BIRCHINGTON, a parish, within the cinque-port
liberty of DOVOR, of which it is a member, though locally
in the hundred of Ringslow, or the Isle of Thanet, lathe
of ST-AUGUSTINE, county of KENT, 3 miles (W. by S.)
from Margate, containing 700 inhabitants. The living is
a perpetual curacy, united to the vicarage of Monkton, in
the peculiar jurisdiction of the Archbishop of Canterbury.
The church, dedicated to All Saints, consists of a nave,
chancel, and aisles, with a lofty tower and spire rising
between the east end of the north aisle and a small
chapel, now the vestry-room: the nave is separated
from the aisles by octangular columns supporting five
pointed arches: the three east windows of the chancel
are in the decorated style. On the north side of it is
Quex chapel, belonging to the manor of Q,uex, in this
parish, containing several monuments and brasses of
the family of Crispe. A pleasure fair is held here
on Whit-Monday and Tuesday. Hemming's bay is
thought to have been so named from the landing of
Hemming, a Danish chieftain, accompanied by Anlaf,
in 1009. Mrs. Anna Gertrude Crispe, by will dated
February 13th, 1707, bequeathed forty-seven acres of
land in Birchington and Monkton for certain charitable
purposes; among others for the instruction of twelve
boys and girls of this parish and the vill of Acole,
the remainder of the rental to be applied in apprenticing
some of the boys. The master receives £36. 15.
annually, for which he instructs about twenty-four children,
one-half appointed by the overseers, from whom
the apprentices are selected, and the rest by himself.
Near the village stands the workhouse for the reception
of the poor of Birchington, Monkton, Sarre,
and Acole.