Sunday 26 November 2017

Sunday Snap – The oyster town

oyster town
We were in Whitby for last week's Sunday Snap of the explorer. I asked who the 18th century adventurer was and the answer is

Captain James Cook

Sailing the seven seas with the right answer were Susan and Soma.

This week we have gone down to the north Kent coast. Since Roman times 'Native Oysters' have been collected from sea beds around this area. The town was listed in the Doomsday Book in 1086 with a number of manors listed. By 1574 a Royal Patent was issued to the owner of the now single manor for the right to fish the oyster beds. Oysters continued to be harvested with the oyster beds being sold in 1793 to the Company of Free Fishers and Dredgers. The Victorians loved the combination of seafood and seaside and the town's economy thrived. However after years of underinvestment, pollution, disease and bad weather after the Second World War the oyster population declined to the state that no more oysters were able to be collected.

In recent years there has been a revival in the fortunes of the Native Oysters as producers in the local area have set up new hatcheries. This has been successful to the extent that the local Native Oysters have been granted Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status. Oysters still play an important part in the life of the town. Oyster shells from the various bars and restaurants that line the shoreline are piled high. Each July, traditionally the time when the oyster season ends, there is the Oyster Festival which starts with the 'Landing of the Catch'. This week's question is

What is the name of the Kent oyster town?


We were joined last week by Susan who started the week with a wedding and chicken pox in the house. Kara has been getting in the mood for Christmas at Marwell with plate decorating and looking for Santa. With quills, music and books Soma has been getting creative with some artistic themed quilts. For Anne it was a look back to a line in the sea.

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Sunday Snap

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4 comments:

  1. I’m sure that’s whitstable. I was in hospital in Kent for 5 weeks & got out for a bit at the weekends, so found out lots about the place x

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  2. I think it is Whitstable :)

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  3. Noooooo...... You came to my home town and I didn't get to meet you! I live in Whitstable!!!!! 5 minutes walk from the harbour. So sorry to have missed you xx

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    Replies
    1. We travel around the country so much that I always seem to be missing people! I would have loved to pop in and see you.

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