A historic bathing pool dating back to the 1930s has been given a Grade II-listed rating.

The pool at the west end of Margate Main Sands beach was given the grading by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on the advice of Historic England.

While swimming is no longer permitted at the pool, it is an important feature on Margate’s coastline, which the listing will aim to protect and maintain for future generations.

The man-made pool fills naturally as the tide comes in and was originally designed to give the public easier access to seawater swimming, as at low tide the shoreline can be more than 200m away.

Margate is thought to be the only town in England home to two purpose-built tidal pools from this era.

It joins the nearby Walpole Bay tidal pool, already listed at Grade II, on the National Heritage List for England.

It is also opposite the Victorian Nayland Rock shelter, which is also Grade II-listed, where TS Eliot likely composed part of his famous poem 'The Waste Land'.

Both tidal pools were built in 1937 and are ambitious feats of structural engineering.

The scale and weight of the concrete blocks used are impressive, especially considering that the work to put them in place would have been carried out throughout the day and night in accordance with the tide.

Today, swimming and diving aren’t permitted as the pool has an uneven depth which constantly changes with the tides but nearby Walpole Bay tidal pool remains a popular swimming spot.

Tim Horne, Historic England listing adviser, said: “The Great British seaside is a national institution, and for Margate locals, these pools are a source of pride.

“This recent listing celebrates and provides protection to this important structure.

“Tidal pools such as these illustrate the significance of the seaside in British culture and heritage.”

Cllr Rick Everitt, leader of Thanet District Council (TDC) and portfolio holder for planning, said: “Grade II-listed status ensures a certain level of protection for heritage buildings and structures, and I am pleased that the historical significance of both Margate’s Tidal Pool and the Walpole Bay Tidal Pool has been recognised.”

Cllr Steve Albon, cabinet member for coastal and cleansing at TDC said: “Margate is a much-loved seaside resort with a long tradition of sea-bathing.

“Though members of the public are not permitted to swim or dive in the pool now, for important safety reasons, the tidal pool is a really impressive focal point on the beach.”

Margate’s rich history dates to the 18th century when sea bathing first grew in popularity.

Following the publication of Dr Richard Russell’s The Use of Sea Water in 1753, people from all around the country flocked to the British seaside to partake in the act of sea-bathing and enjoy the coast’s believed health benefits.

Kent’s coastline quickly emerged as a popular destination, with Margate leading the way as the first to offer its visitors innovations such as the world’s first sea-bathing hospital as well as bathing machines with canvas modesty hoods.

These roofed wooden carts on wheels would be rolled into the sea so that sea-bathing etiquette might be followed by ‘respectable’ men and women.

By the 1930s, sea-bathing was still common practice among those seeking to improve their health.

During this interwar period, sea-bathing continued as a popular remedy for a variety of ills, and Margate continued to grow as a seaside town – between 1901 and 1939 the population grew from 26,734 to 36,742.

As structural engineering improved, so did the sea-bathing facilities available.

Although the Royal Sea Bathing Hospital had an indoor seawater pool for use during the winter months, the construction of both tidal pools further increased the sea bathing opportunities and accommodated the large number of visitors.

The two new tidal pools were intended to make it possible for large numbers of people to bathe in the sea no matter the tide.

Although positioned at opposite ends of the town, the two pools were designed as a functional pair to improve Margate’s sea-bathing facilities at the peak of the English seaside’s popularity.