Gravesend
a port and borough of Kent, England, on the Thames, 24 miles E. S. E. of London. It consists of the old town, with narrow, irregular streets, and of the handsome new town on the high ground. In the vicinity are exteneers, sive market gardens; and many of the inhabitants are employed in fishing.
Gravesend forms the limit of the port of London; and here pilots and customhouse officers are taken on board of vessels going up the river. It carries on some shipbuilding, iron-founding, soapmaking, and brewing, and a consider able trade in supplying ships' stores.
Gravesend was incorporated under Elizabeth; was originally a hythe, or landinga hythe, or landing place; and is mentioned as such in Domesday. Here the fleets of early voyagers, as that of Sebastian Cabot in 1553, and of Martin Frobisher in 1576, GRAY assembled, and here the lord mayor, aldermen, and city companies of London were wont to receive all strangers of eminence and to conduct them up the river in state. Pop. about 30,000.