Whitstable

Whitstable ( ) is a town in the Canterbury district, on the north coast of Kent, England, at the convergence of the Swale and the Greater Thames Estuary, five miles (eight kilometres) north of Canterbury and two miles (three kilometres) west of Herne Bay. In 2021 it had a population of 32,196. The town, formerly known as Whitstable-on-Sea, was famous for oysters, collected from beds beyond the low water mark from Roman times until the mid-20th century. The annual Whitstable Oyster Festival takes place during the summer. In 1830, the Canterbury and Whitstable Railway, one of the earliest passenger services, opened. In 1832, the company built a harbour and extended the line to handle coal and other bulk cargos for the City of Canterbury. The railway has closed, but the harbour still plays an important role in the town's economy. The railway route is now a cycle path which leads to Canterbury.