RINGSWOULD, a parish in the cinque-port liberty
of DOVOR, though locally in the hundred of Cornilo,
lathe of St-Augustine, county of KENT, 3 miles (S.
S. W.) from Deal, containing 495 inhabitants. The
living is a rectory, in the archdeaconry and diocese of
Canterbury, rated in the king's books at £13. 12. 6.,
and in the patronage of the Rev. John Monins. The
church is dedicated to St. Nicholas. A market and a
fair were formerly held here, but both have been disused.
Kingsdown, in this parish, lies adjacent to the sea-shore,
and from its being noticed in ancient charters, appears
to have been a place of considerable.importance, though
it is at present only a small fishing village; by means
of a capstan, the fishermen, wind on shore their boats,
commonly called Kingsdown boats. In a valley between
two downs in the vicinity are vestiges of an encampment
supposed to be of Roman construction.