SOUTH FORELAND, in Kent, a head-land forming the eastern point of the Kentish shore; and called South, in respect to its bearing from the North Foreland, which is about six miles to the north. Its situation is a great security to the Downs, the road between both, which would be very dangerous for ships, did not this point break off the sea, which would otherwise come rolling up from the west to the Flats; so that these two capes breaking all the force of the sea on the south-east and south-west, make the Downs be accounted a good road, excepting when the wind blows excessively hard from south-east, east-by-north, or east-north-east, when ships in the Downs are driven from their anchors, and often run ashore, or are forced on the sands, or into Sandwich Bay, or Ramsgate Pier.