Page:The National Gazetteer - A Topographical Dictionary of the British Islands, Volume 3.djvu/292

EAMSEY. 280 RAMSGATE. 3 miles "W. of Harwich, its post town, and 7 N. of Thorpe. The village, called Ramsey-Street, is situated near the river Stour's mouth, a narrow creek of the sea, over which is a bridge on the Harwich road, and near the line of the Great Eastern railway. The inhabitants are chiefly engaged in agriculture. Of late years above 500 acres of land have been recovered from the encroach- ments of the sea. The surface is in some parts consider- ably elevated, though in others low and marshy, having to be protected from the sea by an embankment. The living is a vie.* in the dioc. of Rochester, val. 300, in the patron, of the lord chancellor. The church, dedi- cated to St. Michael, has a tower containing five bells. The register dates from 1644. The parochial charities produce about 38 per annum. From the churchyard there is a prospect over the valley of the river Stour. There is a parochial school. The Wesleyans have a place of worship. E. W. Garland, Esq., is lord of the manor. RAMSEY, a par., post, and market town in the hund. of Hurstingstone, co. Huntingdon, 10 miles N.E. of Huntingdon, and 69 N.W. of London. It is the terminus of the Holme and Ramsey branch of the Great Northern railway. The parish, which is extensive, is watered by Bill-Load, a hranch of the river Nen, near Ramsey Mere. At Ram's Eye, in this parish, there formerly stood a mitred Benedictine abbey of great wealth and magnificence, founded about 967 by Alder- man Ailwine, Duke of the East Angles, and dedicated to SS. Mary and Benedict. At the Dissolution the site was given to the Cromwells, who converted it into a private seat. The tower of the abbey was rebuilt by Aednoth, the first abbot, and contained a good library of Hebrew and other books. Its revenue at the Disso- lution was valued at 1,983 13s. 3rf. The ancient gate- way is still in a state of preservation, and there are remains of a grange at Ramsay House. The town of Ramsay, which is situated at the bottom of a hill on Burybrook, is well built, and principally consists of two streets, one of them extending northward from the bridge along the bank of the stream. It was afflicted with the plague in 1555, and was much damaged by a fire which broke out in 1731. A considerable portion of the land was formerly fenny, but has of late years been drained, and is now in a high state of cultivation. The surface is flat, and the soil generally rich and light. Manorial courts-leet arc held every year in May or June, at which a constable is appointed. The impropriation belongs to Edward Fellowes, Esq., whose tithes have been commuted for a rent-charge of 648. The living is a perpet. cur.* in the dioc. of Ely, val. 47. The church, dedicated to St. Benedict, or according to others, to St. Thomas a Becket, is a Norman structure, with an embattled tower. The church has remains of stained glass and several brasses. It was thoroughly restored and repaired in 1844 and 1845, the expense being de- frayed, by the lord of the manor. There is also the district church of St. Mary's, the living of which is -i perpet. cur.,* val. 150. The church is of recent erec- tion. The parochial charities produce about 50 per annum, exclusive of almshouses for 12 poor women, erected and endowed by Mrs. Fellowes and E. Fellowes, Esq., in 1837. There are free schools for both sexes, and a spinning school for 50 girls, with an income of 40. There are places of worship for the Wesleyans, Baptists, Primitive Methodists, and Particular Baptists. The manor house, the principal residence, is built out of the ruins of the abbey. Edward Fellowes, Esq., M.P., is lord of the manor. Market day is Wednesday. A fair is held on the 22ud July for cattle and toys. RAMSEY, an island in the hund. of Dewisland, co. Pembroke. It is about 2 miles in length, by half a mile in breadth, and is separated from the main land by a strait called Ramsey Sound, 1 mile in breadth. Its extremities are defended by two rugged mountains of great altitude. A large portion of the island is in an excellent state of cultivation. Among the surrounding rocks are those designated the Horse, Horse-Shoe, Bitch and Whelps, Ynysberi, Pont-yr-Ellan, Bishop and Clerks, &c. A lighthouse was erected in 1783, and has since been greatly improved. Among the cliffs is a place called the Organ and Choir, from the noise of the birds which abound in large quantities throughout the island. There are ruins of two pilgrims' chapels which formerly existed here. The tide is of considerable strength outside the Sound, which has from 3 to 12 fathoms water. The Nimrad steam vessel was wrecked here in 1860, when all hands perished. RAMSEY, an islet in the par. of Steeple, co. Essex, 5 miles S.E. of Maldon. It is formed by the river Black- water. RAMSEY, a market town and seaport in the par. of Kirk-Maughold, Ayre Sheading, Isle of Man, 14 miles N. of Douglas, and 24 N.E. of Castletown. It is a sub- port to Douglas, and has a small but safe harbour, where steam-boats between Liverpool and Glasgow call several times in the week. The town, which is of con- siderable antiquity, was the scene of numerous battles fought between the Danes and the Scots, when the latter had possession of the island, and in the 12th century the good King Olave was murdered here by his nephews. It is built on Ramsey Bay, at the north- eastern end of the island, and near the mouth of the river Sulby, which is the largest stream in the island, and is here crossed by a stone bridge of three arches. It is irregularly built, but the streets are wide, clean, and well paved. It contains a spacious market-place, a good hotel, "The Mitre," several seats and villas, and a court-house, said to be the largest in the island. The harbour was much improved in 1830 by the construction of an additional pier, and on the quay is a lighthouse put up in 1800, with a light 26 feet above sea-level and visible for 10 miles. The bay has shelter from the western winds, with from 4 to 10 fathoms Water, and vessels of 100 tons burden can approach the quay, but the entrance is obstructed by the Bahama bank. The principal trade is in the export of wheat, and other Manks produce, and a few fishing boats belong to the harbour. The population in 1861 was 2,891. There are bailiffs' and deemsters' courts, the former held every Saturday, and the latter quarterly, at which a deemster presides. The living is a perpet. cur. in the dioc. of Sodor and Man, val. 100, in the patron, of the bishop. The church, dedicated to St. Paul, and situated in the market-place, was erected in 1819 by subscription. The old church of St. Peter's, situated just without the town, is now in ruins, and only used as a burial chapel. There are places of worship for Independents. Wesleyans, and Primitive Methodists. Besides Cowell's grammar school, there are two National schools. Market day is on Saturday. RAMSGATE, a par., seaport, watering-place, post and market town, in the hund. of Ringslow, or Isle of Thanet, lathe of St. Augustine, co. Kent, 4 miles 8. 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 par., which includes the hmlt. of Ellington, was part of St. Lawrence par. up to 1827, when it was constituted a distinct par. 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 twp 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