Greatstone is located on the coast south-east of New Romney and due south of Littlestone. Greatstone-on-Sea was one of the original stations on the Romney Hythe and Dymchurch railway, but the anticipated development of the town did not occur, and the station eventually closed in the mid 1970s.
My memories of Greatstone were of a great little restaurant that we visited many times when we were staying at the Motel at St Mary’s Bay in the late 1970s and early 1980s – Tony’s Restaurant – on Coast Drive, Greatstone. Below is an advert for the restaurant from a 1971 St Nicholas Church, New Romney, Parish magazine:
Parish magazine extract, 1971
I visited again in the year 2000 and took a couple of photos. I remember they did great taramasalata!
Tony’s Restaurant in 2000 (still has the same phone number)
I recall on a few occasions sitting in this area as a kid, looking out to sea, on a balmy summer’s evening. A great location for a restaurant.
Bay window overlooking the beach at Greatstone
Went into it many a time.
Tony married a ‘Paine’ and ran the restsaurant of that name situated in The Avenue near to the RH&DR station before setting up on his own.
Always good food, polite and a good memory for past ‘regulars’.