Heritage

This discovery sheet will enable you to stroll at leisure and learn something of the town’s fascinating history, which dates back to Saxon times. The Conservation Area in the heart of the town shows how little has changed since the days when Sandwich was a busy Cinque Port and harbour.

Leaving ST PETER’S CHURCH turn left and view the unusual WAR MEMORIAL with its fine bronze of St George and the Dragon and memorials to men lost in both World Wars, Korea and the Falklands.

Pass down MARKET STREET, known as the Fish Market in the 13th Century and now one section of the shopping centre of Sandwich, noting particularly the beautifully painted and carved figures on the façade of the Golden Key to your left.

Take the left fork into THE BUTCHERY, where in olden days animals were slaughtered for consumption by the townsfolk, and to the left at the end is the DOLL MUSEUM. Just round the corner to the left, in HARNET STREET, you can see on the opposite side of the street a fine portion of squared flint wall, undoubtedly one of the best examples of this type of work in the country.

Retrace your steps into STRAND STREET, turn right, and note THE PILGRIMS, anciently two houses of wealthy Sandwich Merchants. In the top peak of one roof is a smuggler’s hide, from where signals were flashed to Pegwell Bay when the coast was clear to land a smuggled cargo. Pause a moment in the narrow section and admire in front of you the magnificent street scene of timber-fronted houses so reminiscent of the times of Queen Elizabeth I. The wine shop on your right has a large wine cellar, now once more used for its original purpose, and which dates back to early medieval days when Sandwich was a famous and busy port, and almost every house on the strand, or river’s side, had large storage cellars for the wide variety of goods unloaded in Sandwich Haven.

Next see the SANDWICH WEAVERS, a beautiful old building where there is still a loom on the premises, although weaving is no longer carried out, followed by THREE KINGS’ YARD, over which is carved a wooden lintel dated 1605. At the end of Strand Street are two of the many public houses which at one time abounded in the Town, the ADMIRAL OWEN in particular, showing the original beams used when it was built in the Middle Ages. Opposite is the BELL HOTEL an ancient hostelry now much frequented by Golfers savouring the delights and difficulties of the ROYAL ST GEORGE GOLF LINKS, venue of the prime golfing tournaments of the world.

Turn left, under the BARBICAN, built by King Henry VIII and see the list of charges made to cross the TOLL BRIDGE until 1977, when the last Toll was collected, thus ending a tradition dating back to King Canute who first granted a Charter to the Monks of Christchurch in Canterbury to operate a ferry across the river.

Turn right again onto the QUAY, and stroll as far as FISHER GATE on your right, one of the only two remaining gates of this old fortified Town now remaining, built originally in 1384. It would have been near this spot that Thomas a Beckett landed in 1170 just before he was murdered at Canterbury, and it was from this Quay that many medieval Kings and their armies embarked on their forays across the Channel. Just before you go through Fisher gate, look to your left and see the ROUND HOUSE from where (now covered by an ornamental balcony) the boom used to be drawn across the river every night to prevent hostile vessels from entering the Haven.

Go up the cobbled way, across UPPER STRAND STREET into FISHER STREET looking left as you do so to see the entrance gate to the SALUTATION, a fine house built in 1911 to the design of Edwin Lutyens, the eminent architect who amongst many notable works was responsible for the whole of the city of New Delhi and also the Cenotaph in Whitehall. The gardens, which perfectly complement the building, were the work of Gertrude Jeckylls, one of the foremost garden designers of the early 20th Century. Go to the end of Fisher Street and turn left into ST CLEMENTS CHURCHYARD. Before going into the Church, note the lovely old Norman Tower, built of Caen stone from Normandy, as was a large part of Canterbury Cathedral. If you have time, go into the Church and admire the many features of this beautiful old building.

Leaving the North Door, turn right to leave the Churchyard, looking left as you do so to get a glimpse of the SALUTATION house mentioned earlier, but turn right alongside the Churchyard wall onto the MILLWALL part of the original walled defences which once encircled the Town. Here again, turn right and walk along the top of the old town hall, possibly stopping for a while to watch the bowls on your right, and to admire a particularly fine view of both St Clement’s and St Peter’s church towers. Now go down the steps just past the bowling green in MILLWALL PLACE, straight across the cross roads at the end.

Look to your left to see the OLD DUTCH HOUSE and, a little further along on your right, the recently restored PARSONAGE, which contains some medieval painted beams. Next at the junction of SHORT STREET and KING STREET is THRUMS, a lovely old timber-framed house. Take the right fork opposite the POST OFFICE into ST PETER’S STREET, where you will come to HOLY GHOST ALLEY on your right, with the entrance to the OLD TOWN GAOL opposite.

Turn left through St Peter’s Churchyard, noting the Flemish gable on the Chantry, restored in 1974 by the Redundant Churches Commission, and the church tower, rebuilt in the top section with bricks made from the mud of the Haven after the original tower fell down in 1661, partially due to neglect but also as a result of a series of earth tremors which shook East Kent at that time. Down the few steps into KING STREET through AUSTEN’S LANE into NEW STREET where, on the opposite site of the street and slightly to your left, hangs plaque above the house where TOM PAINE, one of the originators of the American Constitution, lived, and who was married in St Peter’s Church.

Go right for a few yards and admire the GUILDHALL built originally in 1579 with the centre section added around 1912, and the new section built in 1973 to enclose the pleasant pedestrian courtyard. Magistrates Courts are still held in the Guildhall Courtroom, continuing a tradition dating back to Elizabethan days. Subject to such Courts, the Town Sergeant will, if available, conduct tours round the Guildhall and Museum.

If you want to explore Sandwich TOWN GUIDES are available from a number of shops in the Town.