ISLE OF, an island, being part of the county of Kent, situated at the mouth of the Thames and Medway, and separated from the mainland by an arm of the sea, called the Swale, which is navigable for vessels of 200 tons burden, extending about eleven miles in length. Nearly four fifths of the island consist of rich marsh and pasture land, and the rest of very productive corn and clover lands. The best wheat of England is grown on this island, the land being well manured by the large flocks of sheep on the uplands, and by the cows and oxen on the rich meadows. Though fertile, it is deemed unhealthy; and there is a scarcity of good water, though that has been of late partially remedied by a well sunk 330 feet.

The island is in none of the hundreds of Kent, but is a liberty of itself. It contains 18,340 acres of land, has within it the towns of Sheerness and Queenborough, four parishes, and, in 1831, a population of 9867, of whom 4838 were males, and 5034 were females.