MARGATE

Margate has been popular with visitors for generations, and the reasons are easy to see. It's packed with things to do, whether it's a lazy picnic in Marine Gardens, a day out at Dreamland Theme Park, fun and games along the amusement-packed seafront or simply stretching out on the sands - there's something for everyone, whatever your taste.

Quex House & Gardens

BIRCHINGTON
Tel: (01843) 842168
Fax: (01843) 846661

Wander through the period rooms of P.H.G. Powell-Cotton's mansion, Quex House, the only stately home in Thanet, with its superb woodcarving and panelling, beautiful plasterwork and an air of mellow maturity. The rooms are arranged much as they were in his lifetime and contain fine 17th and 18th century English furniture and many family treasures. The unique Chinese Imperial porcelain collection, however, has been moved into its own gallery in the Powell-Cotton Museum as have the English and Continental porcelain collections. This purpose-built museum, adjoining the Mansion, now extends to nine large galleries; here Powell-Cotton created huge dioramas showing 500 African and Asian animals, mostly mounted by Rowland Ward, in scenes re-creating their natural habitats. He assembled the world's finest collection of African ethnography gathered on his 28 expeditions, and displayed it at Quex, together with superb weapons collections, cannon, local archaeological material and out-standing fine arts from many countries of the Orient. Enjoy the Pleasure Gardens and see the Victorian Walled Kitchen Garden, which has recently been restored to its present splendour.