KINGSWEAR, a parish in the hundred of HAYTOR,
county of DEVON, 3 miles (S. W. by S.) from Brixham,
containing 328 inhabitants. The living is a perpetual
curacy, annexed to the vicarage of Brixham, in the
archdeaconry of Totness, and diocese of Exeter, endowed
with £200 private benefaction, £200 royal
bounty, and £300 parliamentary grant. The church
is dedicated to St. Thomas a Becket. Kingswear is
situated on the eastern side of Dartmouth harbour,
near the mouth of which are vestiges of a castle, and
on the brow of a hill near the village are some remains
of military earth-works. From Dartmouth castle opposite
to the ruins of a fort here, a chain was formerly
stretched to prevent ships entering the harbour: this
fort was taken from Sir Henry Carew by General Fairfax,
in January 1646.