A square of cottages built in 1858 for coastguards on site of 1811 Government cement factory (using Roman cement from the local Beacon Cliff). Later used as Army Married Quarters until 1972 when they became council owned properties.
Angelgate is also home to the harbour board office and control tower for the Harwich Harbour VTS Service. The office is the boarding station for pilots engaged in Harwich Harbour, Port of London and Medway pilotage areas.
The earliest record is a reference to a County Minute Book entry from 1861, stating that land owned/leased is situated ‘at the Angel Gate on the east side of town by the Watergate’. There is a 1732 chart of Harwich harbour showing Angel Gate off the land by current location. The Angel Slipway is shown on 1811 survey map of the town. This is the eastern slipway and a beer house is likely to be found near a shipyard and working waterfront.
This station replaced the earlier service located in the Low Lighthouse (Now the Maritime Museum.)It is situated between the Lifeboat Museum and the Angelgate. The Harwich Town Sailing Club is to the right. To the seaward side of the Harwich Harbour Board office is the Harbourmasters Pier with it’s collection of fast pilot launches, survey vessels, buoy tenders and fishing vessels. An anchor and rock presented to the Harwich Harbour Board by Westminster Dredging Company on completion of the Channel Widening Scheme is displayed next to the building.