LYDD, a market-town
and parish, in the liberty of
ROMNEY-MARSH, though
locally in the hundred of
Langport, lathe of SHEPWAY,
county of KENT, 36 miles,
(S. E.) from Maidstone, and
70 (S.E. by E.) from London,
containing 1437 inhabitants.
This town is situated
at the extremity of the
county, near the point of
land which forms the bay
of Dengeness; the inhabitants are principally employed
in fishing. The market is on Thursday; and a fair is
held on the last Monday in July. It is a corporation
by prescription, being a member of Romney, one of the
cinque-ports, and is governed by a bailiff, jurats, and
commonalty. The bailiff is coroner, and the jurats are
justices of the peace, with exclusive jurisdiction, and
have power to hold a general court of session, also a
court of record for the recovery of debts to any amount.
There is a small common gaol and house of correction.
The living is a vicarage, in the peculiar jurisdiction and
patronage of the Archbishop of Canterbury, rated in
the king's books at £55. 12. 1. The church, which is
dedicated to All Saints, is a spacious edifice of different
dates; the tower is in the later style of English
architecture, with crocketed pinnacles: it contains
several monuments with brasses. There is a place of
worship for Independents. On the point of land called
Dengeness, a lighthouse, one hundred and ten feet
in height, has been built, in lieu of an ancient one,
and partly on the model of the Eddystone lighthouse;
under the direction of the late Mr. James Wyatt,
architect: this point is defended by a fort, and barracks
were erected in the vicinity during the late war
with France while under the control of the revolutionary
government.