The record-union., 1891-08-29
Margate, Ramsgate and the Isle
of Thanet.
Millions Historic Old Kent The
Dickens.
Especial Correspondence of RECoRD-UNIoN.
Copyright 1871

claimed, forms the northeasternmost pro-
lection of that historic county of Eng
land. It is only nine miles in length, and
in most parts but five miles in breadth;
but there is probably not in all England,
and, for that matter, in the whole world,
bit of land so valuable for its agricult-
ural possibilities, nor so completely a
garden of delight for the millions to
which it is accessible in summer.
It's situation is very bleak and open,
from its extraordinary extent, through
countless coves Of sea front on the north,
where it is washed by the Thames estua-
ry, and on the east, where it is dashed by
the ever restless tides of the Straits of
Dover and the North Sea; but every
square rood on which ancient ruin, his
torIc fortress or gay resort does not stand
Is under the highest known state of culti-
Natlon. The reasons for this are: All
Kent is London's truck garden; Thanet
Isle is every season actually covered by q
coat OF alga, or SeaWeed, Obtainable by
the farmers at only the expense of car
riage; there are no hedges, which, in
some parts of England, destroys so much
produce, and the SuDSOiI is chalk, which
acts in wet weather as a sponge, and in
droughts supplies the land with moisture
an extraordinary system Of inhalation and
eXhalation, which gave rise to the ancient
cOuplet:
When England wrings
The island sings.
There is no commonabIe land nor an
acre Of waste land III the island. The old
hentish plow is still used by the farm
ers with stubborn pertinacity, and it is
an odd sight to witness the plowman
stop at the end Of every furrow to take
out his coulter and reverse it, an opera
ton which takes half his time and gives
ample leisure for the contemplation and
enjoyment of good old conservative Eng
lish ways. Half the farmers are winter
fishermen, and all the lower classes of the
cOastwise villages follow the same voca-
ton during both the summer and winter
months.
The ancient timber and waffle cottage
is still as commonly found as among the
Norfolk Broads, and the peasantry, not
withstanding their contact with hosts of
city folk and tourists in summer, retain
an extraordinary number of their ancient
customs and superstitions. Were there
no free and easy Margate and Ramsgate
IN the Isle of Thanet, there is no place in
Great Britain whore, in so compact an
area, can be found such odd Old World
studies as in this tiny piece of chalk land
over against the wild North Sea.
In its diminutive area, particularly on
It's coast line, are score OF Shrines and re-
sorts At the edge of Pegweu Bay, be-
tween Sandwich and Ramsgate, is the an
cient farmhouse, "Ebbe's Fleet" the
scene Of the landing of Hengist and
hOrsa," those heroic WORTHLESS Of Saxon
mythic warfare. At Pegwell itself the
cliffs, with the blue las intermixed with
layers of shell, many thousands of years
old, is celebrated haunt of geologists.
At StOnar, NOrtigen defeated the JCtes
NOrtimer was slain and buried and Thur
XIII landed at the head of the ferocious
Norsemen.
At Minister, Egbert, King of Kent, COM
missioned his faVOrite and chief officer,
Ihunor, to murder his two cousins who
had claims to the crown. They were
buried in Ethelbert's hall Of state. This
spot was revealed by a supernatural light
which ever hoVered over it, until the
guilty King, filled with remorse, made
confession and repentance to the dead
Irlnces sister, DOmpneya, paid blood
money (WergyId) and gave her as much
land as a hind could run over at one
course, on which to found monastery.
IhunOr cndeavoTed to stop the fleet crea-
ture by riding across its path, but the
earth swallowed him and flung him into
the internal shadows to keep the dead
Princes company.
At OsengalI Downs there is a wonder
fui old Saxon cemetery. Birchington has
the most beautiful girdle Of elms of anv
village IN England, and is noted as the
oIden residence OF one Henry Crispe,
having been kept prisoner in France for
many years and never having learned
more than that word. At Daundelion are
the ruins of very ancient embattled
mansion of the Dent-de-Lions, one of the
family having brought over the Flemish
bell Of st. Johns of Margate in his ship,
the Dog, giving rise to the ancient coup
let:
John de-Daundelyon, with his great Dog,
Brought over this bell on a mill cog.
Broadstairs has been made famous by
Dickens In his sketch of "Our Watering
Placc," in an early number of " Household
Words" and thes sBroadstair fishermen,
who are as quaint and odd lot as may be
found on any coast, were, during the
early part OF this century, the most IA
nous harveSters of the y North Sea and lee
landic fisheries. The North Foreland,
Ptolemy's Cantium, is the extreme north
eastern point of Kent. 1t has fine old
lighthouse, and commands one of the most
magnificent and sublime sea views of
England. The great naval engagement
between the English and Dutch Of June,
1866, in which the English We're defeated,
was fought of this point.
st. Wade, an ancient ford
back to the Kentish mainland, has one
OF the most interesting and quaint old
churches Of England. It's walls are built
of seaworn flints with much rough brick
believed 10 be Roman, interspersed. The
eastern drIpstOnes of the tower window
are incrusted with nests of the temple
haunting martlet."
OF all these odd hits of misty age relics,
DIM old Reculver, on the widening shores
Of the Thames estuary, with its grassy
meads, winding river and nesting ham
lets Tor sweet perspective behind, is
perhaps, the most winsome and romantic
II was here that King Ethelbert after his
conversion and baptism by St Augustine.
took UP his abode and built himself pal
ace out of the Roman fortress. The an
cient town has nearly all been literally
eaten away and engulfed by the sea.
What is left of the most antiQuated pict-
ure-cottages, inn, which bears the name
of King Ethelbert, and which peeps
through the widest masses of ivy, signal
towers and all-instantly carries the mind
back TO the time of the Saxon King. who
held his glorious court at Receiver
Douglas Jerrold's dream of the old
place having suffered only a sea change,
and that "tathoms deep the town still
stands, that busy life goes on, that people
OF an odd, sea green aspect, it may be.
still carry on the work of mortal breath
ing, make love, beget little ones and
die" comes swiftly to each beh0lder.
All green things are rampant and luxu-
rious upon the crumbling cliffs. As YOU
stand on the shore looking up to the
broken wall surmounted by those tall
sister towers, the seagulls whirl and
scream about and above, and old ocean
seems 70 join their wall in weird wild
requiem.
All these and many more spots of the
most charming aspect and deepest his
toric interest are within two hours
walk of either Margate or Ransoate
These waterside resorts, also upon the
little iSlct. are reSDectiyolv located on tho