Sandgate was an urban district from 1894 to 1934 (having previously been part of Cheriton parish). It was added to Folkestone in 1934. In 2004, the village re-acquired civil parish status. The parish shares the boundaries of Folkestone Sandgate ward, at 2.17 km2 (0.84 sq mi).
The Sandgate branch railway line was opened in 1874 and closed to passengers in 1951. Little of the infrastructure now remains, but it is still possible to see the remains of a tall overbridge at the bottom of Hospital Hill.[citation needed]
The Morcheeba song "The Sea" is written about the beachside bar 'Bar Vasa'.[citation needed] Sandgate Hotel appeared on the Channel 4 programme Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares on 27 February 2006. Other pubs include The Ship Inn, The Providence Inne, The Clarendon Inn and The Royal Norfolk Hotel. The Brisbane suburb with the same name is named after the town. There is also a Brisbane suburb called Shorncliffe, which is adjacent to Sandgate.