The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland 1868

"RAMSGATE, a parish, seaport, watering-place, post and market town, in the hundred of Ringslow, or Isle of Thanet, lathe of St. Augustine, county Kent, 4 miles S. of Margate, and 17 N.E. of Canterbury. It is a station on the Margate branch of the South-Eastern railway. The town is a watering-place situated on the cliffs opening southward to the sea, and commands extensive marine and land views, embracing Pegwell Bay, and the Downs, and in clear weather, the French coast. The parish, which includes the hamlet of Ellington, was part of St. Lawrence parish up to 1827, when it was constituted a distinct parish by Act of Parliament. It is a member of Sandwich Cinque Port, a coastguard station, and a polling-place for East Kent.

In Leland's time it had only a small wooden pier, for the maintenance of which the merchants of London paid dues by order of Henry VII. The present pier harbour was constructed between the years 1780-1795, by Smeaton and Rennie. It consists of two basins, comprising an area of about 40 acres, and protected by stone piers, 26 feet in width, on the E. and W. The east pier is 3,000 feet in length, and the west pier 1,500 feet. The inner basin, which can accommodate 200 craft, contains a dry dock, and communicated with the outer basin -by flood-gates 49 feet in width. The outer basin, which has a new slipway, built in 1838 on Morton's patent plan, is 480 feet in length, by 60 in width, and will receive vessels of 500 tons burthen. The entrance is 940 feet wide. There is a red tide light on the western pier head, 37 feet in height, and visible at a distance of 6 miles. The piers extend a considerable length out to sea, which causes them to be favourite promenades. From the pier, a Right of steps, called Jacob's Ladder, leads down the cliffs to the bazaar, and tea gardens at Pegwell Bay, which last is noted for its shrimps.

The town of Ramsgate, which, in the reign of Elizabeth, contained only 25 houses, had, in 1861, a population of 11,865, and is rapidly increasing. It is well built, containing many good streets and shops; and the boarding and lodging houses are generally of a superior character. The town is paved, lighted with gas, and watched, and under an Act of Parliament, obtained in 1838, is abundantly supplied with excellent water by a company incorporated in 1835. The public buildings comprise the county court, gas works, Royal Victoria baths, assembly rooms, music hall, St. James's hall, working men's institute, literary and scientific institution, besides libraries, bazaars, and other useful institutions. There are two banks and a savings-bank. Townley House, for several seasons the residence of Her Majesty, when Princess Victoria, and of the Duchess of Kent, is now a ladies' boarding school. The petty sessions for the division are held every Monday.

An extensive trade is done in the importation of coal, timber, and in the supply of marine stores to shipping; ship repairs are also carried on to a considerable extent. There are breweries, rope walks, and an extensive fishery off the coast. Numerous yachts are kept here for pleasure excursions during the season. The Royal bathing rooms are situated beyond the E. pier, in front of a range of chalk cliffs, and on a beach of soft reddish sand; and on the W. cliff, 100 feet above the level of the sea, are the Royal Kent warm sea-water baths.

The living is a vicarage in the diocese of Canterbury, value £400, in the patronage of the archbishop. The church, dedicated to St. George, was erected at an outlay of £28,000, towards which the parliamentary commissioners granted £9,000. The church is 148 feet in length, with a width of 68½ feet, and has a tower with a lantern 137 feet high. In addition to the parish church, are the district churches, Christ Church, and Holy Trinity, the livings of both which are perpetual curacies There are also several proprietary chapels, the principal of which is the Cavendish chapel, erected in 1840 at a cost of £4,000.

The parochial charities produce about £59 per annum, including Petley's bequest of £30 for poor women. There are National and infant schools, also a free school at St. Lawrence. The Independents, Wesleyans, Calvinistic Methodists, Particular Baptists, General Baptists, and Unitarians, have each a place of worship. There is also a Jews' synagogue, situated on the road to Broadstairs, with a house for the minister, erected by Sir Moses Montefiore. In the vicinity are several seats, as East Cliffe Lodge, Pegwell Lodge, Southwood House, Cliffe House, and West Cliffe House. Market days are Wednesdays and Saturdays. A fair is held at St. Lawrence on the 10th of August.

[Transcribed from The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland 1868 by Colin Hinson ©2010]