The Quay

Sandwich Haven 

The quay was the basis of Sandwich’s prosperity and fame for centuries. From here to the sea was a wide, protected river estuary known as the Sandwich Haven which formed one of the best medieval trading posts in the country. The Haven began silting up as early as the 16th century and now little remains of it, the sea having retreated by more than 2km (1.2 miles). From here, in medieval times, kings and their armies embarked for the wars in France. Fine, luxurious goods, such as figs, almonds, oil, honey, wine, saffron, leather and ginger were landed here, destined for all parts of England. Riverside Green, at the end of the Quay car park, used to be the town shipyard where ships and barges were built. After the river silted up, long-distance trade almost stopped until the 18th and 19th centuries when cargoes of timber, coal and salt were regularly landed. Boat building also took place here until the late 19th century 

The town wall 

Immediately behind the quay lay the town wall. This was stone-built and defended by two gateways and a tower. At the south-eastern end of the quayside today stands a building called The Keep. This was originally fronted by the Round House, which is now destroyed. It was once a strong point in the town’s medieval defences. Originally, there may have been a narrow postern (secondary) gate in the tower that led into the town. The tower may also have housed a large capstan that could raise or lower a great boom across the width of the river to stop unfriendly ships passing through. There is only evidence for stone town walls at the east and west ends of the waterfront. The eastern wall stops near St Mary’s Church and the western wall stops at the Barbican, with no evidence of a wall in between. This is probably because the merchants who had buildings along Strand Street wanted to be able to access the river and trade easily. 

Fisher Gate

Only a little further along the quay lies Fisher Gate. This fine structure dates from the late 14th century and was once a main gateway to Sandwich. It has a square tower with a central arched entrance passage, leading to a narrow, cobbled street (Quay Lane), which runs up into the town to connect with Fisher Street. This street has many period buildings surviving from its days as one of the town’s busiest thoroughfares. The 16th-century ‘Old Customs House’ does not seem to have ever been used as a customs house. The entrance to Fisher Gate was originally defended by a portcullis and its running grooves can still be seen. The upper part of the gate was rebuilt or heightened in brick, apparently during the 16th-century. A weathered plaque at the apex reads ‘1581 RPM’, which were the initials of Richard Porredge, mayor during that year. This gate, like others at Sandwich, was sold by the town for demolition in 1780, but somehow it survived. Next door to Fisher Gate is the old Drill Hall, built in 1869 for the Cinque Ports Artillery Volunteers. It is now a restaurant 

The Barbican Gate 

At the north-western end of the quay lies the town’s other surviving gateway, known today as the Barbican but originally called Davis Gate. It was built in the 1460s, perhaps on the site of an earlier gateway. It has two round fronted stone towers each side of a central archway, which is still used by traffic leaving the town. Before the first bridge was built in the 18th century, this gate would have protected the important ferry crossing which was d02786 then the only way to reach the Isle of Thanet. 

Stonar Barbican Gate around 1870 Credit: Sandwich Guildhall Museum. d02787 On the opposite side of the river, the ferry landed at Stonar. The settlement there was first established during the 1070s. It grew to become a significant town and port, eventually standing as something of a rival to Sandwich. The settlement at Stonar was flooded in 1365 and was attacked and burnt by the French in 1385. It never recovered and the entire town has now completely disappeared. Much of it was destroyed by shingle extraction during the 20th century.

Emigration 

From the 17th century, Sandwich was a major port for emigration to the American Colonies, and the Corporation paid grants for people to settle in Virginia. People from Kent joined others from England in founding a colony in Scituate in Massachusetts.