Deal, town, Kent, SE England, on the
Downs, an important passage for Channel shipping. It is a popular holiday
resort. There is some boat building. Other industries include brush making,
the production of plastics, and precision engineering. Deal is the reputed
landing place of Julius Caesar in 55 b.c. and a later member of the
Cinque Ports.
Henry VIII had three castles built in the area: Deal Castle, Walmer Castle
(seat of the lord warden of the Cinque Ports), and Sandown Castle (which has
been washed away). From the 17th to the early 19th cent., Deal was an
important supply and service center for ships anchored at the Downs.
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