The Victoria poet, painter and translator, Dante Gabriel Rossetti (1828-1882), member of the pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, spent most of his life in London, particularly in Cheyne Walk, Chelsea. But for his final few months, from February 4th 1882 to Easter Sunday, April 9th, he lived in Birchington-on-Sea, on the coast of Thanet close to Margate. Here he died, and was buried in the graveyard of the church of All Saints Birchington with a tombstone designed by fellow artist Ford Maddox Brown. Brown had come down to see Rossetti during his final illness, as had Christina Rossetti (1830-1894). She was a fellow poet, still best known for the lines to some of the best known and best loved of hymns such as `In the Bleak Mid-Winter.’
Rossetti had come to this place at the invitation of the architect, John Seddon who he had known since the 1840s and who had commissioned some of his work for projects he was working on. In an historic note for the Birchington Heritage Trust from 2004, the details of this arrangement are set out in some detail (available at http://www.birchingtonheritage.org.uk/articles/rossetti.htm?LMCL=aYoICW). A fellow architect John Taylor had built land along the undeveloped coastal front, where Westgate is. On his death, his business partner Seddon continued the project. Because of the construction of a local railway in 1878, further opportunities for development were offered. A bungalow using prefabricated timber and asphalt in its roofing, and separated from the cliff by some fields, was started in 1877 and completed the following year. It was a large place in the then popular colonial style – six bedrooms, library, lounge, dining room, study – and about an acre of land around it.
Seddon had encouraged Rossetti to come stay at the new house when seeing him in 1881, and understanding that his health was failing. He believed that that the sea air and peace of the new bungalow he had built might be beneficial to him. Rossetti arrived in February of the following year, accompanied by his nurse, Mrs Abrey. The fact that the place was so large meant he could also bring the writer Hall Caine and his 12 year old sister with him to stay. Despite being so gravely ill, it seems that Rossetti did not take much of a liking to the place at first. What saved the situation was the excellent light quality which meant he was able to set up an easel and paint the sea landscape from the house. His mother came to stay with him and look after him on March 2nd , along with his sister Christina.
Friends like Maddox Brown, came to visit, along with his brother in early April. On his death, and burial in the churchyard, the place he had lived for his final days was named Rossetti Bungalow. It was sold to an Irish businessman in 1883, who had interests in tramways, tobacco, cement, mining and meat. On his death in 1930, his daughter resided there till her death in 1952. In 1966, despite a local campaign to try to save the place, Margate Borough Council authorised its demolition. Seven new homes were built on the site. A small blue plaque on the wall of 2, Shakespeare Road commemorates Rossetti’s passing away here.