Hampton-on-Sea: Busy British seaside town that sank into the sea | UK | News

A beautiful little seaside town in Britain hides a tragic history beneath its barren surface. A deserted strip of land visible only at low tide, Hampton Pier was once a centre of significant activity.

Hampton-on-Sea, now part of the Hampton area of ​​Herne Bay, began as a small fishing village in 1864 and developed into a thriving village.

The park was originally created by an oyster fishing company and was further expanded in 1879 thanks to real estate agents.

However, by 1916 the village was abandoned and eventually succumbed to coastal erosion, disappearing completely by 1921.

Today, all that remains of Hampton-on-Sea on the north Kent coast is a narrow strip of land that also serves as a pier, reports Kent Live.

The coast is now peaceful and deserted, with no buildings or people. The seaside town of Herne Bay has since developed nearby and remains a popular tourist destination.

The last traces of the Herne Bay, Hampton and Reculver Oyster Fishery Company were the terraced houses along the pier.

Opposite stood the Hampton Oyster Inn (now The Hampton Inn), which still reminds us of the once bustling settlement.

In the 1890s, Hampton-on-Sea was threatened by the approaching sea and residents knew that time was running out.

This reached a dramatic point during the 'Great Storm of 1897', when huge waves damaged buildings in Hernecliffe Gardens and brought the sea dangerously close.

Coastal erosion, exacerbated by the soft clay on the North Kent coast and the pier blocking the movement of pebbles, has made the area increasingly vulnerable.

When the buildings were abandoned or sank into the sea, the last remaining buildings were the terraced houses where the oyster workers lived.

Hernecliffe Gardens disappeared between 1909 and 1911 when the council demolished the buildings before they fell victim to the sea. Eddington Gardens, further inland, suffered the same fate.

By 1916, Hampton-on-Sea was completely abandoned and by 1921 the town had sunk into the sea.