The Isle of Thanet, in the extreme south-east of the county of Kent, consists of the resort towns of Ramsgate, Broadstairs, Margate, and Westgate; the villages of Birchington, Minster, Monkton, Manston, and St Nicholas-at-Wade; and the hamlets of Acol and Sarre. This last named is famous for its Cherry Brandy House, as the Crown Inn is known locally.

In the eighth century six hundred yards of water separated Thanet from the mainland. With the gradual silting up of the Wansum Channel it has not been a true island for centuries; with global warming, all that could change.

There is no truth in the scurrilous rumour (probably started by Thanetians!) that the name Thanet comes from thanatos, the Greek for death. It was originally Tenet; the accepted meaning is 'bright island', or 'fire island' (cf Welsh tân (fire)). The name probably had its origin in the beacons lit to guide shipping.

The island was once extensively wooded, as some of its place names indicate: Birchington (farmstead near a hill where birch trees grow), Acol (oak thicket), Woodchurch (church in a wood). Today most of its woodlands have gone, but I find the bleak landscape curiously compelling.

Artist J M Turner said that "the loveliest skies in Europe are over the Isle of Thanet." Certainly we have some wonderful sunsets.

Here are some more facts about the island, courtesy of the Thanet edition of Adscene:

George Bernard Shaw once applied for the job of assistant lighthouse keeper at the North Foreland lighthouse. He was turned down because of inexperience.

Charles Dickens completed many of his novels in Broadstairs, including Pickwick Papers, Oliver Twist, and The Old Curiosity Shop. His favourite home, Fort House, overlooks Viking Bay and is today known as Bleak House.

Benjamin Beale, a Margate Quaker, invented the bathing machine.

Vincent Van Gogh taught languages at a private school at 6, Royal Road, Ramsgate.

Westgate was the first place in England to test electric street lighting.