Sherlockian Sojourns #2: Whitstable

Whitstable, a seaside town on the north coast of Kent, does not feature in the Sherlock Holmes canon (unless it was this part of the Kent coast that ‘the famous observer’, J. G. Wood was swimming off when he encountered Cyanea Capillata, recording the encounter in his book 'Out of Doors', the reading of which inspired Holmes to the true solution of “The Lion’s Mane”). So why is it forming the second of this year’s ‘Sherlockian Sojourns’ ?

The answer is provided by the first place of interest encountered by myself on arrival, namely ‘The Peter Cushing Public House’.

Cushing played Holmes on both film and TV (including starring in two versions of the legendary ‘The Hound of the Baskervilles’), as well as being Grand Moff Tarkin in ‘Star Wars’, the Movie Dr. Who, and a Hammer Films regular. In 1959 (the year, he first appeared as Holmes, in the Hammer HOUND), he bought a seafront home in Whitstable, where he had been a regular visitor for many years. He lived there with his wife until her death in 1971. Cushing then continued living there until his death in August 1994 at the age of 81, pursuing his hobby of bird-watching whilst in retirement and writing his two autobiographies. However, it being too early for a drink (or even lunch), I crossed the road to the Whitstable Museum & Gallery. 

The Museum features a permanent exhibit on Cushing, instigated following his death in 1994. The display (where photos were not allowed) included a number of his personal effects, such as a suit jacket, his make-up bag, a Sherlock Holmes business card, and his personal headed notepaper (but unfortunately not the slippers that he wore as Grand Moff Tarkin when his feet were not in shot, which had been part of the original exhibit). I then listened to audio memories of Cashing, and on my way out I purchased 'Peter Cushing's Whitstable: An Illustrated Tour' (adding a few extra stops to those on one I had downloaded) and 'Peter Cushing: A Celebration', an illustrated guide to Cushing's career.

Leaving the museum, I set out on my tour, listening to Cushing reading stories from ‘The Return of Sherlock Holmes’.

First port of call was the former site of 'Keeler's', the newsagent who delivered Cushing's Daily Telegraph, now named the 'Windy Corner General Store'. One day, Cushing bought a box of Black Magic chocolates, asking that the price tag be removed. The owner, Steve Keeler, rightly guessed that they were intended as a gift, observing that nobody buys chocolates for themselves. Cushing's instant retort was 'Elementary, my dear Watson!'

Moving along Island Walk, I encountered 'Journey's End' (named for the play), a bungalow which was built in what was once the Cushing's garden.

Walking down a gravel path to the sea-wall, next was the main attraction, Cushing’s home for thirty-five years, 3 Seaway Cottages. This house unusually features high windows on the top floor, which provided both perfect light and perfect views for Cushing's other great passion, painting. It was also close to the sea, providing his ill wife, Helen, with fresh sea air (it was for a similar reason that ACD moved to Hindhead in Surrey in an attempt to improve the ill health of his wife, ‘Touie’). The house is pretty much as it would have been in Cushing’s time, and has a blue plaque commemorating its former owner on its front wall.

Moving along the seafront, alongside the beach where Cushing enjoyed swimming and painting, I made a slight detour to Oyster Cottage, where the Cushings had stayed in the early 1950’s before moving to Whitstable permanently.

Returning to the seafront, I reached ‘Cushing’s View’, the spot where Cushing could often be found in the later years of his life, sitting on the harbour wall, looking out to sea and the activities of the harbour. In the 1990’s , the spot was officially renamed in his honour, and a locally-made groynes bench was installed, which had previously been sited in the Cushings’ garden and donated to the town in 1992. The bench is a two-seater rather than the more common four-seater, as Cushing had thought that two lovers should always have a place to sit together. Due to there being an ice-cream van close by, I had to bide my time to sit on the bench, as family after family sat down to eat their '99s.

It was time for lunch, and so I returned via Horsebridge Road and the High Street, to ‘The Peter Cushing Public House’. Opening in 1912, the building was originally ‘The Oxford Picture Hall’, being extended in 1936 as ‘The Oxford Cinema’. Cushing attended the cinema with his wife and secretary several times. It later became a bingo hall, before falling into disrepair, then being refurbished and reopening as ‘The Peter Cushing’ in July 2011. Inside I was surrounded by photos of Cushing (including one in a Deerstalker), movie posters and some of his watercolours, as I chomped away on a gammon steak.

Retracing my steps, I walked down Harbour Street, passing 'Herbert's Cycles' which Cushing a keen cyclist often frequented, and the butchers which Helen always used, now renamed 'Jim's', from 'GH Theobald'. Next was St. Alphege Church, one of the churches attended by Cushing. Further along was 'The Black Dog' (which doesn't have a Cushing connection, but reminded me of HOUND).

 

Passing 'Woolleys' where Cushing bought his Grand Moff slippers, and finding that 'Hatchards' where he bought his clothes was now a 'Costa Coffee', I reached 'The Tudor Tea Rooms’. It was here that Cushing ate lunch every day (save Wednesdays when to his annoyance it was closed) after the death of his wife, having a favoured table behind a pillar. Even when too ill to attend in person, his secretary would pick up his lunch (his favourite being roast potatoes). He also spent time there sketching and painting.

Moving on, I reached 'John Kemp Funeral Directors' which organised Cushing's funeral, and two other establishments frequented by Cushing, 'VC Jones Fish & Chips' and 'Geoff Laurens Antiques', before popping back to 'Cushing's View' to look out to sea, and watching the RNLI lifeboat being launched..

Retracing my steps. I returned to 'The Tudor Tea Rooms', where I sat at the table with a tribute plaque on the infamous pillar, having a scone with cream and jam.

I then slowly made my way back to Whitstable Station, catching a train back to London Victoria, and then on home to plan a further expedition for the next day.