RAMSGATE, a sea-port and market-town and parish, in the cinque-port
liberty of SANDWICH, of which it is a member, though locally in
the hundred of Ringslow, or Isle of Thanet, lathe of St. Augustine,
county of KENT, 4 miles (S.) from Margate, 17 (E. N. E.) from
Canterbury, and 72 (E.) from London, containing 6031 inhabitants.
It was originally a small fishing hamlet in the parish of St.
Lawrence, until the 21st of June, 1827, at which period
it was constituted a distinct parish, by an act
passed in the 7th and 8th of George IV. It is stated,
in the maritime survey of Kent in the reign of Elizabeth,
to have contained only twenty-five houses, and
when Leland wrote his itinerary, was only protected
from the sea by a small wooden pier; in this state
of obscurity it remained until 1688, when the inhabitants
commenced trading with Russia, which trade has
long since been discontinued: from this period its buildings
increased, and it is now a town of importance,
celebrated as a watering-place of considerable resort,
and particularly distinguished for its harbour, which
Senl of the Trustees of the Harbour.
was commenced in 1749, under an act passed in the
22nd of George II., being designed to afford protection
on the east coast to shipping in distress, especially those
driven by gales from the Downs. Mr. Smeaton was
the engineer first employed on this work, and after his
death, the late Mr. Rennie, and subsequently his son
and successor. The pier, which forms the harbour on
the sea side, is built principally of Purbeck and Portland
stone, and latterly of Cornish granite, and for extent
is unequalled by any in the kingdom. It projects
eight hundred feet into the sea, before making an angle,
and, including the parapet, is twenty-six feet broad at
the top; the front presents a polygon, each side of
which is four hundred and fifty feet long. The eastern
pier extends two thousand feet, and the western one
thousand five hundred and fifty. The harbour covers an
area of forty-eight acres, and is two hundred feet wide
at the mouth, across which the tide was found to run
so rapidly in tempestuous weather, as to render it dangerous
for vessels entering the harbour, and the eastern
pier was in consequence lengthened four hundred feet
to the south-west. In the upper part of the harbour a
basin has been constructed, capable of containing two
hundred vessels, the gates of which being shut at high
and opened at low water, the stream carries away any
drifted mud or sand, and keeps open a channel under
the curve of the eastern pier, sufficiently wide to admit
two vessels abreast, with a depth of water of from
fifteen to sixteen feet at neap tides, and from twenty
to twenty-two feet at spring tides, enabling vessels of
three hundred tons' burden, to enter at all times, and
much larger ones at spring tides; and vessels of six
hundred tons can ride safely in the harbour, which
affords shelter on an average to one thousand one hundred
vessels annually, the greater part of which are
blown, or run, from the Downs in bad weather: the
continued ravages of the sea have hitherto prevented
the works from being completely finished, and a considerable
expense is annually incurred in repairing the
damages occasioned by its inroads. On the western
pier-head is a stone lighthouse, with argand lamps and
red reflectors, which, when lighted at night, denote that
there is ten feet of water at the entrance, the same
intimation being conveyed in the day time by a red flag
hoisted on the cliff. On the eastern pier-head, in time
of war, are four sixty-eight pound carronades, for the
defence of the town and harbour; and on the inner pier
is a neat stone building, in which the trustees and directors
transact their business. There is also a dwellinghouse
for the harbour-master, and several watch-houses,
and other buildings connected with this great work. A
life-boat is suspended from the parapet, about the middle
of the eastern pier, which has often been effectually employed
in saving life. To defray the expenses of this
establishment, certain dues are collected from British
vessels passing the harbour to or from foreign parts,
and coasters, which do not contribute to similar establishments
in the ports to which they belong, viz., Dovor,
Lyme-Regis, Melcombe-Regis, Weymouth, and Great
Yarmouth, pay an annual rate; foreign vessels also, if
entering or passing the harbour, and bound to, or touching
at, an English port, are liable to the payment of dues.
All legal proceedings are carried on in the name of the
Deputy Master of the Trinity House. A handsome stone
staircase has been constructed up the side of the cliffs
contiguous to the harbour, at each end of the town, by
the trustees; that on the western side is particularly
beautiful, as cending at right angles in a treble range of
steps to the summit, and is named " Curtis' stairs"
The harbour affords great convenience to the different
steam-packets which arrive at this port in the summer,
the inner landing being accessible to them at all times
of the tide. There is also a dry dock, which is public
property.
The town is beautifully situated on the declivity of
a hill, opening south to the sea, and commands from
many points very extensive marine and land views, the
former embracing in clear weather the French coast.
The recent buildings are generally handsome edifices,
and amongst those which add more particularly to the
beauty of the town may be mentioned, Albion Place,
three crescents, and numerous detached villas. The
streets are Macadamized and lighted with gas; the town
is very indifferently supplied with water. Ramsgate,
being a member of the port of Sandwich, the mayor of
that place appoints his deputy, who acts here as constable,
but the town is under the jurisdiction of magistrates
appointed, under an act obtained in 1812, to act
for the liberties of the cinque-ports; two of them are
resident, but prisoners are committed to Sandwich gaol.
A court of requests is held for the recovery of debts not
exceeding £5, the jurisdiction of which extends over
the parish of St. Lawrence. To the eastward of the
harbour, in front of a range of chalk cliffs, and on a
beach of soft reddish sand, are the bathing machines,
every convenience being provided for sea-bathing. At
the bath-house are four warm salt-water baths, and a
plunging and shower bath, for either warm or cold
water. The Isabella warm sea-water baths, which stand
on the west cliff, one hundred and ten feet above the
level of the sea, the water for which is raised through
an aperture in the rock, by pumps worked by horses,
are constructed of white marble; the vapour baths are
upon the plan of the Hon. Mr. Cochrane, being heated
by steam, which is conducted from the outside of the
building, into a handsome vase in each dressing-room,
and the temperature of which is varied at pleasure;
there are well-conducted assemblies, and two good
public libraries, and the boarding and lodging houses
are generally of a superior character.
The rides and walks in the vicinity are pleasant and
diversified, but the principal and most attractive promenade
is the pier, which is not surpassed by any
thing of the kind in the country. Pegwell bay, which
abounds with shell and flat fish, is about one mile and
a half west of the town. On the 25th of September,
1821, his late Majesty, George IV., embarked here for
Calais, in his progress to Hanover, having been entertained
the previous night at the residence of the late Sir
William Curtis; and he also landed here on the following
8th of November, on his return, to commemorate
which event the inhabitants, trustees of the harbour,
and visitors, erected an obelisk at the entrance of the
pier on the land side, on which is an appropriate inscription.
The trade, which has been greatly improved
by the erection of the harbour, consists of a large coasting
trade, particularly in coal. Timber from the Baltic
was formerly imported, but this branch of commerce
has been discontinued. A considerable fishery is carried
on off this coast, by large vessels from the westward, the
choice fish being principally sent to the London market.
Several small vessels belonging to the port are also similarly
engaged, and are often', efficaciously employed in
rendering assistance to vessels in distress, particularly to
those wrecked on the. Goodwin sands, which lie about
three miles and a half south-east by east from this place.
Here are two spacious yards for ship-building, ropewalks,
and warehouses furnishing every description of
stores for the shipping. The'.market is on Wednesday
and Saturday, and is frequently attended by French people
bringing over eggs, fruit, and other articles. The
living is a vicarage not in charge, in the archdeaconry
and diocese of Canterbury, and in the patronage of the
Archbishop of Canterbury. The church, dedicated to
St. George, is a handsome edifice, lately built, at an
expense of £27,000, towards defraying which the parliamentary
commissioners granted £9000. There is also
a chapel of ease. Baptists, Independents, and Wesleyan
Methodists, have each a place of worship.