LONDON, May 30 (Xinhua) -- A British seaside resort, which started life as a fishing village, won official recognition on Thursday for its famous cultural gems.
The town of Ramsgate on the English south coast, 135 km from London, has gained nine new Grade II listings for its heritage sites, as well as one upgrade and several relistings, which were granted by Britain's Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) on the advice of Historic England, a governmental statutory adviser on the historic environment.
The newly listed heritage assets include a 1950s Festival of Britain fountain, an octagonal seafront newspaper kiosk and a former 19th century wine merchants.
The official listings mean the buildings and structures must be preserved, given their historic, architectural and cultural importance.
Duncan Wilson, Historic England's CEO said: "Ramsgate, once a small fishing village, has a wonderfully rich and interesting maritime and seaside resort history that is woven into its buildings, streets and squares. We're delighted to have been able to uncover and shine a light on these places."
Historic England has upgraded the existing official listed status of a grand Edwardian villa, once the home of Dame Janet Stancomb-Wills, the first female mayor of Ramsgate.
A number of places in Ramsgate have also been 'relisted' in light of their newly-recognised significance, including Ramsgate Fire Station, the Royal Victoria Pavilion, and five Pulhamite structures -- a series of artificial large-scale rock formations designed to beautify the seafront, and built in several stages by the council between 1893 and 1936.
"The town was one of the first places in the country to be given Heritage Action Zone status, a scheme led by Historic England that is breathing new life into old places that are rich in heritage, unlocking their potential and making them more attractive to residents, businesses, visitors and investors," Historic England said in a statement on its website.
