a seaport and market town of England, in the county of Kent, at the S.E. corner of the Isle of Thanet, 15 miles E.N.E. of Canterbury, and 73 E. by S. of London. Its older portion lies in a narrow valley, opening out to the sea, between the chalk cliffs that line the coast, and on which many fine new streets and villas have been erected, commanding a beautiful view. In the older portion, where the streets are narrow and the houses mean, there is a market-house, bank, public library, and other edifices. A large and elegant parish church in the Gothic style, with a lofty tower, a chapel of ease, district church, and places of worship for Baptists, Methodists, Independents, Roman Catholics, and Jews are the chief ecclesiastical buildings in Ramsgate. Education is afforded by various schools; the places of amusement include a theatre, assembly-rooms, and baths; and for charitable purposes there are an hospital and a dispensary. Ramsgate has for a long time been resorted to as a sea-bathing place, and indeed its prosperity is chiefly owing to this circumstance. The harbour, which is formed by two piers, and has an area of 48 acres, is the most important feature of the place, and one of the finest works of the kind in the country. It is formed by two piers, built of Portland and Purbeck stone and Cornish granite. The eastern pier is nearly 3000 feet long, the western about half that length, having on it a lighthouse. For repairing ships there are here a dry dock and a slip. The number of sailing-vessels registered at the port, December 31, 1857, was 103, tonnage 5115; of steamers 1, tonnage 10. In the year 1857 there entered coastwise at Ramsgate 388 sailing-vessels, tonnage 30,998; and there cleared 95, tonnage 6118. From foreign ports there entered 29 sailing-vessels, tonnage 3456; and for foreign ports, cleared 16, tonnage 982. In all, there entered 417 vessels, tonnage 34,454; and there cleared 111, tonnage 7100. The trade of the port is very considerable; coal, timber, eggs, and other articles are imported. Ship-building and rope-making are the chief manufactures. Fishing is also an employment to many of the inhabitants. Ramsgate is a member of the Cinque port of Sandwich, and is governed by a deputy appointed by the mayor of that town, and by commissioners under a local act. It was originally a mere fishing-village, with a few mean houses and a wooden pier; but after the Revolution of 1688 some of its inhabitants acquired wealth in the Baltic trade. This business is not, indeed, now carried on here, but it was the first circumstance that led to the prosperity and improvement of the town. The harbour was constructed in 1780-95 by Smeaton, Rennie, and others; and the town was one of the earliest popular watering-places for the Londoners, though at first not so much frequented as Margate. Pop. (1851) 11,838.