Deal, a parliamentary and municipal borough and market town of Kent, England, on the North sea, between the N. and S. Forelands, 8 m. N. E. of Dover, and 66 m. E. S. E. of London; pop. in 1871, 8,004. It is divided into Upper and Lower Deal; the former, which comprises the residences of the wealthy classes, was a small fishing village in the time of Henry VIII.; the latter, built on three streets, close to the beach and parallel with the coast, is entirely of modern date, and has most of the business and the bulk of the population. The town contains a spacious esplanade, a public library and reading room, a custom house, a naval yard and storehouse, barracks, a town hall, a jail, baths, gas works, and a nautical school. At its S. end is a fortress built by Henry VIII. in 1539, and on the north is Sandown castle, now used as a coast guard station. There is no harbor, but vessels of all dimensions ride safely in a spacious roadstead called the Downs, between the shore and the Goodwin sands. The latter lie directly opposite the town, and are the scene of frequent shipwrecks. There is little or no foreign commerce, but a brisk trade in naval supplies is carried on with vessels which, at times to the number of 400 or 500, anchor in the Downs while waiting for favorable winds.

The principal industries are boat building and sail making; but many of the inhabitants are fishermen, and the skill and daring of the Deal boatmen are almost proverbial. Deal was annexed to the cinque ports in the 13th century, as a member of Sandwich. Adjoining Deal on the south is the suburban village of Walmer, a resort for sea bathing, where is situated Walmer castle, the official residence of the warden of the cinque ports.