RAMSGATE, a municipal borough, watering-place, seaport and member of the Cinque Port of Sandwich, in Kent, England, 79 m. E. by S. of London by the S.R. Pop. (1931) 33,597. Rams gate (Ramesgate) was originally a small but comparatively pros perous place united until 1827 to the parish of St. Lawrence. The charter of Charles II. mentions it as a member of Sandwich. In 1884 it was incorporated by royal charter, under the title of mayor, aldermen and councillors. A commission of the peace was granted in 1893. Since then the jurisdiction of the Cinque Ports' justices has ceased within its limits, which include the parishes of Ramsgate and St. Lawrence Intra. A daily market was obtained in 1784 by grant from George III. No fair was then held, but from 1792 onwards there has been one yearly on Aug. 10. Under Elizabeth, Ramsgate was still unimportant, though possessed of a fair before the reign of Henry VIII. After 1668 the growth of trade increased its prosperity, and at the beginning of the reign of George I. the pier was enlarged and pier-wardens appointed to collect the droits. In 1749, having been selected as a harbour of refuge for the Downs, it underwent great improve ments, and henceforward paid £200 yearly to Sandwich out of the droits for clearing the Channel and repairing the banks of the river Stour within the Liberty; but by 1790 the harbour was of small account. During the World War, a large aerodrome was
established at Manston, two miles from Ramsgate and considerable damage was done by bombs dropped on the town. Ramsgate is practically contiguous with Broadstairs to the north, with which and Margate to the north-west it is united by an electric tram way. A new railway station is being built at St. Lawrence; II m. of line to connect it with the line to Broadstairs will be con structed and the present branch to Margate and part of the line to the Harbour station closed. During the season steamers connect it with London and the intermediate watering-places on the north coast, and with Calais and Boulogne. The harbour has an area of 42 ac., and a considerable coasting and fishing trade is carried on. It is a life boat and coast guard station. The promenade pier was erected in 1881. The neighbouring Pegwell bay, famed for its shrimps, is supposed to have been the scene of the landing of Hengist and Horsa, and at Cliff's End (Ebbs Fleet) a mono lithic cross marks the landing-place of St. Augustine in 596.