Strand Street

Origins 

Strand Street probably has more old timber framed houses than any other street in England. It runs parallel to the modern riverfront, from near the Barbican to the site of the medieval Canterbury Gate. The name ‘Strand’ means a riverside shore or shoreline street. The implication is that Strand Street served Sandwich’s medieval waterfront, although it does not seem to have existed as a formal street until the late 14th century 

Historic quays 

Two quays have been recorded next to Strand Street. Monkenquay was the most westerly, located close to where the Guestling Stream entered the River Stour. Originally, this was a private landing stage for the monks of Christ Church Priory in Canterbury, who had a house in this part of Sandwich. It had storehouses and a crane for offloading goods that were bound for their monastery. Jesus Quay lay further east, opposite St Mary’s church, and is first recorded in Strand Street, around 1870. 

The town wall 1553. Fisherman’s Wharf, next to the Barbican, is an entirely modern name and was never a medieval quay. Along the historic riverfronts of English towns it is often found that successive quaysides have been built, one in front of the other, over the centuries. This means that the earliest structures are now buried some distance back from the current waterfront. 

In 1980, the Kent Archaeological Rescue Unit excavated the site of modern Aynsley Court on the northern side of Strand Street. They found the traces of three successive timber quays that had been built out as the banks of the river progressively silted up. The quays probably ranged in date from the 15th to the 18th centuries. Later, in the same area, part of a very substantial, probably earlier, stone built quay was found closer to the line of Strand Street. Even older waterfronts are likely to still lie buried further to the south 

The Town Wall

The medieval town wall ran parallel with Strand Street and the riverfront. It was probably built during the 14th century, although its course is not fully known. The wall was a relatively late construction, and probably had to fit in with the existing quaysides, dwellings and riverfront warehouses. Remnants can still be traced through several gardens on the northern side of Strand Street, extending eastwards from the site of Canterbury Gate as far as Guestling Stream’s junction with the main River Stour. At present, there is no clear evidence for its line further east. It is possible that there was no wall across the central waterfront where the main merchant quays were located. These were packed with warehouses, with narrow passages between. The wall reappears east of the Barbican 

Buildings

A most impressive series of medieval timber framed buildings lines Strand Street. To the east, at the junction with High Street, the former Admiral Owen pub dates to the 15th century. The Crispin Inn, opposite, is 16th century. Further along, between the entrance to Three King’s Yard and St Peter’s Street (Love Lane) is a row of 15th- and 16th-century buildings. These probably incorporate parts of the Bull Inn, first mentioned in 1466. There is a carving of a dragon breathing fire on the remaining half arch which probably provided access to a courtyard behind the old inn. At the corner of St Peter’s Street (Love Lane), number 23 was originally a 14th-century building. This was enlarged during the 16th century when a third storey was added for goods storage. 

At the junction with Potter Street, numbers 29 and 31 are also 16th century. Number 33, on the opposite corner, is an early 14th-century building with two parallel ranges and a shallow, stone-lined cellar. Close to the junction with Harnet Street, numbers 39 and 41 are restored houses from the 14th century. They are a good example of two medieval merchants’ houses. Further west, other fine buildings include the 15th-century Kings Lodging on the northern side of the street; the King’s Arms pub near St Mary’s Church, dated to 1592; and the ‘Long House’ opposite Cottage Row. This large building was probably built on land that used to belong to Christ Church Priory. It has been dated to 1562-78 and may have originally belonged to local shipowner and merchant John Gilbert