The History of Walmer and Walmer Castle by the Rev. Charles R.S. Elvin, published in 1894, includes a perambulation of the village noting interesting buildings and historical events.
When the walk reaches the top of what is now Dover Road, "passing as we go the site of the old Toll-gate, and the reservoir that supplies the parish with water. We are in Ripple parish now and have a grand prospect.
"On a very clear day no fewer than twenty-one churches can be seen from this spot, namely,
Broadstairs, St. George's at Ramsgate, St. Laurence, Minster, St. Clement's and St. Peter's at Sandwich, Worth, Monkton, St. Nicholas, Wodnesborough, Ash, Great Mongeham, Northbourne, Ripple, the three churches in Deal, Sutton, Ringwould, St. Margaret's, and Kingsdown; and very nearly the same number of windmills may also be counted."
Almost all of the windmills have now gone, save the one in front of us called Ripple Mill, which can indeed be seen from miles around.
A clear, early spring afternoon gave an opportunity to count how many churches are still visible from this spot. I expected that prolific tree growth in the intervening 130+ years would have obscured many of the views but in fact all but five can still be seen.
Ripple church
St Leonard's church, Deal - a fine sea-mark - with Ramsgate beyond
It is, in fact, questionable whether all of St Margaret's-at-Cliffe, Kingsdown, Sutton, Monkton and Worth could have been spotted from this hill, even before tree growth.
The nearest church, behind us at Ringwould can just be glimpsed through the trees. The furthest, St. Nicholas-at-Wade, is 12½ miles as the crow flies.
It is certainly a fine view from the hill, and local lore has it that Horatio Nelson sat here, watching the ships in the Downs.
On a really, really, clear day it might just be possible to see l'Eglise Notre Dame in Calais, 26 miles away.
I cannot resist posting two pictures from an American retail site, showing views of our town:
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