Population and public amusements
THIS CITY is very populous, containing with its
suburbs, by estimation, more than nine thousand inhabitants, which are still increasing. (fn. 1) Its citizens are
wealthy and respectable; many gentlemen of fortune
and genteel families reside in it, especially within the
precincts of the cathedral, where there are many of the
clergy of superior rank and fortune belonging to it;
and throughout the whole place there is a great deal of
courtesy and hospitality.
For the amusement of the inhabitants and neighbouring gentry, there is a theatre erected not many
years since, and a public assembly room, in the Highstreet, which will be further mentioned hereafter.—
There are two elegant public libraries and reading
rooms, in the high-street, which are commodiously
fitted up for the purpose, and where all novel publications, and the public newspapers from London are
daily received, so that they are much resorted to
by all the genteel families of the town and neighbouring country; and there are horse races yearly on
Baiham Downs, at which the king's plate is run
for, and which, from their nearness to thiscity, are
called Canterbury races; these are attended by most
of the Kentish gentry and a great number of people
from the neighbouring parts; and this city being their usual rendezvous, it brings a vast concourse
of them to it for the time, when there are assemblies,
plays and other entertainments, during the whole
time of the race week.
There are in this city and its suburbs, several meeting houses for religious worship for the inhabitants,
who are of different persuasions; such as those of the
Methodists, Anabaptists, Quakers, and Presbyterians,
of all which, the followers, of the first especially, are
not a few; besides which the Walloons and French
resugees have their meeting for worship in the undercrost of the cathedral, as has been mentioned before;
and in the suburb of Westgate, there is a synagogue for
the Jews, who are very numerous, especially in that
part and about St. Peter's, the number of them being
estimated at more than four hundred. (fn. 2)