Deal

Deal, a municipal borough and sea-bathing place, in the east of Kent, on a bold open beach, near the south extremity of the Downs, between North and South Foreland, 89 miles by rail from London, and 6 miles S.E. of Sandwich. Till 1885 it was part of the parliamentary borough of Sandwich. A fine anchorage extends 7 or 8 miles between Deal and the Goodwin Sands. Deal has mainly arisen to supply the wants of the numerous vessels which are often detained by the winds in the Downs. The chief branches of industry are connected with maritime pursuits, boat-building, sail-making, piloting or hovelling, victualling and naval stores. The prosperity of the place now largely depends on its sea-bathing, on the military depôt at Walmer (2 miles S. of Deal), and on the shipping in the Downs. The handsome iron promenade pier was erected in 1864. Pop. (1851) 7067; (1891) 8898. It has been one of the Cinque Ports (q.v.) since the 13th century. Of the three castles built by Henry VIII. in 1539, Deal Castle is the residence of its 'captain'; Sandown Castle (where Colonel Hutchinson died) to the north, has been blown up (1880-95) as dangerous through the encroachment of the sea; and to the south, Walmer Castle (q.v.) is now the residence of the Warden of the Cinque Ports. See H. S. Chapman, Deal Past and Present (1891). Some maintain that it was near Deal that Julius Cæsar landed in 55 B.C.—The Deal boatmen are, like some of the other boatmen on that coast, locally known as 'hovellers.' They are noted for giving assistance to ships in distress, and were formerly much employed in carrying off provisions to outward-bound vessels, and in bringing ashore mail-bags requiring to be forwarded by express.