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RAMSDORF, in Geography, a town of Saxony, in the 

 bilhopric of Naumburg ; three- miles N.E. of Zeit/.. 



RAMSEA, or Ramsey, a market and fea-port town 

 in the parifli of Kirk-Maughold, Ifle of Man, Great Bri- 

 tain, is fituatcd at the dillance of fourteen miles north-eafl 

 from Douglas, the chief town in the ifland. Anciently this 

 place was of conliderable note, but it is now comparatively 

 decayed. The bay upon which it is built might be rendered 

 capable of affording anchorage and fecurity to very large 

 veffels, but it is much choaked up with fand at the entrance 

 to the harbour, and is therefore little frequented, though pro- 

 tefted by a fort, mounted with feveral pieces of cannon. 

 At the extremity of the pier is a light-houfe, the lower 

 divifion of which is ufed as an occafional prifon. The chief 

 article of export from Ramfea is grain, the produce of the 

 vicinity which is among the beft cultivated dillriiSls in the 

 Britidi idands. Several boats, with good accommodation for 

 pallengers, fail weekly from hence to Liverpool, and to 

 Whitehaven ; but what gives moll importance to the town 

 at prefent is, the circumltance of its being the feat of the 

 courts of jullice for the northern diltrift. According to 

 ttie population returns of 1792, (the lall returns made for 

 the ifland,) Ramfea contamcd IIOO inhabitants, but their 

 number is now probably increafed to 1400. 



In the parifli of Kirk-Andreas, to the north of Ramfea, 

 are feveral curioiitics, particularly an aricient intrenchment 

 at Ballachurry, which occupies a fmall ifolated eminence, in 

 a very level tradl of country. This earthen work is of a 

 iquare form, and is furroundcd by a wide and deep foffe 

 and rampart, flanked at each angle by a very noble baftion. 

 The area within is much funk below the level of the works, 

 which are in a (late of excellent prefervation, and might 

 eafily be rendered effeftual for the purpofes of modern war- 

 fare. This diftria abounds with fepulchral tumuli ; fome of 

 them environed by large upright Hones. Several of thefe 

 barrows were opened, about twenty years ago, by Mr. Cha- 

 loner, and found to contain fimple urn interments. In the 

 church-yard here Hands a fquare pillar of Hone, bearing a 

 Runic infcription, which is thus tranflated by Mr. Beau- 

 ford of Athy, in Ireland. " The fon of Ulf of the Swedri 

 (Swedes) erefted this crofs to the warrior Afterarin, the fon 

 of Cunnu." Another infcription on a fimilar monument is 

 to be feen in the neighbouring church-yard of Kirk-Michael, 

 which is an extenfive village, pleafantly fituated near the fea. 

 In this parifa is a monument of the cairn defcription, com- 

 pofed of fmall ftones heaped together. It is called Cairn- 

 Viael, but nothing is known refpefting its origin, and pecu- 

 liar appropriation. About a mile from hence is Bifliop's- 

 Court, the ufual refidence of the bifliops of Man. The 

 palace was nearly rebuilt about twenty years ago. It is an 

 elegant and convenient manfion, furrounded by agreeable 

 gardens and pleafure grounds. Beauties of England and 

 Wales, vol. iii. By ,Iohn Britton and E. W. Brayley, 

 1802. Carlide's Topographical Diftionary of Scotland, 

 3 vols. 4to. 1813. 



RAMSEIL, a town of Hiudooilan, in Baglana ; ten 

 miles N. of Nailisck. 



RAMSELE, a town of Sweden, in Angermanland ; 

 70 miles N.W. of Hernofand. 



RAMSENTHAL, a town of Germany, in the princi- 

 pality of Culmbach ; four miles N. of Bayrenth. 



RAMSEY, a market-town in the hundred of Hunfling- 

 ftone, and county of Huntingdon, England, is fituated on 

 the banks of a fmall river, to which it gives name, at the 

 dillance of ten miles N.N.E. from the town of Huntingdon, 

 and fixty-eight miles N.W. from London. It is particularly 



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celebrated in hillory for its abbey, which was founded by 

 the renowned duke j^ilwin, at the perfuafion of Ofwald, 

 bifliop of Worceder, in the year 969. The buildings 

 Wile completed in the courfe of five years, at the expiration 

 of which, the monallery was dedicated to the Holy Virgin and 

 St. Benedict, and filled with monks of the Benediftine order. 

 Ailwin gave confiderable poflellions to his new eilablifhment, 

 and procured foi it many valviable privileges from king Ed- 

 gar. This monarcli confirmed to the monks all their lands, 

 and gave them the right of impreding the image of his 

 royal pcrlon upon their feals. Several fiicceeding princes, 

 and many private perfons of rank and opulence, contri- 

 buted to enrich the abbey, which afterwards became one of 

 thofe dift;inguifhed by the title " mitred." Its abbots were 

 confequently privileged to fit in parliament among the peers, 

 and enjoyed all the other accuftomed rights of mitred 

 abbots. Many of the monks were men of pre-eminent ge- 

 nius and learning, and were efpecially noted for their pro- 

 ficiency in the Hebrew language. The library belonging to 

 the monallery was extenfive, and contained many books 

 written in that tongue by its inmates. At the era of the 

 diflolution, its annual revenues were eitimated, according to 

 Dugdale, at 17 16/. 12s. 4J. ; but Speed, on the authority 

 of fir Robert Cotton, Hates their amount at 1987/. 15J. 3^. 

 Some years after that event, the demefnes and lands of the 

 abbey, with feveral lakes belonging to it within this parifli, 

 were granted to fir Richard Cromwell, anceftor to the 

 Proteftor. 



Ramfey confifts chiefly of one long flreet, with another 

 branching ofi^ from it, in a northern diredlion. The abbey 

 ftood at the upper end of the town, towards the fouth, near 

 the manor-houle, a large and elegant manfion, built out of its 

 ruins. The only portion of the old buildings Handing is a gate- 

 way, which appears, from the Hyle of its architedlure, to have 

 been eredled about the reign of Henry VI. Since the deHruc- 

 tion of the abbey, it was for fome time ufcd as a prifon. 

 At a Hiort diHance from this reHc Hands the prefent church 

 of Ramfey, a fpacious and handfome edifice, confifting of a 

 nave, chancel, and aifles, with an embattled tower at the weft 

 end. The nave is feparated from the aifles by feven large 

 and well-proportioned arches on each fide, fpringing from 

 cluftered columns ; and from the chancel by a Hill larger 

 arch, with a fcreen richly carved in wood crofling the lower 

 part. The windows are large, and, as is apparent from many 

 fragments remaining, have once been filled with itainedglafs, 

 exhibiting figures of angels, crowned leads, &c. Several 

 branches of the Cromwell family were buried in this church, 

 but there are no monuments to their memory. In this town 

 is a free-fchool, founded and endowed in 1663, under a 

 decree of chancery, but the eftabbihment has been much 

 neglefted ; alfo a charity-fchool for girls, inHituted about a 

 century ago by John Dryden,efq. who bequeathed 16,000/. 

 for various charitable purpofes. The market day here is 

 Wednefday, weekly, and there is an annual fair on the 2 2d 

 of July. Ramfey fuffered greatly from the plague in the 

 year 1665 — 6, that dreadful diltemper having been intro- 

 duced by the accident ot major William Cromwell wearing 

 a coat, the cloth of which had been brought from the me- 

 tropolis. The number of deaths amounted to 400 within 

 one month. This town likewife fuHaiaed much injury from 

 fire in 173 1 ; but the damage was foon repaired. Accord- 

 ing to the population returns of 181 1, the parifli contains 

 484 houfes, and 2390 inhabitants. 



The country around Ramfey is extremely marfliy, and 

 hence is interfefted by numerous ditches, or drains to carry 

 off the water. To the noj-th-weil about two miles, is a 



lake 



