The panels on the left have been completed by East Kent College students who were inspired by Pugin’s ‘Floriated Designs’.
Continue straight ahead and into Albion Place Gardens, approximately 100 metres until you reach Destiny, on Madeira Walk. This Grade II listed memorial is set in a flowerbed in Albion Place Gardens. The statue, is made from Roach bed Portland stone and was sculpted by Gilbert Bayes RA (1872 – 1953), adapted from Anatkh (Destiny).
Destiny was installed in 1920 to commemorate the animals that served in WWI, and funded by wealthy landowner who later became mayor of Ramsgate (1923-24), Dame Janet Stancomb Wills. The purple poppy symbolises those animals that died in war, hence the purple flowers surrounding Destiny, planted by the volunteers who tend to Albion Place Gardens.
Next up, approximately 40 metres on the other side of the road to Destiny is Kent Steps, travel down the 32 steps and then turn around to look at the tiles! These tile designs were created by local students from Royal Harbour Academy and Chatham and Clarendon Grammar School. The average age of the students was 13 – the same age as Pugin when he took up his first draftsman apprenticeship. The students studied Pugin and his tile designs before creating their own version, inspired by his work. The tiles were installed in March 2020 following a year-long project funded by Historic England, and there is an information board explaining a bit more about the initiative at the top of the steps and at the end of Kent Place. Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin (1812 – 1852) spent the last 10 years of his life living in Ramsgate and you can visit his home, The Grange. and St Augustine’s Church next door in St. Augustine’s Road. Pugin designed churches all over the world but he referred to this one as ‘his child’ which considering he had eight children in his short life is quite a statement! You can check out Pugin’s Trail via the Useeum App or via The Pugin Society’s website.
Head down Kent Place from Kent (Pugin) Steps that lead to the harbour, look up to see the mural: first commissioned by Peter’s Fish Factory in 1988 and painted by Berni Johnson. The artwork had deteriorated due to exposure to the elements and in the summer of 2011, Mike Samson (from the former York Street Gallery) was asked to repaint it which involved stripping the original right back, priming and then recreating the original piece with a different colour palette.
Turn right and head towards the Ramsgate Royal Harbour, where you will find the Standing with Giants silhouettes, a Tommy soldier and a range of silhouettes representing the RNLI, a civilian skipper, evacuees, WVS and a naval skipper. These silhouettes were installed on the quayside in Ramsgate, to commemorate the Dunkirk evacuations (Operation Dynamo), and to honour the town of Ramsgate during the 1940s, recognising the resilience of the local community and the vital role the town played during the war.
Leave the quayside behind and walk toward the East Pier. Look for the public toilet block to discover WHEE!, a striking mirror installation by Mooch. Playfully nodding to traditional seaside attractions, these giant curved letters will stretch, shrink, and flip your reflection upside down. Don’t leave without taking a selfie—tag your photos with #WHEE on Instagram!
Next head towards the main sands to check out the silver painted, life-sized reclining sculptures either side of the front dome at the entrance to Papa’s Fish & Chips. These sculptures on the Royal Victoria Pavilion have sat on the Grade II listed building since 1904. It is believed that the sculptures are of Apollo and Daphne, the ill-fated lovers from Greek mythology.
Walk another 100 metres along the lower promenade (Marina Esplanade) towards Ramsgate Tunnels where you will see the Rainbow Steps (officially called Augusta Steps). Back in 2014, Ramsgate Town Team put a call out to paint the steps and 30 volunteers across Thanet turned up to complete the project in 2 days. The local schools also created artwork with the theme ‘Colours in Ramsgate’ to complement each landing. In 2017, the team refreshed the steps and added new artwork from the infants and junior schools in Ramsgate.
Climb the 120 steps, or walk up the hill and at the top, turn right onto the East Cliff Promenade for approximately 60 metres. Directly opposite Granville House (formerly the Granville Hotel), you will find the Memorial bust of Edward Welby Pugin, accomplished architect and son of Augustus Pugin.
The bust is made out of marble and sits on a granite pedestal. The sculptor, Owen Hale created the bust in 1879, he was a popular sculptor in the 1870s according to the Royal Academy of Arts. The inscription reads “In memory of Edward Welby Pugin, the gifted and accomplished son of Augustus Welby Pugin, one of England`s greatest architects : born 11th March, 1834, died 5th June, 1875. This bust was erected by Edmund Francis Davis in 1879.” Edmund Davis purchased the then Granville Hotel in 1875.
We hope you enjoyed this trail of a variety of public artworks and if the Grade II listed, Tollgate Kiosk or The Granville Theatre’s Cafe Coast is open, I think you have earned a snack and a cuppa!
If you fancy something stronger you can continue along the East Cliff Promenade and head inland, turn right into Thanet Road, left into Hereson Road and left again into Trinity Place, where you will find the Montifiore Arms with it’s colourful abstract mural by Dani Flowerdew that references the local landscape and Gadds Brewery Beer.
Rebekah Smith
Town Promoter on behalf of Ramsgate Town Council
Distance information
Chine to chine route is approximately 2.5kms. Approximately 5.5kms if the trail extension is included.
Trail extension
Trail Map : Ramsgate Ravens | Ramsgate Train Station Murals | wooden sculptures@Ellington Park | Starry Night wall art
You can combine the Public Art Trail with The Ramsgate Raven Trail to see even more of the town.
The Ramsgate Raven Trail
The Ramsgate Raven Trail is a free, interactive art walk featuring eight large, brightly coloured fibreglass raven statues. The trail functions as a creative wayfinding initiative to boost high street footfall and connect different parts of Ramsgate.
The concept stems from Ramsgate’s historical connection to ravens. Local youth groups (including Ramsgate Sea Cadets, Ramsgate Sea Scouts, Newington Chill Club, Pie Factory Music, and the HSHAZ Youth Council) submitted winning design ideas for the birds. The final fibreglass structures feature distinct silver eyes and a pulhamite rock effect base. They were meticulously brought to life and painted by local artists Elinor Seath and Carson Parkin-Fairley.
Ramsgate Raven Trail leaflet, Images of the Ramsgate Ravens .
There a Raven Map too. Click here to download the Rammy the Raven Map.
The Ramsgate Raven Trail officially starts at Ramsgate Station, where visitors can spot the first resident raven statue and explore a connecting walkway and subway lined with vibrant murals celebrating local heritage.
The Wildflower Raven is in Ellington Park, (this is a mobile raven, when the Ellington Park Cafe closes, this raven returns to its nest).
In Ellington Park you will also find a series of wooden sculptures. The sculptures were created in 2014 by Steven Andrews, Tribal Animal Chainsaw Carving using old tree stumps and include birds, animals and a soldier.
Images of wooden sculptures@Ellington Park
Leave the park via one of the Ellington Road exits and follow Ellington Road down to Elms Avenue. The wall art based on Vincent Van Gogh’s Starry Night is at the junction with Chapel Place in Tomson’s Passage.
Bus information
The Thanet Loop bus which runs every 8 to 10 minutes can take you to/from Ellington Park (Ashburnham Road is nearest stop).
Public Art Trail
(combined with The Ramsgate Raven Trail)
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